Let's Take It From The Top

July 25, 2011

The first hint of morning light revealed the treetops of Abol Campground at Baxter State Park in Maine as the robins began their morning routine.  This was no day to lay abed and enjoy their frenetic singing from the comfort of my down sleeping bag.  Today was summit day.

I had met my hiking friend Hirsch at Abol Bridge the previous afternoon as he exited Maine's legendary Hundred Mile Wilderness.  The Wilderness is the longest section of the Appalachian Trail without a paved road crossing and I consider it one of the Trail's gems with its uninterrupted opportunity to enjoy the rugged beauty of Maine.  As per Hirsch's request, I brought two bags of fresh fruit and goodies to share with he and any other thru-hikers who happened along.  After 2160 trail miles it's fresh fruit that they crave the most.  When I found him, Hirsch was sitting at a picnic table with Peach, a young woman with whom I had lunch at Bryant Ridge Shelter on April 26 on my second last day on the trail this spring.  What a surprise!  I then spent the rest of that day shuttling hikers into and around Millinocket, their last trail town and resupply before the final climb of the Trail,  Mt. Katahdin.

Peach and Hirsch at Abol Bridge, ME

The Penobscot tribe referred to the mountain as "Katahdin" which translates as "The Greatest Mountain".  For the average AT hiker it is the greatest as it is purported to be the longest single climb along the length of the trail.  There are taller mountains but none can compare to Katahdin, a monolith visible from 30 miles away as it rises unexpectedly from the surrounding flat land.

Over many attempts to thru-hike the AT, amassing almost 4000 trail miles along the way, Mt. Katahdin has stood like a beacon drawing me onward.  Each trip south to the AT required me to pass Katahdin along the way, its snow-capped peak an image to sustain me through many long days on the trail.  Whenever I would tell other hikers where I lived they would say: "Then you must have climbed Katahdin already." 
"No...no I haven't", I'd reply, "I'm saving Katahdin for when I've completed the whole trail."
After eleven frustrating years of illness, homesickness, and injuries the goal of completing the whole trail in one year seems as elusive as ever.  Just how a mile high mountain made of granite can continue to slip through my fingers like an elusive down feather is beyond me.  The email from Hirsch asking if I wanted to summit Katahdin with him was like that elusive feather gracefully floating down to land on my still, open hand.  Here is your gift my friend.  Do with it what you will.

As I slung the small day pack with water, rain jackets, and lunch over my shoulder the trail was just visible enough for us to proceed.  We were hoping the five a.m. start would allow Hirsch some quiet time at the summit before the other thru-hikers appeared to celebrate success in their own fashion.  In order to complete a loop hike we decided to climb to the summit via the Abol trail and then descend along the AT to Katahdin Stream Campsite. 

Hirsch on Abol Trail

After 2.8 miles of steep climbing over loose scree we met up with the AT at Thoreau Spring.  From there it's an easy mile across the Tableland to the end of the Trail.  In honour of Hirsch's request for some quiet time by himself I held back while he climbed the last 500 yards to the summit. 



A Quiet Time

If that photo seems a bit blurry it's no different from the image I saw through tear-filled eyes as I took my final steps to the summit.   After eleven years and literally months on the trail here I was, only four hours drive from home, finally reaching the top of mythical Katahdin.  I'll let the following photos speak for themselves.

Hirsch at Katahdin Summit



Shuk at Katahdin Summit



Hirsch atop Katahdin, 100 Mile Wilderness in Background

As a light breeze whispered across my face I felt like a bird aloft with a view stretching to infinity.
It's interesting what a man can do with a single feather.

Of Course

April 27, 2011

A steady rain was falling as I left Thunder Hill Shelter.  The gentle kiss of each drop like a soothing apology for yesterday's hail.  Views of the valley below were obscured by the shroud of mist that covered the ridge line.
While in the shelter the previous evening I had been talking to the thru-hiker Beer Hunter about the beautiful photos of flowers that he had captured that day.  Wild azaleas, yellow orchids, and dogwoods were brilliantly captured by his lens. 
"If I recall correctly," I told him, "there is an area just north of here along the trail that has one of the world's largest stands of wild trilliums.  I'm hoping they will be out for us this year."
Within an hour the first trilliums appeared in small clusters of pink and white that dotted the trail side.  Approaching Petite's Gap the forest floor was awash with a sea of trilliums as far as the eye could see.  I have tried to capture this impressive sight in the photo below but I'm afraid it doesn't truly do justice to the magnificent display of color that surrounded me on what would prove to be my last day hiking for this spring.


Trilliums near Petite's Gap

Despite the rain the miles rolled by easily on the long descent down to the James River valley.  Two miles from the James River I met "Still Debating" and "Blue Sunshine" enjoying their lunch of bagels and peanut butter at Matt's Creeks Shelter.  Of course I stopped to chat for a few moments.
"Why don't you at least come in out of the rain for a few minutes?", they asked.
"There's no need.  It's warm.  I've been wet before.  I'll be wet again.  I'm comfortable with that."
Shortly before noon I crossed the James River Foot Bridge, the longest footbridge on the AT, named in honour of William Foot whose efforts made the bridge a reality.

Fortunately the rain stopped as I was crossing the bridge so I had a comfortable hour's wait while hitching a ride into Glasgow and then on to Natural Bridge, VA.  Unfortunately, this would prove to be the end of my AT thru-hike for now as a pre-existing health problem has sent me back home for treatment.  It is very disappointing to be off the trail when the legs are feeling strong enough to hike up and down hill all day every day without getting tired.  If treatment is successful then I hope to get out again this year to finish the portions in New Hampshire and Maine that I have not previously hiked.

There is an eastern proverb in which a Zen master, when informed that a servant had dropped and broken his favourite dish, replied as follows:
"Of course.  The dish was but mine to enjoy for a short time.  I will not cling to what was but rejoice in that which is."

Mileage to date = 776.7

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the best of times

April 26, 2011

It was the best of times
On my second day out from Daleville, VA my plan was to hike from Bobblets Gap Shelter to Thunder Hill Shelter, a distance of 24 miles.  The forecast called for temperatures of 87 degrees with afternoon thunder storms so I hit the trail at 6:30 to cover as many miles as I could while conditions were more amenable to hiking.  By 11:00 I arrived for lunch at the palatial Bryant's Ridge Shelter, a triple decker beauty that could easily sleep 20 hikers.  While there I met up again with Butter, Peach, Buddha and Indy who had left Bobblets Gap even earlier than I, 3:00 am to be exact, in order to avoid the heat.  Their plan was to cover only 5 more miles to Cornelius Creek Shelter before calling it a day at 19 miles over all.  We had a relaxing lunch enjoying the shade by the babbling brook that ran directly in front of the shelter, content in knowing that we had but few miles remaining to hike on this day.

