Day 7

Deep Gap Shelter to Dicks Creek Gap (US 76) - 2.5 miles

We woke up at 6am to the voices of the other hikers eating breakfast and getting ready to get back on the trail. After a  half hour of listening to them talk about sports, they finally left, and we were feeling more awake than we wanted to be at that hour. Yet another reminder why we aren't too fond of shelters. Eventually we got up, had breakfast, checked out the shelter log, and broke camp. It was an easy couple of miles to the road and it was obvious that we both had town on our minds (not to mention that Mike had the start of some kind of poison ivy, oak, or sumac that was in need of some treatment). At Dicks Creek Gap we began our attempt to hitch a ride into Hiawassee (13 miles away?) and were failing miserably until we spotted a day hiker and his daughter returning to their car after a morning hike on the AT. Mike asked if they were headed into Hiawassee and if the two of us could catch a ride with them. Luckily they were headed that way for a quick lunch, and took pity on us because 'he could tell by our accents that we weren't from the area' (what accents?) . We all piled into the car and took off for town. After a quick greasy meal (Laura ate her first triple cheeseburger- Mike was totally impressed) we checked into the Hiawassee Inn, did some laundry, made some calls, had some beers, then called it a night. Showers expected for tomorrow but we're ready to hit the trail again tomorrow afternoon, and we finish the GA section in ~10 miles. North Carolina here we come!