Date: 2017-02-05
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Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

For my family and friends that may not have all the details....The Appalachian Trail (A.T. or The Trail) has a Southern terminus at Springer Mountain, Georgia, and a Northern terminus at Baxter Peak on Mount Katahdin, in Baxter Park, Maine. The A.T. is 2190.1 miles from end to end, this year. The total distance changes from year to year reflecting route adjustments along the way.   Hikers that complete a full end to end in one hiking season are referred to as "Thru Hikers".   Those that start in Georgia and travel north are North-bounders or NOBOs and those that travel south are South-bounders or SOBOs. There are almost infinite permutations of an alternative way to be a thru hiker by traveling either north or south for part of the trail from one location and then heading back to finish the other way, and that is known as flip-flopping and hikers that do that are "flip floppers". A few other terms that you will see used and may be helpful as you read journals:The average thru hike takes 5-7 monthsThe A.T. is in 14 statesThe elevation gain from completing the A.T. is equivalent to climbing Mt. Everest 16 timesThe dropout rate for those attempting a Thru hike is between 65 and 80 percent.Zero- a day with no actual trail miles covered; likely a day in town doing chores like resupplying, laundry and eating.Nero - a low mileage day (near zero) with more opportunity to do town activityBlaze - a 2 x 6 inch painted marker that shows where the trail is; The A.T. uses white for the trail, blue blazes are for side trails, red is the border of the trail and we shouldn't go past a red mark (danger!) A double white blaze means the trail makes a turn.Yellow blazing is a derogatory term for a hiker that skips ahead by road (yellow lines on the road)AYCE - All You Can Eat.Bear Bag - A bag used to put food, trash, dirty cook pots, lip balm and anything else that a critter would like to get. The bag his hung from a tree, provided cables or put in a large metal box provided at shelters to discourage bears from human food, since once they get a taste for human stuff, they are addicted and will become a nuisance and eventually have to be dealt with in not very nice ways.Blow down - a tree that has fallen across the trail. Volunteer trail maintainers clear these periodicallyTrail Angel - a person that helps hikers with food, rides, or shelterTrail Magic - anything that appears when you need it or food, drinks or picnics that people leave, prepare or give a hikerShelter - Usually a 3 sided shed-like structure that will allow 6-16 people to sleep off the ground on a wooded platform or bunk. In Maine these are called Lean-to's; you can stay in these for free. There is typically a water source nearby (stream, spring) and a privy which is a dug pit with a little shelter around itHuts - in New Hampshire the Huts are commercial lodging facilities that require reservations and most thru-hikers don't stay in these unless they do work for stayWork for stay - in the Huts, the staff (Croo) may allow a couple or few thru-hikers to do a few chores in exchange for the ability to stay Slack Pack - hiking with only the necessities for a day and then returning to a hostelPurist - hiker that follows every white blaze, and doesn't slack pack (Here's where you'd say "HYOH")Stealth - a nonofficial camp spot off the trail, just in the woods