Bryant Ridge Shelter

It was the worst of times
Shortly after 2:30 I passed Cornelius Creek on my way to Thunder Hill to the sound of distant rumbles of thunder.  "Hmmm, should I stop here for the night or keep going?  Aw, I bet I can cover the last 5 miles well before this storm strikes."  It wasn't meant to be.
One of the joys of hiking in the mountains is that foul weather can clear up at the drop of a hat.  On the flip side...that foul weather can also appear at the drop of a hat.  And so it was on this day.  About 2 miles out from Cornelius Creek, on my way up Apple Orchard Mountain, the threat of the thunder storm turned to a dramatic reality.  Crashes of thunder shook the ground under my feet as bolts of lightning danced around the ridge line.  "You know," I thought, "it's probably not a great time to be walking up toward the top of the mountain now."  Just then the skies opened up with hail and torrential rain.  Unlike the coniferous forests of the north there really is no place to run for cover in the southern deciduous forest before the trees leaf out for the summer.  So, I pulled my hat down, rounded my shoulders, and kept walking.  On these warm southern days there is no point in donning rain gear so I was soon completely soaked from head to toe.
Here's my glaringly obvious advice: Given the choice, try to avoid being outside in a hail storm.  Those little ice pellets (about 7-10mm in diameter in this case) felt like hundreds of bees stinging my head and neck and arms and back all at the same time.

It was the best of times
As I approached the summit of Apple Orchard Mountain the storm squall blew away as fast as it had arrived to reveal a beautiful meadow summit with a radar station.  Gorgeous!  Just over the summit the trail goes under "The Guillotine", a large rock that is wedged between two stone outcroppings.  The day was now perfect for photographs so I stopped to take a few to preserve the memory.

The Guillotine

I arrived at the Thunder Hill Shelter just as another of the evening's many rain squalls arrived.  What a joy it was to be in out of the rain.  After changing into my dry set of clothes, the only others I carry other than what is on my back, I relaxed and chatted a bit with Orange Bear, a hiker from Belgium who was out for a 2 month section hike.  Two more high school kids joined us in the shelter around 5:00, arriving completely soaked from another heavy rain squall.  As we sat there chatting a gentleman walked up to the shelter with a heavy looking pack and duffel bag. 
"Are there any hikers here who would like a cooked supper?  I've got eggs, sausage, pancakes and orange juice for any takers." 
"You bet.  How can we help?"
"You don't have to do anything.  I'll do the cooking and you just eat."
With that this trail angel lit his 2-burner Coleman stove and cooked us all a fabulous dinner.  What an incredible bit of trail magic! 
The gentleman's trail name was "Angle", a moniker he adopted when a former recipient of his magic sent a post card thanking him for the dinner, but had mis-spelled Angel as Angle, and the name stuck.  He comes out to this shelter every Tuesday and Thursday from the end of April to the middle of June to cook dinner for who ever is there.  He has served as few 1 and as many as 17 in one evening.  He started doing this after he supported his son during a thru-hike of the AT and then the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT).  He says whenever he's having a tough day at home he tells his wife that he's "going to meet some hikers" and heads for this shelter. 
When I asked him what he finds so appealing about the hiker crowd he replied: "They are a highly educated and highly motivated group that are great to talk to.  In fact they are the nicest people I've ever had the pleasure to know."
Likewise, I'm sure.




"Angle" cooking dinner at Thunder Hill Shelter


Mileage to date = 762.1

Hiking Friends

April 24, 2011

Despite comments that "March Madness" seems to be an affliction that strikes me each spring when I want to hit the trail, the name actually refers to the NCAA men's basketball tournament that is held over 3 weekends around the end of March.  As a long time basketball player and fan it can be a real "hardship" to be out on the trail during this time as there are so many exciting games to watch in a short span of time.  During my 2003 hike (760 miles from Roan Mountain, TN to Lehigh Gap, PA) I carefully planned my town days to coincide with games on the weekends of the tournament.  Needless to say, I wanted to convey the results to other thru-hikers in case they wished to join me for further viewing opportunities.  The most common communication method between hikers along the trail is the Trail Register that can be found in almost every shelter.  These registers are filled with everything from philosophical musings to drawings to the simple "I wuz here" statements that let us keep track of who's ahead and who's behind us along the trail.  After each game-watching town day I would write the latest results in the register, including a drawing of a basketball, and say where/when I planned to watch the next games. 
A young couple with the trail names "Vic" and "Irish" started their thru-hike at Springer Mt. in Georgia in the cold of February 2003.  "Vic" was short for vicarious as his support team of friends and family were hiking the trail vicariously through him.  "Irish" got her name as someone told her she must have "The luck of the Irish" to be able to go out and hike for 6 months.  Prior to our actually meeting along the trail Vic had noticed that I was making these basketball-related entries in the registers.  As a fellow fan of the NCAA tournament he decided it would be good to catch up with me and co-ordinate our game viewing.  We first met in Damascus, VA and hiked together from there to Pearisburg, VA.
The year 2003 was a particularly soggy one along the east coast so after weeks of being cold and wet the prospect of a warm, dry bed with a shower had grown particularly appealing to Irish.

Here's what I recall of one conversation:
Shuk - "The Final Four is on this weekend.  Should we plan for town days?"
Vic - "Sounds good.  What's the plan?"
Shuk - "We can see Saturday's games at the motel in Atkins, then if we hike fast we can make it to the Big Walker Motel in Bland for Monday's final game."
Vic - "Does that sound like a good idea Irish?  It would mean blowing our budget for this section of the trail."
Irish - "Are you kidding?  I never realized it before but I just love basketball."

When I think of the many great people I have met along the trail I always remember Vic and Irish for the joy and optimism they displayed regardless of what challenges the trail had for them.  I think that their engineering backgrounds helped with planning trail logistics while their history of running marathons provided the leg strength and endurance necessary to walk the trail without injury.

As the Easter weekend of my 2011 AT hike approached I decided I needed to take a little time off to recover from a recurring health concern.  Fortunately I was close to where Vic and Irish now live so I contacted them and arranged for Irish to pick me up at Daleville, VA to go spend a night at their place.  They have been blessed with two of the happiest young children I have had the pleasure to meet.  The two year old girl seemed to delight in saying "Shuk, Shuk" when asked "Who's here visiting?".  We spent the evening reminiscing about the 2003 hike, looking through the photo albums they had compiled of their journey.  I was honoured to see that I managed to squeeze into one of the group photos from the southern Virginia section.  They even mentioned how they had invoked "Shuk's Rule" : "Never walk out of town in the rain." - when they had spent an extra night in Duncannon, PA. 
Rather than send me out to a hotel for the rest of my convalescence they kindly offered to let me stay at their house for the weekend while they were away visiting relatives.  Wow, is this possible?  Indeed it was.  I had a great time enjoying the city including trips downtown to the market and some great local restaurants as they even let me use their car while I was there.
The kindness and generosity demonstrated by Vic and Irish to their hiking (and basketball watching)partner of 2003 was an example of the kind of enduring friendships I have had the honour of experiencing along the trail.  I can't thank them enough and trust we'll meet again in the near future.

