Date: 2018-09-28
From: Amicalola Falls

To: Springer Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 9.8
Weather: moderate rain

Today was my first day on the trail.  I¢d slept 9.5 hours and was ready to go.  I was packed up and on my way at 8:00.  I started at the Visiter Center and hiked up, again, to the Lodge. With my pack it took a sweaty 1:20 minutes.  I had a mediocre buffet and indifferent service before getting back on the trail.  I¢d decided to take the Hike Inn approach which added 1.7 miles but had a gentler grade.  I enjoyed grueling grades up, treacherous descents, and lovely flat areas. I saw a number of people on the trail.  First I was passed by a couple on their way to the Hike Inn. They didn¢t want to talk. Then Dan and Greg passed me. They were doing a 3 day hike and planned to go to Stover Shelter, which was farther than I planned to go.  A large group of teenagers and volunteers were also on their way down from Hike Inn. One old timer was chatty.  He¢d been hiking the trail for decades and was part of the Appalachian Conservatory.  I was feeling pretty shaky when I reached Black Gap Shelter.  I¢d been having cramping issues with one thigh and the opposite calf.  I dropped the pack for 45 minutes while deciding what to do next. While at Black Gap I met George. George was finishing his hike tomorrow. He was southbound and had started his hike in Virginia on July 2nd. He¢s done something like 500 miles.  He wasn¢t sure what he was doing next and had slowed down his pace these past days. He was already planning his next long section hike for next year.  He looked a bit like a mountain man to me  A father and son arrived while I was talking to George. The father was a year older than me and had hiked much of the trail. His son was on leave from the Air Force and they were doing one night on the trail.  The son was pretty wiped out. I ultimately decided to press on, slowly.  I caught up to 3 young ladies, Megan, Amy, Kim? who were starting a 9 day hike. They said they saw me at breakfast, but I don¢t recall seeing them. They were also headed to Springer Mountain Shelter.  I may see them again in the coming days.  I finally made it to Springer Mountain, the official start of the AT. And then onwards 0.2 miles to the shelter, arriving at 6:45, sort of late.  I set up my campsite as the sun was going down. It was quite dark by 7:45. I¢d planned on using a bear locker that I¢d passed while looking for a tentsite, but realized there was no latch, and I¢d need to hang my smellables.  That turned into a hassle, mainly because I was far from the bear lines and in camp shoes not suited to get back to those lines.  It took me 45 minutes in the dark, and three different trees before I finally was satisfied that my food would ¢probably¢ be safe.  The first two trees ultimately were too short or the bags hung too close to the trunk.  I was using the PCT bear bag method so I needed a pretty high horizontal limb to hang from.  I don¢t recommend doing this in the dark. I thought I¢d fall asleep easily instead I had repeated bouts of cramping as my body complained about its previous mistreatment.  Hopefully better tomorrow, which will be shorter and less grueling. Steps: 38000   Floors climbed:  334Take care my friends.