Rest days

Aftery. Long day I've taken two shorter hikes. The first took me to Low Gap Shelter where I met a few old friends eventually and think I've made some new ones. I then hiked to Blue Mountain Shelter with some of them and met up with the new friends I didn't hike with. They've been short uneventful days for the most part.
Tomorrow, three of us are getting beds at a hostel for a nearo day where we won't be hiking very far up trail but will have a chance to rest and recuperate. Or more importantly km my case, resupply: I have four twixes left and have ran out of dinners. I still have plenty of porridge though.

A chance encounter

Yesterday was a long day. Too long, I think. The miles weren't too bad but by the last few miles I was just feeling emotionally exhausted.
When I reached my camp spot for the night, I was a little dismayed to see it already mostly full with strangers. However, that turned out to be a blessing in disguise. One of them offered me help setting up if I needed it, one offered me water. Later on some others, whom I had met before, also started to arrive. Eventually we all ended up laughing and chatting around a warm camp fire, courtesy of those unwanted strangers.
That evening really turned the afternoon around.

Blood Mountain and Neel Gap

I left lance creek somewhen about eight in the morning. I'm not saw atop the tallest mountain in Georgia. It's really rather hot but the views are stunning.
Neel Gap and real food are only a few short miles away now.

Only an hour or so after summiting, I'm now sat in the baking sun outside the outfitters at Neel Gap. I have a pizza on the way, fresh water and some company too.

I think I'll push on for the next shelter, but there are several spots along the way if I don't want to keep going.

The Day After The Storm

It's the day after the storm now, and it looked
like very sunny weather. We got dropped off at the trail by the same shuttle driver, at the same place. We arrived there at about 1130 after a busy drive up - a lot of people were being picked up or dropped off along the same logging road.

Dana wanted to phone his wife, I think, and so Carly and I were set to head off sooner. She insisted I hike at my own pace so I know what it's like to not be slowed down by her. I already knew that - it means walking alone for a long time - but I ended up setting off alone.
The backup plan was to get to Gooch Shelter, which I got to for lunch. There I met another three through hikers - Mat, a welshman from Ipswich; and Audrey and Shaun, but I don't know where in the USA they're from. They finished lunch and were heading out from Gooch when I arrived to start mine. We chatted for a bit but then they set off.

After lunch I signed the logbook at the shelter to let people know I was OK and headed for Lance Creek. Along the way I saw some amazing views, of which photos will be published eventually, and bumped into Audrey and Shaun a few times. I overtook them and then kept stopping for views which let them catch me.

I also saw a familiar face. A woman who greeted me and wished me luck almost immediately after leaving the visitor centre way back in Amicalola! If this were a novel she'd reappear a few more times and secretly be an angel. She sent me off,l at the very start, appeared to me again after a harsh storm and sent me off, and so on.

I made it the the tent site at about five and maybe made some new friends. However, I've not had word from or seen anything of the three I left behind or of Andy who I met in the hotel last night. Oh well.

Goodnight

STORM!

We had a big storm blow in with huge thunder, terribly rain and over 30mph winds!

Carly and I made it to Cooper Gap where we met up with Dana again. MJ left Hawk tentsight with us but eventually left us behind. No word from her yet.
Dana had already phoned for a shuttle when we caught him. He had stayed at the shelter ahead of us. Carly and he wanted to get off and I grudgingly let them persuade me to take the shuttle to a hotel with them.... So now we're in Dahlonega for the rest of the day.

Day 2

Today was a nice, easy day of only about 9miles. Shorter than yesterday. Apparently, though, it's the easiest 8 mile stretch in all of Georgia. Things can only get more fun!

I think we've started forming a small trail family. There's me, Dana - a middle aged ish man from the States who wants to get at least there if not the whole trail, Carly - a 29 year old therapist also from the States and wantingto go the whole way, and MJ - a Northern Irish woman looking to through hike too.

We've all done similar mile days, we're planning to get to the next shelter together at Gooch Mountain Shelter, which is about another 7 miles off. I think MJ has the fastest pace and we probably won't hike together, the other two hike slower than me but I've hiked with them today. I don't know if I will tomorrow. We'll see how I feel and if they set off before me.

Hike date 0001

I have made it to the first shelter before Springer Mountain. Its only 1600 so I might be able and willing to push on to Springer and start the AT proper. But for now..
Food and drink.

1900: I am now sat stop Springer Mountain. Hell yeah!

I also have my first trail story already. My shuttle had a scheduling issue? The shuttle driver tried getting a backup driver to take me but in the end he ordered an Uber for me all the way to Amicalola.
Easy trips don't make for good stories though, right?