Day 6

Left Neel’s gap yesterday, where a nice young man had a cookout with hot dogs and beer because it was his birthday and we were all invited. So a bunch of thru hikers sat around till almost 9pm (!!late!!) and actually talked to each other. Not a cell phone in sight.

Today I made it to Unicoi gap where a lovely group of people were handing out cheeseburgers and drinks in the rain under some tents.

They are what are known as Trail Angels. I met one yesterday at Tesnatee gap who was handing out oranges and waters just before the Hogpen mountain climb. It’s like ole Roy knew that climb would suck…a lot.

Today the fog and rain moved in with reports of a downpour tomorrow. My group decided to shuttle into Hiawassee and get a motel room for a nearo and a zero day. Respectively those are days where you don’t put many miles in and rest and when you don’t hike at all.

I’m glad for it because I GET TO TAKE A HOT SHOWER AND WASH MY CLOTHES! I’ve never paid much special attention to hygiene. Just wash things when they are dirty, then done.

Obviously when you are in the woods staying clean becomes a little more difficult. I don’t mind the dirty clothes so much, although I would pay good money for a fresh sock delivery service. It’s the dirty hands and booties that get me. I feel like Howard Hughes all: GEEEEERRMS! There is a reason hikers don’t shake hands or eat each other’s food.

I had to stop and get some actual soap. Hand sanitizer only does so much. My health is directly tied to the state of my hands for obvious reasons and I don’t want to come down with some 18th century bacterial disease.

Privies are just as gross as you think. What is even grosser is that there is a mountain of poo down there with no toilet paper. Again, don’t shake hands with a hiker. Of course I brought my own TP and if you can get past the smell it’s actually kind of nice to take your morning constitutional outside. Your butt gets a nice breeze.

You have to dig a “cathole” if you are gonna actually poop outside. Very annoying. Who knew the ground was full of rocks and roots and stuff? If you come across two sticks crossed on the ground, just keep stepping. That was someone else’s cathole.

And now all the dudes can stop reading…really. This is the end of this update.

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I’m not kidding, it’s about to get all lady talk in here.

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Are you sure?

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Well you can’t say I didn’t warn you.

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Okay so for those of us with vaginas: you know what really sucks? Starting out a huge adventure and then starting your period the next day. Yaaay. Now you’re probably saying “But Cheryl you didn’t know this was coming?” To which I reply, my period is ornery and stubborn as I am. That bitch has never been regular.

So there I am in a forest full of bears and sharks and now I get to deal with Aunto Flo’ s visit. I found out though, that apparently when you’re walking up and down mountains that cramps become a minor irritant. So there you go ladies. Next month instead of hot packs and Aleve, go huff it up a mountain.

Your welcome.

Day 1

After a year of plotting and scheming I’m actually here about to walk the Appalachian Trail. If feels kind of surreal. I’m officially hiker 2288 with my own little orange badge. It’ll take approximately six months to get to Mt Katahdin in Maine.

(Obligatory pic with the arch)

I started at Springer Mountain after driving up a bouncy dirt road (thanks for braving that USFS road with me Dad!)

I’m pretty sure I was fueled by adrenaline and leftover caffeine that first hour. Thoughts of Aaaaaaah! Are you crazy? You’re really doing this!! played havoc on my brain. Thankfully that all settled at the first hill and I just kept putting one foot in front of the other.

About a mile in I stopped at a shelter to finally ingest something (my nervous twittering from earlier prevented any proactive food consumption, dumb move really). There was guy from Tuscaloosa I met in the parking lot going the wrong way and so I helped him back to the trail. He suggested my trail name should be Compass. So there you go I got a trail name the first day. Which is actually really appropriate because my friends used to call me Mapquest back when that was a thing.

Up and down through bare limbed oaks with the sun in my face and light cool breeze I went. A grit mixture of old leaves and dust quickly pinpointed the hot spots on my heels making my decision to not buy gaiters an unfortunate one.

7.1 miles later I came to Hawk Mountain Shelter. I set up my tent all janky but I didn’t care because it blocked most of the wind and I fell asleep pretty early.

Day 2

I awoke to another beautiful cool day. Apparently while I was asleep a whole bunch of people came in and set up. I met up with Ree who was in the same registration “class” as me. Johnny from Arizona carried wood burning stove. Aaron proclaimed a love of all things weed. Bill was section hiking. We all fell into a leap frog group hiking, passing each other as the other stopped.

The real bitch of the day was Sassafrass mountain. A trail runner named Splitter going the opposite way said he had some cold sodas in the back of his truck at the bottom of the mountain. That Orange Crush was like a miracle to my mouth. Mostly because of the iciness I’m guessing.

