I start my AT hike on March 29 and hope you will enjoy the trip as I share my adventures.

Because I carve and paint realistic songbirds, my wife Mary, gave me the trail name Carver.

Happy Trails

Apr 4, 2009

I am off trail, getting ready to go to the beach with the grandkids, Sophia and Sam. This will be their first beach visit and a trail will not keep PawPaw away.

I am learning how to make these entries and upload pics, so please be understanding as try to make updates. Cell phone signal did not allow me to make entries from the trail. I thought I had mede entries for the first two days on the trail yesterday, but I guess Homer the cat, or I forgot to hit the "Save" button, so I will start over. ( Homer likes to lay on the desk with his head against my book. )

Day 1 Sunday, Mar 29, 2009; Cloudy

AFSP to Springer Mtn Shelter

Mary and I drove to AFSP (Amicalola Falls State Park) arriving about 07:15, heading right to the Lodge restaurant for breakfast. We enjoyed a grand buffet sitting next to large windows. The rising sun was trying to peak through the clouds as they rolled over the mountains in the distant view, but was kept hidden. Headlights of cars coming up the winding road flickered now and then in breaks of the naked trees. We finished eating and drove back down to the park office so I could register as a Thru-hiker on the AT. I signed the book outside and got my pack to start my journey. Mary walked me to the back of the store to kiss me bye and take my pic at the arch that starts the 8.8 mi approach trail to Springer Mtn, the actual start of the AT.

I started up the approach trail about 08:40, temp about 50 F, and slight breeze. As I passed through a parking area about half way to the Lodge, I met Allen and his wife from Charlotte, NC area. He was being dropped off and planned to Thru-hike also. I said I would catch him up the trail so he could finish his smoke and say bye to his wife in private. The wind began to blow more as I climbed higher and the temp got lower. I met several other hikers on the trail, two girls from PA, Ghost and Scout, young fellow from England named Ferg I believe, two fellows that asked if Mary was my wife, they had seen her let me out and then as she was about to drive off, she told them we (hikers) were all crazy to be doing this trail. They enjoyed her humor. The wind continued to get stronger and as I passed Black Gap Shelter, 1.5 mi from the top of Springer Mtn, I thought about stopping for the night, my legs were like rubber, it had been a tough 7.3 mi up almost all the way. My schedule to make Helen by the next weekend said I had to get to the top of Springer Mtn and then .2 mi to the shelter. The ridge runner for Springer Mtn, "Many Sleeps", took my info as a Thru-hiker just before I reached the top. A section hiker, Brian, caught up with me just before the top and when we reached the plaque, I removed my gloves to take a pic, then he took my pic. The fog/clouds were such that you could only see maybe 30-40 yards. We followed the first "White Blaze" of the real AT to the shelter, about 17:00 I believe. I was so thankful that there was a space for me in the shelter, it holds 12. I set up my sleeping bag, went to filter water, then got into the sleeping bag to get warm. The temp was 32 F and very strong wind. I planned to get up later to eat, but was so tired only got up to hang my food bag on bear cables and went back to bed, about 18:30. My inflated sleeping pad kept sliding during the night on the plastic ground cover I was using. The wind blew all night and made me forget about food. I did stay comfortable though in my down sleeping bag, thermo long-johns, knit cap and puff jacket.

Day 2 Monday, Mar 30, 2009 Partly cloudy 30 F

Springer Mtn Shelter to Hawk Mtn Shelter

The sunrise was beautiful as in sparkled on the frosted bare limbs of the trees outside the open side of the shelter. The wind was still blowing strong but not gales like during the night. Allen and I got on the trail about 08:00, I planned to eat at the next shelter, 2.8 mi down the trail and hopefully out of the wind. The shelter, Stover Creek Shelter, was still so crowded we just took off heavy clothing. It seems a lot of these people had skipped Springer shelter to get out of the wind, I was happy for that, because I had a space. I took several pics and we stopped several times for snacks and drink water. Somewhere I cause my back to hurt real bad for some time, then it started getting better. The day was great, temp in upper 50's, mostly sunny. I finally got a cell signal and said hello to Mary, she gave me good pep talk about my back and me hiking so much slower than I thought I could. Allen hiked his own hike and got way ahead of me. Most of the day you feel you are the only one on the trail or in the woods, then at water breaks or meal snacks, hikers pass each other, sometimes several times a day, as each hiker "hikes your own hike". The shelter was full but Allen and I had planned to tent because of the nice day. The shelter holds 12, and there were 30-35 hikers there. As I told someone, I was hiking alone, but not alone. Set up tent, rope to hang things to dry from perspiration and keep off the ground. After supper wrote in journal and had some hot cocoa. The talk of camp was the chance of rain tomorrow. Slept pretty good with the help of Aleve for the legs.

