Sunday, January 30

Appalachian Trail Retrospective - Cable Gap Shelter to Springer Moutain, Georgia.

Day 114
Thursday, 10/12/00
Cable Gap Shelter to A. Rufus Morgan Shelter
22.9 miles

I slept great last night!  Temperature was perfect!  What a change…
            It was nice to hike in shorts and a T-shirt again!  Lots of short, steep climbs and descents.  Several longer ones too.  The climb up Cheoah Bald was kinda long.  Nice view from up there.  Weather was actually a little warm!  Got some tan…
            Down and up to Swim Bald, which isn’t a bald at all.  I hate it when that happens.  Then, a boring 6+ mile descent to US 19 and the Nantahala Outdoor Center.  Got there at 3:45.  Had a couple sodas, a pint of Ben & Jerry’s and bought some snickers for the next few days…    
            Called home to tell mom to wish Teal happy birthday and good luck at the Nationals (Collegiate Nationals for Cycling were hosted by U. of Washington that year).  I’ll be seein’ the folks on the 22nd!  Left NOC about 5:00.  Oh yeah, I warranteed my platypus and got a new one!  Only 0.8 miles from NOC to here… Good water source…
            No one here…

 The Nantahala Mountains, North Carolina.

Day 115
Friday, 10/13/00
A. Rufus Morgan Shelter to Siler Bald Shelter
22.8 miles

Ugh, lots and lots of climbing today!  Couldn’t get to sleep last night… lots of things on my mind… Got a little chilly last night…
            On the trail by 7:45.  Uphill for about 6 miles!  Observation tower at the top (Wesser Bald, 4,627’).  Then, a short downhill and a 2 mile uphill.  Then more miles of climbs and descents.  Seven major climbs today!  There was another towner on Wayah Bald (5,342’), nice views!  Of the 5 “balds” I went over today, Siler Bald was the only truly bald one… and the AT didn’t go over the bald part of it.  Oh well…  Feeling tired so I stopped at this shelter, which is quite a hike off the AT.  Very nice setting, good water, and company!  A section hiker from California…
            I have to go into Franklin tomorrow to buy food.  Wasting time off trail again…
            Only 38.1 miles to the Georgia border and 110.5 to Springer!  I’m getting anxious.

 View from the tower on Wayah Bald, NC.

Day 116
Saturday, 10/14/00
Siler Bald Shelter to Carter Gap Shelter
19.8 miles

That woman (the section hiker I guess) wouldn’t stop talking last night!  Lots of mice running around too…
            Got up early, left by 7:45.  To Winding stair gap by 9:00.  Cold there, frost on the ground… Tried for 1.5 hours to get a ride into Franklin to get food.  Fortunately, the folks who gave me a ride were going to Franklin then back the same way, so they gave me a ride back too!  I bought them some donuts for thanks… Back on the trail about 11:30.  Easy hiking… went 9.9 miles in 2.5 hours.  That’s about 4 miles per hour.
            At Big Spring Shelter, a youth group gave me some food and juice.  0.5 miles from there, there was another tower (Albert Mountain).  Easy going from there to here.  Got here about 4:45.  6 other people here.  Had to set up the tarp and camp.  They gave me some freeze-dried raspberry crumble.  Wow!  Delicious!
            4 other people showed up… Less than 100 miles to go!  I’ll be in Georgia tomorrow!
           
Day 117
Sunday, 10/15/00
Carter Gap Shelter to Deep Gap Shelter
27.6 miles

Great day!  Since my space blanket had ripped, I had to borrow a ground cloth from those folks.  I told them I’d give it to them in the morning… they got up at 4:00!  They were hiking by 5:30.  They told me to give them the tarp when I caught up…
            I woke up around 6:00, took my tarp down and moved into the shelter to sleep some more.  The reflective lines on my tarp really work!  I was hiking by 7:40.  A few ups and downs before climbing Standing Indian Mountain.  Long, very gradual climb.  I caught those people at 9:00!
            Made very good time all day.  Crossed into Georgia about 12:30!  Ahh yeah!  Trail blazes are really nice here.  I realized it hasn’t rained for a very long time.  Thus, there is no water in the streams…
            Got to Dicks Creek Gap around 3:40.  Long, steep climb from there up to here!  Here at 4:45.  No water!!!  I ate dry instant grits and Crystal Light powder for dinner.  Yum…
            12 miles into Helen tomorrow for my last maildrop… Mom says it’s loaded!!!  This will be the only trail-town I’ve been to before!  (Raced mountain bikes several times on the World Cup course in Helen).
            Don’t know where I’ll get tomorrow… Only 63 miles left!  Can’t wait to see the folks and Fordo…

 North Carolina/Georgia border.  The final state.

