Tray Mountain Rag

Welp, survived a week thus far. Currently in Hiawassee, GA at the Hiawassee Inn where a nice proprietor named Sam let me borrow his official Inn minivan to run to the grocery store. They sure make'em nice here in Georgia. First off, a few thanks:

- thanks to Grandpa for 'one swig at a time' water conservation methods learned on hike to middle lake Velma circa 1994
- thanks to Dad for my monster calves and for having me on the lookout for a left-handed smoke-shifter to travel with
- thanks to Sean Luna for telling me to bring a vest
- thanks to Paul Heintz for telling me to set up the sleeping situation before cooking dinner
- and of course; thanks to Mama Kath for the can-do attitude

Basically it's been a swell time so far. So many kind folks are going my way and from all over - Minnesota, Florida, Boston, Colorado, PA, Scotland, what have you. Climbed many a peak - Tray Mountain sticking out as the hardest climb with the sweetest sunset on top. We had a bear in camp on the 3rd night at Woods Hole Shelter. "Dick the bear" has a knack for stealing food from the far left bear cable and though thankfully, skipping out. I was terrified until the guy whose food was being taken hopped out of his tent and said "that sonovabitch" - when I realized we're just angry when they take our food, not scared. Thanks Brian. Otherwise dear Chad-O leaves me tomorrow for good old DC and I'm making a break for the North Carolina line. Still trail-name-less, still haven't tried moonshine, still walkin'...

(Written by Chad Fisk from Kims Journal at the Hiker Hostel, GA. They unfortunately did not have a computer at the Hiawassee Inn).