From: Blue Mountain shelter
To: Deep Gap shelter
Mileage: 16.2
Weather: Cool to mild, sunny
I was up at dawn (but after the women) to get an early start.
It was a long descent from Blue Mountain to Unicoi Gap, then a long climb up Rocky Mountain. On the way up, I passed Furnace and Milo coming south, who also warned me about the hornets. Milo had been stung. I recognized their names and their faces were familiar, and they recognized me, too. I believe we met at the Hikers Welcome hostel in Glencliff NH. I congratulated them on their nearly completed thruhike.
When I reached the campsite sign at the summit that the women told me about, I donned my fleece jacket and mosquito net jacket with hood, insulated buff head cover, gloves, zip-on legs for my convertible hiking pants, and a shot of DEET for good measure, then jogged quickly through the summit area without getting stung. I took the extra layers off on my way down, and passed the warning about the hornets to other southbound hikers I met.
The next peak to climb was Tray Mountain, the second highest peak in Georgia. I left an entry with the hornet warning in the log at the Tray Mountain shelter when I stopped for a snack.
I met "John from Massachusetts" (who I was told to expect by a couple of other hikers), trail name Second Chance, at Deep Gap shelter where I stopped. John, a very nice guy and recently retired police officer, was section hiking the AT in Georgia to the North Carolina border, which was 12.5 miles ahead. However, we both planned to stay at the Top of Georgia Hiker Center (and hostel, http://topofgeorgiahikingcenter.org) the next day, another Nero and resupply for me.
Although another man visited the shelter, apparently part of a group, he didn't return so it was just John and I at the shelter for the night. There was a bear box, and my food was in the Ursack, so I hoped it was safe from bears and rodents overnight.
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