after finally getting my hiking legs and a good state of mind for the hike, i somehow injured my knee on my first 12 mile day from neels gap to low gap shelter.

you may have heard through the trail-vine i had to be lowered down on a wheeled sled to unicoi gap by 8 firemen. before the firemen arrived, a thru-hiker named dave and a 2010 thru-hiker named bow tie had already carried me partly down the steep, rock-strewn trail into the gap.

spent 4 nights in hiawassee hoping to recover but felt no real relief. finally came back to PA and am seeing a doctor tomorrow.

if it is nothing serious and i just need more rest, i am hoping to pick up the trail in a month or two.

the hiking community was truly wonderful to me.

thanks to baltimore jack, julian, angers, barbara, ny woodzy, commakazie, blue sky, windmills, creeper, sling blade, gerber, ultimatum, red, velveeta smores, tantrum, barefoot, and others i don't remember the names of. special thanks to lee and josh at the hiker hostel, and dave at the budget in in hiawasee.

oh, and btw, IT AIN'T JUST WALKING!!!

(mods, please change my user name from TV to Pages. thanks.)