Arrived at Woody's Gap (Mile 20.1) today and decided to spend the night in a hostel. So we called the Hiker Hostel and made a reservation for tonight. This place is really nice. Chris(38 and from FL), Murray(50ish and from AL) and I are staying at the hostel with 14 others from all over the place. A bunk room, shower, laundry and a big breakfast tomorrow morning as well as a ride back to the trail will cost us about $18 each. What a deal! Check it out at http://www.hikerhostel.com/ . Breakfast is at 7:30 A.M. and the ride back to the trail leaves at 8:30 A.M.
A nice lady from MN gave us a ride from Woody Gap to the Hostel. So here we are! Clean, warm and we are going to have Chinese delivered later. We may even have some wine with it.
This place is really nice and the owners, Josh & Leigh Saint, are 2000 Thru-Hikers. We actually passed it on our way to Dahlonega. I was able to charge my phone too!! So we got some miles in and a nice place to spend the night.
The last two nights were terrible. There were 12 hikers staying in Gooch Shelter and it was too crowded. I was so glad to get going this morning. I am getting low on food but will soon be at Neels Gap where I sent my first mail drop. So I guess I planned pretty well.
Enjoy reading the comments. Thanks everyone for your messages and emails. I will check them at my next stop.
"Slow and steady wins the race."
The Tortoise and the Hare by Aesop
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
2nd Day on the Trail
Talked with the hiker around 6 P.M. They are at the Gooch Mtn. Shelter tonight which is 15.1 miles from Springer. It is another full house there and the shelter sleeps 14. There are about 8 other tents set up. He had just had chili to eat for dinner....compliments of Chef Boyardee or one of those guys. He said his traveling companions were jealous and said it smelled good.
He has been hiking with two fellows: one a retired lawyer from Alabama and the second a younger fellow from Florida. They all seem to be doing well, but not making the distances they had hoped. From what we've read, you always start out slow. They spent last night at Hawk Mtn. Shelter which is at mile 7.8.
They are predicting rain and high winds tomorrow so he's trying to decide whether to stay at the shelter for a "zero" day and be dry, or try to make it to Suches, GA at the 20 mile mark where there is a hostel. Either way his next stop is Suches where there is a shower, laundry facility and some resupply and free Internet. So with any luck, we will hear from him within the next couple days.
Sounds like he's lovin' it. Last night he was nice and toasty! Said he realized that he had an extra zipper on the bottom of his sleeping bag that was unzipped and that made all the difference in the world.
He really wants to get the weight of his pack down and is getting some helpful hints from other hikers. He may get a lighter tent at the resupply store and mail his other one home. No problems with blisters which was a BIG problem when he did his short hike last summer. Lots of lessons learned!
"Everywhere is walking distance if you have the time."
Steven Wright
He has been hiking with two fellows: one a retired lawyer from Alabama and the second a younger fellow from Florida. They all seem to be doing well, but not making the distances they had hoped. From what we've read, you always start out slow. They spent last night at Hawk Mtn. Shelter which is at mile 7.8.
They are predicting rain and high winds tomorrow so he's trying to decide whether to stay at the shelter for a "zero" day and be dry, or try to make it to Suches, GA at the 20 mile mark where there is a hostel. Either way his next stop is Suches where there is a shower, laundry facility and some resupply and free Internet. So with any luck, we will hear from him within the next couple days.
Sounds like he's lovin' it. Last night he was nice and toasty! Said he realized that he had an extra zipper on the bottom of his sleeping bag that was unzipped and that made all the difference in the world.
He really wants to get the weight of his pack down and is getting some helpful hints from other hikers. He may get a lighter tent at the resupply store and mail his other one home. No problems with blisters which was a BIG problem when he did his short hike last summer. Lots of lessons learned!
"Everywhere is walking distance if you have the time."
Steven Wright
Monday, March 7, 2011
I Think I Can, Part II
Just after I posted this morning, I got a call from Dave. So this is PART II:
About a mile after we talked with him yesterday at 3 o'clock, Dave said that heavy fog rolled in and it started to rain...a freezing rain. He had stopped to put on his ski cap and gloves which was a big help.
He made it to Black Gap Shelter, which is about 1.5 miles from Springer Mountain. There he joined others who all decided to set up there and stay for the night. If they had gone on to Springer they would have been setting up in the dark fog. The shelter holds 8 people and it was a full house!
The sleeping bag kept him warm enough except for his feet. Tonight he will use his hand/feet warmers.
He said he has met some very nice people. I think he said one was from New Orleans and someone from Massachusetts. It's cold, but he is warm as he is walking.
