March 8th - Day 4 - Neels Gap to Low Gap Shelter
I often think of the different stages of my thru-hike as stages of human life. Early on in Georgia and into North Carolina/Tennessee it felt like the infantsy stage of the hike. I was still wandering about the woods aimlessly. Everyone on the trail is new. Advice is everywhere, the amount of learning to do is immense. In the months leading up to my hike I did a lot of research, planning, and thinking. This all undoubtedly helped, but one of the strange things about the AT is that now that I am out here, none of that work matters any more. If I had done physical conditioning for my hike, it wouldn't matter now either. Now what matters is being out here, staying out here, and enjoying and experiencing as much as possible.
A church group is cooking burgers at Mountain Crossing, and although it attributes to a late start, we all indulge in their amazing charity. Trail legend Baltimore Jack is here, he tells me that I should elevating my bothered knee at night. Slowly set out towards low gap shelter and make it as the sun is setting.
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