Stay out of trees!

In 1999 the planets aligned and my life was such that I did not have to work. I worked a little, but the first couple of months of the year I was living in my 1968 VW bus “The Elephant” and driving around the country. I had most of my earthly possesions with me and figured that when I got somewhere I liked I would stay. After visiting Bloomington, IN; Athens, GA; Houston, TX; Tempe, AZ and Seattle, WA I was certain I wanted to live in the Great American South West so I started driving again and as I was approaching Salt Lake City, UT I decided I might as well just take I-80 back to Iowa City and settle all my affairs there, do the Brr Ride and then move to Flagstaff or some such place and live happily ever after.

I have no recollection of what inspired me to do this, but after being back in Iowa City for just a few days I decided that maybe I should hike the Appalachian Trail. So I did some research because for a long time I had wanted to hike the AT but I really knew nothing about it other than the fact that it was long and went through the Smoky Mountains. I learned that most folks start hiking from Springer Mountain in Georgia in mid April and hike for around 6 months to finish on Mount Katahdin in Maine. It was early March and my calender was clear as I have already explained so I ordered a $5.00 book, The Appalachian Trail Data Book, and got a temp job, I was going backpacking!

I wound up sleeping on a friends couch for almost 2 months while I worked to store away a bit more money and get all my equipment together. I had done some backpacking with the Boy Scouts in my youth so I had some equipment and knowledge and I was in good shape because I had been racing bikes for about 9 years at this point. I quickly learned form my research that I needed to add some “impact” to my fitness routine and I wanted to get my boots broken in asap, too, so I quit riding so much and started walking everywhere. I also started loading up my old Camp Trails external frame pack with water and books and other errata and hiking around town. I hiked at the mountain bike trails a lot and it was nice to see my riding friends tearing around all over as I walked.

I left Iowa City in late April in my VW and spent a day or two in Antioch, IL with my folks before leaving all my stuff with them and flying south. My sister Sara was/is a pilot and had arranged for me to “jump seat” down to Chattanooga, TN. I got to O’Hare and everyone told me I could not use my unusual ticket so we would argue and they would finally let me proceed. I got pulled for a random security check and they had to x-ray my film and go through my backpack and such and during this I started getting paged to my gate. Crud. Well they finally let me loose and I hoofed it to the gate where Sara was waiting to introduce me to the pilots and wish me well on my trip.

Off we went. I hate flying. Uneventful, at least, and the airport in Chatanooga was less than a mile from the Greyhound station! I hiked over there with my backpack and bought a bus ticket for Athens, GA. Much waiting then. finally got a bus to Atlanta and wow was the bus station there exciting! People everywhere, sleeping on the floor and looking shifty and stuff. A couple of people got drug out by security/police while I was there . One cool looking city kid asked me if I was going to hike that trail, I said yeah and he wished me luck.

So after a few hours of sitting on my backpack the bus was ready for us and - surprise! - there were WAY too many of us to fit on this bus. In the uproar of people yelling and pushing and shoving I somehow managed to get on, the final leg of the journey! We were very late by the time we pulled into Athens and I was very hungry and grumpy and just wanted to get a couple of slices of pizza from Peppinos and go to sleep. I grabbed my backpack from the under bus storage and got yelled at for not waiting until it was unloaded and started hiking to my friend Colt Angelo Valenti’s house where I was going to stay until he or one of his roommates had time to drive me out to Springer Mountain.

I had just left the chaos of the bus depot behind when a nice couple stopped me and asked me if I would like some pizza. I thougth I was on candid camera or was about to be mugged or something. They explained that they were in town visiting their son at UGA and had gotten too much pizza for dinner and decided they did not want to carry it around all night and what do you know, it was Peppinos! I was stunned and gladly accepted their burden. This is trail magic as I had heard it called in some of the trail journals I had read. When you really need something, the AT will provide it for you.

I got to Colt’s apartment and it was quite the happening place. All I wanted was to sleep but it was Colt’s roommate Dave’s bachelor party so out drinking we went. I bailed before they went to the strip club (honest) and went back to the apartment to sleep.

More happened before hiking, I will fill it in later! To the trail, then!

May 4, 1999

Dave drove me out to Amicalola Falls State Park where the approach trail is. We listened to Guns N Roses on the way out as we drove through sleepy Georgia towns. This was where it started to dawn on me that I did not have a strong grasp of how to hike the Appalachian Trail. I had read a few books and the overriding message of how to do it was to just go and do it. As we drove, though, I realized that I did not really know where the trail began. I had no map, just a data book. I knew nothing of AT traditions other than at the halfway point I got to eat a 1/2 gallon of ice cream.

