Day thirteen Saturday March 11, 2017 I was dropped back at Dicks Creek Gap this morning and was back on the trail by 9:00 A.M.  My goal for the day was to reach North Carolina and leave Georgia behind. There was a campsite just over the state line at Bly Gap about nine miles away. […]

Day twelve Friday March 10, 2017 The storm arrived sometime during the night. The first indication of the approaching storm was the wind, howling through the trees high above me. Then the flash of lightning followed a few seconds later by the rumble of far off thunder. The interval between lightning and thunder grew shorter […]

Day eleven Thursday March 9, 2017 The wind died during the night. And there were stars but not spectacular stars because of the big buttery moon melted off on one side. The morning began still and quite, not a cloud in the sky. I was on the trail again by 8:00 A.M. As usual the […]

Day ten Wednesday March 8, 2017 Well today was a short one, just shy of six mile. But ALL of those miles were up hill. My day began sitting on a bench, in the sun, outside my hotel, waiting for my ride back to Unicoi Gap. It was so warm sitting there in the sun […]

Day nine Tuesday March 7, 2017 I awoke this morning to the sounds of geese overhead, but above my hotel instead of my tent. Started the day with a big breakfast of eggs and sausages.  Fuel. Wandered around town for a bit and bought a few food items for my pack at Betty’s IGA. Then […]

Day eight Monday March 6, 2017 The rain came sometime in the wee hours before dawn, light but steady on my tent. It had lessened to intermittent showers by the time I was packed up and headed down Blue Mountain for Unicoi Gap. The descent was again rocky in places and certainly not easy but […]

Day six Saturday March 4, 2017 Back on the trail at Neel Gap at 8:00 A.M., the frozen trail crunching beneath my boots and the sun not yet above the far Ridge. The temperature was around 25° F. The climb up Levelland Mt  was not an easy climb but I had had a night in […]

Day four Thursday March 2, 2017 A good day today, although not easy. Cold and crisp, with skies cobalt blue. The air so clean and fresh after last night’s storm that it almost smells sweet. Hiked up and over Big Cedar Mountain, the view from Preaching Rock just spectacular. The best so far. Tonight I’m […]

10:00 A.M. Monday February 27, 2017. Standing atop Springer Mountain ready to start my trek north. It is overcast the distant mountains shrouded in mist. The temperature is 48 F. perfect hiking weather. The first five miles is basically  down hill, I am on my way. A few miles into my trek I’m walking through […]

Settled into my log cabin at the Hiker Hostel at Suches, GA. Sitting  by the camp fire enjoying the last light of the day. Tomorrow morning I’ll be transported to the foot of Springer Mountain to begin my adventure. And it begins 0 miles down     2,190 miles to go