Carter Gap to Rock Gap

OMG - third 12+ mile day, and I'm DONE with THAT! Albert Mountain was a killer - I thought I wasn't even on the trail anymore because it was like rock climbing up to the fire tower, but there were blazes after all. That was for sure the trickiest climb so far; if you were to misplace your foot and slip or fall you would for sure break something or die. It was tough, but it was amazing at the top and a great feeling of accomplishment. We were a little worried about Screefreek (from England) who carries a 60-70 lb. pack!
Big Butt Mountain was neat too, with the 15 foot walls of moss dripping water. Again, I wanted to die the last 2 miles and I was walking through rolling hills of trees that haven't yet bloomed, so I felt like I was in a desert! I mentioned to Windmill that I couldn't keep up that pace and I might fall behind in the future and he said that the plan wasn't to keep that up right now and we'd be falling back to 10ish mile days, which I think would be perfect for another week or so. Those last 2 miles kill me. I keep a decent pace and then DRAG the last two.
I really like the group we have right now, but I also know it is important to listen to my body and only do what I'm capable of.
We were all sitting at the shelter making dinner when some late comers started trickling in. Other hikers we'd never met and Itay, who I'd met briefly before at the hiker hostel. Was he really catching up to us? Bluto had just been talking about how he hoped he would catch up because he really had enjoyed talking to him. He in fact had, and had blisters to prove his 20+ mile days. The reunion of these two was great!
I had to re-stake my tent tonight because at first I was at too much of an incline, like I could have been forced to roll off my bed and down the mountain. It was still a bit too steep, but it was manageable with a tree for support. I woke up in the morning shoved to one side of the tent and against the tree. Queen Becky and I talked tonight before going to bed for a bit. Lastly, a curious mouse kept running around the outside of my tent and pack last night, but each time I heard anything I just smacked the tent and then it was quiet again.