Day 7

Woke up to a cloudy morning and got underway by 9am.  We are aiming to do 13.6 miles today so that on Wednesday we will only need to do 5.5 miles to Dick’s Creek and our shuttle into Hiawasee.  Today’s hike includes Rocky Mountain at about 4000 feet and Tray Mountain at 4400 feet and a couple of smaller slopes so it is an aggressive day for me.  It’s another warm day with temperatures expected in the sixties with the skies expected to clear slowly by 4pm.

True to the forecast the skies are brightening and we are getting some better views today.

Made the climb up and down Rocky.  Legs, hi knees and feet are feeling pretty good.  Next up is Tray. Things started off well and we entered a section of the green tunnel on our climb.

As I neared the top the skies started getting dark as a storm was rushing in and thunder began rolling through the mountains.  Sandy and ADD have been hiking ahead of me so I quickened my pace to catch up before the storm set in.  I know I had fallen behind their faster pace but despite my increased step was unable to catch them as the storm rolled in.  I learned later that I missed the cutoff for the shelter near the top of the mountain (Tray Mountain Shelter) which they had ducked into.  I found myself on my way down the other side of the mountain.

I began a hurried descent but not quick enough.  The thunderstorm turned into a hail storm with pellets about the size of large BBs as the temperature dropped.  It lasted for nearly 90 minutes.  It covered the ground with ice pellets and turned the trail into a creek as the water rushed down it. Since the trees this high up haven’t bloomed there was no shelter nor space to set up the tent so I continued down. Near the bottom someone had set up a tarp and I joined a group hiding beneath it for a while but I was soaked and needed to keep moving to stay warm so as soon as it slowed down I started hiking again.  The storm finally stopped as I completed the last four miles it to my destination at Addis Gap tent site around 4:30.  I quickly threw up my tent while the rain was halted, shed wet clothes, ate and got my sleeping quarters ready.  After a while I heard Sandy and ADD calling out to me when they saw my tent.  I confirmed it was me but at that point I was too tired and comfy in my bag to come out to greet them.  I was happy that my tramily was together as I was thinking that perhaps they were still ahead of me and widening the gap. Everything is wet but I’m dry and warm in my tent.  I’ll deal with the wet stuff tomorrow when we get to town.  It’s supposed to be sunny tomorrow 😊.  On to Hiawasee!