In early March it had been only six months since my cancer surgery and I had also completed radiation treatments. I still had a catheter imbedded in my chest but the chemo pump I'd been wearing in a backpack for the previous 3 or 4 months was gone. I needed a break. Starting March 15th, 2007, I headed northbound solo from Springer Mountain in Amicalola Falls State Park just north of Atlanta, Ga. I hiked for two weeks. I covered 120 miles and had the time of my life. Also being outdoors, drinking pure mountain spring water may have something to do with me staying alive,.
Click here for a photo album of the hike.
March 13, 2007 - 0.0 miles: I arrived at Amicalola Falls State Park around 1:00 pm. The visitor's center was really interesting. Lots of displays of hiking gear from the old days, live Timber Rattlers etc. Outside they have a scale hanging under the eaves with a hook to weigh your backpack. I was just barely able to lift my pack up to the hook. I kinda figured that was a bad sign so I wasn't surprised to see it weighed 51 lbs. And I had yet to add my stove fuel or water which I guessed would be another 10 lbs. It was at that point my feelings changed about leaving one of my two Nalgene water bottles in the cab that brought me to the park. I had been bummed but now I saw it as a shrewd move on my part to begin lightening my pack! I hiked up a bit to the Max Epperson shelter to sort out my gear, change out of the scrubs I was wearing and put on my high tech hiking clothes. The shelter featured bunks that used heavy gauge wire like chain link fence as the base to lie on when sleeping at the shelter. I had planned to stay there for the night and head out the next morning, but I met a trail steward who gave me a few tips and suggested I take off right then. He told me there were plenty of good camping sites along the approach trail. I filled my water and fuel bottles and was just about to take off when I met Bert Connelly. He was tooling around testing out his new hiking poles. We chatted a bit, he told me he was staying at the lodge there in the park and beginning his hike the next day. After he left I started up the 8.5 mile trail to Springer Mountain. The trail was very steep and it wasn't long before I was huffing and puffing with sweat pouring down my face. Also I met my hiking buddies who would be with me every step of the way that day. Gnats. They clouded around my head except when the occasional breeze would clear them away. I guess the wanted water from my eyes because they come flying into my eyes at high velocity, struggling to get through my eyelashes. I had probably been hiking a couple of hours when I looked over and saw the mountain tops marching into the distance with clouds floating by. It looked very much like a japanese painting and it pretty much took my breath away. As the sun began to set I reached what I thought was the halfway point between Amicalola and Springer. I found a great spot with a fire ring and even a little log to use as a seat while I cooked my dinner. The first thing I did was pitch my tent in record time, the gnats were driving me crazy. From inside the tent I watched the gnats circle looking for me. Just after sundown the gnats headed home and left me alone, so I broke out my little home-made alcohol stove and whipped up some noodles. While they were cooking I hunted up some firewood from the surrounding area. I was several hundred feet away from my camp when I heard a grunt. It was the most "Bear-like" sound I'd ever heard. I scanned the darkness with my heart in my throat. Again I heard the grunt and realized it was my stomach. Kinda weird standing alone surrounded by nothing but wilderness, miles away from anything, laughing at yourself as hard as you can. Best laugh of the day. Dinner was really tasty. I cleaned up, forgot all about bears, pitched my food sack into my tent (a big no-no) and crawled inside. I spilled everything I was carrying onto the floor of the tent and began to decide what I could do without. I had a extra coated nylon stuff sack so into it went: radio, extra flashlight, etc. etc. etc. I went back outside and stashed it about 300 ft away from the trail to the east. If you find it enjoy! Done with that I crawled into my sleeping bag and fell fast asleep as the temps dropped through the night.