Day 3 Tuesday, Mar 31, 2009 Cloudy 50 F

Hawk Mtn Shelter to Gooch Mtn Shelter

Up about 07:00, had hot cocoa and pop tarts for bkft. Allen was on trail about 08:15, I started about 08:45. I was surprised my legs felt so tired first thing in morning. I thought I had exercised enough walking the hills in the home area to do better than I was. Another hiker said he had done the same thing, but streets and wooded trails are not the same, I believe that now. I made it over Sassafras Mtn with a lot of huffing and puffing. Stopped on a log for a water and snack break, and a bird, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, chirped and hopped among the branches about 4-5 feet from me, really neat, as many of you know how much I like watching birds; and nature. My hiking rate is much slower than what I thought it would be by the third day, I am beginning to worry about getting to Helen on schedule. Because of being so slow I did not take several pics today I would regret later of not taking the time to capture. I learned my lesion, take time to enjoy the trail and not set time lines that take the pleasure out of the trip. I can only get in 7 mi a day and need to start doing 10-12. I got to Gooch Mtn Shelter about 15:45, shelter full. I was about the third to start setting up tent, and the rain started also. I got tent up and most of stuff inside without getting real wet. Got water and cooked supper under shelter over hang and on table which is shared by all in shelter area on rotation basis. Again tents were everywhere, a real hiker family. I seem to be staying in the middle of this group during the day, but way to slow to meet the schedule I had set for myself. Went to bed about 18:30, it rained most of the night and sometime real hard. My new lightweight single wall tent did ok, but did have some water in the lowest corner, not sure where it came from. I never had that problem with my old double wall tent. Trade out for 3 less pounds to carry? I am not sure yet. Slope of ground kept me sliding all night, had to adjust pad and floor all night.

Day 4 Wednesday, April 1, 2009 Cloudy misty rain 50 F

I was up about 07:00, fixed big cup of Tang and had pop tarts with jerky under the shelter overhang. It was a mad house as those from the tents tried to come in to eat and those that slept in the shelter tried to pack to get on the trail. I went down to my tent to get my gear to wear on the trail and came back out of rain to get dressed. When I went back to tent site and returned to shelter, I had to sit in a new place to start loading my pack. After several trips, I got pack loaded and ready for trail. Two ladies started just ahead of me, Brown moss and Hoko, then one said she wanted to look around one more time for anything forgotten. I started to do the same but felt I had everything, I had checked my tent site twice. Even though it was misting, I did not put on rain pants, they would be just too hot. After about a half hour of hiking, I stopped to remove my jacket. I decided if I was going to be wet, perspiration with jacket, or mist without jacket, I would be MUCH more comfortable without jacket, as temp was about 55 F. The mist did change into just fog in about 30 min.

Met Victor Sanchez, of Marietta, where he stopped to admire plant he called Climbing Cedar, that grows only in this part of the world. I failed to take a pic, as I said thanks for the info and took off on down the trail.

About 30 min later I met Dan of Ogden, UT, he retired from the Forest Service, has his own forest fire fighting company, leader of Boy Scouts, and he and his wife go to Cambodia every two years to build a church. He was planning to hike 2 ½ weeks before he had plans with his grandkids. He hopes to do all the AT, a bit at a time. He has hiked in many places around the world. We hiked together all the way to Woody Gap, GA hwy 60 crossing. During our many rest stops we shared much about life and family, both of us having very similar ideas on values of day to day living.

Trail Magic: when something really good unexpectedly happens on the trail. As Dan and I sat on a big log taking a water break, Coldfeet and Checkpoint Charlie walked up. Coldfeet asked me if I was Carver, I said yes. He asked if I meant to leave my camp shoes back at the shelter? I looked back down the trail as if it may not be really that far back, then realized how far it was and just said "crap". He then started taking off his pack and pack rain cover. I asked if he had my shoes, "yes" was the wonderful answer. I tried to give him something, the prize of the trail a king size Snickers bar, but he would take nothing. I said thanks several times, and they continued on the trail I called out "Trail Magic", to which both of them replyed "Yep, trail magic"

I had not made many miles but this was one of the most enjoyable days on the trail. I was able to contact Mary and asked her to pick me up at Woody Gap after she got off work. I told her how disappointed in myself I was but I could not make the schedule I had set. She said she would leave at 15:00 to be there by 17:00 when I expected to arrive. Mary reminded I had forgotten the number one rule of the trail: "Hike your own hike". Don't worry about the miles you do or how many more others do she told me. I do not plan to forget this lesion again when I return to the trail.

After the beach trip, I will let you know when I return to the AT.

Till then…Happy trail to you.