We packed up and left Muskrat Creek Shelter. Today, however, would be one of our longest days since Blood Mountain. We planned on hiking 4 miles to Deep Gap, NC. Then hiking 3.7 miles down Kimsey Creek Trail to the Standing Indian Campground.

7.7 Miles altogether. It was an interesting day.

We started and had a good hike to Deep Gap. We rested for awhile. Met some section hikers. Gig found this while answering the call of nature:

Snails…

I don’t know what these two snails are making or doing…

We left our snail friends to whatever it was they were doing and headed down the Kimsey Creek Trail. A post at the trail-head informed us that the trail was “Easier…” It looked smooth and downhill. And it was; at first.

But that trail took us over three completely rotten Indiana Jones style bridges. Across a boulder strewn waterfall that almost ate me… And was in a slimy slippery creek bed for over two miles. We were so upset at the trail description and the trail reality . . . we didn’t even take pictures!

All this to find out we were a mile and a half from the campground and it was closing in 40 minutes. So, Gig and I dropped our packs and ran the mile and a half, over hill, trail, boulder, creek, logging leftovers, and backcountry to the campground. Which had changed its hours and had closed two hours before.

Well Gig and I walked all over the campground and found a host camper who told us how we could get a site. This site was in the back of the campground so all the campers didn’t have to see the likes of us. But what else could we do. We hiked back to the group and led them to the campground.

As we came out of the woods and headed for the site we met an older couple who happened to be backpackers. They asked us where our site was and said they were leaving the following morning and wanted us to have their leftover food. We gratefully accepted the food and thanked them profusely.

As we were eating the food the sky opened up on us. So we headed for the showers to enjoy some hot water. But, it was only “warm” and ran cold in minutes; we were at the hidden site, with the hidden bathroom, for the other people…

We had to set up our tents in the rain and got to sleep cold and wet. It was a rough night, but it was a God filled morning. The couple came and asked us if we would spend two nights at their home!!!

Our God is an AWESOME God!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!