Day 5 - 3/06

Daily mileage: 14.6
Total trail mileage: 48.7
Starting location: Wolf Laurel Top
Ending location: Blue Mountain Shelter
Weather: clear all day, 30 degrees in the morning, up to 85 (!)
during the day at lower elevations, 45 in the late afternoon

I am at
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=34.817355,+-83.766785

It was warm today! After again waking up to frozen boots and a frozen
water bladder, it very quickly rose in temperature. My thermometer
said 85 degrees around lunchtime, although it may have been sitting in
the sun. I think it was really around 70 (which is still quite warm
given the last couple days). It feels like it changed seasons
overnight; the snow on the one side of the mountain is gone, the sun
was shining, and a few birds were out.

I think I am getting my trail legs. My walking pace has gone up, but
that might be due to not having to slide in snow quite as much.
Unfortunately, I also got a trail knee. It started hurting a little
yesterday before stopping and was hurting again this morning. It
isn't a big deal on flat ground or going uphill but I need to be
careful going down. Good thing I started using trekking poles a
couple years ago; I don't know what I would have done without them.
At lunchtime I stopped for an hour and kept that leg raised the entire
time. That helped alot and I was able to cruise after lunch.

I took stock of my remaining supplies. I am going to have a decent
amount of leftovers for this section...I guess I need to eat more!

Where did all the thruhikers go? I didn't see one the entire day, but
there are a lot of section hikers out. I know a lot of people were
stopping at Neels Gap. Hermit is camping at the shelter with me
tonight, but he is going back and forth a bit before returning to
Maine through means other than walking.

Oh I forgot to mention yesterday, I am pretty sure I saw bear scat on
the trail yesterday afternoon. There are a few reports of bears
sighted in this area recently. I haven't seen any yet though.

Tomorrow I will get as close to Dicks Creek Gap as possible, so I can
get into Hiawassee early Monday for a night in a hotel (shower, real
food, laundry, bed, etc.).