Characters

"You thru-hiking?" "Where are you from?"
"Why are you hiking the trail?"
"When did you start?"
"How far today?"
"How much are you carrying?"
"What do you do?"
The questions may be common whenever hikers meet along the trail but the answers they generate seldom seem that way.  As I continue my hike along the trail I remain fascinated by the litany of characters that I meet.  In this post I thought I would mention a couple of the recent noteworthy meetings.
I first met Hirsch the day that I hiked out of Erwin, TN.  Actually, I should say that I first met his footprints in the snow in the late morning as I walked over some of the balds north of town.  I'm always scanning the trail treadway to guess how many people are ahead of me and how much they are carrying.  As I followed these signs I was particularly impressed with the foot placement on a treacherous trail as well as the fact the hiker obviously was stepping on just the balls of the feet when making steep ascents.  "Hmm, this must be an experienced hiker," I thought.  At about four in the afternoon I finally caught up with him during the descent into Greasy Creek Gap.
"Hi there, you thru-hiking?", I asked.
"Yes, I am.  Who are you?"
"I'm Shuk.  Who are you?"
"Shuk!  I've been hearing about you for days.  They say you're the fastest guy on the trail."
"If fastest means racing between towns and then taking zero days then I must be the guy.  Still, what's your trail name?"
"I don't really have a trail name.  I have just always been known as Hirsch."
"Glad to meet you Hirsch.  I'm stopping at the Greasy Creek Hostel tonight but we'll get a chance to talk more tomorrow when we meet again out on the trail."
And so we did.  During our conversations I learned that this was Hirsch's second AT thru-hike, his first being in 1999.  I also learned that he had thru-hiked the Pacific Coast Trail.  It's no wonder his steps on the trail appeared so assured.  I had the great good fortune to hike with Hirsch for the next 3 days and learned more about his fascinating story.  Despite not yet being 30 years of age he has two university degrees, spent 2 years in the Peace Corps in the South Pacific, and just completed a 5 1/2 year bicycle trip around the world before beginning his second AT thru-hike.  He was one of the most genuinely honest and caring folks I have had the honour of meeting and I hope I get the chance to hike with him some more as we both chase our dream of a Katahdin summit.

Hirsch

The second hiker of note is a young Japanese man with the trail name "V8" as he loves V8 vegetable juice.  In fact, I saw him drink a 2 liter bottle of it last night.  V8 has already hiked the Pacific Coast Trail in 2009, the Continental Divide Trail in 2010, and is now attempting to complete the final leg of hiking's Triple Crown.  He is a lean, mean walking machine whose base pack weight before food and water is only 8 lbs.  That's incredible!  He made his own pack, jacket and sleeping system and also carries a Go-Lite umbrella that he uses when its raining.  He began the trail on Mar. 25 and was in Pearisburg, VA on Apr. 20.  That calculates out to roughly 23 miles per day.  Very impressive.  I queried him extensively about what gear he was using and came up with some ideas to lighten my own pack weight.  It was fascinating to me that this young man had come to the US to hike these trails and still managed to succeed despite quite limited English language skills.  I have nothing but admiration for his determination and drive.  I suspect that today was the last time I will see him as he will be well ahead of me in no time at all.

V8

The Pearis of Virginia

Four long days of hiking have brought me to Pearisburg, VA.  I met up with a nice group of thru-hikers including Zippers and Stretch from Montana, Hellion, Finn, Vermont Dave, Hap, Brownie, and others that I can't remember.  Zippers and Stretch walk about the same pace as I so we spent each of the 3 trail nights together at shelters along the way, covering 26, 24, 24 and 17 miles.  We arrived in Pearisburg at one today and immediately went to Lone Star Chinese Buffet to eat until we could eat no more.  After 4 plates of Chinese food, mostly veggies, I can surely attest that the hiker hunger has kicked in.  It was nice to finally wash my clothes after wearing the same set for 9 straight days.  They had certainly ripened nicely.  It's a wonder the folks would even seat us at the Chinese buffet.  Perhaps they are accustomed to it as all the stinky hikers who pass through the area stop in Pearisburg to resupply.

Mileage to date = 627.0

Slacker!

Shuk, Torque, GG1 at Buzzard Rocks near Damascus, VA

Slackpacking - walking trail miles without all the gear necessary for a self-supported hike.  Considered anathema to trail purists.  Considered a blessing to those who just want to get to Maine in one piece.

After a couple of days off trail to catch up on work I met up with GG1 and Torque in Damascus as they were staying at the same inn as I (The Montgomery House).  GG1 mentioned that they had arranged for 4 days of slackpacking through Mount Rogers Outfitters and asked if I was interested in joining them.  Of course I jumped at the chance for my first slackpack.  Imagine hiking for 4 days with only water, lunch and some rain gear to carry.  How sweet is that?  Each day we were met by our shuttle driver, Gecko, a gentleman in his early 60's who has hiked the trail many times and helps hikers each spring by running shuttles for MRO.  He was a wealth of knowledge about each trail section we covered and also about what would face us further up the trail.  Over the course of the 4 days we walked from Damascus, VA through the Grayson Highlands over to Atkins, VA.  Total distance covered was a sweet 73 miles.  We saw the wild horses in the highlands, hiked through pouring rain one day, discussed every possible book and idea that came into our heads, and all in all had a great time.  I hope that I meet them again on the trail as they were a fascinating couple who retired at the end of Feb. 2011 and began their thru-hike of the AT at the beginning of March.

Mileage to date = 537.0

The Road to Damascus

April 7-10, 2011
These four days have passed with little incident with nice weather, including two days in the 80's that almost melted this cold-adapted hiker.  I spent one night in Elizabethton, TN getting a food re-supply and scrubbing off one layer of dirt before finishing the walk to Damascus, VA.  The Laurel Forks Falls near the Kincora Hiker's Hostel was especially noteworthy because of the stone steps that were created to allow hikers to descend into the gorge to see the falls and walk along the Laurel River.  Those stairs and the rock cribbing along the river were prepared over one summer by an 8 woman crew.  Amazing.  The next time someone calls physical labour "man's work" I'll have a perfect rebuttal to the claim.
I have now reached Damascus, VA, the "Friendliest Town on the AT".  The trail goes right along the main street with all services available within short walking distance.  I spent a couple of days in town doing support work for some of my customers via internet connections.  It's nice to be able to do work to pay some bills while I'm hiking the trail. 
Over a quarter of the AT is in Virginia so it will be at least a month before I reach the next state line.  What's the cure for the "Virginia Blues"?

