03-26-13 Together at the Blueberry Patch

Survived the night, but was ready for a hot meal and shower.

The alarm went off at 6:30am. I was the first in the shelter to start moving. I found my change of socks in the dark. I tried to be as quiet as possible, but every time I would move I would hear someone else stir.

Now my sleeping bag was packed up--and I was cold-- being quiet was no longer my priority. I stepped over a girl. B started handing my items to set outside.

Finally loaded and on our way, we trudged along the snow covered trail. The first ones out, we were blazing through the snow drifts. A true winter wonderland. Only 3.6 miles away from a shuttle to take us to warmth.

Slip. Slide. Plop. I fell to my knees. A sloppy mess in the snow to show other hikers that someone wiped out here.

The noise of a car driving by. The glimpse of the road. We've made it to Dicks Creek Gap. An angel shuttles us to the Blueberry Patch Hostel operated by Gary and Lennie.

Safe in the warmth of the hostile, we shower and have our clothes laundered. Gary takes us in to town.

One basket of chips. A second. A third. We enjoy our Mexican lunch. Then we resupply at Dollar General and Ingles. Overall a relaxing day before we hit the trail again tomorrow.