We left Deep Gap Shelter at 05:00 with headlamps blazing. It was dark and one could cut the fog that had settled with a knife. But we hiked on…

As the day dawned we donned our rain gear. Thankfully, it only sprinkled for most of our third hike over Powell Mountain.

We finally made it to Dick’s creek and set up camp in the rain. Everything was starting to get wet. We got a fire going and fought to keep our clothes dry for most of the night.

It was still raining when we got up and the tents were leaking. We hung Off’s tent and fleece blanket in a tree and stood over the fire drying as many clothes as we could.

At about 14:00 the sky opened up and we began a desperate fight to keep the fire going. After ten minutes of heavy rain water began flowing from the trail right through the middle of our camp, into the fire pit, and right under my tent. I jumped to move the tent while Gig went up the trail to divert the water. He managed to build a small dam and dig a trench for the water to flow into. Sadly, we lost the fire fight; the fire pit turned into an ash puddle.

But Gig saved the day. My tent was still dry and when the water in the fire pit seeped into the ground we rebuilt the fire.

It continued to rain off and on all night.

I got up at 02:00 and Gig was up. We decided to listen to the book of Proverbs on my phone while we sat by the fire. When Proverbs was over Gig went to bed and I sat by the fire praying for God to once again show us whether He wanted us to continue or go home. I only want to do His will, whatever it is.

It had been raining for two days and we were pretty soaked through. The filter was clogged again and we could not get water. Also, I checked and found that the bank was in the negative $5.00. We needed God and only God to keep us going. And so, I prayed.

I prayed and asked God that if He wanted us to continue, Could He:

1) Let the sun come out in the morning.

2) Let my Dad deposit cash in the bank that morning so that it would be available in the afternoon.

3) Let me be able to find a new water filter or replacement cartridge that was under a hundred dollars.

I prayed into a cloudy dawn.

Everyone got up and we began drying everything out again. Then, at about 08:00 I saw the sun begin shining through the trees. I thanked God and decided to walk till I got data on my phone so I could check the bank.

I walked until I got service in the driveway of the Top of Georgia Hostel. The bank app showed that my Dad had deposited cash into my bank account.

Since I was already at the Top of Georgia Hostel I decided to see if they had a new water filter in their small gear shop. Just as I got to the door a volunteer named Mellow came out to greet me. I asked him if they had water filters in the gear shop. He said no. I would have to get a shuttle to a town more than twenty miles away to get one. I did not have the money for that, so I turned to leave.

As I left he stopped me and asked if I wanted a new water filter or a replacement cartridge for the water filter I had. I told him I needed either one or the other. He told me they had the replacement cartridges but not new water filters. I was stunned. He took me into the gear shop and sold me a new replacement cartridge for fifty bucks!!! Then Renaissance told me they were about to remove the cartridges from their inventory since very few people ever buy that type of replacement cartridge!!!

Well, I think God’s answers to my prayers were very clear…

So, we had money to stay at the Hostel, catch the shuttle to Hiawassee, and replenish our food supply. What else was there to do…

Okay, This is a long post. But hold on for one more.

We packed up and got ready to walk the half mile to the Hostel. As we got on the road a hiker who was getting ready to hike north saw us on the road and offered to drive us to the hostel. We gladly accepted.

When we got to the Hostel we found out he had been there the day before and left to stay in town. As we were unpacking his truck a woman named Buttercup came out of the Hostel with the man’s wallet. He had left it there the day before.

He was about to walk into the woods and would not have noticed his wallet was gone till he got ten or so miles away. But because he decided to give us a ride . . . Well, you get the picture.

It was an Amazing Day!!!

P.S. Sorry for the typos 😉

Operation: Appalachian Snail!