March 14, 2007 - 4.0 miles: I woke up early, listening to the voices of other hikers headed north bound. I whipped up a little instant oatmeal, a little hot coffee and packed up camp and hit the trail. The approach trail is marked with blue blazes and I was anxious to actually be on the A.T. which is of course marked with a white blaze. Of course the gnats were with me. Hiking along I neared the summit of Frosty mountain and met a group of day-hikers headed south. A woman in the group took one look at me and said, "Wow, there's a face that knows a million stories." I thought that was cool. Later in the day I was out of water. Looking in my trusty thru-hiker book I found out there was a spring ahead. There was a sign pointing downhill. I left my pack on the trail and climbed down to the spring. It wasn't much but I was able to place the filter into very clear water. Not moving much at that point I found out my buddies the gnats could bite the crap out of you. Needless to say I was a fast filtering dude. Pump, swat, pump, curse, pump. I got back up to the trail in nothing flat and booked up. The water was the best tasting water I've ever had. No chlorine, fluoride, just pure water. It seemed like I could feel it re hydrating my body. Met another hiker named Kilimanjaro John and had a quick chat. Hiked on until I reached Black Gap shelter where I bumped into Bert again and another hiker named J.P. Pitched my tent about a 100 yards from the shelter in a nice flat spot with some big boulders around. I cooked dinner then crawled into my tent for a short nap. When I woke up I decided I should make a water run then instead of waiting and doing it before breakfast. The spring was about an 1/8 of a mile east of the trail, straight down. Since it was well after sundown I had to use my head lamp as I stepped carefully down the hill. The spring was much better than the one I had visited earlier. It was flowing from a small cave in the hillside so I crawled up into the opening to get as clear and clean water as possible. Then back up and back to sleep. It was great drifting off knowing that sometime tomorrow I'd be on the trail.
March 15, 2007 - 7.3 miles: Woke up early, excited to know today's the day I start hiking the A.T. for real. Made a quick breakfast, packed up camp and headed for the summit of Springer. The trail up was really fun to hike. The path was smooth but steep. I hit a few narrow switchbacks that put you right above the trail you just covered. Really fun to just stop sometimes and look down through the quiet forest. When you're climbing a mountain you think you see the summit but actually it's just a false summit. The mountain curves back a little and you think you're almost there, but then you clear the crest and lo and behold you see the next false summit. I have a climbing style on the really steep parts. Take ten good steps, then stop for two deep breaths. When I'm climbing like that it's not unusual to be passed by other hikers hiking non-stop. But when I reach the summit I'm in good shape. Not gasping for breath etc. That is when I hike past the hikers who passed me on the trail. They have to sit down for a break, but I can just hike on. I climbed over some pretty steep outcroppings and bingo I was on the summit. I'd seen many pictures of the summit before and was surprised how small the area around the plaques were. A fellow named Many Sleeps had a sun fly setup and he was checking in the Thru-Hikers who were starting the A.T. First he explained his trail name to me. The original Americans (native americans) would track a hikes distance by how many nights sleep it took to cover the distance. So many sleeps was a long hike. He signed me in and gave me a book of matches with LNT info on it. LNT stands for "leave no trace" which is the only way to camp in my opinion. He told me if I carried the matches to Neel's Gap I'd get a free A.T. bandana for the effort. Bert and J.P. showed up shortly and we milled around, enjoying the view. There next to the big A.T. plaque was the first white blaze that marked the actual A.T. Saying goodbye I started hiking down the north side of the mountain. The trail on this side of the mountain was way rougher than the side I came up. A couple of miles down the trail it crosses a forest service road. Some people park there and hike up to the summit of Springer, then turn around and hike back the way they came. It's either that or hike the 8.8 miles from Amicalola. I guess they are gonna get you either way! After crossing the road I entered a forest that reminded me of the forest Rambo escaped into at the beginning of First Blood. The rhododendron was huge, the forest breathtaking as I hiked beside a beautiful gurgling stream. Before I knew it I had reached the Stover Creek shelter. It had began to spit rain off and on so I climbed up to a nice, level spot to the south of the shelter to setup my tent. Then I went down to the table in front of the shelter and prepared my dinner. Soon a Canadian lady, a NOBO solo hiker named Waterfall, came into the shelter. She's a guide, etc. up in Canada and is a very knowledgeable outdoors woman. There was also a fellow named Papa there. He was a very big, big man who had a smokers hack and he seemed like a nice guy but he was so heavy I was afraid he'd have a heart attack on the trail. After that first night I never saw him again, but I hiked off and on with Waterfall several times over the next two weeks. That night a heavy downpour began. I found out the next day that Waterfall's tarp tent gave up the ghost in the middle of the night and she moved down to the shelter. It was a new tent and she hadn't set it up before. I don't think she had any trouble after that first night. I very much enjoyed listening to her speak of her experiences. It was from her I learned how to recognize the call of the barred owl . The cold rain poured all night but I was able to leave the two roof vents open on my REI half-dome tent all night without a drop of water entering and no condensation on the inside of the tent. The next morning I was able to take down the tent body while under the rain fly. So I ended up starting off on the trail dry inside my rain gear.
