It begins

3/12/07 15.3 today, 7.5 N
The jet lag kept me up a little late night but I still got 7 hours of sleep. I slept pretty well which is a change from the last month of fussy sleeping. The people I meet are nice and like most hikers are characters.

I woke up at 6:30 to the sound of my roommates packing and got started myself. Breakfast was a family style affair with everyone saying please pass the grits?, could I pleas have the eggs?, etc. Then we all waited around for our shuttles to the various points and about 8:30 I got my ride. I was the only one at the Hostel who wanted to started at Amicola Falls State Park (SP) visitor center.

I always assumed that everyone stared at the visitor center because that is what most guides and trail journals I read said. It turns out that there is a road .9 miles from springer mnt., the AT's offical start. In the past the guides didn't mention this road, I am told, to keep party goers from trashing the peak and shelter near by. Now with the internet the info only known by locals is now widely avaiable and most chose the eaiser route.

Easier it certianly is. I did a mstly uphill 7.8 mile climb up 1500' to get to springer. It was a nice trail, well kept with a senic overlook of the Falls the SP is named after.

For being in bad shape(for me that is) I did the climb in 4 hours, only a hour longer than I previously would have taken. At the top I ran into the tail end of a bit of a party and took my lunch. I talked with the care taker, ManySleep, and met DeepDish who brought along a guitar. I got to be the first of what I suspect will be many who will see the instrument. DeepDish was also from Chicago so we talked a little about Chicago pizza and how it is better than that found in OH where he studied.

The gound around here has lots of Mica and when I took my socks off during lunch I saw the dust on my feet which made them glimer.

After a short nap I headed N to Hawk Mnt. where I am camped with about 20-30 people. Most did the hike from Springer (7.5 miles) but Montana Steve left the visitor center. He is a very nice fellow from near Glaicer NP and we talk a length about the area.