We found a ride back to Dicks Creek Shelter so we could start our hike. Our food bags were heavy with our four day resupply. We were pushing for nearly twelve miles that day. It would be our longest hike to date.

The climb out of Dick’s Creek was really steep, the ascent seemed to last forever, the hiking was tough. At 78 miles we reached the Georgia/North Carolina state line. It was exciting to leave Georgia in the rear view mirror. Only 13 states left to go.

The hike was challenging, but we were able to get to Muskrat Shelter well before dark. The weather was nice, and it was a beautiful day.

There was another trail character about. Everyone called him the Prince of Poland. His story was that his Grandfather was the king of Poland, and he, was supposed to have been his grandfather’s successor. The Prince claimed that Polish Assassins were following him on the trail, trying to poison him with scorpion venom. He went on to say that he was dosing himself with Scorpion venom to build up his immunity. Although it was obvious he was likely a schizophrenic, he seemed pretty harmless. He claimed he had been living on the trail for a year and a half. Some other hikers told us they had seen him at another shelter. They said if you could get him focused on it he was absolutely great at gathering firewood. Eventually he left the campsite and headed back south toward Plumorchard Gap Shelter, we did not see him again that night.