Rubberbandman and I head up towards FSR42, and drove the windy gravel road the 6 or so miles to the parking lot. Along the way I was flooded with so many different emotions, but primarily fear. The idea of walking alone into the woods made me feel ill, what was I about to do? Walk away from the world as I know it and into the uncertainty of the woods, weather and the wilds.

We summited Springer together, and ran into Roger at the top, clipboard in hand, taking down information and basic statistics for the ATC and sharing Leave No Trace ethics information. How wonderful! A terrific guy with a white beard, he had hiked back in 69 I believe. He pointed out the register under the rock with the plaque on it that stated this was the Southern Terminus of the AT.

After a tearful goodbye back at the parking lot, I petted the Buddy and CoolCat, I will miss them.

I set off down the trail. Don't look back.

Well...I did - several times, but during the first quarter mile I ran into 2 gals section hiking, and the opportunity to socialize for even a few minutes was refreshing. Perfect timing. Only 1.6 miles to Stover Creek Shelter. The smell of smoke was in the air.

I arrived at an empty shelter, I expected so see other hikers, and was a bit of a letdown. Being alone with myself was not easy, nor comfortable. I ate a little snack, checked out the creek nearby and the bear cables for hanging food at night, and built a small fire. Would I spend the first night out here alone? This was not what I envisioned.... so I watched the sun sink lower in the sky, it got cooler, I busied myself with fussing with gear, and listening to the deafening quiet of the woods. A light breeze blew every now and again and two tree branches would rub together mimicking the sound of clicking hiking poles coming down the trail. No one. Uh oh. Not part of the plan.

Grace finally appeared with the arrival of the first hiker of the day Cloud walker, a hiker out for 50 days, nice guy, we chatted and I was relieved when he removed his boots and put on his flip flops - he was here for the night. Within an hour or so, three more guys arrived. Parker, Piece of work (POW) and Possum we all ate dinner and talked about the day. The camaraderie out just can't be beat.

I set up my tent about 25 yds from the shelter, ad I'm writing this now with cold fingertips. Time for bed...I am bundled up in most of my cloths, its going to be a cold one tonight. Later in the early morning hours it really warmed up.

Off to Hawk Mtn. shelter.

Beautiful morning.
Was the third to leave the shelter today, nice to have people I have met behind me. 5 miles to Hawk Mtn. shelter, cold and very windy about a 15 degree temperature change... up and down...all day long.

I got sweaty...and I got cold.
Really cold....very quickly.
I told myself for half an hour to put my jacket on...and finally did, laid down on the side of the trial and started to eat raisins, needed to raise my body temp. I that God that I didn't wait longer. Hypothermia is the #1 killer of hikers...not bears or other dangers. I was dangerously close and was really shivering. The shelter was a welcome sight!

I planned on staying there, but hiked on with the company of Piece of Work ( POW) for a few miles, and then with Cloudwalker, these two Hiker-Angels made sure I made it to the next shelter, safe and sound, thanks guys!

That night I set up my tent down behind the shelter on one of the graded camping pads, and a big wind and rain storm was on it's way. Several hikers are carrying radios, so everyone hunkered down. I got into my tem, but kep sliding to the back ( silnylon is SLIPPERY!) and the tent would lean in...so I moved into the shelter shortly after dark and found a place on the second floor between Parker and UHaul, lots of room up there, much more comfortable than the first floor which was wall to wall hikers. The storm did have lots of wind, rain and a little hail...the rain woulc spray in occasionally onto my face, but otherwise I was dry and cozy. The whole shleter would shake when the wind blew, or if either on my right or left would shift their sleeping position....nice shelter but I don't think any building codes are followed whent they put them up! Still thankful for the wonderful place to stay, nice privy and bear cables and lovely water source close by.

Hikers there that I remember...Cloudwalker, POW, Parker, Possum, Uhal, Brains & Braun, Railroad and Critter, Eagle and Falcon...and a few more I don't remember. Great folks!

An up and down short day, then a 1.9 mile road hike downhill into Suches,GA...thankfully all downhill. Ahhhhh, a shower and laundry at High Valley Resort...a must stop in the future as well! The guidebook doesn't mention the really nice cabins they have..great for a group of 8 or so, super clean bathrooms and laudry was only $1.25 for wash and dry! Great place hikers!


Then I got a ride back to the T.W.O. Resort ( Two Wheels Only Resort) and camped,and had an INCREDIBLE dinner there. Wow. A slice of reasonably priced sophstication....an interesting contrast to the trail...had dinner with Falcon, Eagle and Possum...this place was amazing. Hikers, make sure you get to eat at this place, and the inside was super cool, couches, TV, fireplaces and lots of goodies. Clean bathrooms and a payphone under the porch with a stool made it feel homey.

A cool night's camping behind the T.W.O. by the creek, a great way to fall asleep.

Trying to get used to putting my thoughts here in the pocketmail...the thoughts and fingers do not work well together to make these entries very smooth, I am struggling with the tiny key pad...all in time I suppose.

The next day we awake to pea soup....fog that was terribly thick and a drizzle that would chill anyone to the bone. I was upset and missing home when I called Rubberbandman...I did not want to hike into this stuff alone. Eagle and Falcon gave good advice and told me to be safe and not go....it was not the best situation to be out there alone again, and so I spent a zero with them on the 11th. It was smart. Good advice guys, thanks! We all spent the day there, and honed down our packs, fixed gear and generally loafed. The body and feet needed it, glad I decided to follow good advice!

