Day 107-108: The Longest Stretch

It snowed during movie night.  It was only a tiny bit and didn't affect hiking.  I hit the trail at 6:30 am from Wesser Bald Shelter.  I saw a total of 3 fire towers between days 107-108  which is a lot... but then again i did a lot of miles.  Sometime this afternoon i got to a road to hitch into Franklin, NC.  I went to the post office and got a mail drop from my grandmother.  Thank you granny!!!  I then ate Bojangles and hit the trail again around 4:30pm.  I had done 21-22 miles at this point but had to keep going.  I hiked through the entire night to get to Hiawassee, GA which i got here at 8:30am.  That is 61.8 miles of hiking total.  The reason i did that was to get to the post office on Saturday during the few hours they are open to get a package from a family friend named Patty.  It should have been here already and if i had waited to get here i would have to have done 56 miles between Monday morning and Tuesday afternoon and thats not how i want to finish pushing it like that.  This package has been sent previously to 2 other post offices and each time it arrives late... like up to 6 days late.  So i got to the P.O. and guess what it aint here and wont be here until Tuesday.  Grrrrr i just killed myself for nothing.  But the postmaster said she would mail it to an address i gave her so hopefully i get it back in FL. 

Now back to last night.  I had a really bad fall around 11:30pm.  Both my ankles got caught on a fallen tree limb and i hit the ground hard.  I landed on my knees and both of them hit a big tree root simultaneously.  I was screaming in agony as i was writhing on the ground.  I thought my knees were broken they hurt so bad.  The mental challenge kicked in and i was concerned i couldn't hike any more. The left one was bleeding a lot with surface bruising and both were swelling up.  But the right one was hurting the most.  It took me 5 minutes before i could get up and barely hobble down the trail.  My knees were stiff as boards at first or any time i stopped moving the rest of the night.  But i still had 22 miles to do and i needed rest.  I decided not to stop at a shelter because i needed to use RICE and thats not available out here... at least the ice part.  Hiking the remainder of the night was agonizing and really cold but i made it.  Last night is the first time i have ever hiked in layers which worked great its just usually not that windy/cold i guess.  I crossed into Georgia last night also so thats cool, last state.  After going to the P.O. and getting breakfast i paid for a room at the Holiday Inn Express.  I haven't paid for a single nice place this whole trip so why not.  Plus they have tv's for college football, an actual bed with pillows, ice machines to ice my knees, as well as easy access to the grocery store for resupply.  I sat around most of the day sleeping and icing my knees which hurt bad.  It stinks i was finally in my prime feeling great with no issues and moving great and now i am injured with 69 miles left.  I aint giving up i have to finish even if its hard to walk i will make it to Springer on Tuesday.  I should take a zero and keep resting my knees but i want to finish and i have arrangements all made to go back to FL Tuesday.  Moving on is going to be hard mentally this trail is fighting me all the way to the end.  I have come so far, if i were to quit now even though i am injured i couldn't live with myself.  Its not easy doing this every day and i am looking forward to finishing.  There are aspects of the trail i will miss but i am ready for this thru hike to be completed.  If you read this before i finish please pray for my knees to cooperate.

I haven't been taking any pics recently i dont feel the need to.  There are no leaves on the trees and its very dull.  At least the snow pics were cool.