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June 29 2001

Distance Traveled: 15.1 (+.7 in side trails)     Total Miles: 70.8 (74.1)

Location: Deep Gap Shelter.

Entry:

Got up and moving this morning after 0 rain last night - just one doe at the shelter. As I walked down the trail I saw lots of nice camp sites with great views to the west. I kicked myself for sleeping in the shelter especially since I got such little sleep on the hard floor. I finished my book and left it for someone else. So in leaving that area, I vowed to make a camp tonight instead of staying in a shelter.

I made it to Bly Gap in good time, but stopped to filter water. That darned in-line filter is getting badly clogged or something, it is slow as Christmas. I passed the GA/NC state line and the trail conditions got better, but the hills are steeper. The trail maintainers are doing a good job, but learn to use SWITCHBACKS! Now that I got that snivel out of the way, the shelters here are excellent so far. two and three story jobs with privies and piped springs. there are also signs on the trail to point to the springs along the side of the trail. WOW!

I pushed to Plumorchard Gap Shelter for lunch - I craved mashed potatoes. While trying to push to make it there I imagined there would be a hot tub and three or four female hikers preparing to take baths and they would offer me cold beer to be their cabana boy and help them bathe. It really motivates - going to your "Happy Place". But they weren't any girls when I arrived. If anyone ever finds a shelter like that, or plans to set up some very special "Trail Magic" like that - LET ME KNOW!

 Anyway, after I moved on, the heat, steep hills, and full stomach started dragging on me, so I stopped at Cowart Gap for a nap. The flies had other plans for me. After 30 minutes I gave up and pushed on to Dick's Creek Gap where I had a late lunch (second one) of bean burritos and did a food bag check. Short some coffee and tea, but in almost every thing else I have an extra day's rations.

Then I moved on to Moreland Gap where I planned to stay, but I didn't like how exposed it was with a storm moving in. So I pushed on to Deep Gap Shelter to eat and see what the storm would do. IT hit. So I hung my hammock in the 2 story shelter and called it a day. So much for making a camp outside.

BTW. Lipton's Cajun rice sucks! I couldn't finish it. I'll eat a big breakfast in the morning because I'm still hungry now. I also found a knife and a spoon, oh boy!

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