3-4-12

Blue Mountain shelter tonight. Last night we stayed at Deep Gap and camped out. We ended up pushing for a 13 mile day yesterday and my left knee paid for it, it's manageable if I go slow. All of this meant rolling into a full shelter, which in turn meant setting up the tarp,...On a 20 degree night and it was windy very windy. Met a couple next door(?) named Foster and Skittles who had a fire going and we ate with them after setting up camp. Woke up to what I thought was Ryand flashlight outside of my tarp, but it was a really bright half moon. Woke up this morning to an icy covered ground cloth. Ate breakfast with  Foster and Skittle then headed out for our short day. What a day! temperature never got above 34 degrees and the only times we had in the 40mph winds was when we were on to low side of a hill. It was cold enough to freeze the water in the ground and force it up into ice formations. Tonight's shelter is full, Ryan, "birdman", Victor, Eric, 2 others and myself. (?)sitting at 30o after a tiny snow flury earlier, we have a fire going, and I'm all layered up. Warming up my stove fuel inside my jacket pocket so it will burn and I can cook. Had to break down an almost fallen tree for firewood. Should be a good night and into Hiawassee the day after tomorrow. In good spirits and injuries are minimal. Tonights elavation is 3900 feeet.