March 19, 2020 4:12 pm 9.6 mi
AT 23.9 Lance Creek → AT 33.5 Swaim Gap
Weather: Beautiful! Warm, breezy, sunny; overcast later
Trail Conditions: Sticky mud AM, almost dry dirt PM
My Condition: Crushed Blood Mtn and all the hills leading up to it in the up direction. Knees ached on the big descents
As miserable as a damp night can be, it made for a BEAUTIFUL morning with the rolling fog shrouding the shy valleys between ridges. Started on trail at 8 am today and all the tents leading in to where I was were gone! At least 7 or 8 people up and at it before me. Pretty sure I passed all of them on the slopes leading up to Blood Mountain. I’ve always heard it called the first real climb/test/challenge of the AT, and I actually found it well within my abilities. The climb down, although tough on the knees, was pulled along knowing Mountain Crossings awaited. I met Special, from Marietta (I think?) GA. I also met Peaches, who was at the Amicalola Falls restaurant when we had dinner. He did the approach trail going down the trail from the lodge, meaning he had to go down all the stairs only to come right back up. The only other person I’ve officially met is Brent, who I leapfrogged with a bunch yesterday. Great resupply – hoping later ones go just as smoothly. Bumped into IBTAT from season 1 of Trail Correspondents at the outfitter (he works there). Said he wanted to come back for season 2 but Zach said he was too salty. Perfectly picturesque, peaceful solo campsite tonight, a reprieve from fighting for space and listening to conversations when I’m trying to sleep. Listened to my body today – intended to go on, but knees were barking! P.S. also got a free Chick-Fil-A chicken biscuit and an almost whole roll of Leukotape FOR FREE at Mtn Crossings. 1st trail magic!
Post Trail Analysis: The privy atop Blood Mountain had to have been one of the prettiest places I pooped all trail. I remember so much of the trail magic I got along the trail, but this is one I didn’t remember so I’m glad I wrote it down! Note to self, do that again on your next adventure. I also wish I’d written down an “ear-worm of the day,” a song that gets stuck in your head for whatever reason each day. Would be interesting to see the playlist you could put together from that!
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