Cherokee
21st April 2017
16.7 miles
Dicks Creek Gap (69.3) to Standing Indian Shelter (86)
I heard an interesting story about this area from another hiker, I thought I’d retell the story, very badly.
Conquistadors came to this part of Georgia many years ago in search of gold. The local indigenous people, the Cherokee, didn’t have much gold but pooled what little they had and put it into a valley to lure the conquistadors into a trap. The conquistadors were slaughtered. The Cherokee then performed a ceremony to expel the white man from the area forever. I’m currently hiking on Cherokee lands.
Over the next couple of days I’m hoping to pass on some Cherokee stories or reasons behind the naming of the places I’m hiking past. If I can find the information.
I had my free breakfast of cereal and coffee then got the shuttle back up the the trailhead at Dicks Creek Gap. I only had about 8 miles to make it to the end of Georgia and the start of a new state, North Carolina. I made those miles quite quickly and lingered just over the border in North Carolina for lunch. It had been a very warm morning. The hills seemed steeper and tougher in North Carolina. This was confirmed by every other hiker I met.
Intermittent rain showers plagued the afternoon. I’d set up my umbrella, take it down and repeat all afternoon. I caught up with Soop, the only hiker going at the same pace as me. We camped together at a place called Standing Indian Shelter with about 20 other hikers. So far my body is feeling great, not one blister, my new shoes are awesome.
Next : Day 7 – My First Week on the Trail
You’re looking much better, face is thinner looking, loose some weight??? New shoes??? What are you wearing now?
I lost about 5lb in the first 4 days, mainly due to illness I think. I’m using Vasque Breeze III, a lightweight hiking shoe, very comfortable and they had lots of great reviews.
Any tick sightings?
None from me, but other hikers have had sporadic sightings. I think it gets worse the further north we get.