Date: 2013-04-06
To: Two weeks
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Two weeks ago I spent my first night on the trail. Knuckles and I did an easy 5 mile hike south on the AT from Rockfish Gap to the Paul C Wolfe shelter for the night. It was blistering cold but we survived. Despite the cold we were not alone. Several families were camping near the water and a group of three guys were chowing down at the shelter when we arrived. I had no real expectations since this was my first night, and thus I was neither pleased nor displeased. The temperature dropped unexpectedly into the teens for most of the night. This made for a frigid night. Upon our arrival we quickly unpacked, ate dinner and crammed into our sleeping bags. The bitter cold temperatures made this trek a little less enjoyable but despite this I couldn't wait to hit the trail again. I really enjoy returning to a simpler life. A slower paced life without electronics, mirrors and agendas. I could not wait to once again spend the night with the sounds of nature. Since then I completed another overnight. Heading northbound on the AT we hiked to Calf Mountain Shelter about 8 miles from Rockfish Gap. On a Monday night we arrived around 4 and began to set up for camp. To our surprise a flux of people began to show up every 20-30 minutes. By 8pm 20 of us were occupying the shelter and camp space. We were very surprised nonetheless we enjoyed the company. The next day we hiked out to Blackrock Hut shelter, just over 13 miles North. The most difficult part of my trips so far have been the weather, particularly the cold. Even during the day I have had a hard time warming. However, I am confident that weather in Georgia is a bit warmer than it has been in the mountains of Virginia.Two weeks from today I hope to still be on the AT, to have instilled a little more confidence and be walking with an extra bounce in my step. Tomorrow I will be driving to Georgia with my twin sister and a good friend. We will stay at the Hiker Hostel and enjoy their famous hospitality followed by breakfast on the morning of the 8th. On Monday the 8th, I intend to hike the Approach Trail and spend my first night in one of two shelters, Springer Mountain or Stove Creek.On the April 9th my real journey on the AT begins! From here on out I am Katahdin bound. I am filled with excitement and joy to be fulfilling my quest to live out a dream. I am also loaded with fear and nerves. There is nothing left to calm my nerves other then to follow through with my thru hike. I am Katahdin bound...~Jill -I have left out many details regarding my preparations over the last couple of weeks. I hope to come back and add this in later. Briefly, much time has been devoted to gear testing, practice hikes and packing and unpacking. My pack is quickly gaining weight which I am not happy about. Today will be my last preparation hike before the AT, hopefully I will be cutting some weight. On one last note my good friend Knuckles has been instrumental during this process. She is meticulous and her prior experience as an AT thru hiker has been nothing short of exceptional. Having a mentor or even two has been pertinent to my journey. I am further looking forward to friendships of the trail.