Mileage to date = 464.4

A Summit Conquered

April 6, 2011
As I stepped out of the Greasy Creek Friendly Hostel in the dim morning light I could see the snow covered peak of Roan Mountain High Knob in the distance.  My goal today was to conquer that mountain.
In 2003 I had made the trip to Tennessee to try and finish a previous hike from Georgia to Maine that had been aborted at Unicoi Gap, between Erwin, TN and Roan Mountain.  As I recall, Roan Mountain was classified as a "2 Snickers" climb.  That means I had to stop twice to eat a Snickers chocolate bar on the way up in order to have the energy for the climb.  That climb was so tough that I injured myself on the first day out and returned home after only 1 day of hiking.  A most discouraging outcome.
The first 5 miles rolled along easily until I reached Hughes Gap, the start of the climb.  From that point I had to climb from 1900' to 6275' in just over 3 miles.  The first 1.5 miles was really steep with few switchbacks.  At 4000' of elevation the trail became covered in ice and snow and would stay that way until I had descended the other side.  The final mile of climbing was about the steepest I had seen yet on the trail with many sections requiring me to strap the hiking poles on my back to crawl up.  At times the trail seemed virtually unwalkable as it was sheer ice from one side to the other.  Even now I can't imagine how I found enough traction to climb and descend with such treacherous footing.  Anyway, after what seemed like hours I happened upon a crew of trail maintainers who were relaxing at the side of the trail eating lunch. 
"Say, how much farther is it to the top of Roan Mountain?", I said.
"Oh you passed that about a mile ago, you're on the way downhill now."
What a relief!  I had conquered Roan Mountain and was still feeling great.  It was such a beautiful day that I kept hiking until the road crossing at US 19 near the town of Roan Mountain, TN.  That gave me a day of 25.4 miles despite the conditions.  Nice.

Mileage to date = 389.6



The Trail on Roan Mt.  A tad slippery one might say. 



Gulp!

Apr. 5, 2011
If someone had suggested to me at ten o'clock this morning that it was time to give up this crazy quest and return home I would have been the first in line with my credit card to buy a ticket.
Perhaps it would be best to go back to the beginning of the day to see how it unfolded. 
Before setting foot on the trail this morning I stopped at Uncle Johnny's in Erwin, TN to buy a new GoLite raincoat as my O2 Rainwear jacket was falling apart.  It was a good day to have a raincoat as there was still a light drizzle falling after more than two inches of rain had fallen overnight.  I was a very happy guy as I walked out of Erwin knowing that I was warm and dry on this cool 37 degree morning.  The first few miles saw the trail winding its way alongside a raging stream that was swollen from the rain overnight.  Occasionally there would be a bridge across the stream at the locations where the trail needed to be routed to a location above the high water mark.  Unfortunately, the trail planners had not fully imagined what two inches of rain would do to the run off patterns in the valley.  About 2 miles from town I came to a raging torrent of water that was 1-3 feet deep and about 20 feet wide.  How the heck do I get across this?  If there were stream hopping rocks under dryer conditions there certainly weren't any to be seen on this day.  As I looked up and down stream for some other crossing options I saw a fallen tree that spanned the whole waterway.  Hmm, maybe I can walk across the log and stay dry rather than have to ford the stream.  Before stepping onto the log I unbuckled the waist belt of my pack so that I could release it if I happened to fall in.
Slowly, ever so slowly, I shuffled my way out onto the log, using my hiking poles to steady myself.  About halfway across I thought to myself: "Hmm, these shoes I have are actually quite slippery on wet surfaces.  I wonder if they will keep traction?" 
Just as the thought finished my feet slipped and I tumbled into the water, upstream from the log.  The raging current quickly grabbed my pack, twisted me backwards and pulled me downstream, causing my head to conk against the log as I went underneath it.  The current was amazingly strong but I managed to use my poles to push myself to shore where I quickly scrambled out and caught my breath.  Phew, that was a close call.  I took my clothes off and wrung the water out as best as I could.  There was no point in putting the rain pants back on as they were as wet inside as out which made them cling to my legs, drawing away any heat I may have still had in my body.
What to do now?  I'm soaking wet.  It's 37 degrees.  Town is on the other side of that stream.  I guess the only thing to do is keep walking up this hill and hope that I can stay warm enough from the exertion to prevent hypothermia.  So, with my rain coat fastened all the way up, and water dripping from my shorts onto my bare legs, I donned my pack and started walking uphill.  One of the disadvantages of walking uphill from an elevation of 1400' to 4600' is that the temperature drops dramatically.  Within a half hour I was walking in the snow and would continue to do so for the rest of the day.  The wind howled as I crossed a couple of bald's, completely obliterating the tracks of any hikers who had gone before me.  Keep moving.  Just keep moving.  Fortunately, the brand new rain coat actually worked as predicted and wicked the moisture away from my body such that my shirt was completely dry after only 4 hours of walking.  The shoes and socks never dried as they kept filling with snow.
Along about 4:30 I saw a sign for the Greasy Creek Friendly Hostel, just 0.6 miles off the trail.  Any opportunity to get warm and dry seemed perfect to me so I made the long descent off the ridge to the hostel.  The warmth from the wood stove made me the happiest man in the mountains on this cold day.  Even though I had to sleep on a couch as it was the only place available I was delirious with delight to know that I had survived what I hope will be the most dangerous day I will face on the trail.

Mileage to date = 364.2

The Temps They Are A Changin'

I left the Bald Mt. Shelter this morning all bundled up against the cold, the trail completely covered in ice and snow.  Fortunately, I began the day at my highest daily elevation so things were going to warm up nicely as the day found its way.  By 10:00 I could took off my gloves and coat.  By 11:00 the arm warmers were off.  At 11:30 my hat was off and sweat was dripping from my brow.  At 1:00 I reached the town of Erwin where the temperature was an uncomfortably hot 84 degrees.  Who is in charge of the thermostat around here?
There were exactly zero hikers on the trail today.  What an amazing change from just a few days ago when the shelters were full with people tenting all around.
Once in Erwin I set about doing my town chores.  First, do the laundry so that I'm presentable when I go out.  Then review the food requirements to get to the next re-supply point.  Then it was time to find a grocery store.  Erwin itself is a small town that is spread all over hell's half acre.  The walk from my hotel to the nearest grocery store was over a mile.  As I walked there in the heat I got to wondering if there was any easier way to get back than walking with my arms full of groceries.  Hmm, what's that, a pizza place across from the grocery store.  That gives me an idea. 
The conversation in the pizza place was as follows:
"Do you have delivery service to the Erwin hotel?"
"Yes we do"
"If I ordered a pizza, ran over to get my groceries, and came right back, would the delivery guy take me and my pizza back to the hotel?"
"Sure"
"I'll take a medium with pineapple, tomato and mushroom and I'll be back in 10 minutes."
Any way to save a few steps.

