Hogpen Gap to Unicoi Gap

It was another typical Jordanian foray into the woods. Wet. It had rained for 5 straight days before this trip. A couple of nights before we left it rained so hard simply everything flooded. My apartment, my parents basement. The piece of bottomland beside Mac's Drive-in was as least 6 feet under water.Water was everywhere. But, as I drove across hwy 76 to Meet Andrew and The Tevis Boys at Unicoi Gap I got the most blessed repreve. Short as they were they were fits of sun and I loved it! I was expecting the clouds to break and gorgeous, white hot sun to start a rapid drying of the land and lifting of spirits. When I reached Unicoi Gap expectations were still high and the sun was bobbing and weaving like a boxer with the rapidly dissapearing clouds.

Andrew Mark and Bryan were there and as usual Andrew and I picked up right where we had left off . That what I love about Andrew, it's always just like old times. I heaved my pack into the bed of Andrew's truck and we took off for the short trip to Hogpen Gap. Somewhere along the way God must have sensed my optimism in the weather and decided he could have no part in my boreal happiness. Fog had set in thick by the time we got to the trailhead. It didn't take long until it turned into a constant patter on the leaves over our heads. It was going to be another long hike in the rain.

We got to squeeze in a lunch break before it started raining. It was awesome. Lunch was jelly, chocolate, crackers and kool-aid. Them Tevis boys know how to eat.

The morning flew by. The hiking was easy (it's always easy the first day). We stopped for a break at Low Gap Shelter. The place I had intended for us to stay for the night.