The weather that was predicted (isolated tornadoes according to the weather channel) really did show up last night. I was having an appropriately timed tornado nightmare when I woke up to my quilt blowing/peeling off my body from the wind. Even in a shelter with a 10 ft porch, everyone and everything was absolutely soaked from horizontal rain. As much as I’ll miss the trail, today is one of the days I wouldn’t have minded being a normal person in a house.
The wind eventually let up just a bit and we enjoyed our first views into Georgia. 
Just a few miles, we crossed the border and entering state #14. I have officially walked from Maine to Georgia. Crazy!
By late afternoon, we made it into our last trail town: Hiawassee, GA. Once in Hiawassee, I had the privilege of spending time with a future thruhiker and chaplaincy applicant, Rachel. She blessed me with a resupply box and has been a wonderful sport to hang around in the crappiest motel I’ve ever seen with all 10 of us. 
It smells really nice in the Budget Inn with all of our wet clothes out drying. This is the definition of “hiker trash,” a term our community has claimed for itself proudly. 
Three and a half days to go!!!