From: Deep Gap shelter
To: Top of Georgia Hiker Center
Mileage: 4.6
Weather: Cool to mild, sunny and humid
I left the shelter before John, anxious to begin my Nero and catch a daily resupply shuttle into Hiawassee GA at the hostel.
Once I reached the busy two-lane road at Dick's Creek Gap, I followed the sign 0.7 miles downhill along the narrow shoulder to the hostel entrance.
The hostel is staffed by thruhikers, and Vagabond, a two time AT thruhiker (last when she was 70) got me signed in. I was happy to take a shower and exchange my clothes for hospital scrubs while mine got washed. I also availed myself of the free hot chocolate (3 cups, IIRC) when John arrived. Another couple of hikers arrived that I met at Neel Gap hostel, one a woman flip-flop thruhiker who was heading north like I was, joined by her boyfriend to their finish at McAfee Knob in Virginia (they are from Lynchburg VA). The boyfriend had an injury and they planned to take a day off.
I and the couple took the afternoon shuttle to town, where we had two hours before pickup. I went to an All You Can Eat buffet at Daniel's, which had Gone with the Wind posters and prayer reminders about, and had two rounds of heaping plates of southern comfort food with side dishes and dessert before I felt full. I then went to the nearby Dollar General store to resupply tuna packets, cookies, gummi bears, apple juice and lemonade drink mix before heading back to the pickup point at the Ingles grocery store. I noticed that the older grocery store next door had only a few customers, which was rather sad.
John and I shared the bunkhouse. The couple stayed in one of the tiny cabins on the property (same price per person).
I had a couple of cups of Neapolitan ice cream a previous guest left in the bunkhouse freezer before bed as my stomach found more room.
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