Date: 2004-03-15
From: Amicabla Falls

To: Stover Creek Shelter
Miles today: 11.3
Weather: overcast clouds

*note* This is Carla typing out the entries that Shaun mails to me, if there are any mispellings or confusing parts I apologize. Shaun, sorry if I have not set this up right, or have left anything out.... email me and let me know if I need to fix anything!!What a nice day! I'm in my tent right now and it's raining. The good news is that most of the day was dry. ITS SO AWESOME TO START! I've been so blessed by people helping me. My uncle Bob drove 2 and a half hours to drop me off here. I started hiking the approach trail at 9:30 with about 5 hikers. I met Brian and Crispy Critter and I enjoyed joking around. After a couple of miles I wanted to hike ahead and think a little so I left Crispy and Brian and followed a hiker named Adam.Adam is a newlywed 22 year old away from his wife. He seemed intelligent (waiting for law school - accepted at Texas and Georgetown). We kept a good pace and talked. A bit after 4 and a half hours we summited Springer Mountain at 2pm. We took pictures and took a moment to sign in: We had reached the trail head! (The first 8.8 miles up a mountain don't even count as part of the A.T. Since they are only "the approach"). After 2.5 miles more we set up camp 11.3 miles into the day and 2.5 miles into the A.T. I set up camp and ate, then hung my bear bag so that no black bears attack me for food (this is a bag of all food/scented items hung away from camp). Then i talked with other hikers.The trail today was strenuous... but doable. I met about 10 other hikers, but odds are only 3 of us will make it to Maine. My pack is 22 pounds so everyone HATES me, but I met some nice people.Brian- 26, Worked at Disney World. Seems like a character, but he is nice. Hikes with Crispy. Seemed afraid that I hated him when I walked ahead, but I did not mean to make it personal."Crispy Critter"- Maybe Brian's Grandad? Funny, nice older man. Seems very determined.Adam- I hiked with Adam. Smart, young and married. Great partner, but he is only hiking for about 3 months. I iwll hike with him tomorrow but we will split in a day or 2. I teased him a lot about his 46 pound pack, but he hiked well and helped push me.Jane- Very nice "litter conscious" hiker. Seemed to want to hike very slow with as much quiet as possible."Easy does it"- Slower older gentleman. The name says it all.Grant- Hiker at check in with 55 lb. pack.John and Lucy- John is from VA and is hiking with his dog (Hungarian Pointer). She barked at me but is starting to be nicer. At the shelter I met a school teacher of 34 years, Joanne; Another hiker who loves Gold Bond, Peter; a hiker with a 65 lb. pack, Brandon; A Baltimore native who hired school teachers Cameron, an older gentleman whose name I missed,a quiet couple "WelshNomad" and her husband, and a female hiker named "Newt". Everyone was excited and talked. Its hard to believe only 20% of us will finish. I really enjoy meeting people and will certainly have stories to tell in the future.Tonight (Its 7 and darkness is falling) I will hit the hay after reading my bible. I will leave in the morning with Adam. I hope to cover 11 or 12 miles to shelters there. I can't believe I'm finally out here. I wish I had a radio... I'm gonna miss March Madness and I love Basketball. Anyway, I need to go to bed. I'm beat and my writing is losing all coherence. (As a note my trail name is beatbox) Tell you about my hike again tomorow night, but until then God Bless -BEATBOX