Hiawassee to Franklin Nc

Day 7 Hiawassee to muskrat gap shelter

We start the day with a complimentary breakfast at the hotel. After lolly gagging around we start trying to hitchhike back to the trailhead. Luckily tigger ( who we had met at Gooch gap, and had come off the trail at different spot then us) had parents in town and spotted us with our thumbs out and gave us a ride back to the trailhead.  It has been raining all day and is only worse in the mountians. Visibility is only around 20 feet and makes climbing mountains a chore. After about 8 miles we reach the ga/Nc border and by now it's a steady downpour. After a quick picture we all hurray on. At this point my knees are killing me and I am cold and wet so I stop at muskrat Creek Shelter after 12 miles. My friends have all gone on to standing Indian shelter 4.5 more miles away. The shelter is jammed full so I have to set up in the rain and everything is damp. That night a storm rolls through and I hear later that wind gusts reached 60 mph. It also snows that night.

Day 8 muskrat gap shelter to Carter gap shelter.

We wake up to an inch of snow and everything including my boots are frozen solid. Luckily it is sunny so I hike on with wet things. I stop at a sunny clearing to dry things out and take a nap. It reaches sixty degrees in the afternoon. I consider doing a 20 mile day to catch my friend but by carter gap my knees hurt so I stop for the night. Here I meet southbound (his trail name not direction).

Day 9 carter gap to Franklin Nc

The day is absolutely gorgeous and reaches a balmy 68 degrees. We climb Albert mountian today which is famous for its steep incline and scrambling as well as being exactly 100 miles into the trail. On top we meet lefty over drive downhill and their dog dobby. Over drive has done the trail in 2012 but this year they are all doing just a section. I mention my knee problems and overdrive suggests I slow down and worry about miles in the mid Atlantic states. I originally plan on doing only twelve miles but my spirits are lifted with the sunshine and I crank out four more miles to get to town. I finally reunite with my friends at the budget it where they already have a room. Southbound and I split a room. A trail angel takes us  to a bbq restaurant and end up paying for all 11 of us. We buy beers and hang around outside drinking till midnight.