It was a pretty long night at Low Gap shelter, we ended up with 6 hikers including me in the shelter and about another 10 camping in the shelter area. Kitch and Dancer who were also in the shelter snored loudly throughout the night. I have earplugs with me but unfortunately I had them in a stuff sack with some stuff that goes in the bear bag and it was hanging up aways away from the shelter. By the time I realized it was dark, I was warm in my sleeping bag, and the rain had started again. I havent had a night yet where I’ve slept soundly through the night – no matter what I do with my arms and hands in a sleeping bag they never feel comfortable. Even though I don’t feel like I sleep well I haven’t been tired during the day at all.
I was the probably the last one out of a sleeping bag and the first one packed. My knee felt a bit better but still had lingering soreness, the top of my ankle was still tight, but I was ready to do the 9+ miles to get to Unicoi Gap and enjoy a trip to town.
Even though it rained all night the sun finally appeared shortly after hitting the trail around 8:30. The first several miles today consisted of relatively flat terrain and with the sun out for the first time the pace was quick even gimping along on sore legs. I stopped occasionally to massage the ankle which helped more than Ibuprofen. I was ahead of most of the dozen or so others coming out of Low Gap until about 7 miles in when the trail was going uphill over treacherous rocky terrain. At the top of that mountain was a stream and another shelter. I think everyone that started the day at Low Gap ended up here around 2, refilled water bottles and had snacks/lunch. Several of the section hikers planned on spending the night, but all the thru-hikers were going the extra 2+ miles to Unicoi Gap. We ended up with 7 thru-hikers and Kitch getting a shuttle into Helen, GA. Helen is a small tourist town, it looks like a German villiage. We went to The Hay Loft for dinner where I demolished mozzarella sticks and a hamburger. Going to spend the day here at the Helendorf Inn tomorrow to try to heal and get back to full strength. The climbs are feeling easier every day and I can’t wait to try them injury free.
After some internet research, Im pretty confident giving myself a diagnosis of tibialis anterior tendonitis.