J.P. and Bert getting checked in by Many Sleeps.
March 16, 2007 - 5.1 miles: Woke up to a very damp morning. I made oatmeal for breakfast, brewed some really strong coffee, took my med's and moved on. The humidity was pretty high and the trail wasn't too steep but I still managed to sweat up my base layer under my rain gear. I had been climbing uphill for quite sometime when I realized I hadn't seen a white blaze for a while. I looked back downhill and decided to wait and see if anyone coming up behind thought I was still on the trail. Other trails had been winding across as I had been hiking and I knew it was possible I'd wandered off onto another trail. Soon some other hikers came along and confirmed I was still on trail. I wasn't about to give up the uphill mile just to turn around and hike back downhill just to verify I was where I was supposed to be. As the day wore on I began climbing Hawk mountain. It seemed like the steepest mountain I'd climbed yet and I was sweating up a storm. I had been climbing for a hour or so when I realized my fingers were beginning to go numb. The temps were falling rapidly and I knew that if I had to stop then I'd be in a hypothermic situation. So I zipped the armpit vents closed on my rain jacket, put on gloves and hiked on. By the time I reached Hawk mountain shelter the temps were in the 30's but since my outer layer was breathable, my body heat had dried my base layer and I was warm and happy as I made camp and started dinner. There was a big group of hikers there and we chatted a good deal about many things. The clouds were so thick that as they passed between me and the big picnic table only a few feet away, the wisps were as thick as cotton. My tent body and fly were still pretty damp but I figured they'd dry through the night. I went to sleep very happy to be on the trail. The temps continued to drop through the night and I tightened all the adjustments on my sleeping bag for max warmth. And I slept well.
The first blaze.
March 17, 2007 - 7.3 miles: Woke up to a frozen world. The damp tent didn't dry out, it just froze so the slightest movement caused little snow flurries in the tent. It was pretty neat. I bundled up and was the last one to leave the shelter area. I went looking for water but after a 1/4 mile walk I knew I'd missed it so I hit the trail. Even though I wasn't wearing more that a base layer, rain gear and gaiters I broke a sweat early on into the hike. It was great hiking in the cold though. Ice clung to the hillsides where small springs were running. The hike covered some really pretty terrain. Sassafras mountain was a nice climb. The stream below the Gooch Mountain shelter was simply beautiful with the huge rhododendrons and the footbridge. Big crowd around Gooch shelter. Scouts got here first and took pretty nearly every level spot to pitch a tent. I'm up the hill quite a bit. Found a level spot about as big as my upper torso and I'm hoping that'll be enough for me to sleep on :-). Covered 7.3 miles today, a new record for this trip. Tuna and pasta for dinner. I'm glad I avoided eating mac and cheese with tuna for up to this point in my life, so it's new to me. I luvs it. 11.9 miles to the next shelter so I figure to solo camp tomorrow night somewhere along the trail. Good night!