Mileage to date = 339.9

It Blew and It Blew

A big wind blew in overnight while I slept, bringing with it very cold temperatures and snow.  I walked in the snow for the first couple of hours, being very cautious not to fall as there weren't many hikers around to provide help if I ran into trouble.  In fact, I only saw two other hikers on the trail all day.  Where did they all go?  At Sam's Gap, where the AT passes under I-26 between Erwin, TN and Asheville, NC, I met 2010 thru-hikers Giant and Doppler who were providing trail magic of drinks and snacks to everyone who came through.  It wasn't that productive a day for them as it turns out I was the only hiker they had seen all day.  After thanking them profusely I bundled up again for the brutal climb to the top of Big Bald.  Sam's Gap is at 2700' elevation while Big Bald would top out at 5600'.  My trail guide says : "Stop at the summit to enjoy the only 360 degree unrestricted view above 5000' on the AT."  I presume the person who wrote that wasn't up there under the same conditions I was experiencing.  The snow was driving horizontally as the wind was simply howling.  At one point it was so strong it actually blew me off of my feet.  According to my research it takes a wind speed of at least 70 mph to blow a grown man off their feet.  I would believe those were the conditions I experienced on this day.  Once back on my feet I quickly hiked down off the summit and made it to the Bald Mt. Shelter to spend the night.  Holy cow it was cold there with the snow blowing around and gusty winds sucking away any heat my body could generate.  I was in my sleeping bag at 6:00pm just to stay warm and then stayed there the rest of the night.
Mileage to date = 323.0

A Search for the Truth

Hot Springs, NC was still in complete darkness as I strolled past the Hot Springs Spa and Resort on my way out of town.  Passing over the French Broad River I could hear the roar of the water as the heavy rains of the past few days had swollen it to just below flood level.  Yikes, the trail follows the bank of the river for the first mile.  Will it be safe?  Fortunately the trail was slightly above the torrent and I quickly made the climb up to Lover's Leap Rock, with a famous overlook of the town of Hot Springs. 
The day was cool with lots of good climbs to keep the blood pumping.  At Allen Gap I saw a sign on a post that promised a full meal for any hiker that was willing to make the 350 yard walk east.  Sounded like a good idea to me.  The meal was hosted by 1999 thru-hikers Fal and Hercules and included waffles, Irish Stew, and dessert.  Yummy and very filling!  Fal and Hercules have hosted over 2300 hikers in their time as trail angels.  At the end of every meal they ask their guests to answer a question about the search for truth in religious beliefs.  They are very strong Christians and see this trail magic as a way to combine their desire to spread the Gospel with a method for contributing to the success of the trail experience.  These were very kind, pleasant and patient people.  Thank you very much Fal and Hercules.
With all the good calories I was ready to crank out a good long day of hiking.  At 5:00 I rolled into the Jerry Cabin shelter, having completed 26.4 miles for the day.  I am very fortunate to be healthy enough to walk those long miles.  Fal and Hercules would have taken 8 days to walk between Hot Springs, NC and Erwin, TN while I plan to finish the same distance in 2 1/2 days.  That's a lot less food (and weight) to carry.
Mileage to date = 298.2

A Trail Angel

The leaves and mud were squishing up around my shoes as I walked down into Brown Gap.  A tremendous rain had fallen overnight that left everything soaked.  As I rounded the final corner of the descent a vision appeared by the road crossing.  There was a large canopy tent with the words "Trail Angel" on the side.  Under the canopy were 6 chairs for weary hikers, sodas, a box of calorie-dense treats, water, and the Trail Angel himself, Bob Appel.  As I pulled in he offered me hot chocolate as well.  Wow, pinch me I must be dreaming.  Appel has been offering trail magic for 10 years along the AT, Florida Trail, and Continental Divide Trail.  These are the kind of folk that make the trail experience unforgettable.  On this day he would only see 4-6 hikers but he told me that around the second week of April he would see 50 thru-hikers a day coming through.  I don't know what all this is costing him in time and money but my heartfelt thanks go out to him.
Energized by the treat and hot chocolate I headed on, convinced I could make it to Hot Springs, NC this day rather than tomorrow.  I only saw 2 other hikers all day on the trail as the crowd has thinned out considerably since we cleared the Smokies.  I strode into town at 5:15 having completed 26.2 miles for the day.  The legs and body feel good, but tired.
Hot Springs is the first place where I catch my bump box as the trail goes right through town.  My bump box contains some of my summer gear, as well as items that I need every few hundred miles such as the recharger for my camera batteries, spare socks, zip-loc's, razor, and the next pages for my AT Trail Guide.  I'll mail it on to Damascus, VA from here.  Next stop will be Erwin, TN. 
I can't believe that one eight of the trail is already behind me.
Mileage to date = 271.8

Finished the Smokies

The decision has been made.  The Smokies have been mis-named.  If they were called "The Rainy's", or "The Misties", or "The Snowies" I would be in complete agreement.  I hear there are actually great views somewhere along the trail but I've never been fortunate enough to see them. 
I started back on the trail at Newfound Gap via a free shuttle from Gatlinburg offered by the Nantahala Outdoor Center.  Thanks NOC for your help!  I spent that night at the Tri-Corner Knob Shelter with another dozen hikers.  That shelter is at 6000', one of the highest on the trail.  In the morning it was well below freezing when I rolled out of the sleeping bag at 6:45.  Brrr.  After breakfast I reached into my ditty bag for toothbrush and toothpaste as my last chore before heading out.  It was still dark so I just squeezed a little paste out and moved discreetly away to brush.  Hmmm, this toothpaste isn't foaming up like I expected it would.  It also tastes a little funny too.  Then I realized I had just brushed my teeth with anti-fungal cream (used for athlete's foot) rather than tooth paste.  Needless to say, I brushed again with the real stuff.  Lesson learned.
My second day out we had a beautiful day for hiking.  I stopped at Davenport Gap at noon to celebrate completion of the Smokies.  What a relief!  There are still lots of big hills to come but the crowded shelters and sloppy trails of the Smokies are now behind me.  I spent that night at Groundhog Creek Shelter with Raspberry, Fuzzy Navel, and Bamboo aka Helga aka Lily aka Third Wheel.  Bamboo made a great fire that we sat and watched until 9:00.  That's the latest I've been up on the trail to date.  What a wild life we lead out here.
Mileage to date = 245.6

The Gatlinburg of Tennessee

Jerky. 
Just how much jerky can any one state produce?
Every second store here sells their own special version of jerky.  Trout, beef, cuthroat, venison, elk.  And what the heck is "all natural jerky"?
There are also wedding chapels and wedding related services on every corner.  In fact, I saw a wedding underway down by the river today.  The bride was glowing in her white satin dress. The groom looked like he was a bit optimistic in sizing his tuxedo as it was "form fitting" to say the least.  Perhaps the grin on his face was a grimace of pain rather than a smile of happiness. 
I should have asked.  Next time I will.
While I'm at it I'll also ask if jerky is a traditional southern wedding gift.
I should have asked.  Next time I will.
Even more intriguing than the jerky question was the "Salt and Pepper Shaker" museum.  Who goes to a museum to see salt and pepper shakers?  Then again, is it a museum about shakers or Shakers? 
I should have asked.  Next time I will.
Southerners really love Gatlinburg and I'm not really sure why.
I should have asked.  Next time I will.