He is keeping his cell phone off to conserve the battery until he gets to a place to charge it.
As I talked with him, he had already passed Springer Mountain so....he is officially on the AT!
"Life is like a box of chocolates...you never know what you're gonna get."
Tom Hanks in Forrest Gump
About a mile after we talked with him yesterday at 3 o'clock, Dave said that heavy fog rolled in and it started to rain...a freezing rain. He had stopped to put on his ski cap and gloves which was a big help.
He made it to Black Gap Shelter, which is about 1.5 miles from Springer Mountain. There he joined others who all decided to set up there and stay for the night. If they had gone on to Springer they would have been setting up in the dark fog. The shelter holds 8 people and it was a full house!
The sleeping bag kept him warm enough except for his feet. Tonight he will use his hand/feet warmers.
He said he has met some very nice people. I think he said one was from New Orleans and someone from Massachusetts. It's cold, but he is warm as he is walking.
He is keeping his cell phone off to conserve the battery until he gets to a place to charge it.
As I talked with him, he had already passed Springer Mountain so....he is officially on the AT!
"Life is like a box of chocolates...you never know what you're gonna get."
Tom Hanks in Forrest Gump
I think I can, I think I can....
I'm writing this for Dave as he is hiking Springer Mountain today and hoping to make it to the Hawk Mt. Shelter tonight....
We arrived at Amicalola Falls State Park on Sunday around noon. Dave signed in and was asked where he was going. He said he was going to Springer and the Ranger said, "Where?" He was waiting for Dave to say "Katahdin!", which he finally did. He told us that they were expecting 28 degrees on Springer last night and wanted to make sure Dave had equipment for cold weather. He told him that his sleeping bag is good to 20 degrees. He asked how much his pack weighed and Dave estimated about 35 pounds. He showed us where the scale was and they weighed it....43 pounds! I'm wondering if Dave was thinking of Katz, Bill Bryson's hiking buddy in A Walk in the Woods who was throwing stuff out of his pack as he was climbing up the Approach Trail to Springer Mountain. Katz was throwing stuff out of his pack...even Little Debbies! Dave didn't have Little Debbies, but he did have a Zagnut in his pack!
We drove up to the Falls and they are absolutely beautiful. We took some pictures which I'll try to post later. Just up from the Falls is a blue-blaze marked trail which Dave decided to take to approach Springer.
So we helped him get his pack on and away he went! Brian and I left him taking pictures of his back as he hiked up the road to the approach.
As we were driving up I-85 (about 3 o'clock) we got a call from him and he was taking a break at the Hike Inn, which is a resort about halfway up to Springer. (The Ranger had recommended that Dave stop there for a little break, to warm his hands at the fireplace and replenish his water supply.) He said he had taken a break and sat down on a fallen tree about halfway up and was doing fine. He is so excited and not the least bit nervous. He just wanted to get it started!
Don't know what the night on Springer was like, but will try to update when I hear from him. (Posted by Jan)
"I think I can, I think I can, I think I can....."
The Little Engine that Could by Watty Piper
We arrived at Amicalola Falls State Park on Sunday around noon. Dave signed in and was asked where he was going. He said he was going to Springer and the Ranger said, "Where?" He was waiting for Dave to say "Katahdin!", which he finally did. He told us that they were expecting 28 degrees on Springer last night and wanted to make sure Dave had equipment for cold weather. He told him that his sleeping bag is good to 20 degrees. He asked how much his pack weighed and Dave estimated about 35 pounds. He showed us where the scale was and they weighed it....43 pounds! I'm wondering if Dave was thinking of Katz, Bill Bryson's hiking buddy in A Walk in the Woods who was throwing stuff out of his pack as he was climbing up the Approach Trail to Springer Mountain. Katz was throwing stuff out of his pack...even Little Debbies! Dave didn't have Little Debbies, but he did have a Zagnut in his pack!
We drove up to the Falls and they are absolutely beautiful. We took some pictures which I'll try to post later. Just up from the Falls is a blue-blaze marked trail which Dave decided to take to approach Springer.
So we helped him get his pack on and away he went! Brian and I left him taking pictures of his back as he hiked up the road to the approach.
As we were driving up I-85 (about 3 o'clock) we got a call from him and he was taking a break at the Hike Inn, which is a resort about halfway up to Springer. (The Ranger had recommended that Dave stop there for a little break, to warm his hands at the fireplace and replenish his water supply.) He said he had taken a break and sat down on a fallen tree about halfway up and was doing fine. He is so excited and not the least bit nervous. He just wanted to get it started!
Don't know what the night on Springer was like, but will try to update when I hear from him. (Posted by Jan)
"I think I can, I think I can, I think I can....."
