Neels Gap to Woody Gap 12/29/01-12/30/01 ?

“Anyone want to do a short 20 miler?”

“Yes, but I'm not sure of the logistics of getting there.

It's a pretty good drive for me.”

“Would love to go, but can't. Are you going there and back? I don't recall that being 20 miles one way. You've got a nasty climb either way you go. Coming out of Woody Gap headed North is pretty tough. The view at the top is priceless.”

“Wade Baker is going.. (outdoorsbound.com) just talked to him on the phone.

-- but he is being dropped off and picked up.. so can't count on him for any shuttle..

so ya.. it's a stretch.. but thought if someone else wanted to go, I could drive down Friday night and we could get our cars set up for Sat/Sun.”

“It is still a possibility I'm just not sure of it.

How big a drive is it for you TD?
It's about 7 to 8 for me. (I'm guessing)”

“same for me.. a solid 8”

“Do a map search to Suches, GA. It should get you close.”

“For a TN boy, you aren't close to anything. That's like living in Florida and not being able to get to the beach.”

“DAYHIKER.. lol.. I have directions.. hehe.. I have all the trail guides.. just never BEEN there..

@baps you!

but ya.. living in WEST TENNESSEE sux sometimes.. :) Anywhere that I would consider hiking is a good 5 hr drive for SURE, and most are 7-8.”

“I've been to Neels Gap but I don't remember the driving time involved.

Heck I live at the beach and am nowhere near the mountains!”

“ha! i live, like... an HOUR away! mooWAHAHAHAHAAAA!!!!!”

“so why don't you go, ya little hobbit? we need someone to carry our beer.”

“Crash at Rad's house!”

“i may be intoxicated, at a cabin, in the tennessee smokies!”

“Rad: ya.. how about we drive in friday.. and crash at your place..”

“just leave the keys under the mat.”

“HPM, was it you that posted that link to a Boy Scouts GSMNP trip in the snow. If so, could you relink it. I was going to show it to my wife and couldn't find it a again. Too many threads, too little time.”

“heh.. that story is the BEST!”

“Here we are!

Three months and counting till the next big one with the fellas.”

“Thanks, those are some great pics. Are you going back to the Smokies this year?”

“Thanks

Most likely the Smokies or in that general area, they really love it there. Two years ago they did Pisgah.”

“Argh there I go posting with my wife's account again.”

“Ever been to Joyce Kilmer? I haven't, but am thinking of looking into it for a future trip.

Treebait? Does that mean you wife is not a particularly good fisherperson?”

“Never been to JK but want to.

Nope, it means the trees are out to get her.”

“Ohhhh, do the trees talk to her as well?”

“LOL!
No, not at all like that.

She has had several close calls with big falling trees and had a big branch actually fall on her and knock her off the trail once. So it became kind of a joke (after her knee got better anyway) that the trees were out to get her. Hence Treebait.”

“Yo Dawg, I'm good to go.”

“I will check once I get home (I'm in memphis at the public library)”

“I was in that area 2 weekends ago..stopped in at the Walasi Yi center and one of the guys there was telling me about a hunter finding a body about a mile or two North of the center..supposedly it was a thru hiker..they found his gear earlier in the year...Sent it home but never heard from him..Anybody hear about this?

Count me as a maybe for the hike..”

“I got out my AT book last night on this. I need to send Wade an email, and will do so right now. Neels Gap to Woody Gap is only 10.7 miles, so I don't see where he is getting 20 miles, unless he is thinking of making it an 'out and back' which I will NOT do.

I was thinking what might be nice would be to do this as a dayhike, and then go do the 8.8 approach trail up Springer the next day.”

“I don't know TD.
Maybe we can get a hold of someone to shuttle us or do our own car shuttle.”

“shuttle is not a problem, we have possibly 4-5 ppl going.”

“evergreen_34: I sent ya an email. (btw -- cute pic)”

“evergreen_34: is that a jack terrier?”

“Oh yeah, I might have a friend going.

email sent TD.”

“We are now considering a slight improvement to the original plan: Meeting at "Amycola" SP and getting one of our cars taken over to Woody Woodpecker Gap.

Proposed: Using Friday to get to Springer, Sat to haul over to Hawk Mt, and hoofing out hard on Sunday to get out and shuttled back around.”

“have you done that section, before?”

“Not me.”

“don't get too ambitious on your mileage, if you want to enjoy your hike.”

“I have heard it's rough.”

“what do you think rad?.. if we hit the approach trail sometime friday afternoon.. how far could we be by sometime sunday afternoon?”

“friday afternoon? i doubt you would make it to springer, by dark.

i've done it, but i won't do it, again.

it's hard for me to say.... i was just dropping a helpful (hopefully) hint.”

“Hey it's appreciated Rad. Thanks.

Last time treebait got to Black gap in four hours.

Any suggestions Rad?”

“let me think back and look at my maps, tonight. i'll email, you some ideas.

i'll call you, tonight, anyways. how late is too late?”

“i am, turning, into a, comma, freak.”

“Well I'm rested from my Lord of the Rings two night sleep depravation experience.

So no later than 11.

I do have maps of the AT up to the Smokies.”

“We already figured we would have to do the approach trail in the dark.

:)”

“let's just say that the trailbuilders were not fond of switchbacks.”

“ya.. I heard it was about a 60 degree elevation for nearly ALL of it..”

“What about the forest service road to the top of springer?
I've heard that it would be a very bad idea to drive it this time of year without a 4X4.”