Mileage to date = 204.4

Brrrrr!

Mar. 24
Last night's storm blew any remnant of warm weather far away from here.  It was brrrly cold and windy when I began walking today.  I always hike in my shorts but up top I had on my wool short sleeved shirt, arm warmers, hat, and my rain coat with hood cinched around my chin to keep me warm.  I should have put my gloves on as well as I kept having to tuck my hiking poles under my arm to hide my hands in the sleeves of my coat for warmth.  The trail was strewn with debris today from the storm.  I stopped a hundred times at least to move branches off the treadway to make walking easier for other hikers.  In a few cases there were huge hardwood trees across the trail that I had to detour around.  Glad I wasn't out there last night!
Shortly before noon I reached Fontana Dam and decided to hitch a ride to Gatlinburg, TN for a day's rest to recover from some health issues.  If it's pouring rain tomorrow, as the forecast seems to indicate, they I'll spend another day here in the real Gatlinburg of the south.  I'm not going to break my rule again: "Never walk out of town in the rain."  I'll let you all know what my cultural studies investigations reveal here in the honeymoon capital of the south.
It is very satisfying to have reached the Smokies already and to have the legs feeling good.  There are still lots of challenging hills left in NC/Tennessee but I feel I can make the climbs and descents without too much trouble. 

Mileage to date : 164.4

Pancakes!

Mar. 23
The advantage of staying last night at the Rufus Morgan shelter was that we were only 0.8 miles from the Nantahala Outdoor Center (NOC) in Wesser, NC.  At NOC there is a diner right on the trail that opens for breakfast at 8:00am.   The whole evening before Sam, Tyler, Man Cub and I had been talking about going for pancakes in the morning.  Much to my great delight a heap of blueberry pancakes was sitting in front of me at 8:15 this morning.  Life is good!  I wonder if I could arrange to have someone prepare me a breakfast like this every day out on the trail.
After breakfast I had to buy some new socks at the NOC Outfitter store as the pair I began with had developed multiple holes.  New socks were just the thing I needed to keep my feet comfortable as the next 7 miles of trail was uphill.  This was the longest continuous climb I have experienced in the southern Appalachians.  The day included a couple of other hard climbs up Stecoah Gap and Jacob's Ladder so I called it quits at 2:30 having covered 16.8 miles on an "easy" day.  The shelter was full that night as we experienced a wild storm with high winds, rain and hail.  Turns out there were even tornado's in the western part of Tennessee.  A young woman thru-hiker arrived at the shelter just before dark, 7:30, very proud to have completed her longest trail day to date.  She had departed NOC at 9:00am, just moments after I left.

Trail miles to date : 151.0

A Marathon Day

Mar. 22
At 6:50 am it was still completely dark when I was met in the lobby of the Microtel in Franklin, NC by a member of the local hiking club who had kindly offered to shuttle me up to the trailhead at Winding Stair Gap.  I came out expecting to see a sturdy hiking type but was surprised to find that my driver was a spry, white-haired 86 year old woman.  She said we had to hurry as she had to be back in town for 8:30 to be at school where she volunteers in the kindergarten.  She had actually been a kindergarten teaching assistant and then teacher for years before she retired.  Just like my mother!  At the trailhead pull off she swung her car around to illuminate the AT sign as a background for the photo she takes of everyone that she shuttles.  As she was leaving I thought I heard voices next to the road.  As my eyes adjusted I saw that Snail and Blue were there cowboy camping next to the road, cuddled up in their sleeping bags, waiting for the shuttle down into town for resupply.
It seems that the big meals the previous day gave lots of pep to my step as I simply motored along all day.  As I was making the two mile climb up to Cold Spring Shelter I passed 4 people that I assumed were day hikers as they were walking without packs.  I stopped at the shelter to cool my feet and have a little snack.  After a few minutes the four appeared and simultaneously asked: "Are you some kind of marathon man?"  It turns out that they were thru-hikers who were taking advantage of a slack pack opportunity.  Slack packing is when someone offers to drive your pack further up the trail while you hike along un-encumbered by all the stuff you need to survive.  I'm all for slack packing but haven't had much chance in my career.
"How", they asked, "can you be beating us up this mountain carrying your pack when we're struggling just carrying a water bottle?  We were going to name you 'The Energizer' if you didn't already have a trail name."
"I guess it must have been because I knew I was planning to have a snack at the top.  That's all."
"Ha, like we believe that", said Sam and Tyler, two young hikers who were already in the shelter for a rest when I arrived.  "Each day on the trail our goal is to try to keep up with you and we haven't succeeded yet.  We're 25 years younger than you and yet you beat us up every hill.  It's not fair."
"It's not that I'm that fast", I said, "it's just that when I see a hill I feel driven to go up as fast as I can to get it over with.  I'll blame that on my friend John who says to attack every hill."
"You're full of it.  We can't catch you going uphill, downhill, or on the level.  It doesn't make any difference."
"Actually, the reason I go so fast is because I'm lazy.  I just want to get the day's walk over with so I can sit around and goof off."
That logic seemed to satisfy them so we all set off to finish the day's hiking.  At around 3:00 I rolled into the Rufus Morgan Shelter near Wesser, having completed my longest day to date, a distance of 26.5 miles. 
Turns out I actually was a marathon man on this day.

Trail miles to date : 134.2

Franklin, NC

Gipc Girl's headlamp flickered from side to side as we left the shelter in the dark at 7:15am, bundled up against the light mist that was falling.  I was following as I don't carry a headlamp, only a small squeeze light to read by. Soon the light of day was enough to illuminate the trail so Gipc suggested that I move on by and go at my own pace.  The trail was very nice until we reach Mt. Albert.  I recalled that I thought this was my toughest climb in 2000 and it didn't disappoint me today.  The first 1000' or so were a steady climb along the face of the mountain, with the 2' trail all that separated me from a fall of 2000' to the valley below.  The last 500' of the climb were almost straight up, such that I had to put my poles on my pack and lean my hands into the mountain face as I climbed to keep my balance.  Phew, that was a challenge.  At the top was a fire tower that gave an extended view of the mountains of southwestern NC.  Spectacular!
I made it out to Winding Staircase Gap at 12:00 and hitched a ride into Franklin, NC to get cleaned up and re-supply for my next left to Fontana Dam, NC.

Trail miles to date: 107.7

Why are you out here again?