Continuing on after our sugary treat, we entered back up into the pine forest laid thick with last year’s foliage. By this time the heat of the day baked the resinous needles over the hard packed clay trail and formed a distinct smell I associate with childhood memories of tromping about Pine Mountain. It’s a smell that gets stronger the louder the cicadas are.

But then we hit the damn Rhododendrons. They offered much needed shade I’ll give them that but they stink so bad. Like piss soaked cloth tarps covered in mold. Am I the only one that suffers their hellacious perfume? No one I’ve talked to seems to notice that devils waft.

Made it 7.6 miles to Gooch Mountain Shelter, where I was able to stay up long enough to do a little socializing. After the appropriate dose of Ibuprofen of course. A guy brought his ukulele and serenaded us with a Hawaiian version of “Why don’t you get a job” by the Offspring.

Day 3

I won’t say the going is easier yet, but I’ve quickly realized that going up has got to be done. So I just plod along. And that somehow makes it easier. Also the views today were motivating.

I’ve found a group of people to walk with just like I thought would happen. (See mom I’m not all alone!)

Ree the previously mentioned, who is guide for rafting and snowmobiling at Yellowstone. Dots has freckles (hence the name) and is a metal worker. Aaron, well I don’t know what he does, but I know his Mom is worried about him. Johnny was in the Army and is carting the heaviest pack I’ve seen so far.

Day 4

It’s hard to update this blog with the lack of usable signal. So I’m going to be short and sweet while I have signal.

Blood Mountain today.

Got to Neel’s gap. Ate much pizza. Am stinky. Feet hurt.

Hiker hunger hasn’t hit yet.

This post is one of “those”.

A post about gear.

If the thought of slogging through a page of brand names and ounces makes your eyes glaze over then perhaps you should get out while the gettin’ is good.

For those of you that like to compare and contrast other’s gear lists with your own, welcome. Being that I haven’t been backpacking since I was a Girl Scout, I had to start from scratch. I scoured the interwebs for the lightest and cheapest of gear all while mentally checking off all the things I could live without. Soap, I can leave behind. But hand sanitizer, naw bruh. I’m a nurse, that’s like asking me to leave behind my legs.

 

THE LIST

Gossamer Gear Mariposa 60 Backpack – 32.7 oz

Six Moons Lunar Solo Tent – 24 oz

REI Joule 21 Sleeping bag – 35 oz

Sea to Summit Comfort Light Sleeping Pad Short – 20.1 oz

Sea to Summit Aero Ultralight Pillow – 2 oz

Snow Peak Litemax – 1.9 oz

Snow Peak Mini Solo Cookset – 5.5 oz

Sea to Summit Alpha Light Spork Long – 0.4 oz

Fuel – 16 oz

Marmot Precip Rain Jacket – 11.4 oz

Bedrock Sandals – 9 oz

Petzl Tikka Headlamp – 3 oz

REI boys midweight long underwear (fit just fine, but was 50$ cheaper!!)

Darn Tough Socks

Ex-Officio Underwear

Hygeine (toothpaste, toothbrush, tweezers, nail clippers, foldable brush)

First Aid (Ibuprofen, bandaids, cortizone, neosporin, alcohol swabs, mole skin)

Aqua Mira Water treatment

Camp towel

2 bandanas

Sulu46 Tark Trowel

Cell phone (With Guthook’s App) and Cell phone battery

AT Guide (we’ll see how long I keep it)

Wallet

Small Journal and pen

 

Wearing:

Smartwool  Baselayer crew

Some Target exercise tights

Kuhl Shorts

Patagonia R2 Fleece

Patagonia Down Sweater

Hat and mittens

Buff

Darn Tough Socks

Ex-Officio Underwear

Salomon X Mission 3 Shoes

Black Diamond Hiking poles

Overall my pack weighs just under 12 lbs without food and water. My goal was 10 lbs, but even after paring all the stuff I thought “I might need”, still left me with things I KNOW I can’t live without.

For instance, the pillow. For some, that is a luxury, but I’ve tried to sleep with my jacket balled up in a sack, and I just can’t do it. To me, a good nights sleep is worth the extra 2 ounces.  I figure if that is what will keep me on the trail, then I’ll carry it.

When the weather warms up, I’ll be sending for my sleeping quilt which is considerably lighter (16.5oz). But the downside is that even thought it is rated to 30 degrees, a few sleepless nights in the 20s at Death Valley NP convinced me that a warmer sleeping bag is in order.

Well, that’s it for the gear talk. I’ll post back later with what worked for me and what doesn’t.