Date: 2010-03-29
From: Amicalola visitors center

To: Amicalola Lodge
Miles today: 1.1

Start Location: Amicalola Falls Visitors CenterEnd Location: Amicalola Falls LodgeDay Miles: 1.1Total Miles: 1.1Distance to go: 2,186.8 Pack Weight: 29.2Skin out Weight: 34.4Hiker Weight: 177.2 This is the first end of day email from the hike. Resources: www.trailjournals.com/Preparation-man Above is a link to my journal. I will not send pics via email so that I do not crowd anyone?s email box. But I will post pics on my journal when I can. As motivation to go look, I posted a pic with my newly shaved head on March 26th. http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=4986&d=1224301306 Above is a link to an Appalachian Trail database. I mentioned to some that I will carry a little book that lists road crossings, camp sites, shelters, streams and the like?sometimes in 10th of a mile increments. The database is an online version of the book. I am not sending the document, because it is 7.11 MB. I believe that you have to register for Whiteblaze in order to download the file, but they will not spam you and there is no charge. For those who don?t want to download that file, I have attached a copy of my ?plan? which is a shorter version. I am not committed to following the plan, but it will help to give me an idea whether I am on track or not. I will try to follow the plan for the first few weeks to help prevent ?to far, to fast, to soon? which could lead to injury. You might notice on the plan that the days I have labeled ?holidays? aren?t. That is because this plan was originally done for a March 17, 2009 departure and I simply moved the dates forward. http://www.google.com/latitude/intro.html Above is a link to the google location app. I am still figuring this one out, but apparently, google has an app that will let me update my location on-line using the GPS coordinates from my iPhone. I believe that you must register with google and that I must invite you to view the map. I sent out a ?friends? request yesterday, which I believe allows you to view my location. Trip Report: I plan to use the summary at the top of this email as a daily progress report. Your reaction might be that I did not make much progress today. Actually, it is worse than you think because even though I only did 1.1 miles today, they don?t even count. The Appalachian Trail begins at the top of Springer Mountain. There are two ways to get to the top of Springer: (1) the way I am doing it. By hiking the 8.8 mile approach trail from Amicalola to the top of Springer; or (2) take Forest Service Road 42 about 6.8 miles to the north side of Springer, then hike SOUTH .9 miles to the start of the trail, then you start your hike by backtracking the .9 miles you just hiked up Springer. A trail mantra is ?hike your own hike.? The point is that if you want to hike the Approach Trail that is your business. If others don?t want to, that is their business. This approach just seemed logical to me. I was able to register as a thru-hiker at the visitor center and weigh my pack, both of which are a part of the established ritual. I get a nice dinner and breakfast with Debbie, and I get to sleep in a nice bed my first night ?on the trail.? Moreover, there is an archway commemorating the Appalachian Trail right out the back door of the visitor center that you pass through to begin the trail. It seems odd to me not to want to get your picture taken going under the arch as you start your hike. Even odder to get your picture taken under the arch and then get in a car for a long mountainous drive around to Springer. But I suppose that is seems equally odd to others that I am spending my first night ?on the trail? in a hotel room. I have hiked the approach trail several times over the past few years. But they have now rerouted the first mile. It used to be a series of switchbacks up to a gravel service road. Now after you go through the Arch you walk around to the base of the falls. The falls are climbed by way of a long stair case. For any Georgians following my journey who do not use the Georgia parks, I can highly recommend Amicalola Falls. There are a range of facilities here, from the hotel we are staying in, to cabins in the woods, to the Len Foote Hike Inn (a very rustic dorm room style Inn that can only be reached via a three mile hike), to car camp sites, to primitive camp sites. There are recreational activities for kids, a range of trails to hike, and the falls are spectacular. Anyway, I recommend it.