On Sunday Mar. 20 I left the Plumorchard Gap Shelter in much cooler temperatures.  At 8:30 I crossed the Georgia/North Carolina border and celebrated with a whoop and a small tear of joy.  One state down and only thirteen more to go.  As a welcome to NC the climb out of Bly Gap near the border was a real kicker.  I even had to stop a few times to catch my breath.  The rest of the day was surprisingly easy with only a few ups and downs, despite the fact that I was now well above 4000' elevation all the time.  At 2:30 I reached the Carter Gap Shelter, a distance of 20 miles from Plumorchard, and decided to call it quits for the day.  Already in the shelter were Enzed, a woman from New Zealand, and her hiking friend Forest Gimp.  They had just taken a zero day in the shelter and were spending the time watching movies on his iPod.  Also in the shelter was Gipc Girl (you read that right) from Australia.  She tried to thru-hike the AT last year but broke her leg at Unicoi Gap and spent 6 weeks in a motel in Franklin, NC while it healed.  She then re-commenced the hike but could only get to Mt. Washington in NH before here visa expired.  So, she came back here again this year to re-do the whole hike again.  She is a 62 year old interior designer who just loves to be outdoors hiking.  The final two occupants of the shelter were a woman who thru-hiked the trail last year and her hiking partner.
At one point Gipc Girl asked last year's thru-hiker : "When did you decide to hike the AT again this year?"
"Well," she said , "I went home to New Mexico last fall after summiting Katahdin on Oct. 3.  I was only home a few weeks when my daughter called and asked if I could come help her look after my new granddaughter.  So, I went and found I was spending all my time looking after the granddaughter while my daughter was out working and socializing.  It felt like I was married again.  I did all the cooking and cleaning and child care but wasn't getting anything in return.  She wouldn't even let me drive her car.  So, after a month of that I just said I was leaving.  At that point I decided to hike the AT again this year.  It seemed the only way to get away from them.  When I was married I was a truck driver for 6 years as well.  That and the AT just seem to satisfy a craving I have to be on the move."

Trail Magic

After a zero day in Helen I was full of vim and vigour and ready to tackle the trail again.  The proprietor of Woody's bicycle shop in Helen gave me a shuttle back to Unicoi Gap where I began walking at 7:30 am, hoping to take advantage of the cool of the morning as the day's high was forecast to be 82 degrees.  Those kind of temperatures might be a godsend to the southerner's on the trail but they are a real nuisance for someone who trained for a couple of months at temperatures well below the freezing mark.  By the afternoon I was stopping at every stream and spring to soak my shirt to keep cool.  I even soaked my bandana and tucked it under my hat, draping it over my neck, to keep the sun off and cool my neck.  Around mid-day I went through Addis Gap and began the climb of Kelly's Knob.  The climb wasn't ridiculously steep, but it just kept going and going and going!  When will this ever end?  Finally, as I reached the summit, there was a gracious Georgia gentleman with a can of cold Pepsi.  My first instance of trail magic this year, and what a blessing it was after that long climb.  The gentleman's trail name was Tater.  He said he had thru-hiked the AT in 2000 and liked to come out occasionally to provide some trail magic for tired hikers.
As I stood there enjoying the refreshment he asked, "Where are you from?"
"The east coast of Canada"
"Where?"
"The middle part", I said.
"Oh, I hiked with a guy from the northern part in 2000."
"Really?  What was his name?"
"It was Wolfman"
"Wolfman?  Why that's Wolfgang that I race against all the time.  In fact, my wife will be racing against him this Sunday."
"Wolfman was great.  I usually hiked with Sarge, but we joined up with the Wolfman through the Shenandoah's. He sure was fast!"
What a small world!

The Gatlinburg of Georgia

My second day on the trail was a bit longer than I expected.  I arose early and walked to the Walasi-Yi center at Neels Gap, a distance of 15 miles.  This store has everything that a lightweight hiker could ever want or need. They offer a service where they will take everything out of your pack and help you decide what to carry for the rest of the trip.  On this day there were 4 hikers with all their gear spread out on the floor, deciding what to send home and what to replace.  I'm sure it is very traumatic to find that all the carefully selected gear that you acquired is not suitable for the challenges that thru-hikers will face over the next 5-6 months.  Fortunately, I didn't need the service as I have winnowed my load down to the lightest that I am willing to carry when we could still face some winter weather in North Carolina and Tennessee.
My original plan had been to stay at Goose Creek Cabins near Neels Gap to celebrate completing the first 30 miles.  Unfortunately, they were closed so I decided to continue walking for a ways longer.  Finally, at 5:00pm and six more trail miles later, I made my way down a 1.2 mile side trail to the Whitely Gap Shelter for the night.  In contast to the previous night's horde, there were only 4 hikers at this shelter as the beginners were unwilling to walk that far off the trail to spend the night.  In fact, all the hikers there that night were former thru-hikers for whom an extra couple of miles made no difference.
It was very cold and windy when I went to bed but by morning it had warmed up considerably.  "Looks like it will be a hot one Bill."  My goal today was to make it to Unicoi Gap and then hitch a ride into Helen, GA for the night to get cleaned up and enjoy a hot meal.  The skies were perfectly clear and temperature unseasonably warm as the day progressed.  By 1:00pm I had made the road crossing and eventually hitched a ride down to Helen where I am composing this blog entry.  It is 75 degrees here today and forecast to be sunny and in the 80's for the next two days.  Wait a second!  I came down here to start in March so that I could avoid those kind of temperatures.  All the locals say this is very unusual to see this kind of heat early in the season.  Yeah.. right.
The city of Helen is designed along a Bavarian theme with the facade of all the buildings made of timber and stucco.  Very cute!  The city calls itself the "Gatlinburg of Georgia" so I just couldn't miss it as I plan to stop to enjoy the kitsch of Gatlinburg as well.  What a chore it is to be a cultural researcher as well as AT hiker.

Trail miles to date : 50.9

Breaking a Cardinal Rule

"Gainesville, next stop Gainesville"
As I stepped off the train the rain was pelting down, turning the streets into rivers.  This was not how I hoped to start my AT thru-hike.  The shuttle driver, "Hotrock - AT 2004", met me in the station and we headed out for Springer Mt..  Hotrock, who lives out of his van when he isn't hiking, chatted non-stop for the hour's drive to the top of the mountain on US Forestry Service road # 42.  The last six miles were on a single-lane gravel road cut into the side of the mountain.  The drop off was at least a thousand feet down on my right.  Yikes, steer well my friend.  We arrived at the trailhead just as the day was beginning to show its face.  The rain was still pouring down as I donned my rain coat and pants in the back of the van before stepping out.  As Hotrock drove away and I stood there alone in the pouring rain I knew that I was breaking my cardinal rule : "Never leave town in the rain."
I slung my pack on and headed southward for 0.9 miles to the actual terminus of the AT on Springer Mt.  After a few soggy photos I headed north, only 2180 miles to go.
The rain and wind continued until well after noon but since it was reasonably warm I was more than content to continue to walk for 15 miles to Gooch Mt. where I spent the night in the shelter.  This, without a doubt, was the most crowded shelter and area that I have ever experienced on the trail.  There were 14 people sleeping in the double-decker sleeping area, and there must have been 40 more tenting around the shelter.  Never let it be said that one hikes the AT in order to find some time alone.

