The plan was to drop a car at Uncoi Parking Lot, drive to Dick's Gap and hike back. A 15.9 mile hike. We put in at 10:30 AM, did the whole photo op thing and took off. And immediately, I was in trouble.
That first mountain is an enormous pain. Straight up. Lots of really steep climbing and very little rest. Then straight down. Almost as bad. And then straight up again. We ate lunch about 1/2 up the second mountain at 12. And we had been really pushing it. I didn't think I was cut out for it but I wasn't about to say anything to Don. 2.5 miles in is a beautiful vista. But you have to walk to it and I have to say, I almost didn't because I was sure we were behind schedule (we were. I just didn't know HOW behind we were). Quick photo, back on the trail.
2 hours later, we came to sign post that said 5.2 to Dick's Gap, 5.6 to Tray Mountain. No mention of Uncoi. I knew, right then, that we weren't going to make our goal for the day. The problem was, how to get out without a car.
So, for the next hour which was a really lovely part of the trail, over these little humps of mountains, Don and I talked it through and decided, yes, we would do our best but that Tray Mountain would be an option.
The climb up Tray Mountain from Dick's Gap is awful. It took an hour and a half. I was literally stopping every 100 feet or so and the worse part was the only water we had left were frozen blocks of ice. For a while, I carried it next to my chest hoping my over-heated body would melt the ice but Gatorade bottles are absolutely impermeable. Non-breakable. And boy, do they ever hold the temps.
When we finally got to the top of Tray Mtn, we were definitely finished and it was 5 PM. I figured, 20 minutes down, a short taxi ride, we would be eating by 7. Folks, we actually started eating at 10:15 PM.
Don arranged a taxi once we finally made it down (6PM!!!!! An hour to come off a mountain -- and that only half way). We had walked 10.9 miles of the original 15. The driver hemmed and hawed and then said it would be an hour as the back roads were bad. The bugs were eating me alive so I suggested that we start walking toward him, cutting some of the distance. Stupid idea. Number 1, none of those roads are properly marked. Number 2, there are multiple ways in and out of those parking lots, also not properly marked. 2 HOURS later, after an hour of cell service failure, we finally got in touch with the taxi driver who had been searching for us the whole time. What an incredible man. Today, I mapped that section out and we walked an additional 4.5 miles down that road. I will say, it was a piece of cake. Down hill, relatively smooth, and with a lovely cooling breeze. But 15 miles is 15 miles no matter how you cut it and all I wanted was a bath, a lot of water (still out!) and maybe something to eat. To the street it was 9.7 miles which after an hour, I thought I was going to have to hike out.
As a shout out -- The taxi we used is Affordable Taxi and he really went the extra miles since the roads were so confusing. Call him if you are in the area and need a lift. 706/970-0794.
I checked in to the loveliest Hampton Inn ever in downtown Helen, Don went and fetched the most magnificent gluten free pizza EVER from Nacoochee Grill and Pizza, and we called it a day.
Before we went to sleep, I tried, oh I tried, to get Don to commit to doing at least 5 miles on Monday. But he sidestepped and after doing a small amount of my favorite downward facing dog yoga position, I went to sleep and never moved until 7:30 AM.
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