The total mileage for the last two days of the trip was 5 miles. Yes, we took it slow and easy and had plenty of time for socializing and storytelling at the Gooch Mountain Shelter. We also planned an easy day on Saturday so we'd get to the shelter early. It's a popular one and we wanted to make sure we could find campsites for everybody.
The trail from Cooper Gap went up to Phyllis Spur and Justice Mountain then down to Justice Creek then up Gooch Mountain. Swallowtail and Lynn drove their truck from Cooper to Justice Creek then hiked in to Gooch Mountain with us. That afternoon and evening at the shelter we met many nice folks. A troop of boyscouts stopped by then Aaron and Ryan did. Those two guys were hiking south from Dick's Creek Gap to Amicalola Falls. We also met Meanderthal, whom had bad eyesight due to having diabetes, and was hiking north as far as he could go. He met his brother at the Shelter to eat lunch. Minuteman and Redcoat started hiking from Springer Mountain at 1:00 pm in the afternoon and made it to the Gooch Mountain Shelter by 7:00 pm or so. We told them it had taken us 3 days to do that and they laughed! We had fun joking and telling stories with all of these guys.
Also this afternoon CGHiker and Mother Goose caught up to us. They started hiking from Springer Mountain the day prior. Mother Goose has hiked the AT 5 times as well as the PCT, CDT, she's also biked across most of the Lower 48 states! Check out her website at www.bikearoundamerica.com
That night it began to rain, and though it was nice listening to the rain drops all night long, I got very wet packing up my gear in the morning. Most of us were planning on hiking from Gooch Gap to Woody Gap but when we got to Gooch we just decided that due to the rain that would be the end of our journey. So after the short 1 mile walk out from the Shelter to Gooch Gap PanamaRob was waiting to pick me up and the others piled into Swallowtail's van and from there we headed to the Hiker Hostel in Dahlonega for showers! Then we went to Neel's Gap then up to Brasstown Bald. Brasstown Bald is the highest mountain in Georgia. It was sopped in with fog when we drove up, though. We had fun exploring the Forest Service Visitor Center at the top and then we drove to Blairsville to meet up with Coosa for dinner (which consisted of southern BBQ ribs and sandwiches, yum!). After dinner we all went back to the Hiker Hostel and watched a slide show of Mother Goose's journeys.
In the morning we all ate breakfast at the Hostel (included in the $15 price!) and then headed our separate ways. The Hiker Hostel was one of the nicest hostels I've ever stayed in. Check them out! www.hikerhostel.com
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