Date: 2013-03-26
From: Springer Mtn, GA

To: Stover Creek Shelter
Miles today: 2.8
Weather: broken clouds

[This is Scott, Adele's Dad. I'll be updating the journal for Adele as it is very difficult for her to find the time, let alone cell phone signal, battery power, bandwidth, or just the energy to keep up an on-line journal from the trail. I know, as I've hiked from Springer to Dalton, Mass (about 1,600 miles) on my 2 or 3 week summer vacations since 2004. It was hard for me just to write down some scribbles in my tent or hammock at the end of the day. Most of the time I would drift off with the pen still in my hand]. I was with Adele on the hike to Neil Gap, so I'll try to describe it the best I can, although, I'm no writer like her. My plan was to teach her things like setting up her 'hubba' MSR tent which she had not used yet, and making her do all the important hiking and camping duties, like cooking with her stove, throwing the bear bag line, etc. I was just observing as much as possible and explaining how to improve her techniques when needed. On this Day Tuesday, 3/26, we left the Microtel hotel in Knoxville where we both had a small single bed and headed next door to a Cracker Barrel for a big southern pancake breakfast. After the big meal we then headed for the Mountain Crossings store in Neil Gap, GA. On the way we called the store to ask if someone could give us a ride to the trail if we left the car there. Adele talked to someone who she said was "Rumle or Rummpy" or something like that who said he would meet us at the store, and take us to the trail for $80 this afternoon. I said what was his name? She wasn't sure really. The GPS on my car did not have the right location, neither did the iPhone however we were told just to get to the top of the mountain gap and we would find the store on US19 a very hilly and winding road. Adele had me play the Beatles classic from the 'Let it Be' album "The Long and Winding Road". It seemed very appropriate, as I hope she will someday find her way home, wherever that will be. We got to the store about 11:30 and moved our stuff into the hostel to get our gear ready for the hike and put on our cold weather hiking outfits. We got to meet the Famous 'Pirate' who was cooking up something that smelled good in the small hostel kitchen. I said it was cold and windy out today, and he quipped, "It's not cold! This is springtime, you have not seen cold. Come here in the winter, and you will know cold" So Pirate immediately assumed I was an idiot tourist like most of the other folks who come to see the store these days. I have to say though, he was just like Winton described him in his Book, "Just Passin' Thru". We inquired about who might be picking us up at the store and found out it was a guy named 'Lumpy' No one had seen him around for some time, but told me they would tell him we were at the hostel waiting for him when he showed up. Not being into the free-flow of trail magic just yet I told Adele to get a hold of this guy on her cellphone and tell him we were at the Hostel ready to go. At the moment we had finished checking and prepping all our gear (about 1:45), in walked a tall bearded dude, who said he was ready to take us to Springer. Adele called him Sir and he said that calling 'Lumpy' sir was not the kind of respect he deserved. We hit it off nice on the trip to Springer and Adele and Lumpy discovered that their birthdays were only one day apart. Adele on April 23, and Lumpy on the 24th. Lumpy said that for his birthday each year he starts out about 8 am drinking yuppy - highbrow beer like Sam Adams, but after about noon switches to the cheep stuff he normally drinks, and keeps this up till he passes out sometime that night. "This year I'm going to change things up" I asked what new leaf he was going to turn over this year? He said "This year, I plan to do it out-of-state!" Anyway, he told Adele he would bring moonshine, if she let him know where she was on her birthday. They proceeded to make big hiker party plans. When we got to the parking lot, Lumpy made sure we got all our gear and were pointed the right way up Spriner. We made the mile hike to the top, took plenty of photos and were freezing before we made the turn and started Adele's official hike for real from the Terminus of Springer Mountain. It was 4PM and already getting dark, windy and very cold. The trail was iced over and quite slippery going down. We took our time and hiked the 2.8 miles to Stover Creek Shelter. The shelter that is always overlooked by Thru hikers as it seems so easy to reach when looking at the trail guide from the start of the trail. However, there were quite a few thru hikers at the shelter when we arrived, and were were sure happy it was there. Some of these folks, one in particular, 'Patches' had spend most of the day building the fire. It was sure nice, as we were all freezing after setting up our tents, getting water and cooking dinner. We warmed up by the fire, and then jumped into our sleeping bags for the sub zero wind chill night.