Day 2 - Thursday, April 17

Leaving Stover Creek.



Several of us had the same problem today. One shelter was 12 miles from Stover Creek, where I camped last night. The next was 24 miles. We wanted something in between, so we have a tent city set up in a clearing by a spring at a place called Gooch Gap. We had our second pretty day in a row . . . highs around 70.



Two trail terms:

Trail name -- Everyone who hikes the trail gets a trail name, a hiking specific nickname. I don't have one and I have been thinking about it as I hike. Gnormal, who is not tall, suggested "Big Stride." Magellan suggested "Oriole" for my Orioles cap. I'm tempted by Oriole. Dessert Oriole? Dessert O?

Trail magic -- Unexpected good fortune on the trail. When Braz left, he gave me a pair of sunglasses. I already had a pair, but he is looking for a way to be part of the hike and I didn't want to turn down the gift. Tonight as we were filtering water for camp, Phil, a British hiker, complained that he left his sunglasses at home. Trail magic! I got something out of my pack and Phil got my spare sunglasses.

Physically I am holding up well. My left boot is slipping a little and I have a hot spot on the ball of that foot. I'm going to try two socks on that foot to fix the problem. Otherwise, all's well.

Gooch Gap: Day 2 - 13.7 miles, Total - 16.5 miles.

Day 1 - Wednesday, April 16

I started hiking the AT on a perfect Georgia spring day. Braz, who I met through a running team, got me at the Atlanta airport and we spent last night at his house with his family. Thanks to them all for putting up with the imposition. First thing this morning, we jumped in his car, then sat in Atlanta traffic. We arrived at Amicalola Falls State Park around 11:00am. Check my shaved head - no ticks on me!



The ranger brought me to the registry book and with the stroke of a pen, I became 2008 AT potential thru-hiker #567. Other northbounders (NOBO) register at the Springer Mountain summit and southbounders (SOBO) register in Maine, so there are many more than 567 potential thru-hikers this year. My pack, with 6 days food, was 34 pounds. Not bad, but over the next weeks, I will identify what I'm not using and shave a few pounds. The lightest pack, shown on the registry, was nine pounds, the heaviest was 100 pounds. The ranger said the 100 pounder was trying to set a record. For biggest fool on the trail?

From the Visitor's Center we caught the approach trail to Springer Mountain. The first mile is VERY steep and runs along the Amicalola Falls. There were groups getting guided tours blocking the way. Braz, who is a character, ran ahead yelling "Make way for a real, live thru-hiker; he's going all the way to Maine." One group actually applauded.

The rest of the approach went fine. It has a reputation for being tough but I think that is just because of the first mile, which features 600 steps built along the falls. I reached Springer summit in 4 hours, 15 minutes. The sign at the trail head said 6 hours, so I felt good. I was also excited because Springer is the official start of the AT. Roger, the caretaker, took a picture of me kneeling between the "Start of the AT" plaque and the symbolic first white blaze.

For a change, my smile in the picture wasn't forced.





Since I had plenty of day left, I walked 2.8 miles further to the Stover Creek Shelter. I had a freeze-dried dinner (not bad, not great). There are six or seven guys sharing the shelter, so I pitched my tent down the hill a little. I pitched it without a rainfly. That is a chance I won't take often but, for my first night at the AT, I want to be able to see the stars. I have more to write, but that will be for another day. I am using the rest of my daylight to read, then I will do some stargazing until I fall asleep. All's Well.

Stover Creek Shelter: Day 1 - 2.8 miles, Total - 2.8 miles

To make my trip a little more meaningful I am going to correspond with a second grade class in Las Vegas. The teacher, the wonderful Miss. O, is going to use my letters to the class to teach about geography and miles and animals and things like that.
Above is a picture of me meeting the class for the first time. Check out the bald head...I shaved it for the trail. The kids were terrific. They seemed to get what I am doing although they had trouble understanding the time of the trip. They are mostly Hispanic and I think the units of measurement in English are confusing for them. They understood the geography surprisingly well and they had lots of good questions about animals I might see and food I will eat. One of the kids asked what I would drink if the water I found was "dirty." I thought that was a very clever question and I told them about my filter. It was a fun class and I am looking forward to reading their letters.

