One Month In

Day 27

Starting: Hot Springs, NC, 273.9

Ending: Rich Mtn Fire Tower 282.1

Total Miles: 8.2 

After pulling ourselves away from Hot Springs after a hearty breakfast, big lunch and ice cream around 2:40, we walked along the French Broad River for a little while. On the other side of the River from the trail was a musical festival going on. For about a week before getting into HS we heard there was a bluegrass fest for $10 going this weekend, which we very excited about. It turns out the fest wasn't only bluegrass and was $75 per ticket. It was a pretty large event with a few thousand people.

The weather was beautiful but we felt pretty sluggish hiking. This occurs every time we leave town...we eat way too much.

Day 28

Starting: Rich Mtn Fire Shelter 282.1

Ending: Jerry Cabin Shelter 300.3

Total Miles: 18.2 miles

300 miles behind and our longest hike yet. Another gorgeous day, although it's starting to get a little warm. It's forecasted to be 87 this week, the good news with the warm weather is we can sleep without the rain fly on tent and see the stars. We're very excited for that.

The hiking was pretty challenging today with a couple of big climbs then walking along a very rocky ridge line for almost a mile. The views were pretty spectacular from there, with a clear view of Greenville, TN.

Day 29

Starting: Jerry Cabin Shelter 300.3

Ending: Hogback Ridge Shelter 315

Total Miles: 14.7

It's starting to get warm, unseasonably warm. The temps today were in the mid 80's and it was noticeable how much more difficult the hiking was. Thankfully, about halfway through our day there was a very nice little waterfall that we dipped our feet in and cooled off for about 30 minutes. I felt like a new man after that!!

Note the beard coming nicely.

The water was ice cold, it was great!!

Shortly after the waterfall we spotted our first deer on the trail, 3 doe. It was amazing how close they let us get to them. We were within 15 ft of them and they never got spooked.

Overall, it was a good day but we were exhausted at the end of the day from the heat!

Day 30

Starting: Hogback Ridge Shelter 315

Ending: Spivey Gap 330.8

Total Miles: 15.8

We started our day like we normally do, with hot coffee and oatmeal. When we were packing up to leave, Jessica noticed that we were completely out of fuel. Our plan was to walk into Erwin the next day to resupply but since all we had was a Pasta Side left for dinner we decided to get a shuttle into town. Jessica's theory is that I left the fuel on after cooking and my theory was she let it run out so we could go into town early. Either way, we ended up sleeping in a bed, showering and eating way too much, as usual the first day in town, so we were both happy the other one let the fuel run out. :)

We also planned to slackpack the remaining 11 miles into Erwin the next day. This will be our first slackpack so we're looking forward to not having 30+ lbs on our back.

Day 31

Starting: Spivey Gap: 330.8

Ending: Erwin, TN: 342

Total Miles: 11.2

Our one month anniversary on the trail! What better way to celebrate than with a slackpack! We got shuttled out to the trail  at 9:30 and began our hike, Jessica sans pack and me with just water, snacks and a first aid kit. It was great we flew down the trail, literally. We were done around 1:00 and we took a couple breaks. Normally, we average between 2-2.5 mph, today it was over 3. I sort of wish we could do the whole trail like this but there are a few people out here that think slack packing is cheating. Thankfully, I think they're in the minority. As the popular saying goes, "hike your own hike."

Nolichucky River that flows through Erwin.

After the hike, the shuttle stopped at Pal's and we picked up burgers and a milkshake. First time eating at Pal's, it was great! 

We then did our laundry, resupplied or oversupplied and planned our next several days. Trail Days in Damascus starts next week and we're right on pace to land in Damascus on Friday or Saturday. This is exactly when you don't want to arrive at Trail Days, unless you're a 20 yr old who wants to get drunk partake in illegal substances (except in Colorado) and dance around in drum circles until the sun rises. Our plan is to get a couple days ahead of the mass exodus of hikers on Sunday by slack packing a couple 20+ days. We plan to rent a car and drive back into Damascus on Saturday to experience a little bit of the festivities.

Day 32

Starting: Erwin, TN: 342

Ending: Cherry Gap Shelter: 359

Total: 17

Before climbing over Unaka Mountain, which is a 3400 ft climb from Erwin, we were greeted by the best trail magic we've had yet, apples, chips, Wendy's and a keg! An added bonus was the Wendy's and the keg were delivered by Zach Davis who wrote Appalachain Trials and runs the blog of the same name. Jessica and I both read the book as part of our preparation so it was really neat to meet him in person. 

The "trail gate" at Indian Grave Gap

The trail magic made it a good day despite the climb in mid 80's temps. 

Day 33

Cherry Gap Shelter: 359

Roan High Knob Shelter: 376

Total: 17

Another 17 mile day! Not too much to note today. The weather finally cooled off and we were able to enjoy the hiking a bit more. The early part of the day was pretty flat so we were able to put in a lot of miles before lunch. We ran into a group at the shelter who had slack packed 20+ miles the day before. They were still talking about how great it was. Thankfully, we will be slack packing soon ourselves. 

