The fire tower

Mile 100 is marked on the fire tower but if you hiked the approach trail, you would hit it the day before...at least we did! Having already semi-celebrated this great achievement, I still couldn't help but be elated about hitting this point on the AT. It's hard work to get here and if it wasn't for our wonderful luck in trail Angels and choice zero days, we would've made it here earlier. The thing is, if you don't stop and smell the roses and enjoy the journey, then what's the point?! Good times and awesome views!!       Gazelle was a bit frightened up on the tower, so I came up to be scared with her. Awesome 360 view but damn it's high!! Not to mention the wind...that was crazy! 😬😳😃

Whew, that was something...

Had a great time with Ody and Bill   
in their GA paradise, we find ourselves talking about them so often...our trail Angels! Back to the trail and warming the legs up is tough, on me anyway. Lots of ups then we hit the border of GA/NC and BAM, extreme ups that made the others quite laughable! It was a hard day but beautiful...the hardest days here aren't really comparable to days at home, their just better. I love it out here so much. The hiking, cooking, setting up my tent, sleeping, photos, creeks, and even packing up. I guess it's just my thing. Showers are wonderful and so is modern plumbing but there's just something awesome about roughing it and being out here taking care of myself. I also love meeting all the like minded people who are also out here, it just feels good. So, cheers to my new trail freinds and fellow hikers, thru and section! I'm glad to be a part of this group of folks... Ody and Bill's before venturing on...

And we're off, again

After a two day rest, I'm so ready to be back on the trail. This was the most enjoyable break I could imagine, but with a goal of the halfway mark I feel like I have to keep moving. Now there are shelters closing in the GSMNP due to bear activity and I believe a bear attack! I'm not sure what's going to be open by the time we're there but it was never in the plan to be eaten/mauled by bears, so it may have to be skipped. I want to be safe but dammit, I hate the thought of skipping by and not covering this half as planned. We'll see, making it home safe is the goal so I'll do what I need to. 

As for these days of rest and incredible relaxation, it was like being at a spa...a trail spa in the beautiful mountains of GA. If only I could share how incredible these people are who have taken us into their home and made us feel like family, but words just don't do them justice (not my ordinary words anyways)! The kindness of some cannot be measured by normal standards...these folks are just amazing! They will forever be my first and favorite trail angels but in this case, they must be called trail fairies! I will pay this forward...😊❤️🤗

To the AT and hope bears behave!!!

Trail name???

So my trail name was given to me first and  it was Chef, then came Gourmet...which was not liked by Gazelle who had picked Chef, so back to Chef it was. Now we see that there are tons of Chefs out here and I need something more unique! Sooooo after another trip on the mountain that resulted in a fall I thought Trip would be good, but the girls say no. Food is MY thing so it has been decided that the name must be food related. Hmmm, never have my problems been so easy!😜 

Trail troubles are usually water, food, camp, water, eventually re-supply and shower, and a trail name. This is living! Chef for now until something else comes along and that'll do.😉

 

Make time...

I love yoga but don't always make time for it. If ever it felt good, it doesn't compare to how good it feels out here!! After many miles with a 40lb pack, I believe it is completely necessary! I love it out here and it's wonderful to have peaceful moments like this. Glad she was able to get me on the rock!! I picked up a material at the Top of GA hostel to use for under my sleeping pad that also doubles as a yoga mat. I'm so excited to stretch on the mountains!!😊❤️🤗 

Hooray, Dicks Gap!

Made it to mile 69.6, Dicks Creek Gap! That means more than 73 miles in 8 days with the approach trail, this is with a zero day and 2 short days of hiking. Woohoo, we are awesome!!😜👍😉🤗 

Onward and upward...

11 to 13 mile days with tough climbs and painful descents, but all in all this ole lady is keeping up with my young comrades. This is more than I could've hoped for! Sharing this journey with such awesome, smart, talented, and beautiful ladies is something I didn't expect but am very grateful for! I now can't imagine being out here on my own😊.   Low Gap with Bruce...

Ready to go but remember...

 Ashley and I made it...
The pizza... 

