Approach Trail

The hostel offered a wonderful homemade breakfast then accepted payments and check out shortly after. The hikers in the hostel were split up into their starting points and shuttled off to the trail. A handful of us, i believe 7 started at Amicalola with me. I signed the visitors log and finally got to see the well known approach trail arches.

   Me at the arches 

   Everyone scattered hiking individually at their own pace, Mike in the back, me second to last and a number of others up in front. I'm glad that i did start at the approach trail because Amicalola Falls is beautiful. The stairs and hike up to Springer Mountain were quite tiresome.

Amicalola Falls

Springer Mountain Plaque 

   I caught up with Ben and Banked, who was from Germany. I'm not sure if I'm spelling that right but i hiked with them for awhile. We caught up with Jake and hiked with him. Banked fell behind and Mike kept playing leap frog with us! In the end were ended up hiking with Mike and someone we caught up to, Jole.

Me on top of Springer Mountain

   There's this sparkley dust scattered all over the place in the soil, probably from dime mineral. Some of the rocks and minerals along the way were quite stunning. It was quite chilly in the morning on the way but I quickly warmed up with my hiking and then the day got a lot warmer. I wish that i packed some shorts with, my legs were quite sweaty. I wasn't expecting it to get this warm so soon. Last week hikers were experiencing snow!

   I made it up to the top of Springer Mountain with plenty of time to spare! It was so rewarding to make it. I had a chunk of cheese that I bought with Ken called Appalachian so I decided to sit down and eat it right there at the top of the southern terminus of the trail.

The official first white blaze and AT Southern Termonous 

   The 5 of us ended up making it to the second shelter, Stover creek shelter, after we reached the trail head. The forest suddenly turned from this bare tall trees and dull colors to pines and these low twisty trees with large green leaves. The change was quite refreshing to see. Mike keeps going along with everything I say saying "well she's the leader". I feel very leader like.

   The shelter site was quite packed but most people were tented out and not in the 2 story shelter. I decided to try my first night out in the second story of the shelter. The pit toilets here are so clean and hardly smell compared to the horror show that is Isle Royale when talking about out houses.

   My body isn't doing all that great, I'm slightly concerned. All of my toe nails hurt. It feels like I'm going to loose a bunch of them in the future. I have a few deep blisters forming in the balls of my feet. My feet are very swollen and hurt too. I developed quite the pain in a tendon or something at the inside of my hip making it quite painful to lift my leg up when walking. My previous hip problems were from on the other side. I also have pain from the back of my knee halfway up my thigh with which ever tendon is there. I hope all of this goes away overnight. I've got a long day tomorrow.


Tonight at Stover Creek Shelter I'm at mile 2.8.