Blood Mountain: Fox's AT Thru Hike - Day 4
I had a great day of eating yesterday, and I plan to stay at Baggs Creek tonight. I should resist the urge to knock out two more 16-milers into Hiawassee and give my body time to adjust. I love seeing the fog banks in the mountains. Anecdotal accounts I remember cast Blood Mountain as a major hurdle, perhaps the hardest so far. A tree full of shoes testifies to all those who quit at Neel's Gap. But I wonder, is it just because this is the first convenient place to bail? Blood Mountain is a challenge, but it didn't stand out as dramatically harder than the prior three days. Certainly, the first day was harder for me. So don't let the stories intimidate you.
I stopped in at Neel's Gap. The cell service was just enough for me to manage a call home. Mountain crossing has a rep for being overpriced, which I didn't see. The freeze-dried meals were near usual, and the junk food was well... junk food prices. Everything seemed fair, and there was free charging and bathrooms. I gave them some business and in return had a lunch of aoda, uncrustables, and chips. I used their scale to weigh my food. 5.8 should get me to the next stop, maybe. Be careful of the road crossing at Neel's Gap, it is crazy busy.
- Breakfast: Oatmeal
- Lunch: Coke, uncrustable, chips
- Dinner: Ramen
- Snack: Fig bar, nuts
- Met Today: Odd Couple
- Days without Ramen Bomb: 4
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Mar 4th : Grey Fox
Grey Fox's Bio
In high school, I would get home, throw my bag in the door, and head into the woods until dinner or nightfall. The outdoors have always been a place of comfort and sanctuary. Epic scenery is amazing, but not necessary; it's the icing on a cake that stands alone. The hike is both the journey and the goal.