The Little Engine that Could by Watty Piper
Monday, February 28, 2011
Nothing to do now....but hike!
All my equipment has been purchased and training hikes completed....nothing left to do now but drive to Georgia and get on the trail. I've been monitoring whiteblaze.net and lots of hikers have started or are about to get started this week. It looks like the weather has been cooperating with the hikers already on the AT. Although it's cold at night, the weather during the day seems to be tolerable.
I'm in the process of putting together my first re-supply box which I'll mail before we leave on Saturday. I plan to mail it the Walasi-Yi Center which is about 30 miles from Springer Mtn. There are other mail drop locations throughout the trail.
My next post will come from the AT!
"It's not the load that breaks you down. It's the way you carry it."
Lena Horne
I'm in the process of putting together my first re-supply box which I'll mail before we leave on Saturday. I plan to mail it the Walasi-Yi Center which is about 30 miles from Springer Mtn. There are other mail drop locations throughout the trail.
My next post will come from the AT!
"It's not the load that breaks you down. It's the way you carry it."
Lena Horne
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Two Weeks to Go
Two weeks from now I will hopefully be in my sleeping bag on top of Springer Mountain in Georgia fast asleep. I don't know if you know, but each hiker on the AT has a trail name. Rarely does anyone use his/her own name. The trail names people come up with are limited only by their imagination. Here are some of the names I've read about: Sky King, Habitual Hiker, Jump Start, Cheshire Cat and Cool Breeze.
My trail name is Torch. It's a nickname I've had since my high school days. Back in those days when I had a full head of hair it was bright red. I ran track and cross country. One guy who was watching me run around the track said that I looked like my head was on fire....thus people started calling me Torch. The name stuck! So I will be known by the trail name Torch.
There is another hiker from Indiana who also goes by Torch. I saw his name on WhiteBlaze.net, a website for hikers. I'm sure that I'm older than him so I'm claiming that name!
When you're on the AT, "Life takes on a neat simplicity, too. Time ceases to have any meaning. When it is dark, you go to bed, and when it is light again you get up, and everything in between is just in between. It's quite wonderful, really."
A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson
My trail name is Torch. It's a nickname I've had since my high school days. Back in those days when I had a full head of hair it was bright red. I ran track and cross country. One guy who was watching me run around the track said that I looked like my head was on fire....thus people started calling me Torch. The name stuck! So I will be known by the trail name Torch.
There is another hiker from Indiana who also goes by Torch. I saw his name on WhiteBlaze.net, a website for hikers. I'm sure that I'm older than him so I'm claiming that name!
When you're on the AT, "Life takes on a neat simplicity, too. Time ceases to have any meaning. When it is dark, you go to bed, and when it is light again you get up, and everything in between is just in between. It's quite wonderful, really."
A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Getting Ready for the Hike
2 1/2 more weeks until we leave for Georgia and the beginning of the big hike. We plan to leave Bel Air on Sat. March 5th and drive part way. Then on Sunday Jan & Brian will drop me off at Ocalala Falls State Park to begin my hike. The State Park, however, is about 8.8 miles from the actual starting point of the AT. There's a 2,000 ft. climb to get to the start at Springer Mountain. The entire AT is 2,175 miles and traverses 14 states (GA, NC, TN, VA, WV, MD, PA, NJ, NY, CT, MA, VT, NH and ME). I'm hoping to do 8-14 miles each day, depending on the weather and terrain.
I've been getting my gear ready and organized. I've also been doing some small hikes in the area with my pack weighing 30-35 pounds for physical conditioning. I'll be carrying a tent, sleeping bag, food for my first 7 days and water... as well as a plethora of items to help make the hike more enjoyable! I'd like to keep the weight of my pack under 35 pounds the whole way.
I haven't invited anyone to come along because of the commitment...but if anyone has a desire to join me please give me a call. It will be approximately 6 months of "walking in the woods."
"In planning for battle I have always found that plans are useless, but planning is indispensable."
Dwight D. Eisenhower
I've been getting my gear ready and organized. I've also been doing some small hikes in the area with my pack weighing 30-35 pounds for physical conditioning. I'll be carrying a tent, sleeping bag, food for my first 7 days and water... as well as a plethora of items to help make the hike more enjoyable! I'd like to keep the weight of my pack under 35 pounds the whole way.
I haven't invited anyone to come along because of the commitment...but if anyone has a desire to join me please give me a call. It will be approximately 6 months of "walking in the woods."
"In planning for battle I have always found that plans are useless, but planning is indispensable."
Dwight D. Eisenhower
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