Cool old oak tree at Bly Gap.

Day 118
Monday 10/16/00
Deep Gap Shelter to Blue Mountain Shelter
14.8 miles

“Dinner” was pretty crappy last night without water!  I remember my throat being completely dried out, to the point it was hard to swallow.  I will never, ever eat dehydrated food dry again after that, especially grits.  What was I thinking?  Kinda shows how hungry I was…  It was pretty warm last night!  It was even warm when I woke up.  That’s Georgia for you…
            Hiking again by 7:40.  I’ve gotten pretty consistent.  Steep little climb right off the bat.  Some minor ups and downs before hitting Tray Mountain.  Steep.  I can’t believe I’m in Georgia.  Hiking without water on a hot day sucks severely… met some trail maintainers on the way down Tray Mountain.  They gave me some of their water.  Nice fellas…  Took a break at Indian Grave Gap.  Shortly after leaving, met a flip-flopper named “Basketball Jones”.  He has to go north to Pennsylvania to finish… He said Poofoot and Flatiron finished up on Saturday!  Huh?!  I was supposed to be ahead of them!  Those yellow-blazin (hitch-hiking) slackers!  Oh well, “hike your own hike”.
            Steep climb up Rocky Mountain.  On the descent into Unicoi gap, I came around the corner and about 50 yards down the trail some woman was “answering the call”.  Her husband was apparently supposed to be looking out for hikers approaching… Why do you have to do your business right on the trail, you moron day-hikers?!  You’re supposed to go 200’ from the trail, at least.  Kinda pissed me off.
            Got to Unicoi Gap around 12:15.  Got picked up by some guy around 12:50.  He was a nice guy, but he had a pistol on the floor next to him!  Yikes!! 
            It was cool to see Helen again.  Same old tourist trap as the last time I saw it… Got some grub from home…
            Bought some Cheetos, a 32oz Mountain Dew slushie, 2 scoops of ice cream, an 8” funnel cake, and some another soda.  Food is good!
            Walked to the outskirts of town to hitch a ride.  Waited about a half hour before another hill-billy picked me up.  He wouldn’t go where I told him and insisted the AT started at “Adam’s Cove”.  Like I wouldn’t know!  After riding around with the guy for a long time, he eventually took me back to Unicoi Gap.  Hiked up the 2.2 miles to here.  There’s actually water!!!
            My throat feels weird.  Kinda hard to swallow.  Hope it’s better in the morning.  Headed to the Walasi-Yi center or further tomorrow (~20 miles).  Only 48.5 miles to go!
            Alone again…

Day 119
Tuesday, 10/17/00
Blue Mountain Shelter to Woods Hole Shelter
21.9 miles
           
My throat problem got kinda bad last night.  I could hardly swallow!  Slept in until 7:10.  Didn’t leave until 8:10.  Nice sunrise!
            Sure was nice to have water again!  Pretty easy going… Met a few section-hikers who gave me some food.  Ran out of water but got some from some people at Tesnatee Gap.  Some ups and downs  between there and Neels Gap.  At Neels Gap is the famous Walasi-Yi center (a sissy northbounder drop-out place).  Was planning to do laundry and take a shower, and spend the night, but all that was closed down for the season.  Did get to do laundry (without soap).  Helped a little.  Ate lots of food and juice.  They gave me a free ice cream bar!  They usually give out pints of Ben & Jerry’s, but they were out…
            Left there about 4:40.  The climb up Blood Mountain was pretty easy.  Nice views from there.  Passed Blood Moutain shelter because there’s no water there.  None here either!  The Georgia ridge-runner is here.  Cool guy.  Got here a little after 6:00.  Pretty late for me.  Ate some bars for dinner because of the lack of water.
            Nice, new shelter.  Writing by candle light…
            Oh, bought a nice AT shirt at the WY center…
            Headed to Hawk Moutain Shelter tomorrow.  Only 19 miles… but I have some time to kill.
            Only 26.6 to Springer!!!

 The Walasi-Yi center in Georgia.  32 miles to go.

Day 120
Wednesday, 10/18/00
Woods Hole Shelter to Hawk Mountain Shelter
19 miles

Well, it’s almost over…
            Slept in until 7:15, on the trail about 8:15.  Pretty easy going most of the morning.  One climb up Big Cedar Mountain… Some flat areas too… water seems to be pretty plentiful on this stretch.  Took a half hour lunch break at Gooch Gap, near the shelter.  Mostly down from there.  Passed several large creeks!  They weren’t dry!  Too bad they weren’t deep enough to have a swimming hole…
            A series of steep ups and downs… lots of helicopters flying around.  This area is used by the Army Rangers for training.  Saw 3 of them walking around with guns and camo and all that.  Lots of jets (F-14’s) flying around too.  I wonder what the Navy is doing here (F-14’s are Navy jets).
            Got to this nice, big shelter around 2:45.  Could have gone on but I’m in no rush.  Good water source and a privy here too.  One other guy at the shelter, others camping nearby…
            I only have 7.6 miles to go!  That is less than 3 hours of hiking!  It seems strange that there just isn’t more of the AT.  I know 2,167.1 miles is a long way but there’s no more!  
            I am very much looking forward to seeing Mom and Dad and Ford on Sunday.

