Date: 2009-10-31
From: Springer Mtn

To: Near Trailhead to Hawk Mtn Shelter, GA
Miles today: 7.8

I had a change of plans. That happens a lot! :-)I was driving to Amicalola Falls State Park yesterday. I left my storage unit in Florida at 4:30am because I was planning on walking up the Approach Trail a ways and tenting....but, I called Mother Nature and told her what I was doing and she made me an offer I couldn't refuse.She said I could leave my truck at her house while I'm walking, that way I could take her and Smokestack out to dinner that night, sleep at their house, then they would drop me off at Springer on Saturday morning.It sounded like a great plan to me...and I got to spend a little time with some great friends.We went out for dinner last night, then stayed up till about 10pm talking before I finally got to bed. It was a long day!I had some coffee this morning while I packed up, then we stopped for breakfast on the way to Springer.Breakfast was good....more coffee, eggs, sausage, home fries, grits and toast. Tomorrow's breakfast will be peanut butter and jelly sandwich.We drove up to the Springer Mtn trailhead parking lot on very wet gravel roads.It was raining on and off. It started raining lightly when we were in the parking lot. It's not easy getting out of a warm, dry car to walk in the rain. :-) ( Frogcaller has done this to me twice!)The three of us walked up to the summit on Springer Mtn and took a couple pictures in the rain, then walked to Stover Shelter together.We left Springer at 11:30am...a nice early start. (We just couldn't get Mother Nature moving this morning) ;-)It was almost three miles to Stover Creek Shelter, so it was lunch time when we got there.I had chicken salad and crackers, diced peaches, raisins and a rice Krispy Treat.Since I had all the garbage from lunch, I moved it closer to Mother Nature and she offered to carry it out for me. Thanks! :-) I thanked Mother Nature and Smokestack for dropping me off at Springer Mtn in the rain, then I headed north, while they walked back to their car. Mother Nature kept saying how nice her green leather recliner was going to feel this afternoon while she sat in front of the fireplace in their cabin....all dry and cozy.It felt great to be back out on the Trail. All I have to do is walk. I like that feeling and I love this Trail!I was walking along and saw a young girl walking south. Her name was Threshold and she was just finishing her thru hike! Threshold I talked to her a few minutes and congratulated her, then walked on.It was a wet, slippery trail today. The woods are beautiful when they are wet!I kept walking at an easy pace...past Three Forks and on the side trail to Long Creek Falls, where I took that side trail to see how the falls looked.I stayed long enough to take a few pictures and enjoy the water coming over the falls.I walked back out to the AT and headed north.I was making the easy climb out of that area and I saw a guy with a dog walking south. I knew right away that he was a thru hiker.His name was Poncho and his dog's name was Sally....and they were just finishing their thru hike!I took their picture while we talked a few minutes. He was very excited that this was it! He was going to be done in just over 4 miles. Poncho and SallyI congratulated him and walked on.There was a steady climb up Hawk Mtn. I just kept a nice and easy pace...and it felt good to use my leg muscles again for backpacking. :-)It kept raining lightly, then would stop, and then rain again.I got to the trailhead that leads 0.2 miles to Hawk Mtn Shelter. I didn't want to walk down there, but I did think about tenting near the trailhead.I decided to walk on. I had only gotten about 2 minutes down the hill when it started raining again.I headed back up the hill, set up my tent in the rain and crawled in for the night.I ate dinner after I got everything all arranged in my tent. I had a spam sandwich, Fritos, nuts and marshmallows....excellent dinner! :-)It's raining on my tent while I'm writing this, it's just now dark out , I'm warm and dry and I've heard an owl calling three times already...sure is nice out here in the woods!Another great day on the Appalachian Trail! :-)