My prearranged shuttle transport arrived in Deep Gap promptly at 0900 and drove me around to Indian Grave Gap. [Here’s a free endorsement for Ron Brown if you need shuttle services around the GA/NC area.] He dropped me off at around 1000 and I started the hike. The overnight rain had cleared out and the day turned sunny, warm and humid. Leaving Indian Grave Gap, I made the climb up Tray Mountain. My new (but worn enough to be pretty well “broken in”) boots felt like walking barefoot through marshmallows which made me think about s’mores which made me hungry which had me stopping for lunch at Tray Mountain shelter. AT shelters are mostly built near reliable springs and water sources, so they serve as a good place to replenish your water and hydrate.
The rest of the afternoon was spent struggling up steep inclines and tromping down whatever the opposite of inclines are (declines? No, thank you). I arrived at Deep Gap shelter (no relation to Deep Gap from yesterday) about ten minutes before the rain arrived. One hiker was already there. I decided I would sleep in the shelter rather than try to set up my hammock in the rain. After about thirty minutes, three more soggy hikers arrived. The shelter has a loft, so we are lodging two upstairs and three down. I am avoiding the loft since I do not want to have the additional challenge of navigating a ladder at 3:00am, should I decide to take a break from sleeping. Tomorrow I finish the Georgia portion of the trail.
Doctor Photon