March 18, 2007 - 7.9 miles: Damn chilly this morning. The scouts are all bundled up. Osowito tried to get the fire in front of the shelter going. I estimated the temps to be about the same as the morning before so after breakfast I packed up and stripped to my base layer. In moments my fingers and toes began to go numb. The scouts gave me some pretty strange looks as I took off on the trail. I had bundled up the morning before and had broken a sweat before I left the camp so I thought I'd try going light. I stayed a little cooler than I'd have liked but I wasn't miserable. Soon the morning slightly warmed and while hiking the mountainous south sides I was out of the winds and perfectly comfortable. When the trail would get some northern exposure and wind I would get a little cooler than I liked but overall was more comfortable than I was on the previous morning. Soon Osowito caught up with me and took the lead. The trail was very narrow with a steep drop on our right. Soon we had a little conga line of hikers and we rolled into Woody Gap. Osowito was planning on his girlfriend "Spike" picking him up for a break together in town. While we waited we snapped a few pics and chatted with a few day hikers. Motorcyclists were having a big day and were thick on the roads. I was running very low on fuel for my little homemade stove so I rode into Suches, Georgia with Shane and his girlfriend. She turned out to be really nice what with her name being Spike. There was not much to it when we got there, but there was a nice little store with about 25 motorcycles parked in front. Turns out they were just wrapping up a little All You Can Eat buffet (AYCE) and for a couple bucks we cleaned up the leftovers. The only thing I could find stove fuel wise was some gas treatment to remove water from the gas in your car. I bought a couple of them and then walked out to the road to hitch back to the trail head. Right after I got to the intersection a little truck pulled up to the stop sign and I took advantage of the moment to chat with the driver. He didn't seem too hip to the idea of giving me a ride but after a minute of conversation he invited me in. His name was Paul and he had a little fawn colored Pug dog with him named "Doc Watson." It was a few days before I was free of his fur. It was all over me but it wasn't the first time for me so I didn't mind. Back to the trail head I headed north and began the climb up Big Cedar mountain. I met another hiker name Stealth Blue and we climbed and chatted as we went. It was quite a climb but the view was a great reward. Quite a few folks were up there day hiking and enjoying the view. It seemed like a long climb down the other side of the mountain and when I came to a nice area that had been used as a camping area in the past I pitched my tent and started dinner. Stealth Blue continued on but soon I was joined by a couple of other NOBO hikers. One of the hikers was traveling super-light. He tossed his sleeping bag on a small sheet of Tyvek. He explained the bag was rainproof and it was all he needed. As I drifted off to sleep I knew I'd be climbing Blood mountain tomorrow and was looking forward to that.
March 19, 2007 - 8.0 miles: I am camped at 4,461 ft. on the rocky peak of Blood Mountain. Blood Mountain, the highest peak on the Georgia section of the Appalachian Trail and the sixth highest mountain in the state. The Blood Mountain Wilderness is the first designated wilderness area along the Appalachian Trail as the hiker heads north toward Maine. Some believe the name came from a bloody battle between the Cherokee Indians and Creek Indians long before a white man ever arrived in the area. Walasi-Yi is below me, a short hike of only a couple of miles. Troll and his wife were just ahead of me during the hike up and stayed here at the summit a short while before heading on down. I could tell they didn't think me camping right here on the summit peak was such a good idea. I'll have to sleep with one eye open in case the weather turns bad. I could probably drag myself to the shelter but I'm going to try to stay out of there. Sorta spooky. In fact being the only one up here is a little weird. Is the wind picking up? Setting up my tent I have to get my pack inside immediately because I can't stake it to the rock and the patches of earth are less than an inch thick over solid rock. And the wind is shoving the empty tent around hard. Do you suppose the spirits of the dead will walk the mountain tonight?