I am in Colorado doing a final sort on my stuff. My folks are keeping my car and things like extra boots that I will need mailed to me on the trail. Other things are going into what is called a "bounce box." A bounce box is a box of extra supplies that I mail to the next post office I will visit. Once I am there, I take out whatever I need then bounce it to the next post office. Tomorrow I am flying to Atlanta and I start hiking Thursday.

I've posted this before, but I thought it was worth reviewing as much of the blog won't make sense without knowing this stuff.

WHAT IS THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL? The AT is a hiking path that runs along the spine of the Appalachian Mountains.

HOW LONG IS THE TRAIL? It runs from Georgia to Maine, about 2170 miles, although the distance changes all the time with trail relocations, called "relos" by AT hikers.

HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE? I don't know. Eventually I will post an itinerary that will be nothing more than a wild guess. Maybe four and a half months?

WHEN DO YOU START? April 17th. I should miss the last of the mountain snowstorms and keep ahead of the worst of the hot weather.

ARE YOU GOING ALONE? Mostly. I plan on traveling light and fast so I doubt I will fall in with other AT hikers as often happens. However, I am trying to recruit friends to hike with me for bits of the trip. It sounds like I will have company in Shenandoah for sure. I have a couple of potential hiker friends for the Smokies although that is not certain. I have a really shaky sounding "Maybe" for part of New England. Also one for the area around the Delaware Water Gap.

WHERE WILL YOU SLEEP? There are shelters along the trail, but they suffer from overcrowding and mouse infestation. I plan on tent camping wherever possible, but there are strict regulations in the Smokies and the Whites that may force me into the shelters for at least a few nights.

WHAT WILL YOU EAT? There is never more than 100 miles or so between towns. Mostly towns are more frequent than that. Resupply is fairly easy. I don't plan on having to bring down my own game as someone suggested, although I am interested in learning about edible plants on the trail and using them to supplement my diet.

AREN'T YOU SCARED? Depends on what you mean. There is nothing in the woods that scares me. I'm respectful of the possibility of disease and injury but I wouldn't say it scares me. I'd be negligent not to be aware of the recent killing on Blood Mountain in Georgia, but again I wouldn't say I was scared. My only real source of concern is that I might finish the trail, homeless and unemployed, and find the economy has continued to slide and jobs are hard to come by. That scares me a little.

WHY THE AT? Although I live in the West (Nevada), I am a native Easterner. I hiked bits of the trail as a kid and feel a connection to it. Besides, it is the granddaddy of long trails. It means more to me than the PCT or CDT.

WILL YOU COME BACK TO VEGAS AFTER YOU ARE DONE? I love Vegas and don't want to leave. As referenced above though, the job situation will have the last word there. Particularly after I have blown a chunk of my savings on this trip.

CAN I SEND YOU COOKIES WHILE YOU ARE ON THE TRAIL? Yes! I will list the post offices I am planning on using for mail drops along with instructions on sending cookies to an AT hiker.

yesterday. I got called for jury duty and showed up with all my excuses in a row for quick use. I didn't have to worry though. I sat in the jury waiting room for six hours and then they told me to go home. I have done my duty as a citizen.

Sara just took the bulk of my furniture. I kept just enough to almost furnish a one bedroom apartment and now my big two bedroom is looking pretty bare. I have to admit to some mixed feelings. As much as I would have denied being a slave to my possessions, I do miss them. They were part of a comfortable life I've built here in Vegas. Friends, family, secure job and apartment. I'm leaving a lot behind to try to walk 2000 miles. It will be an adventure though, and so will whatever comes next.