Date: 2009-04-01
From: Ready to Run

To: Springer Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 9.0
Weather: overcast clouds

April 1 (day 1): How excited I am to be finally at Amicalola State Park and ready to finally embark upon this adventure! Yesterday I got on the bus in Norfolk, Virginia, bound for Richmond with a 3 hour lay over. While at Richmond, I met Walter("Midnight"), who immediately identified me as a thru-hiker. We had a good time waiting for the bus, discussing gear. He was concerned about his pack weight. At the Greyhound ticket office, he weighed it. My heart was in my throat when he told me it weighed 92 pounds! And I was worried about mine, which was almost 40lbs.! After looking at my equipment weight, Walter sent a chunk of things home. He would later register at 75lbs. and he has been the talk of the town.We survived an excruciating bus ride that took 12 hours. Twenty minutes before our scheduled arrival, the triver took a wrong turn and spent the next 2 hours trying to find out where we were. I was so mad at her but, she didn't seem to care that we got off track. I am feeling really cramped from being on the bus for so long. Am hoping that after a good night sleep that I will feel refreshed. We arrived in Gainesville at 12:30 and then were shuttled to Amicalola by Wes Wissson. I felt bad that I was not all smiles, but was a bit cranky after the long bus ride.Upon arrival at the state park, I immediately decided against hiking the approach trail today as I was so tired from not sleeping at all on the bus. Midnight and I registered as thru-hikers. I signed the book as number 471 and my pack weight was 36lbs. which was without my water aboard. Tormorrow I will weigh it again after I fill with water. I quickly set up my tent, hung up my food and ate. Then, I took a super 4 hour nap!. I awoke at 1700hrs and Archie had arrived. A super night has been spent building a fire, cooking, and trying to convince Midnight that he really doesn't need a hand cranked emergency radio. Am looking forward to hiking the approach trail tomorrow. I guess I'll have to wait yet another day before I log any actual AT miles. It's better to be prudent now, though, as the approach trail alone is 8.8 miles. Plenty for the first day. Until then "Happy Trails"!April 2 (day 2), Hiked the approach trail(8.8m), arriving at Springer Mountain Shelter. By all accounts this was a great first day. I was up at 0400, my sleep being spoiled from the long afternoon nap yesterday. I was raining pretty hard with lightning and I began to get concerned about packing my tent wet. Better to learn this skill early I guess. By 0730 I had struck camp and was eataing breakfast. While Archie and Midnight were getting ready to go , I went down to take picture at the arch and weigh my pack again. I was not excited that it weighed 39.5lbs. The tent was wet plus I'm carrying some things that I couldn't mail home, that I was only planning on using for the bus ride.I purposefully left first so that I could find my rhythem and not be influenced by the other's speed. The hike was very manageable, everyone says the approach trail is so hard. After climbing the 700 step staircase up Amicalola Falls, the hike wasn't really that bad. I hadn't hiked for 7 days but I felt like my body was in the same shape as last time.The weather got progressively worse as the day went on. At first, being on the mountain put me above the cloud cover line. The humidity was so elevated that it felt like it was raining. Then the rain started and stayed around all day. I didn't see a soul all day until I summited Springer and met "Many Sleeps". He is the grounds caretaker/ridge runner. He looked like Father Time, sitting under a tarp, long white beard, on the mountain top. He took my name and home town as I signed the register. I imagined having a more sentimental experience for the official start of the trail, but the weather prevented this. Although for about 15 minutes I couldn't stop smiling, it was truely a great feeling.Staying at Springer Mountain Shelter tonight with Archie, Paul, Dot, Bruce, Liz and "Jay Bird". Jay Bird thru-hiked in '07 and is full of great advice. Walter never made it with his 75lb. pack. Archie said he wasn't able to make it up the flight of steps with it on and then his hip belt broke. I feel really bad for him but am not surprised. Hopefully he'll get his pack under control.I am a little concerned about the planning of the next couple days. The shelters aren't evenly spaced here to put me in a good place to reach Neel's Gap by Sunday. Since I had to camp the first night and not hike until today, my extra day's food is spent already. So, unless I want to go hungry one night, I don't have the luxury of taking four days to Neel's./ The problem is with the mileage. I am trying to limit myself to low mileage while at the start. 9 miles is perfect. But I have to decide whether it is more important to do low miles or if it is more important to eat full meals. These are both pretty important to me. The plan for tonight is to think on it until tomorrow.