Date: 2008-03-06
To: Springer Mtn. Shelter (3730')
Miles today: 0.2

I don't normally keep journals, but seeing as how this trip I'm on is rare I figure I will want to remember it, especially the little things you tend to forget as time passes. Today I had planned on getting up at 8 and leaving for Amicalola shortly thereafter and starting on the approach trail up Springer. However, last night I got caught up talking with friends and such and didn't get to bed that early so an early start didn't happen. Instead Esra and I woke up late and tried to head out. We started by trying to get a battery for my digital camera because last night I realized I had left it at home. When I got to Best Buy I got held up for a while trying to get someone to help me and then get the battery only to find out they didn't have it (even though they told Esra they did) and I ended up wasting a lot more time. After the late start and Best Buy and the fact we hadn't left yet from Atlanta on the hour and a half drive to the trail, I was very upset that my first day on the trail was going to be a start on the wrong foot. Esra had gotten Subway for us and was doing her best to tolerate me on our way to the trail. We got there around 1PM and decided to just walk around to the falls a bit and then take the service road up to Springer instead. It was a beautiful day and a nice walk to and from the falls (even though Esra got a couple blisters on her feet because she didn't have any walking shoes). The huge staircase down from the falls had two sets of stairs with 425 and 175 steps each (Esra and I counted 402 and 174 though). When we got back to the visitors center I weighed my pack at 41 lbs. This was the weight of everything I was bringing except my boots and poles. I wasn't wearing any clothes I was going to hike in and had about 4 liters of water in my pack when it was weighed. I'm not sure where the extra 6 lbs. came from between when I weighed my pack at home vs. at the trail. I added two lighters, 4 batteries, a couple of sheets of paper, a phonecard, and a liter of water between home and now but the scale at home could be inaccurate. I'm not too concerned with the weight because I'm sure this will be the heaviest it ever weighs. When I asked where the hiker register was I got a funny look and then when I said I was a thru-hiker the woman said "You're a thru-hiker?" and then gave me the book. I think it was because I was in jeans, New Balances, and a normal T-shirt and it was around 4PM when I was asking for the register. In the visitors center right after I signed the register there was a snake feeding. The park employees put a mouse in a rattlesnake cage and there were two little kids watching that looked like brother + sister. I had never seen a snake eat a mouse so I was as excited as them. After the snake bit the mouse it stumbled around like it was drunk and then passed out which is not too different from what I see from friends on a weekend. <- (cheeky humor). As we were about the leave the park Esra gave me a couple good luck charms and a bandana to take with me. I was really happy because not only will I have something to remind me of her but what she gave me didn't hardly weigh a thing, and wasn't bulky, very thoughtful. We headed out for Springer and after a 30-45 minute drive I finally hit the trail. Saying goodbye to Esra was hard, mostly for the same reason saying goodbye to my parents was. It felt the same way when I left both my parents, Ben, and Esra. All of them have been with me the past 2 months helping me prepare, giving me advice, fronting money, and taking time to help me go do something that will most likely give them very little back in return. Its very selfless and hard for me to take especially when saying goodbye because I have nothing I can give or say to express myself. There is also support I have received from my friends as well which has been invaluable. My friends have given me the confidence to attempt this in the first place, hiked with me in weather that was too cold to be out in almost, given me lots of encouragement and offers of support, and also ask me questions that maybe I hadn't thought of ("are you bringing a gun?"). I just hope I don't forget what everyone has done for me whenever I get back from this trip.I hit the trail at maybe 5PM or later. The signs are not very descriptive and don't give you a good idea of where you are. Thats probably mostly my own fault because I thought the section of trail from the service road to Springer was Northbound (NOBO) and that you just keep going past Springer to get to the next shelter. Luckily I ran into a man who goes by the trailname Many Sleeps who did a Southbound (SOBO) hike from Maine to Georgia in '98. He was very helpful and persistent at explaining to me how the trail actually requires you to backtrack from Springer back to the service road. At this point it was 5:40PM with sunset at 6:40. I hadn't been to Springer yet and wasn't sure where to camp. Many Sleeps was stationed at the Springer Mountain campsite/shelter area and must be in charge of straightening out hikers like me who don't know which direction of the trail is north. It was 0.2 mi to Springer and I was going to check it out before I decided where to stay. The view was much better than I thought it would be and looked directly towards the setting sun. I signed the register/book that was on top of Springer and headed back to the campsite to stay there because it was another 2.7 to the next shelter. Many Sleeps has a grandson who is a freshman at Georgia Tech which is pretty cool, I'll have to find out his name. After I set up my campsite I went back to Springer to catch the sunset. I kind of missed it but there was still pretty colors in the sky. I picked up a rock from Springer that I intend to carry to Katahdin along with Esra's gifts. I hope she makes it back to MD safely. It is a long drive, especially to make alone and now due to our late start she will be driving through the night to get back. I definitely miss her already. She did a lot by driving me down and then going back in about 3 days, thats almost 24 hrs of driving out of those 3 days.I made instant rice with a chicken boullion cube and hot sauce for dinner and I got boillion (sp?) cube residue stuck to the roof of my mouth. The stars were really cool and my tent and sleeping bag are warm. The temp is 44oF at 9:20PM according to my watch which has questionable accuracy. Its windy outside and every little noise in the woods makes me turnaround and see what it is and its never anything. Although today went nothing like it was planned I am so grateful. If I didn't get to take time with Esra today and talk about whats coming up ahead for me and walk around the falls and not be hurried then I would definitely be full of regret right now and who knows for how long considering I might not see her again until I get to MD whenever that is. I hope she makes it home OK and I'm really excited for tomorrow. Just like my pack was heaviest today I feel that today will be my longest journal entry. My headlamp can't take it much more.