Day 121
Thursday, 10/19/00
Hawk Mountain Shelter to Springer Mountain (and back 0.2 to the shelter)
7.6 miles

Well… This is it.  My last day on the Appalachian Trail.
            Last night, it was like being in a war-zone or something!  Jets and helicopters flying around all night and lots of gunfire…
            Tried to sleep in but woke up around 7:00 again.  I guess my body is programmed for that now…
            I was hiking by 8:10.  I was zooming along effortlessly.  I was so excited!  The last 4 miles were flat or downhill.  Then began the “climb” up Springer.  Not quite as awe-inspiring as Katahdin, but still a similar feeling I imagine.  As I got closer, I began to reminisce about all the miles I’ve covered, the people I’ve met… so, by the time I got to the summit, I started bawling.  I didn’t try to stop it.  I was up there alone.  Not much there.  You’ll see the pictures…
            I can’t believe I have zero miles to go!  I have a day and a half to get 8.8 miles to the visitor center.  Hmm… can I manage?
            2,167.1 miles, 14 states, 4 months and 8 days…
            Words can’t describe it.  Still can’t…

 Plaque on Springer Moutain, and the last white blaze.

Me at the end.

At Springer Mountain Shelter.  The sign I'm holding says "The End"

Friday and Saturday, 10/20-21/00
Springer Mountain Shelter to Amicalola Falls Visitor Center
8.8 miles

Slept in… didn’t leave until 9:45.  Easy hiking!  Why do all the north-bounders bitch about it?!  Tried to go slow, but still did about 3 miles per hous.  Came to Amicalola Lodge and ate at the buffet.  $8.75 plus tax.  I cleaned that place out!!! Bought some postcards…
            Got here around 2:00, took shower!  Changed into clean clothes, ate junkfood, bought a book, played solitaire, etc…
            Some noisy scouts shared the shelter, not much sleep.  Sat around this morning and answered millions of their questions.  Walked to a deli, bought a milkshake and a sandwich.  Offered to help at the Visitor’s Center… declined.  Probably because I still smelled horrible.
            Read book and played solitaire all day.  Tons of screaming kids running around.  Very annoying!
            Can’t wait to get out of here!  Tomorrow morning!

 Me cleaned up (sorta) at Amicalola Falls Visitor Center.

            The next morning, I took a couple showers to try and alleviate the stink.  As I was brushing my teeth, my dad walked in to use the bathroom.  He didn’t even notice me at first, and I think it took a bit of time to realize it was me.  I started the trail weighing a healthy 245 pounds (I’m 6’5”), and finished a hair above 170 pounds.  I was a skinny little dude…
            After getting reacquainted and after time for my parents to acclimate to the still-lingering stench, we got in the car and headed home to Maine.  After a quick visit with Ford in Kentucky, we made it home in about 2 and a half days.  It was really strange to drive pretty much the same terrain in 2 days that it took me 4 months to walk.  To this day, I get really sentimental when I cross the AT while driving somewhere.
            It was a peaceful and simple time of my life.  I’m so glad I did it when I did.  I didn’t have any debts or real responsibilities to worry about, I wasn’t the disgruntled fart I am now (not most of the time at least), and I was able to see it for what it was.  I didn’t figure out what I wanted to do with myself out there, but I did learn that I can do just about anything if I really want to.  One of the most profound things I got out of it was to “never quit on a rainy day”.  Don’t just give up on something if it seems hard at the time.  It might be crappy today, but tomorrow the sun could come out, the mountains flatten out, and the creeks all have a stash of cold drinks and little debbies.

THE END.

2 comments:

Will Waterstrat said...

So there you have it. I'm glad I finally got all that typed out. It only took me 10 years to get it done! I sincerely hope you've enjoyed reading about my Appalachian Trail trip from 2000. If anyone is interested, I can give you a copy of the entire thing as a word document or .pdf. It's 61 pages long!
Thanks for reading!
-Corndog

keith said...

Thanks for sharing, that was a great read. I thought about you as I drove under the AT in NY on my drive out to Michigan. I've stayed in the Crosby shelter too, my first AT shelter experience, way back in early 80's on a scout backpacking trip. We got charged by a bear just before we got to the shelter and for the next 4 days everything sounded like a bear.