We got to the State Park and parked. There was a big sign announcing the way to the AT.

Shot a couple of pictures and said goodbye to Dave. Hefted my heavy pack and off I went. I had no idea that there was a sign in book and a scale in the rangers hut where I was supposed to stop and say howdy before starting. Ah well, it was already after 2 when I got going and the heat of the day was on so I am glad I did not spend any other time dawdling. It was very sunny and I hiked up and up and up before stopping for a break after one hour. The climb was hard due to many reasons but I finally made it to the top of Springer Mountain where the Appalachian Trail begins.

I was really excited! I took a few pictures and looked at the beauty of it all. Clouds were coming in and I had thought to hike 2.5 miles further before camping but decided to stay at the Springer Shelter. 9 miles down! Only 0.2 of them actually on the AT, though. The shelter was a nice 2 story model with a close water source and a stinky kybo. Get used to it! I had not planned to cook dinner so I did not. There was no one else there so I set my tent up in the shelter for bug proofness. I saw a turkey.

Most shelters on the AT have trail books in them where hikers record their thoughts and such and it was entertaining to read. Most thru-hikers start in the middle of April and I was well behind the bubble but someone else had started just the day before. He said that every pebble we step on is a little mountain in his entry. I liked that.

May 5, 1999 (Day 1)

It rained almost all day. I slept poorly last night for a few reasons. One, I had no pillow or pillow substitute - I will use my sweater from now on. Two, I drank a bunch of water before bed so I would be recovered from the hike and I had to get up a few times to pee. Three, shelter mice running around like mad all night. I was up early and had a couple of Pop-Tarts for breakfast as I made my entry in the trail book and was hiking at 8:20. It was a nice morning and cool up on the mountain. It had rained overnight but was not when I started. I had hiked about 7 miles when it started pouring. Crap. My pack cover was on and I was warm from the locomotion so I kept going until I got to Hawk Mountain Shelter where I had lunch.

I do not like peanut butter. I had peanut butter on a bagel and it did not make me happy. I thought the hunger of the trail would finally make me a pb lover but I was not hungry enough yet, I suppose. There was another hiker hanging out at the shelter staying out of the rain but I wanted to go further so I set out again. My feet were hurting already but got better as I walked. It was about 8 more wet miles to Gooch Gap Shelter and my only break was to poop in a hole! 15.9 miles hiked today, yipee! The shelter was busy, four people there already. We talked about the weather and such as we made dinner and I used my stove for the first time. I saw a snake and a salamander, I think it was a newt.

So far my equipment is working fine for me, I like my water filter and stove very much. Hiking in the rain was not bad today but we will see how it is tomorrow when everything is wet.

May 6 (Day 2)

I was going to visit a post office today and mail a couple of things home that I no longer wanted but I misread my data book and the P.O. was 2 miles off the trail. I have a no cars rule in effect for this trip so I would have to hoof it in and that is too far to get rid of a cup. It was raining like, BUCKETS. The trail was literally a river. I hiked through a waterfall and it was raining so hard I was afraid to take a picture as the camera would have been destroyed. I encountered a dog today and it barked at me before running off. My hips felt better today (my pack is very old and the hip belt is crap) but my feets are hurting. Socks were totally waterlogged today and I doubt they will be dry by tomorrow but that won’t matter because my boots are soaked.

Why is this fun? Not sure yet, but I made it another 10.5 miles today. I am at a nice shelter although the trail log says there are many mice. Two of the hikers from last nights shelter are here, too, but the other two did not make it. I made 2 lipton noodle dinners in my pot at once for dinner and it went okay, I thought I was in trouble for a while. That is a lot of food. Saw another cute little read salamander today. I keep burning my tongue on too hot food. I must stop that. Food resupply tomorrow at Neals Gap.

May 7 (Day 3)

Shit. I am camped at the Low Gap Shelter and it is raining. It was pouring earlier. I woke up at 6 to the sounds of pouring rain. I had slept well even with the mice doing their scurry-scurry thing. I dreamt of buying a bag of potato chips, steak and onion, I think. It started raining in the early morning right before I got up. I keep expecting to take a day off but I never do. I got up and pooped (no-flush!) and had Pop-Tarts for breakfast and was hiking at 8:05.

I hiked up Blood Mountain which I had heard is the AT high point in Georgia. It was cloudy and raining, of course, so I couldn’t see jack. I did see one of the guys that had been at the shelter with me on day 1. He has little backpacking experience, hopefully he can figure it all out. Hiked down the mountain with him to Neels Gap and learned about Kansas, where he is from.

