Tinker
03-19-2006, 20:00
Well, Frosty and I started the Georgia AT on March 7th, and I just finished the section on the 17th. The drive home to R.I. took almost exactly 24 hrs. with rest and food stops. When I left, Frosty was in the Blueberry Patch hostel still suffering from an upper respiratory tract affliction which defied all attempts at diagnosis - at least we know through x-rays taken in Hiawassee that it's not pneumonia. Nevertheless, I have to say that I have a great respect for the mountains in Georgia. They remind me of the AT in Vermont, especially the section between Maine Junction and the NH line. The weather was unseasonably warm, with temperatures between 35 degrees for a low on Springer to a high of 76 on Blood Mountain. We only got sprinkled on for a while the day we left Wasali-Yi center (actually, I had camped just up the hill from the center, north), and it was warm enough that my raingear never saw the light of day. I overpacked with a down bag from Feathered Friends (Great Auk, 800 fill power down, 2 oz. overfill, good to at least 5 degrees), my Hilleberg Akto solo tent (could've gotten away easily with a tarp), and a bunch of extra Esbit tabs.
We first got off the Trail at Woody Gap, for a night between sheets at the hiker hostel in Dahlonega. The next few days took us to Unicoi Gap after a short last day. Frosty decided to get off the trail there due to breathing problems. We stayed at the Hiawassee inn. The next day, Frosty decided he needed another day to recuperate, so I had AYCE at the Chinese restaurant basically next door for lunch, and Mexican for dinner with Brian, an 18 year old hiker on his first extended solo hike while contemplating a change of colleges from the U of NM to Colby in Maine (this after the AYCE the first night at the inn at a steak house down the street - no, AYCE did not include steak) :( .
Frosty still wasn't up to hiking after a day and a half at the Hiawassee inn, so he decided to go to the hospital to get checked out (nothing found, antibiotics prescribed). Brian and I began our hike into the next section, 16 miles between Unicoi and Dick's Creek gap. I was feeling great, and got into "machine mode", and before the day was done, even with a full pack, but probably due to the AYCE calories, made it to Dick's Creek Gap where I caught a ride to the Blueberry Patch Hostel where I spent the night before finishing the section the next day at 3:00, and spending the night at Plum Orchard Gap shelter. The last day of hiking, I hiked back out to Dick's Creek Gap and spent another wonderful night with Gary and Lennie at the Blueberry Patch Hostel. The owners are really wonderful Christian people, run the place on donations only, and welcome all people to breakfast in their home after a beautiful prayer with hands held around the table.
I obviously had a wonderful time of hiking with my fellow hikers, most of whom are in N.C. as I type this, as well as a quiet time of fellowship with the Creator of the wonderful natural realm through which I travelled. Pictures will be up on Webshots.com soon under user name tinkerdan.
Surprises:
1) Warm weather
2) Blood Mountain climb was a piece of cake
3) After many warnings of the difficulty of climbing Kelly Knob, I did it, bottom to top, without a rest break.
4) I did a 16 mile day, with no previous miles on my legs other than those done on the Georgia AT section.
5) The Georgia mountain vegetation consists mainly of deciduous trees and poison ivy - BEWARE!
6) Esbit tabs can simmer! (as they burn out).
Regrets:
1) I took my closed cell pad instead of my Thermarest or Big Agnes Air Core Mummy/ closed cell combination. (The last night I spent in a shelter, and my hips are still sore).
2) I took my old Gregory Shasta pack instead of my Gossamer Gear G4 (an extra 5 lbs.) because I thought I needed the extra support with 32 lbs. of winter gear.
3) I had to turn back at Bly Gap!:(
Tinker
We first got off the Trail at Woody Gap, for a night between sheets at the hiker hostel in Dahlonega. The next few days took us to Unicoi Gap after a short last day. Frosty decided to get off the trail there due to breathing problems. We stayed at the Hiawassee inn. The next day, Frosty decided he needed another day to recuperate, so I had AYCE at the Chinese restaurant basically next door for lunch, and Mexican for dinner with Brian, an 18 year old hiker on his first extended solo hike while contemplating a change of colleges from the U of NM to Colby in Maine (this after the AYCE the first night at the inn at a steak house down the street - no, AYCE did not include steak) :( .
Frosty still wasn't up to hiking after a day and a half at the Hiawassee inn, so he decided to go to the hospital to get checked out (nothing found, antibiotics prescribed). Brian and I began our hike into the next section, 16 miles between Unicoi and Dick's Creek gap. I was feeling great, and got into "machine mode", and before the day was done, even with a full pack, but probably due to the AYCE calories, made it to Dick's Creek Gap where I caught a ride to the Blueberry Patch Hostel where I spent the night before finishing the section the next day at 3:00, and spending the night at Plum Orchard Gap shelter. The last day of hiking, I hiked back out to Dick's Creek Gap and spent another wonderful night with Gary and Lennie at the Blueberry Patch Hostel. The owners are really wonderful Christian people, run the place on donations only, and welcome all people to breakfast in their home after a beautiful prayer with hands held around the table.
I obviously had a wonderful time of hiking with my fellow hikers, most of whom are in N.C. as I type this, as well as a quiet time of fellowship with the Creator of the wonderful natural realm through which I travelled. Pictures will be up on Webshots.com soon under user name tinkerdan.
Surprises:
1) Warm weather
2) Blood Mountain climb was a piece of cake
3) After many warnings of the difficulty of climbing Kelly Knob, I did it, bottom to top, without a rest break.
4) I did a 16 mile day, with no previous miles on my legs other than those done on the Georgia AT section.
5) The Georgia mountain vegetation consists mainly of deciduous trees and poison ivy - BEWARE!
6) Esbit tabs can simmer! (as they burn out).
Regrets:
1) I took my closed cell pad instead of my Thermarest or Big Agnes Air Core Mummy/ closed cell combination. (The last night I spent in a shelter, and my hips are still sore).
2) I took my old Gregory Shasta pack instead of my Gossamer Gear G4 (an extra 5 lbs.) because I thought I needed the extra support with 32 lbs. of winter gear.
3) I had to turn back at Bly Gap!:(
Tinker