Date: 2004-02-28
To: This is it!
Miles today: 0.0

This is it. Today is the day. It it 0640 and I have been awake for over an hour. Leigh is cooking breakfast - French toast, bacon, coffee, the lot. I was finally able to get in contact with Mum this morning. She has been in an area which has no phone service. I feel a whole lot better about things now.I have just re-packed the backpack and now it seems heavier, bugger. The test will be at Amicalola today where I sign in. They have a set of scales to weigh the packs on.Pittsburgh is taking me to Amicalola this morning, which is very kind of him. There are quite a few of us starting today, so the shuttles were a bit haywire. My plan is to sign in at the bottom, have the obligatory photo done at the arch at Amicalola, then Pittsburgh is going to drive me to the top of the Amicalola Falls, which cuts off about a mile (fairly steep from what I have heard).So, for now, this is it. I will write more tonight, provided I am not too exhausted. Fingers crossed!Stop Press - I have the official starting weight for my pack. 45lbs (Just over 20kgs for the Aussies). Not quite as bad as I thought but still not good. I can see that it will be dropped down over the next few days...especially at Neels Gap.It is midday and I am about to have something for lunch. A bagel with peanut butter plus some GORP (Good Old Raisins and Peanuts), a variation on which I have made up myself.I realised in the first hour that Dharma wasn't around when I was sayng my good-byes. I wanted to say goodbye to him. So, Dharma, goodbye and good luck. I hope we can catch up further down the Trail.I have been going for about 3 hours now and I think I am pacing myself fairly well. On the uphill bits I take 50 or so steps, then stop for a bit, and on the easier parts I rest when I need to.I have been leap frogging a group of 4 this morning. These young guys just passed me about 15 minutes ago and I don't think I will see them again. They are headed to Neels Gap, my destination in 3 or 4 days.I have a niggling twinge in my right hip joint - will keep an eye on it and see how it goes.Time to saddle up again. Movement keeps me warm and as it is only about 10C (50F) it gets a bit chilly sitting down.Well, I made it. I am at Black Gap Shelter which is about 1.5 miles south of Springer Mountain on the Approach Trail. I arrived at about 1530, it is now 1710 and I am buggered. The last few miles were tough on me, but it all worked out in the end. One of the toughest parts on the trail was when I went down to filter water. I had left my pack at the shelter and felt great walking without it. May have rushed a bit to get back to the Shelter. Never mind, I am here now.I had a nice surprise on the way up from Nimblewell Gap this afternoon. I was taking a photo when a lady came down the trail in the opposite direction. Turns out it was Sheila, one of the ladies from the Women Hiker's online group, who had offered to help get me from Atlanta to the AT. Such an unexpected nicety of course sent me off into a fresh set of tears. I think Sheila understood!She was also quite shocked at the weight of my pack. Sheila told me she never hikes with that much!There are 2 other girls Jade and Draco, staying at the shelter tonight and a guy Alex. The girls are only hiking overnight so have left their packs down here and will go to the Springer summit and back. Alex is thru-hiking too.Giggles stopped in on her way through a little while ago. She said to me "Are you Nuffy?" when I said yes, she said "I have been hearing all about you." I hope that this is a good thing.I am not particularly hungry at the moment but I know I should eat something. It will help to keep me warm tonight. Will need to think about hanging my food bag somewhere so that there is no chances of bears getting into my food.Some campers nearby are setting up for what seems is going to be a bonfire. I am too bloody tired. I don't think I am going to have much trouble getting off to sleep tonight.It is just after 7pm and I am tucked up in bed.PS: I stink.