Blood and Blair

The fourth day, April 2, was the first really hard day.

We started earlier than usual, hoping to make it over Blood Mountain to Neel Gap and beyond before the forecasted rain. Going up this mountain wasn't so bad, but I felt very exhausted by the time we got to the top. The way down was much more treacherous. We made it down without issue, but another hiker said they fell twice, without injury.

My hiking partner joined another group of younger hikers to cover ground faster and make it to the Trail Days festival on time. Most of the other hikers I'd met had decided to move on, but I was too tired to think straight, so I decided to get into a bed as quickly as possible.

It's nearly peak season for the trail, so I had to make about 10 phone calls to get a room and a ride to it. A very friendly and knowledgeable shuttle driver picked up another hiker and I and we all went to Blairsville, GA.

I had just enough left in me to do laundry and door dash some needs from the CVS, then enjoyed a blessed eight hours of sleep.

By now I feel like I have arrived. This trip will be the hardest thing I've ever done.

The next day I went to the recommended downtown diner, The Hole in the Wall, and ran into the Danish couple I had met a few days before. They had steamed ahead to keep on their tighter visa schedule, but had hit the same exhaustion wall as I did.

They were very impressed with American breakfast portions, and I walked them through the process of buttering and syrupping pancakes. Later we went out for barbecue and they enjoyed racks of ribs, which are apparently hard to get in Copenhagen.

After dinner they were introduced to live amateur bluegrass music. I continued playing tour guide, directing them toward the most talented circles of pickers.

I think this town day might be hard to beat. We rode back to the trail the next morning, fresh and clean and with our food stocks full.