Tomorrow is a new day...we'll see what the weather holds.

Ah....good to be back hiking. Started out with Eagle and Falcon and ended up going ahead a bit...waited for them along the way but did not see them again that day. Lots of other hikers out there today, met Phillip (He just got a trail name, will have to fill it in later...may be Pacino) from Downingtown PA, wow what a small world. We talked about food and all the places we both knew in the area, it was a nice break to walk with him for a mile or two, he was a very cool guy. Later on, I met up with a great gal named Ketchup.

Just before the long hike up Blood Mtn. there was Woods Hole shelter, a whole .4 miles off trail! Way too far for my taste, and there ended up being reports from other hikers who stopped there that a homeless guy had taken up residence, and was generally freaking people out to try to keep the shelter to himself, I spoke to several male hikers at Mountain Crossings who did stop there briefly - and decided they were uncomfortable enough to keep going...glad I didn't make the trip in there to meet him....

Hiked up and over Blood Mountain - wow what a view!!

Very old stone shelter at the top, where a hiker had left a few bags of nuts and other goods for others to share...I passed on the food, and got a few good photos up there! I am not sure if it was the altitude, but I started to feel a bit of nausea...it lasted the entire way down. By the way, this mountain was marked in my book as poorly marked on the way down - and it was. Several hikers that day kept going down over the rocks to another trail while the trail turned a sharp left - I have been reading complaints about this online for over a year now.....wonder what it will take for the local trail maintainers to buy a small can of paint and put a little arrow up there to help hikers out....surprized that a local hiker hasn't taken it upon themselves to do it since those folks are really aware of this potential danger to others. I am very thankful it was a gorgeous, clear day....buzzards were playing on the thermals just above and it was an amazing spot. Plenty of day hikers along the way....you can smell them. Perfumy, sweet and clean, the nose is getting more sensitive to the foreign smells of 'chemical' society....I like that!

An easy 2 mile hike down into Neels Gap to Mountain Crossings ( formerly WalaSiYi) turned out to be a rough one, lots of angled rocks and places you really had to pay attention, not the smoother downhills that I am used to, it took over an hour, but finally saw the store and hostel. Yeah! Another place to shower and have a nice warm sleep. I slept in the hostel with Ketchup, Phillip, Solace. Winton at Mountain Crossings was a great guy and the staff there super helpful. They had a shuttle into town at night for those who wanted to shop or go eat at an AYCE buffet place.

Tired again. Decided on a Zero in the morning when once again we were fogged and rained in. I believe I am a fair weather hiker, and I'm amazed at the great folks that I met the next day....the hostel was full and there was music and guitars and people generally having a nice time. MudButt and friend came in as trail angels and dumped a pile of food and goodies on the coffee table in the hostel for all to share, and folks took turns on the phone calling home and getting their journals caught up on. No tension...amazing how well 20 plus strangers can get along sharing a phone, a common bunk room, shower and toilet. Names I remember on my zero day were Sir Falcon or Hawkman or something.... Israel, Ketchup, Solace, Holly & Dad, Slideshow and Doc Gnarly, Betty ( now Energizer Bunny), and many more I just didn't get names memorized...so many to remember! Feet hurt, have a few blisters and feeling a bit tired.

Have you ever been out driving on a really windy day?
You know, the ones where you have to really hold on the wheel to keep your car between the lines...especially over bridges or overpasses?
Well, that is what I hiked in today. Last night at the hostel you could hear it start to brew out there....lots of strong, angry wind came blowing through the trees, and promised to continue for the next day or so, with a cold front behind it...down in the 30's at night.

The forecast was right, but I have learned that the forecasts that are heard on TV are from local metropolitan areas - not the tops of mountains! The weather up there is rougher and colder and generally more brutal than reported. There were spots on a few ridges that the wind would push you to the side, and it did not make for pleasant hiking. I was cold and shivering one minute, then hot and sweaty going up hill the next - a very rough day, and I was thankful for the company. The upside was that it was sunny and clear and the views were spectacular. Passed up staying at Whitley Gap Shelter which as 1.2 miles off trail! ( what's the point) so we kept going and decided to help to Poplar Stamp Gap. We never found it.

Holly and Dad were also going there for the night, and we were low on water so kept hiking....it was getting colder and darker by the hour. Right around Cold Springs Gap ( which does not have a spring) we saw Holly and Dad off in the woods, they were setting up their bivies behind a log to get out of the wind for the night. We camped right on the trail behind a little rise which helped a bit with the wind. It was really cold, and I would've felt better being near a shelter, but was a good experience to test some of my backcountry skills. I hung my bear bag 100 yards or so down the trail in a tall, thin sapling and put a few dead logs on the sides of my tent to keep the excess wind out of there. I was exhausted and tossed and turned all night....I needed a good nights sleep and did not get one, but again am thankful for the company of others. Tomorrow is a new day so I will press on! Far more miles than I expected to hike, and my feet are really in pain when I stop. I popped the blisters as best I could which eases the pain for walking...it's the only way to move on from this place so it must be done! Woke up this morning with flaky ice all over my head ( hat), and lining the the inside of my tent - brrrrr!

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