I liked Neels Gap. Friendly people. I bought some food and some Superfeet insoles for my boots. Mailed home a cup and a pair of shorts that I figured I would not be needing. Had a sandwich and milk for lunch. The woman running the place is the sister in law of a teacher at Antioch Community High School which is where I learned things and is where my dad teaches, too. Small world!

All my socks are soaked and my boots too. I met 4 new to me thru-hikers at the store and when I left I hiked with a couple named Triscuit and Orchid Hunter for a long ways. They were well rested having spent a night at Neels Gap and were wearing me out. We met a Trail Angel (my first!) at Tesnatee Gap. He was giving out soda pop and I don’t like it so I settled for a peppermint. His name was Even Steven and he talked a lot. My feet were hurting so I hiked on in a zombie like wet foot trance and got to Low Gap shelter about 6. It was a 14.7 mile day in the rain and it was still raining as I set up my tent. The shelter was full of boy scouts.

Its still raining. Everything is fine but for my wet socks. Hmmm. Oh yeah, I found a good walking stick today and it really does help my knees.

May 8 (Day 4)

When I woke this morning the first thing I noticed was that it was quiet. Interesting… I went out to pee and was surprised to see a streetlight - no, it is the moon! The rain is gone and the clouds, too! The sun was up soon. Of course all my things were wet and heavy but so what, it was not raining! I loaded the pack and hit the trail at 8:35.

It was so nice, waterfalls everywhere, butterflies, vistas, sunlight! I hiked long and fast and me a kooky Trail Angel by the name of Richard. He even showed me ID so I would know he was not a kook. He gave me water and then tried to give me a sermon. He was a minister. I thanked him and hurried off. I saw no wildlife but did see three dogs. I seem to be in the middle of the weekend warrior crowd with no other thru-hikers around. Bummer. I must either catch or be caught. I got my first blister today, in between two toes, whats up with that? Hiked 14.9 miles to Tray Mountain Shelter and camped again to get the wet tent out and hopefully dry. Macaroni and Cheese for dinner. Yum!

May 9 (Day 5)

Slept well last night even though it got very cold. I like sleeping in the tent. I dreamt about big Perch, I don’t know why. I was up before 7 and out of camp by quarter to 8 with dry socks and boots! I want to try and slow my pace down a bit so I tried. I failed. Crap. I did take more breaks and ate more. The sunrise was very cool from the mountain, the clouds were beneath us. Neat! I hiked and saw more of pretty Georgia

and it got very hot. There were lots of bugs, too, especially when I stopped. I met a guy with lots of tattoos one of a revolver on his leg where it would appear to be sticking up out of his combat boot. His name was Yosef and he made me a bit nervous. I told him of my minister Trail Angel experience and he told me he is a religion major in college. He carries a big stick that he hits stuff with and when he stopped for lunch I kept going. He was the hiker who wrote the “little mountains” entry in the first trail journal I wrote in.

I stopped at Dicks Gap for water and a bit of food and kept on to here which is Plum Orchard Shelter. A 14.9 mile day. The shelter is packed so I am camping again. I ate the last of some nasty canned ham salad I had mistakenly bought. Yuck. I am down to one bagel and I am going to quit carrying peanut butter as I am now sure I don’t like it no matter how hungry so why carry it? I think I am doing well on eating enough but I still have lots of cravings. My feet are a little hurt right now, mostly the left one I guess. Chafing on the top of my little toe, too. Jeesh. Less mileage tomorrow so I hope that helps. I stink and my hair is a mess. Will it survive? My knees hurt, will they make it? Am I going to make it? Who knows. Happy Mothers day, Mom, I thought about you much today.

May 10 (Day 6)

I slept very well last night, I think I am starting to adjust to this. Woke up about 6:30. I had dreams about Ira with a snowboard with huge smiley face stickers on it and volleyball being played in a bar and Jimmy Johns having a concert and Ben Kreig and I doing trials at Iowa State University. I was out of camp by 7:30 and very pleased with myself. I set a deliberately slow pace as I was only shooting for 12.5 miles. It was, as always, a joy hiking early. Cool and few bugs. I crossed into North Carolina and left Georgia behind and thats cool. I took some pictures of flowers and mountains.

Stopped and had lunch at a nice shelter with nice people. Hiked on to Standing Indian Shelter which was full so I camped again. Here I met Nedly and Steve (he works at the Weather Channel!) and two men from Canada and two hairy legged and shaved headed women from Utah.

Dinner was quite lively and the Canadians gave me some GORP and Power Bars! The weather is still good and Weather Channel says it should be okay tomorrow, too. My feet are feeling good and so is the rest of me except for my knees. My first week is done, as is my first State, things seem to be working.

May 11 (Day 7)