Date: 2013-04-16
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Wow. Two weeks from today Butch will be dropping Pat and I at the Hiker Hostel in Dahlonega, GA and the next morning we will be making the obligatory, cliched photo of the first white blaze of the Appalachian Trail North bound. I realized how soon that will be a couple days ago when I made a to-do-before-leaving list. Wow!Those who know me will claim that I am directionally challenged. Whenever the topic rears into a conversation I reassure the skeptic that the above mentioned white blaze and thousands of others mark the trail from Georgia to Maine. The white blaze is a vertical stripe of white paint about two inches by six inches applied to trees, rocks, utility poles, sidewalks, bridges and even a building all of which lead the hiker either North or South. These are placed and maintained by Volunteers who belong to several clubs along the way who take up the sometimes thankless task of maintaining and even relocating sections of the trail.Presumably the blazes are placed so that the next one enters the hikers sight before losing sight of the present one. All it takes not to get lost is to pay attention to the blazes and you can't get lost. Right?... Right??There are other types of blazes real and alluded to that I suspect will enter this journal before it is completed. Blue blazes mark some trails and paths which lead off the AT to intersecting trails, shelters or vistas. Occasionally these paths form a loop and return to the AT at a short distance from where it left. When returning to the AT all you need to do is remember which direction you were traveling when you left it. No problem. Right?... Right??As far as daydreaming past a turn in the trail... Who, me?There is a section of trail which parallels a river and some take the opportunity to canoe or kayak from one spot on the AT to another spot further down the trail, thus skipping the need to walk some of the trail. These folks are referred to as Aqua Blazers.Another way to bypass sections of the trail is to get a ride and follow the yellow stripe on the road to a point further down. These people are called Yellow Blazers.Over the several months of a thru- hike some mountain men seem to succumb to the urge to spend excessive time in town or actually leave the trail in pursuit of a mountain lass. These easily distracted guys are referred to with a condescending yet sympathetic tone as Pink Blazers.Not surprisingly there are different attitudes among thru-hikers about what constitutes a "real" thru-hike. Most agree that the entire trail needs to be walked in one years' time to earn the status of completing a thru- hike. The only formal recognition the Appalachian Trail Conservancy uses is the awarding of a rocker for the AT patch which reads"2,000 MILER" to those who self-report on the honor system that they have completed the trail.The logic that follows the above concept is that only those who complete a thru-hike are Thru-Hikers. However, the common convention is that all those who leave the North or South terminus as thru-hiker wannabes are referred to as Thru-Hikers until they drop out or always thereafter if they complete the entire trail. As with everything else in life there is a bell curve among hikers in their interpretations of what constitutes a real thru-hike. There is a tightly knit group who consider themselves Purists. They insist the only "pure" thru-hike is to pass within touching distance of every white blaze while walking in only a northerly or southerly direction and carrying only one pack the entire distance.I'm here to tell you that having never been pure in my life I don't intend to start at my age. I will be part of the other, perhaps larger, group and enjoy my hike in keeping with what I consider the spirit of the Trail. When people stand on a soapbox there is an acronym often tossed toward them. HYOH. Hike Your Own Hike.I will walk the total distance of the trail, however I am already planning to leave Damascus,Va via the Virginia Creeper trail, which is more scenic and enjoyable for as far as it parallels the AT. I am looking forward to slack packing, the practice of getting a ride to a spot on the trail and walking back to the point of origin, thus walking every foot of the trail, while carrying a much lighter backpack with minimal equipment and food. I will enjoy my hike.Sisu'14, I'll start looking for you when I cross the Potomac.Sue, the quality may not be the same but I'll do my best to make up for it in quantity. I'll be thinking of you if I manage to find oysters.Looks like it will be a beautiful afternoon. May as well go for a walk.ole slo