0 miles

March 11, 2018

Dicks creek gap (mile 69.00)

After doing 30 miles over the last few days I needed a rest. My ankle was pretty sore as well, so this called for a zero day. A zero day is hiker slang for a day with no miles walked. I had a nice relaxing morning hanging out in the common room at the Top of Georgia hostel, drinking bad coffee, eating sugary cereal and reading.

In the afternoon K2 and Doo came over and took me to Hiawassee for some brisket. It was really great to catch up with them. We ate at the bar so they could watch the Bruins game (ice hockey) and we talked politics. One dude came up to us to talk about the hockey. Turns out he had given up on NFL because of all the kneeling during the national anthem. We all spoke through fake grins until he went away. Talking politics in a bar in what is literally ‘Deliverance’ country is probably on the list of ‘Stupidest things I have done’.

The food was pretty good, though the brisket was a little dry. K2 assured me that I haven’t had real brisket until I’ve had it in Austin. Amazingly I could not finish everything. The much talked about hiker hunger has not really hit me yet. Probably a good thing, I could do with dropping a few more kilos.

We resupplied at the local grocery store and then K2 and Doo dropped me back at the hostel. They are skipping ahead to the Smokys, which is still a fair walk for me.  I’m hoping we can catch up again before they head back to Texas.

I got prepped for tomorrow, managed a video chat with Nae and the girls and slept well.