Day 6: For real this time

Day 6

Unicoi Gap to Sassafras Gap

Miles hike 10.4

AT mileage 62.8

Today is the day!

My parents and sister sacrificed their weekend to drive me down to the trail at Unicoi Gap in GA. We stayed the night at Quality Inn in Helen, GA. I called around to several hotels and it was the only place that let us take our dogs. Unfortunately I got sick the day before my hike began. I somewhat expected it because all of the people who are close to me were sick the previous week. I fell asleep at 9pm last night and slept til 7am today. I woke up feeling like trash but determined for it not to affect my hike. I was sad that we didn’t get to do much in Helen, it seemed like a cool town. I was too sick, we forgot the dog’s cage, and my parents needed to hit the road so they didn’t get home too late.

At 10am my parents dropped me off at Unicoi Gap and we took some pictures by the plaque. Emma hiked with me for 3 miles over Rocky Mountain and my dad slack-packed me. We met up again at Indian Grave Gap. As I was climbing up Rocky Mountain I felt like I was going to throw up if I had my pack on.

At Indian Gap I said goodbye to my family. As I hiked on alone, this dream of mine seemed real for the first time. I couldn’t believe I was out here actually doing it.

I hiked all day by myself and didn’t see many other people at all until I sat down for a snack. I had to keep reminding myself to take a break. My body was already hurting so bad. I think it was because I’m so sick.

Eventually I made it to my campsite at Sassafras’s Gap. I was worried I was going to have to camp alone and considered hiking one more mile to a campsite I knew people would be at. Luckily a few people I had met earlier came along. I wanted to go to sleep immediately but it was not even 5pm yet and we had so much daylight left. I took some medicine and melatonin hoping to get a maximum amount of sleep tonight. Right now I’m laying down in my tent. It feels so good to be horizontal. It’s supposed to be 47 tonight which I hope is true! I’m using a new 20 degree sleeping bag for the first time.