Appalachian Trail Journey 2022 and 2023

Sunday March 20 I woke up Sunday morning in the Mt. Collins shelter and found it had SNOWED overnight. When Eli and I went to bed on Saturday night, the air was chilly, but not freezing. I suppose at an altitude of just over 6,000 feet, the air temperature changes pretty rapidly. Luckily, we had a light day of hiking planned. Eli and I only needed about 4.5 miles to get to Newfound Gap to meet my sister Laura. She was to pick us up at two p.m. and take us to Gatlinburg and then Pigeon Forge for a resupply and a shower. We started hiking at about nine. The terrain was mostly downhill so the going was pretty easy. Interestingly, about halfway through we encountered a hog wire fence with an oddly shaped metal ramp attached for people to cross. After we crossed the first ramp, there was a sign that explained the fence was there to keep the wild hog population from spreading any further. I don't know if it was working, but it was interesting to see. We reached Newfound Gap at about noon...

Sunday March 13 My sister Laura delivered Eli and I to Winding Stair this morning at about 08:30. We immediately set off to get some mileage in the books. Two days sitting in a hotel is a particular drain on me. I was glad to be out and moving, even in the cold. We hiked steadily for about an hour. We passed a few hikers from the hotel and some more we had seen on the trail last week. It seemed that everyone was again ready to get moving north and see what was next. At about five miles on we passed the side trail for Siler Bald. On March 16, 2019 David Scott and I hiked up it for my birthday. Almost three years to the day later Eli and I were passing again. If I am honest, I will probably never pass through here again. It is strange how time works. About an hour later, we met a dude in a kilt! He was heading southbound and he was proud of his clothing. Not only was there a kilt, but the whole set up. He could have come from central casting for a bagpipe player. As it turns out, he and ...

Sunday March 6 Today was a good day. Eli and I got started about 07:30 out of the Blue Mountain Shelter and hiked about two miles to Unicoi gap. Trail angel Bouncer was there again feeding through hikers. We sat and talked to him while we waited for my friend David Scott. David came up to give Eli and I a ride to resupply our food. He also brought ham biscuits! It was the first country ham biscuit Eli had ever eaten, bless his heart. He liked it so well he ate another. We went to Ingles for supplies and then went to a place in Helen for lunch. I got a calzone for the first time in probably 20 years. I don't  normally eat cheese because just don't like it. Today I ate one and it was very good!     When we got back to Unicoi we said goodbye to Dave and started walking again. We went over Rocky Mountain and then Tray Mountain. We wound up at Tray Mountain shelter after a total of 8.1 miles. Tray Mountain is tall. It is actually divided into three sections by a road. I l...

Tuesday     March 1 - 05:30 I am getting up to begin my walk. I am doing a final shutdown and lock up of my house. I will leave here at 08:00 for five to six months. It is strange to think that I will not be here for half of 2022 if all goes according to plan. My anxiousness has been replaced this morning with a growing sense of excitement. I am ready to go! It is now 5:30 p.m. I have walked 11.6 miles today. This morning, David Scott and I got to Amicalola Falls State Park at about 08:45. David and I have hiked together for years. He graciously offered to deliver me to the trailhead. I registered, got my AT through hiker tag, and listened to the orientation talk given by the Georgia Appalachian Trail Club. We then met my sister Julie and her husband Rory. They had come to see me off as well. After a few words of goodbye and good luck, I was on my way. Two years of planning and research had led me to this point. It was now up to me to finish. Wednesday  March 2 I wal...