Return to Hiawassee (Day 8)

Today I planned to return to Hiawassee to fully resupply for the next four days. I woke up early (still cold) at Tray Mountain Shelter and there was a beautiful sunrise. It was a 10 mile hike to get to Dicks Creek Gap, and I had to make sure I was there before the free 2pm shuttle arrived to take hikers into town.

Fun in the gap

The miles passed quickly today, as they often do when I focus on getting to a certain place at a specific time. I met a friendly AT volunteer and his sweet dog along the way. When I arrived at Dicks Creek Gap, I was greeted by a magical wonderland: watermelon, bananas, and orange Gatorade. I was starting to worry that if I didn’t eat some fruit soon, I might get scurvy. The bus driver who took me from my bus stop in Atlanta to Amicalola Lodge last week was also there picking up another hiker. It was nice to see a familiar face and let him know how I was doing along the way.

city ​​errands

We took the shuttle to Hiawassee and once again I was dropped off at Ingalls Market. I had grilled chicken, barbecue fries, and pineapple for lunch in town, and then went grocery shopping to restock. Afterwards, I headed back to Trailful Outdoor Co. to pick up some backpacking meals and a new can of fuel. I also appreciated being able to charge my devices once again in their hiker room.

After a quick call home, we headed back to the gap to camp for the night. I’ve spent a lot of time with four hikers I met on my first day on the trail. We have had fun eating and camping together every night. It’s funny how quickly you start to feel like you know people in the woods.

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