Hike: Helen, GA

4/24/98--My dad's birthday, for the even smaller number of you who keep track. We're in Helen, which is a trippy little town. Editor's note: Helen is zoned so that all buildings resemble someone's notion of Bavarian architecture. Imagine Heidi in north Georgia and you will have the idea. Diva Dog's front paw pads are both swollen and the left one is cut. Wearing booties, she scrambled down to Unicoi Gap just fine, but has been limping in her few bare-pawed walks around town. The Helendorf Inn staff have been super-helpful and suggested Epsom salts, which I'm going to try this evening. Mostly, Diva Dog's just stayed at the hotel while I did town chores--laundry, pharmacy, shuttle in to Hiawassee to pick up my drop. I'm going to call her vet in the morning if I can (can't recall their Saturday hours) but the current plan is to be back on the Trail tomorrow, doing 10-mile days to Fontana Dam and giving her plenty of breaks in the day. Fingers crossed we don't lose any booties. Right now they seem like the most important gear in either of our packs.