 The sign... The ride back from town by the waterfall.... The beers... The games, the fun, and the freinds! This was a great place for a zero day!!! Hostel life isn't as bad as one might think.😉

Gorgeous!!

 Putz and I. Yoga and the mountains!❤️

Neels Gap

The entourage and Mike at Neels Gap. So much fun with all the new people I meet everyday. Mike is doing the whole trail and got a pack shakedown this morning and is now carrying 26 lbs!!! He started with a 41 lb pack! Ahhhhhh, life is so sweet right now❤️😊🤗👍 

Going back to day 2...

Stover Creek with Chris and Caitlyn. This is where I stayed my first night and met "the entourage" of girls I'm traveling with...except Ashley, she came to party the next day and now we're a foursome of amazingness! From OH, PA, FL, and Denmark...this is a worldly bunch. Thanks for sharing the pic you two and cheers, hope you have many more father/daughter trips in the future!😊 

Made it here too...

 Like a freaking rockstar!! Awesome hiking with these 3 ladies, we are booking it!

Just me😉

 Made it to the top of another mountain! Day 3 and still smiling😃!

Friends😊

 Mie and I kicking the AT's ass (Chloe is taking the picture), or maybe it's kicking ours but still smiling! 13 miles today! Ashley, Gazelle (trail name), and I (Gourmet has been given to me as a trail name) after a shower and we feel great. Good times camping and hiking!😉👍

Off I go!

 The approach trail from Amicalola Falls State Park. I'm so excited to be on my way to Springer Mountain!!😊😝🤗

A little nervous, a lot excited

Shipped box 3 today to the hostel I will be staying at in NC. Super excited but also a bit nervous. It's so hard to plan ahead when you have no idea of where your going to be and how long it will take you to get there. I guess my biggest struggle at this point is my attire...I want choices and I can't have them:) Now all that is left is to pack my backpack the new, smart way that I recently learned by experience. The clock is ticking and I'm spending time planting tomatoes and herbs in my garden for when I come home:) I'm still a gardner...just one that will be off section hiking for months! Now let's hope I have some beauties to can when I return.

Off they go

The first two re-up boxes are shipped! Kinda feels like this is happening, for real! AT bound in days...😜👍 🌳🎒⛰ 

Amicalola Falls

I have made my reservation at the Lodge in GA, which is so very exciting! This is the historical beginning of the trail, the approach. The archway from the Bill Bryson movie "A Walk In The Woods" is located here and it was once the only way to the AT. It holds the first book to register your hike, the place where you sign in and write some chosen words to other hikers behind you. It's about 8.8 miles of hard hiking with 600+ stairs to get to the start, but now you can drive 1 1/2 hours to get there. What should I do?? I had decided to drive but now, I'm thinking I may want to do this the right way. It wouldn't feel the same if I just drove...guess I'll be sleeping on this and doing what's right for  me. It does add a day to my itinerary, but that's an easy fix really. What a huge moment in the scheme of things...I'm so ready!

Officially official

 Here it is, my official 2016 hiker tag to place on my pack! Another awesome thing from the ATC . I'm very proud to be a part of this group and all they do for the trail and the people who hike it! 😊👍

The warm-up

So began my journey on the AT...I was dropped off at a State Park in MD and hiked through the forest and hills into PA, the warm up hike. I couldn't be more thankful that I did this because of how much I learned, not only about what it takes to backpack the AT but about myself. It was so much harder than I thought, but without the hard you cannot appreciate the easy...and oh how I love to appreciate the easy:) I wouldn't change a thing, not my heavy pack, my over abundance of food and water, not my mental collapse, and not my aching body and feet. All of this gave me the eduction I needed to be a better hiker, a smarter, wiser hiker. The trail is not for everyone, but everyone is invited to try. It will take it's toll on many; if not all of it's visitors, but those who accomplish what they set out to do is a different person than the one who started. Even my little warm up made me realize what there is to gain out there, and I am completely excited about it. I believe that being out there makes one more respectful of others as well as nature and conservation. A stronger, better, and maybe even kinder individual. I know for me, I was taken back to a much more primitive time...a time when life was simpler and people were more friendly and caring. I am looking so forward to getting back out there to experience  my "big" journey on the Appalachian Trail...