Thursday, March 12, 1998:
After taking two days off to reorganize and gather our cold weather gear, we are back on the trail!  We started hiking at 8 a.m.  Temp 29 degrees.  Sunny.  Trail is in a lot better shape than it was around the Piedmont area (lots of trees down up there).  We are making better time.  We hiked about half a mile and ran into the self-proclaimed "Nomad".  He is a 6o year old long distance hiker.  (He said he started his hike up the eastern coast of the U.S. in the Everglades in Florida on New Years Day.  And, he said that we were the first "true backpackers" he had seen since he  started.)  We had a good day.  We hiked about 12.5 miles.  (Hoping we are camped on road FS 589A.)  Should be a little over 5 miles to Cheaha State Park.  On today's hike, we saw posted signs warning of old mines with explosives.  We saw several deep holes.  We stayed on the trail and tiptoed out of there.  We saw a couple of pretty waterfalls.  COLD.  Temp was 43 degrees at 12 noon.

Friday, March 13, 1998:
COLD!  Temp 23 degrees.  Condensation on tent was frozen.  Boots frozen.  We got to Cheaha State Park at 12:30 p.m.  We checked into the motel, showered, then ate a great lunch at the Cheaha Restaurant.  We did laundry.  Met up with Coleman's parents and girlfriend (Kerri).  Ate a wonderful dinner at the restaurant.  Kerri is going to hike to Adams Gap with us tomorrow.

Saturday, March 14, 1998:
Ate a big breakfast at the Cheaha Restaurant with Kerri and Coleman's parents.  Thanked Harold Rice (Cheaha State Park Manager) for fine hospitality.  We took a side trip to McDill Point (approx. a quarter mile off the Pinhoti).  Hiked a long day.  We hiked into the early evening with flashlights hoping to make Adams Gap (our destination for the day).  We hiked very slow today due to steep decent off of Cheaha, with the trail switching back and forth through boulder fields.  (Hard to keep on trail.)  We decided to stop and make camp about 2 hours after dark.  I went ahead to scout out how close we were to Adams Gap.  I went about a quarter of a mile, then decided to turn back.  I knew we were close, but I didn't make the gap.  Kerri had not carried all of her gear (she had left some in her car at the gap.)  So, Coleman slept with 2 jackets covering him (we were lucky it was a relatively warm night).  Kerri used his sleeping bag. 

Sunday, March 15, 1998:
Hiked just over a quarter mile to car at Adams Gap.  (It was frustrating how close I had gotten the night before.)  Some people in an old van came along looking for the "Rainbow Gathering".  (cont'd)