April 8, 2006: Low Gap shelter to Helen, Ga GA75...9.4 mi

Day 4 started out well with all of us recovering from the severe T-storms which rocked us from our sleep about 0200. And what a show it was for about 1 hr and rained till about 0800. Nobody hurt but all a little wetter, Im first up and out by 0830 looking for Joe who must have skipped this stop for a less congested campground... I decided, after speaking with our Florida friends and Glicken that a stop in Helen would be a nice change of pace. Helen has a strong German influence and is an interesting and fun detour...I didnt need too much convincing and with $25/person room rates for hikers in the downtown area how can you go wrong... The pictures seem a little mixed up again but here goes... (1) the courtyard of our hotel was blooming with all kinds of spring colors, very nice... (2) I caught up with Joe about midday, he is getting water here in the middle of a still dormant hardwood forest, plenty of buds on those branches though, looks like well miss the leaves here by a few weeks... (3) My first pic of the morning in a still misty forest...I wonder who planted the grass along the trail?? (4) Thats (from L-R) Glicken, Joe, and Me having some very nice German brew at a cafe along the river that runs through town... We did a little bar hopping and and AYCE (all you can eat) shrimp fest followed by listening to a local band at a nightclub/restauraunt across the street from our hotel... We were joined later by Dan and Bob, two guys in their 40s and 50s from S Carolina who are making their way N for 30 days... A fun night had by all...