3-27-15 (back post) Franklin North Carolina

I have been hiking with some guys for a couple days and we decided to go in to Franklin and resupply and avoid a snow storm (weather is crazy here). We split a motel room and all got showers and did laundry. Franklin is 10 miles off trail but a local businesses owner named Ron Haven is a former hiker and runs a free shuttle every day in march and april to help hikers to get to and from town. Ron is a legend among hikers and a real nice guy. He also drove a bunch of hikers to town for supplies. I got a few days of food and a good nights rest.... doesn't laundry have an "N" in it (see pic).

3-26-15 (back post) standing indian mountain

The map said that standing indian mountain was 5600' so it is the highest mountain yet. I figured it would be a hard.. it was an easy day, I made the summit by 10 am and there was so much fog there were no views. Later I made it to the last big hill for the day and just before I crossed a dirt access road 2 guys who hiked the trail years ago had a camp fire going and called me over for hot dogs and beer! A couple guys from the trail caught up and we all had a good time. when we climbed the last hill we found an awesome fire tower on top and camped in it for the night to avoid the rain, lucky break.

3-25-15 (back post) North Carolina

As usual I was moving at first light, it sprinkled in the night but my tent wasn't too badly soaked. I got everything put away and took off right before the rain came back. The rain let off around 11 as I made it to the Georgia / North Carolina border. The climb in to NC was rough but after that it was mostly gentle down hill all the way to a shelter where I stopped for the night. I'm excited to be in a new state, it comes with a sense of accomplishment.

3-24-15 (back post) last night in Georgia

I asked people at camp what the book said about the trail ahead, they said 2 steep climbs ahead, tray mountain and  Kelly knob. I got over tray no problem but Kelly was extreme! I had to stop 6 times it was pure pain hardest challenge yet. Every time I thought it was over I came around a bend an there was more uphill. When I finally made the top I was rewarded with a view of Standing Indian Mountain and behind it the aptly named Great Smoky Mountains.... There was a hiker named Tater at the top a man of about 60 who hiked the entire AT in 2000. Tater gave me a cold Pepsi! I could hardly believe my luck once again blessed by trail magic, the southern mountains are full of people like Tater. People like this are a real inspiration to us hikers and they can give you the drive to continue.

 After Kelly Knob it was down hill for 4 miles to a road crossing where I caught a free shuttle a half a mile to the Top of Georgia hostel. I had a pizza and decided to not stay at the hostel as I just stayed at mountain crossings hostel 2 days before. I caught the last shuttle back to the trail and made a mile of trail to a nice little campsite and met some new people who had a nice fire going. We all sat together and told stories under the stars until exhaustion set in. A perfect end to a perfect day.

3-23-15 (back post) Hiawassee

I left the low gap shelter at 7 am and hiked 10 miles to as road crossing at unicoi gap and hitched a ride to Hiawassee where I had a package waiting in the post office. Hiawassee is a friendly town with a few stores and an outfitters. I bought some food and ate at McDonald's, I really didn't need anything else so I hitched back to the trail and made 5 more miles to a campsite called the Cheese factory site, productive day. I hiked with someone named Avatar today, he's a fast-paced hiker with good posotiv energy. I'm starting to get my trail legs and make the miles.

3-22-15 (back post) low gap shelter

Started the day in the dark , I hiked past 2 tent camps in the early light. I'm full of energy after the stay in the hostel. A church left bananas and potato chips at the hostel for everyone to eat. There are also hiker boxes in places like hostels, motels frequented by hikers and sometimes in gear shops. These are a place for hikers to leave stuff they don't need or have an excess of. Sometimes you'll see gear or bandaids or even food. In a good hostel you can usually scavenge something useful , I found some nice hot chocolate and some soup mix and ate a free dinner last night.

i looked across this valley to the mountains ahead...

This is 2 hours of hiking later looking back you can see the rocks i stood on to take the upper picturs.(top rightIi 

At mile 8 for the day I got to the top of an extremely steep hill at Tenastee gap and I could feel the blood pumping in my ears. Someone had been kind enough to leave a fresh jug of spring water that still had a seal on it at the top. I was so happy that I didn't need to filter water I easily made it 6 more miles to a shelter. I met some guys along the way and we all listened to music in the shelter until hiker midnight (9:00 pm no light)

3-21-15 (back post) turning point

I started hiking about a 30 minutes before sun up and made it to the foot of blood mountain around 8:30 am. The trail was aptly named slaughter circle... it was steep and slippery.

I covered Blood mountain in an earlier post. This was a cool rock formation on the other side.

These guys are the authors of the Appalachian Trail yearbook, they were giving out hot chocolate to hikers at woody gap, Thanks guys. I stayed at mountain crossings hostel and they showed up to take pictures. I dried out my tent and sleeping bag and spent the afternoon reconfiguring my gear. I sent some gear home and got my pack down to 30 lbs. I also bought a lightweight alcohol stove which is reliable in the damp. I got a good meal and good nights sleep, big morale boost. I'm ready for whats next!

3-20-15 (back post) no energy

So my pack is already too heavy and now a lot of stuff is wet, my tent , clothing , pack etc.  I havent had a good hot meal due to stove failure. I haven't had much appetite and I haven't drank enough water. I need to find a balance in my nourishment needs its starting to affect my energy level. I ate a cold dinner and went to bed early, I hope tomorrow is a better day.

3-19-15 (back post) Rained hard all day

Today it rained mercilessly ALL day I camped at hawk mountain shelter but of course the shelter was full so I had to set up my tent in the rain , my pack is too heavy and there's no way to heat a meal with wet wood. I plan to buy a fuel stove and ship home some extra weight now that I'm getting a feel for what I need.

3-21-15 Blood mountain

Blood mountain 4400' highest peak in Georgia.

Blood mountain shroud in mist , threatening from above , it throws down the gauntlet and silently asks "do you have what it takes"?

I found this cool teetering boulder on the way down.

I was completely out of water and I found this nice little spring.

Sunny and thistle a couple of friends I found on the trail, I was completely out of water and Sunny gave me a litre it was 2 miles totthe next spring.

First day almost 20 miles if you count the access road

I signed the first log book and moved on .

I made the first shelter by 6 pm and decided to push for the next one 6 miles down the trail, I missed it in the dark and I camped on a hill aroud .5 miles past it.

3-18-15 Arrival at springer mountain

My friend frank dropped me off at the access road to springer mountain, it was 10.4 miles to the parking lot

when I finally got to the parking lot I met my first trail angels, crazy horse and miss janet.. crazy horse gave me a snickers bar and they both gave good advice.

Here I am at the very first white blaze only 2189.2 mi. to go!

Solar Power and Storage

Eating Your Catch

Water Filtration and Storage

The Mess Kit

 Moving these over from Facebook,I'm planning to post here primarily., I was doing gear reviews and then I shipped all my stuff ahead. Its not like I'd want to try to get through airport security with a 35lb bag  of camping goodies.

And So it Began

I am beginning my Appalachian trail thru hike (Northbound) from Georgia somewhere around the 18th of march. On the 12th I will fly to Florida and spend the weekend with family in sunny Port Orange. On the 16th (monday) I will take a greyhound to Atlanta Georgia. I have a friend who will pick me up at the bus station and give me a ride to springer mountain, and the adventure begins! I hope the weather holds out but I'm ready for it either way.