March 20, 2007 - 2.4 miles: The sunrise from the top of Blood Mountain was the greatest sunrise of my life. The night was windy and a few times I thought I heard a the muttering of voices. But the snapping of the tent was the only thing I heard most of the night. I slept on my back so I could see straight up through the plastic window in the tent. I figured if the stars were visible I stood a good chance of not getting struck by lightening. I've never been struck but I'm pretty sure it's not the sort of thing I'd be interested in doing. I heard a little shouting just as the sun cracked over the distant horizon. Leaving the tent I met Pootz, Uncle Buck, and Sky Hiker. Uncle Buck is hiking in memory of his nephew, Eric Shaffer. Eric passed away in March 2006 after a seven-year battle with acute lymphocytic leukemia. They had hiked up in the darkness to catch the sunrise. I packed up and broke camp and descended with the group. Met up further down the mountain with Troll and his Mrs. and hiked on down to Walasi-Yi. Going down the trail the last little bit is downhill switchbacks, which kept taking me pass the place I expected to down climb to the road. It felt a little like being a duck in a shooting gallery. I'd pass the point I expected to go down and walked on a ways before the trail switched back. Again I passed the point I expected to drop down to the road and walked on. It was funny. Soon I was showered, had eaten and watched as other hiker had their packs examined to see if they could be lightened up. I passed on having them look at my pack. I figured they'd pull out the big sack of colostomy supplies and say, "What the hell is this?" I rented a bunk in the hostel and got in on the AYCE spaghetti buffet which was great eating but nothing I ate that day agreed with me and I was running back and forth to the bathroom all night. I felt sorry for the guy in the bunk beneath me. What a crappy night. But on the bright side I met North Star.
March 21, 2007 - 10.6 miles: Left Walasi-yi in way worse shape than I arrived yesterday. When will I learn I can't just eat whatever strikes my fancy? The day is an exhausted blur. Long walk, No place for a break all day. Still even at its worse the hiking is great. Finally reach the shelter area and I'm so tired it's strange. Right ankle is still trying to get my attention. Welcome to Low Gap shelter. The gnats are way thick by the shelter and the water so I eat and hit the tent. Father and son combo tenting near me. Interesting to see how long it takes someone to setup when they obviously don't do it every day.
March 22, 2007 - 7.2 miles:
I left Low Gap shelter at the crack of dawn. It was fun being the first one up and moving in the cold gray misty morning. I was even up before the gnats. Had my usual breakfast of hot oatmeal, broke camp and was gone. Nothing out of the ordinary during today's hike. Still feeling weak from my gastric disturbance. I reached Blue Mountain shelter early and enjoyed the solitude of being the only one there. Took my food bag and tent out of my pack. It felt so much lighter I fantasized hiking with such a light pack. I walked around the shelter a few times enjoying the feel of less weight on my back. Finally took off my pack and made a good hot lunch. Maybe my regular diet will stabilize my system. It was early in the afternoon but I grabbed a sweet spot for my tent. I crawled in to stow my gear and said, "What the heck," and took a nap. When I woke I made a water run. The memory of how much lighter my pack could be was still foremost in my thoughts. And my right ankle is still hurting. I tried adjusting the tongues in my boot but nothing seems to help. I don't think its a shin splint, I think it's more like an inflamed tendon.
March 23, 2007 - 5.8 miles:
The trail lead me down to the highway. I snagged a ride with a fellow who was dropping off someone at the trailhead. And that was when I met Mr. and Mrs. Ron Haven. A great guy who I knew I'd be running into again further up the trail. Once in Hiawasee I found the post office and sent my bump box further on up the trail. If you don't open it there's no charge and that was close to what I could afford. Stopped for a great cup of coffee. Restocked a bit at the market and returned painlessly to the trail. Met up with Oso Ito and hiked up to the old cheese factory. It's a pretty well known spot on the trail. There I met Earthquake and Mr. Karl Weiss Hungus. Setup camp quickly and had a nice fire in the ring,then made a quick dinner. Shortly NorthStar rolled in but I think she was pretty worn out and retired early. After sunset the four of us set around the campfire listen to owl calls. Later we made a water run in the dark, only using our headlamps to see to filter. Woowee wild times on the trail!
My trail friends
J.P. and Northstar with me (your faithful explorer) @ Rock Gap shelter.
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I hope to add the rest of my journal someday when I find the time. I hiked on, up and over Wayah Bald outside Franklin, N.C. when I ran out of time and headed back to Austin to resume my chemo treatments.
Want to know more about the A.T.? Visit White Blaze.
Good luck to the A.T. class of 2010!
My the wind be at your backs and the springs flowing.