My Boston Accordion

A smile lit her lined face as I commented, "That's a nice case you have there", to the woman across from me on the Boston subway.  Actually, it wasn't a "nice" case but it was a "good" case.  The pressed cardboard sides had faded to a greyish blue.  The polished brass frame and hardware had acquired a patina of corrosion and rust that no quick rub would set to right.  The leather handle was shiny and warn from years of hand contact. 
"It's not actually a suitcase.  Lift it." 
"Wow, that's heavy," I said as I wondered how this sprite of a senior carried such a heavy case. 
"That's my Boston accordion.  I keep it here at my daughter's place for when I come to visit.  I also have a Philadelphia accordion that I keep at my home.  That way I don't have to carry one between Philly and Boston when I'm up here visiting.  I'm just coming back from Portland, ME where I went to play." 
"Do you give concerts?", I asked. 
"Oh no, I was just up to visit a friend who likes the accordion as well.  We spent the last two days just playing whatever we wanted all day."
"If you do that on a regular basis then it's a good thing you have two accordions."
"I looked at buying a concertina, you know what I mean?  It looks like a small accordion.  I keep thinking that I'll need something lighter if I'm going to be playing when I'm ninety."
I was having a hard time even imagining how this seventy something woman who weighed no more than a hundred pounds could throw an accordion around, let alone whether or not she'd be able to do so when she was ninety.
"Where can you get a concertina?", I asked.
"Oh they make them in Camden, New Jersey, right across the river from Philly.  That's also where I get the service work done on my Philly accordion.  That one cost me $300 so I want to look after it.  This one was only $50 fifteen years ago but I still love its sound.  Well, this is my stop.  It was good to talk to you."
Hmm, all the sudden my pack seems much lighter. 
I'm catching the train to Georgia today and will take my first steps on the trail on Tuesday morning, so my next post will be my first actual trail report.

Weighing In

As a relatively experienced hiker with a few thousand trail miles behind me I've learned how important it is to minimize the weight that I carry.  When I first started hiking along the AT in 2000 I went through extensive preparation, purchasing what I was sure was the lightest equipment around.  How wrong I was!  My pack alone weighed almost 6 lbs and was filled with another 54 lbs of the lightest and greatest gear available. One of the lessons that I quickly learned, and that will re-surface throughout this blog, is: "If you want it then you've got to carry it".  Now as I put each item into my pack I ask: "Do I really want to lug this up and down hill every day for months on end?"  As you'll read in the weight summary that follows, that query has served me well.
When discussing weight there are two different measures used.
Base weight is the weight of the pack plus all the gear inside or attached, not including food and water.  Please note that the base weight should go down by 8-12 oz when summer arrives, though I suspect I'll just end up carrying more food by then.
Carry weight is the base weight plus food for 3 days and 2 liters of water.  I should mention that not everyone carries 2 liters of water with them but I like the security of knowing that I can easily walk the whole day without needing to find a water source.
Today I went through all of my gear again to identify what could or should be changed before I hit the trail.  I also assembled the food I will need to get me from Springer Mountain to my first resupply point.
The numbers are as follows( ' = lb, " = oz):
Base weight = 14' 5"
     - dry clothes = 1'12"
     (Icebreaker wool long sleeve shirt - 8", Icebreaker wool long underwear- 6.5", shorts - 4", socks- 2", toque - 1", gloves - 3", arm warmers- 2", briefs- 1.5")
     - fleece = 15"
     - Marmot Hydrogen down sleeping bag with stuff sack = 1'8"
     - Montbell bivy sac to cover sleeping bag in hostels and shelters = 7.5"
     - Big Agnes Fly Creek UL1 tent, fast pitch = 1'6" (only footprint, fly, poles and 4 stakes)
     - Rain gear = 12.5" (Frog Togs coat=6", Montbell pants = 6.5", 2 plastic bags for hands/feet)
     - NeoAir air mattress = 9.5"
     - Ditty bag = 30.5" (TP/soap/sanitizer-5.5", trail guide-3.5", water treatment=3", first aid=4.5", novel & notepad-10.5", rope - 1", towel= 2")
     - Cooking kit = 13" (windscreen-1", titanium pot and lid-4.5", titanium stove - 0.5", Esbit fuel tabs(6)-3.5", lighters/soap-3.5")
     - Clean up kit = 7.5" (toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, antifungal, nail clippers, spoon)
     - Camera, Pentax W90 with 2 spare batteries and Gorillapod tripod = 9"
Carry weight = 22'  3"
    - base weight plus 4' of water and 3'14" of food.
As a final note, my weight before starting this excursion is 162 lbs.

An Ode to Snowmen

It was -19C (-2F) with 5' of snow on the ground when I left for my morning walk.  Perfect conditions for training!  With only 10 days left until I leave for the trail I continue to work on my conditioning by spending a few hours each day walking with the pack on, climbing every hill that I can find.  This photo was taken by my friend John as we were making our way up the Holt's Hill near my home.  This hill is just under a mile long with an elevation gain of 700' and I've climbed it more times than I can remember while training for hiking trips.  It's certainly nothing like what I'll face in the southern Appalachians or the White's in NH but it's the best I've got around here and much better than sitting on the couch eating bonbons.  Each day I get to see something interesting going on in the neighbourhood.  Yesterday the folks were digging out from another 20cm of snow so I had a chance to chat with a few people along the way.  A retired teacher who lives nearby told me how she just loves winter, even shoveling.  Her great disappointment was she hadn't been able to make a snowman yet as we aren't getting any wet snow.  "It's too darn cold."  It's a delight to see someone who gets such great pleasure out of weather that most folks dread.  I hope I'll be out making snowmen when I'm 80 years old.

Transportation Arranged

The first challenge I'll face in preparing for my impending thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail is exactly how to get to the trailhead on Springer Mountain near Amicalola Falls State Park in Georgia.  The last time I hiked from Springer I was dropped off at the first road crossing north of the Springer Mountain summit (USFS 42) by my father-in-law (Drrron) who was driving down to Florida.  It was very kind of he and Judy to drive me all the way from New Brunswick to Georgia and then deliver me to the trail up a winding, mountain-hugging forest service road.  Of course, the fact that we had to stop at just about every Dairy Queen along the way made the trip much more enjoyable for all of us.
Anyway, I see that the Hiker Hostel (http://www.hikerhostel.com/) offers a package that includes a shuttle from Gainesville, overnight at the hostel, breakfast in the morning, and then a shuttle to the trail crossing on USFS 42.  Fortunately, Amtrak has a passenger train (The Crescent) that travels from New York to Atlanta and stops at the station in Gainesville.  Perfect!  So, I'll drive down to Boston and catch the Acela to New York and then The Crescent to Gainesville, GA.  The trip includes an overnight on the train so I've reserved a roomette to make the trip more comfortable.  If all goes according to plan I should be on the Springer summit and heading north on March 18.