Dates ........ Saturday, April 27, 2002
Miles ........ 6.1 miles
From ........ Tent camp at Sassafras Gap
To ............. Dicks Creek Gap, Blueberry Patch Hostel and Hiawassee GA
Weather ... 40 degF cold, breezy, cloudy AM, Partly sunny, 60's PM

Saturday, April 27, 2002

Kelly Knob GA 4276', Powell Mt. GA 3850', Dicks Creek Gap US 76, Blueberry Patch Hostel, Hiawassee GA.

It was a cool, crisp start and a cloudy but clear morning. I ate breakfast, packed up my tent and gear and was on the trail by 8:10 AM. 4276' Kelly Knob was a fairly steep 776 foot climb but I did my best climbing and strongest hiking in the morning when I was rested and energized. Then it was downhill, to Deep Gap and its shelter, where I stopped long enough to sign the register, then another 250 foot climb before descending all the way to the highway at Dicks Creek Gap. The area is infested with poison ivy in all its insidious forms. I was one full week into my hike and on schedule.

At a blue-blaze overlook I met Freak Show - a long distance section hiker finishing up the trail from his winter break. The overlook had a great vista.

Blue Ridge mountain vista from Kelly Knob

When I reached the highway, Copperhead and Cynic were trying to hitchhike into Hiawassee with no luck. They had been over an hour with moderate traffic and no one stopped for them. I suggested one of them remove his pant legs and put a large bandage on his leg. They did and the next car, a mom and daughter out for a spin in mom's new Mustang convertible, stopped for them even though they barely had room.

Then it was my turn. An old Caddy went by in the opposite direction and turned around. This always makes me nervous. But the guy looked OK. He offered me a ride into town for $5.00, saying he needed the money for food for himself and his dog. They were on their way up to Virginia for a job prospect. He seemed like a nice enough fellow and took me right to the hostel. I hope my $5.00 helped him out.

Blueberry Patch Hostel was a non-descript but warm and friendly Christian place. You had to be alert for their sign - it would be easy to miss. Gary Poteat, the operator, greeted and welcomed me. He and Ed, a recuperating hiker-resident gave me the how-to's, where-is and all I needed to know to function. The Poteats had a school affair in town to attend so I rode in with them to get bread and dinner. Dinner at Daniel's, an all-you-can-eat buffet, was excellent and only $6.95. Everything was hot and fresh, the mashed potatoes were real, and the pot roast was superb. What a deal! I resisted the temptation to overeat.

While walking to the supermarket after dinner, I ran into Winton Porter of Neels Gap. He was driving around Hiawassee looking for a hiker that he had helped. A day or so ago one of a hiker's two dogs died on Tray Mountain. Winton had helped with the removal effort and was looking for the hiker to make sure he was OK and to cheer him up. I hadn't seen the hiker and from Winton's description of the hiker and dogs, it was a different hiker from the one with two dogs that I saw earlier on Tray Mountain.

I resisted the temptation to load up on extra food at the supermarket and just got the bread I needed. (That was a mistake, which would make me short of food later.) I knew I was in for a hearty breakfast with the Poteats tomorrow morning. They picked me up and returned me to the hostel. Two additional guests had arrived and they got the instructional tour. I called home, then I reorganized my food sack and pack with the mail drop that was waiting there for me. Before dark I sanitized with a shower, shampoo and shave. Mrs. Poteat did my laundry and I was fresh and ready to go again.

Ed, trail name Turtle was an interesting character. A retired school guidance and special situation counselor, he was exactly like the assistant principal in the TV show Boston Public in appearance and mannerisms. Ed, recuperating from an internal ankle infection, never watched the TV show. He resisted anything that reminded him of his line of work - he'd had enough while on the job. He, the Poteats and the other two section hikers were great people to talk to and so nice to be with. Ed was going to try to resume hiking tomorrow after church with a short four-mile hike to see how things went.

In the middle of the night one of the late arrivals was snoring so loud it vibrated my bunk and kept me awake. I moved into the outer room and fell back to sleep.