Today is a short ~6 miles to a trail crossing at Dick's Creek. I've reserved two nights at Stanimals around the bend hostel. Today is about getting there and resupplying, tomorrow is about rest and rejuvination.

I wake ealry at 4:50 and break camp by 6 am before either of my site mates awake.Waking early is certianly a trait that i got from my mother and one I am grateful for both on and off the trail. At work, I usally come in early to prep without rush and the trail is much the same.I have enjoyed falling into the routine of waking, taking morning meds, and packing up my gear even before I leave my tent. I pull my stakes and pack my tent before collecting my bear canister for breakfast. Before I grab my poptart, I pull the other snacks and electrolytes that I'll need for the day. Usally, this prep includes my lunch, but today I am going into town.

As I leave camp, the wind is rolling over the mountains and I and grateful for my rain shell.The darkness of the trail coupled with the creaking of trees goves a certain eary spookiness to my morning journey. While not afraid of the dark, I do hold a respect for the tales of Appalachia in the back of my mind. However, I know as long as I stay on the trail in either case, I'll be fine.Then I begin to hear a "wooo" noise above me in the trees.I attribute it to the wind initially, but it continues to follow me down the trail.The creaks and whines of the trees swaying in the wind couple with this ghostly sound has my heart beating and my mind fidgeting with it. As I make my way up the mountain from my site, I pause and lean agaist a tree as I grab my waterbottle with my morning instant coffee in it. I hear the "wooing" noise again, but it it stays sustained and I laugh to my self.The mysterious "wooing" noise has been my air pump for my mattress getting bunped in my pack as I walked.

After making it over double spring mountain, I coasted mostly down hill to Dick's creek. There I waited for a shuttle driver to pick me up to take me to stanimals around the bend hostel just .6 miles down the road. I am planning on taking a zero day tomorrow to let my legs recover, but after 78.2 miles, they've earned it.

Stanimals is a hostel made out of two ramblers that seems to have room for at least 30 hikers.While not that full, there is about 15 hikers in and out which still make the place seem crowded. But we're all trail people by this point so the conversation is good and plenty.

The hostel runs a shuttle down to Hiawasse, the nearest major town, at noon. So i sign up and have them drop me off at Hiawasse Brew for lunch. My hiker hunger is starting to set in, so I order a burger along with an order of fish and chips.And since its Friday, I celebrate my first week on the trail with 2 flights, sampling their in house concotions. The caramel apple pie sour is particularly good.

After lunch I wander into town to the town green and run itno another hiker named "Rock-On".We chat for a bit in the shade of the gazebo and he tells me that he's on the last day of his vacation time and turning in his letter of resignation tomorrow. In fact, several of the people I have meet have left their current jobs to do this. Mostly post-college aged people, but a few older ones like Rock On.I supposed I'm fortunate to have a job that allows me to do this, especially with summer break, and be able to come back.However, I find myself envious of their lack of a timeline restrictions.I'm already trying to make peace with the fact that I may run out of time.But I am also aware that I can't run myself ragged to get there either. Hipefully big mile days are coming soon.

In town I resupply at a local groccery store called ingles. I grab 4.5 days worth of food, knowing that I won't have to pack breakfast on day 1 nor dinner on day 5 before my next resupply. I have some extra food left over too, so I struggle to fit it all in my bear canister.Eventually, I donate my oatmeals and extra carnation breakfast drinks to the hostel's hiker food box. At many of the hostels and other attractions along the way, there are hiker boxes where people drop off gear or food they no longer want to carry. But as I close my bear canisters lid, I am prepared for my next section on the trail.

Summary of Progress:

• Miles Completed: 6.3

• Total Miles Completed: 73.1

• Location: Georgia

• Weather: Wonderfully warm and breezy before cooling off quickly.