Date: 2004-04-25
From: Springer Mountain

To: Hawk Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 7.6
Weather: overcast clouds

The First White BlazeStart: Springer Mountain @ 1355Finish: Hawk Mountain Shelter @ 1815Miles: 7.6Weather: Partly couldy all afternoon. Low 70's. Steady rain in the evening (pouring as I write).Breakfast: Omlettes and Jimmy Dean sausage at the Barn.Lunch: NoneDinner: Hamburger Helper 4 Cheese Lasagna, Twix, Star Crunch, Pink Lemonade.Trail Conditions: Springer Mountain was very rocky, however, the rest of the trail was conditioned from many other hikers.Animals: Deer, Beetle, Moth, Butterfly, Owl, BirdiesPeople: Tom, Gums (the dude had no teeth, hence the name), a guy from England, Stephen, Loren, and 2 people tenting were at Hawk Mountain. My First StepsThe day has finally come...I started the AT!!! I drove down Friday through the night with the parents and Cory, and we spent Saturday at the "Barn" a cabin our family friends own. Sunday we did the final push to Georgia and met with Lauren, her friend Becca, and Grandma Nancy. We spent about an hour on the summit taking pictures, crying, and hyping up the GB Challenge. After some sad farewells I boogied off down the trail, and told myself not to look back for the first two miles, it would be too hard. Parents, family,and friends I miss you all, but know that you are in my prayers. View From Springer MountainI hiked at a pace far slower than I am used to, however, I refuse to overuse my achilles. I continue to have worries, however, the foot felt really good (minus some aches and inflammation) considering the day's hike. If I walk slow and keep stretching I think it just might hold out. Keep your fingers crossed. Trail to Hawk Mountain ShelterI rolled into Hawk Mountain Shelter, there are four others in the shelter and 2 tenting. We chatted and exchanged small talk. (Its really downpouring out and thundering and lightening). In the shelter log a note was left from the hikers the previous night, advising that a bear came by and was going for food on the bear poles, after not having any luck the bear made off with a persons boots! With all this rain I am not thinking it will be back tonight, but if it attacks, I'll be sure to kick it in the nuts. I'll let you know how it goes in the morning.Everyone else is sleeping so I too am off to bed.One Year ReflectionWhen I was standing on Springer Mountain for the second time in my life, on Sunday, April 25, 2004, it was hardly the emotional experience I had expected. I was nervous, hesitant, and legitmately concerned about my foot, but I wasn't even close to getting teary eyed. Mom was balling her eyes out, Dad hid it well but was concerned, Cory was all about the hike, and Lauren was just there taking up space. Really, it felt like an incredible relief to be standing on Springer finally getting to set out on the hike I been longing to do.February 1 is when I was a teary eyed emotional wreck. In my entire life I have never felt so low as I did that day when Ben traipsed out of sight on the trail. I felt like a complete and inept failure that let down and betrayed a friend. I had spent so many hours pouring over A.T. stuff and preparing for my hike, I talked Ben into doing the trip, and then what...I couldn't go because of a stupid injury. It was just plain miserable.So when I stood on Springer, my foot aching somthing terrible, I told myself like it or leave it, I'm doing this damn trail. I owed it to myself, but really I felt like I owed it to the kid I didn't start with. I was going to do the trail.My family and I walked the mile down from Springer Mountain back to the parking area. I kept on walking, right past the car, right past the people, and away from my parents. I didn't stop to turn around, I didn't acknowledge last goodbye's, and I certaintly didn't consider turning back. It was time to press on with the hike.Even now, a year later, I remember so many details from that day's hike. I actually remember many details from everyday I was out on the trail. Re-reading my journals and looking at pictures just floods my memory with so many great stories.I wasn't but a half-mile past the parking lot and saw several deer directly off the trail to my right and left. I stopped hiking, they stopped eating. We looked at eachother and they scampered off. The first of many close up nature sitings.The trail was so well worn and packed down. I remember my first bridge crossing. It was this new novelty to me. This rickety little structure crossing a rapid stream. I took a picture of it, and told myself I was going to take a picture of every bridge crossing. The newness of crossing these bridges quickly wore off as they all look alike and serve the same purpose. But, when the experience is new, even the simplest little thing is remarkable.I deliberatly took my time on the trail that day. Hoping that with each concentrated step I wouldn't injure my foot, and could carry on more than one day. The day was so nice. The sun shown through the budding woods, which was coming to life as spring continued to arrive. It was just a pleasant afternoon.When I arrived at Hawk Mountain Shelter, I greeted the other people staying there. Somebody asked me "are you thru-hiking" and for the first time I got to reply "Yes." I felt like I stuck my chest out about three feet when I said it too. I felt like I was part of this hardcore group of people.On that day I met Stephen. Although, I would have minimal contact with him throughout the trek, he was the only other person that I saw at the start that would finish the trail.I felt so proud even cooking my dinner. I dug out my homeade alcohol stove, mountain dew fuel bottle, and packaged Hamburger Helper Dinner. I had put so much work into planning everything. Now it was all being set in motion. It was a real hooah kinda moment. Then as my Hamburger Helper cooked (and everyone else was eating ramen and macaroni) they were like that smells good dude. I was just beaming with pride. Yeah, I put a lot of work into planning my food. It was just a great moment. All my hardwork in planning was paying off. (I must admit though, I started my fuel bottle on fire as I tried adding more gas to my already burning stove...rookie mistake So that night it started to rain. A bear had been in camp the night before, I was worried, but not bad enough to hang my food on the bear cables. Gums, a really strange guy with no teeth was snoring as loud as a disel engine, and I laid on the shelter floor facing outwards writing in my journal, to the glow of my headlamp, listening to the steady rain beat down on the shelter roof. It was a precious moment, that I am fortunate enough to say, became a routine for the next 167 days.