Day 2- Hawk Mnt Shelter to Woody Gap ...Saturday May 7th

Weather: High of low 70s, Sunny and dry
Ibuprofen taken:1

I think this was intended to be a guilty face...she just ate a Snickers dipped in peanut butter for breakfast. She also enjoyed some Nettle Tea in her little Titanium cup.

Packed up and leaving Hawk Mnt shelter. On the trail by 8 30am,  even though we took the time to eat breakfast and drink a hot drink. No hurry, the days are much longer than during our winter hikes.

Hiking the green tunnel. Today was a bit harder than yesterday, there were a few decent climbs. Nothing like what is ahead..but we are carrying a lot of food, and still need to get our trail legs.

It would appear that someone else found the climb difficult.  They chucked aside a large tent, a slingshot, slingshot ammo and a Walmart hatchet.  

Making summer sausage burritos and filtering water at Gooch Mnt shelter.

To add flavor, after hydrating my potatoes,  I dumped them in the dirt. 

After washing the potatoes,  I fried them in summer sausage grease and made a sausage and potato burrito for Sage. She liked it so much, she had me make a second one. 

One Sage was fed, I added hot peppers and cheese powder to mine. I almost cried it was so good. A 99 cent box of Aldi Au gratin potatoes= trail gourmet. 

We arrived at the shelter around 1:45pm. We didn't finish our cooking, filtering and loafing until 3:30. Reasonable hikers would have called it a day. But, lacking reason, and fueled by our dirt potato burritos...we pressed on.

 

To take care of our feet, we try to stop every few miles, take off our shoes and let our socks dry out. It also provides a good opportunity to eat a Twix bar.

We made it to Woody Gap. The plan was to press on to set up a 9 mile hike into Neels Gap for the next day. As I took advantage of the marvelous pit toilet ( that was not sarcasm..Hiking changes your perspective on these things), I realized the next day was Sunday. If we could get a ride into town, and stay in a hostel,  it would allow us to play "church roulette" and attend a random small town church in Georgia Sunday morning.  One never knows what to expect when visiting random churches when you are out of town. 

Regardless,  Sunday is the Sabbath...even on the AT, so we decide to try to get off the trail briefly. Not sure we will always have that option later in the trip, but it might just work this time. 

 So I started calling hostels. The first one was full, but the convenience store/hostel/civic center/outfitter in Suches, Ga had room, and would give us a free ride too and from the trail.  

We arrived, and it turns out the cashier drives the bus for a local Baptist church. She will give us a ride tomorrow. Since we had briefly returned to civilization,  we indulged in Pizza , chicken wings, a hot dog and sodas. Then we went upstairs for showers and a bunk. I am typing this from a very comfy couch. 

Tomorrow will be a short day, as we'll spend most of the day in Suches. Both of us are healthy, enjoying the hike, and due to the unplanned hostel stop, clean.