Our day ended with 2000+ foot climb to our shelter. It's an abandoned ranger cabin and is the highest shelter on the AT. Unfortunately, they were full by the time we got there. But the surrounding campsite was covered in pine straw. It made for a very soft tent floor! It was my (Jessica) favorite camp site so far.

Climb to the top

Day 34

Starting: roan high knob: 376

Ending: mountain harbor hostel: 392.3

Total: 16.3

Today was a crazy day and we are happy to be indoors at the end of it! We packed up camp and got on the trail by 8am!

The weather was cool and overcast and we heard there was a chance of storms later in the day. About a mile into our hike we ran into Doc and Tex with Doc's parents. They were visiting and helping Doc and Tex slack pack. We cought up briefly but they were moving fast so we couldn't keep up for long! 

We quickly started our climbing for the day which included crossing 5 balds! The views were amazing. 

We had lunch at a shelter that was an old barn. Apparently it sleeps over 20!

After lunch we continued climbing. We were making good time with our mileage but we knew we still had tough terrain ahead. Right before we were about to cross the biggest bald of the day, it started thunder storming. Being on top of the highest elevation around with no protection and metal hiking poles is not ideal. We decided to wait it out under a tree line until we were pretty confident the storms had passed. We were still climbing in crazy wind and rain but luckily, the storms had passed.

Shortly after finishing the balds we crossed out of NC for the last time! We have officially finished 2 states.

We spent the night at a hostel. It was a pretty interesting set up. We were in a semi-private room (a corner with a curtain) in the loft of a barn. We were actually pretty happy to be out of the rain and in a bed for the night. Even if it was above horses and goats.

Hikers on top horses on the bottom

Mike getting love from the hostel dogs.

Notice the goat on the rocks

Close up of goat.

We are planning on slack packing 24 today. It will be our longest mileage by far. Luckily our packs will be light and the terrain should be flat.

Also, we would like to wish our moms a very happy Mother's Day! We love you both very much and can't wait to see you!

Happy Trails,

Z & Gia

There are BEARS in these woods!

We are relaxing and recovering in Hot Springs, NC right now and will be back on the trail this afternoon.  We wanted give a quick recap of our last week.

Day 22
Starting Point: New Found Gap 206.8
Ending Point: Tri Corner Knob: ??
Total Miles: ??

We had breakfast at the hotel and then walked over to the local outfitter that provides free shuttle rides back to the trail.  We met the shuttle at 10 and were on the shuttle with 5 other thru hikers.  We were expecting to see Doc and Tex at the shuttle but they ended up getting an earlier ride out to the trail.
We got dropped off back at the gap around 10:45 and started hiking.  The weather was beautiful but there was a forecast of severe weather and tornado warnings that night so we wanted to try to get to the shelter as soon as possible.

Our hike that day was relatively easy.  We spent most of the day ridge walking and didnt have a lot of hard climbs.  Overall it was a pretty easy day with great weather.

In the Smokey Mountains hikers are required to stay at shelter sites (unless the shelter is full, then thru hikers can camp).  That makes for very crowded shelters.  The one we stayed in that night had 27 hikers (the shelter was made for 12). There were even people sleeping on the floor.  I think the threat of severe weather caused a lot of people to want to stay in the shelter.  We were the last ones at the site so we were able to set up our tent.  We managed to avoid most of the severe weather.  We had some strong winds and rain through the night but we stayed safe!

Day 23
Starting Point: Tri Corner Knob:??
Ending Point: Davenport Shelter: 237.2
Total Miles: ??

We started off our hike in rain and wind.  We knew this would be our last full day in the Smokeys so we were motivated to get moving!  The profile on the trail was again relatively easy.  This type of terrain makes for fast hiking!  We were able to get to the shelter for the night around 4.  That was our earliest day by far.  At the shelter there were only 4 other hikers there.  We knew we would have to sleep in the shelter.  Davenport shelter is the last (or first if you are a south bounder) shelter in the Smokeys and still has chain linked fence around the opening.  All of the shelters in the Smokeys used to have chain linked fence but they have all been removed.  We have heard multiple rumors as to why they have been removed.  Some of them were: hikers were leaving food out to lure the bears closer or hikers have locked other animals in the fence.

After dinner we were all sitting around the shelter and Mike noticed a bear with two cubs eating in the valley about 100 yards in front of us.  Everyone started scrambling to take pictures and video of the bears.  Most people at the shelter hadn't seen a bear on the trail yet so they were very excited to see them.  The bigger bear continued to get closer to the shelter until it was about 10 feet away! It even put a hole in another hiker's rain cover.  At that point, I was very grateful to have the chain link protection!!

Day 24
Starting Point: Davenport Shelter: 237.2
Ending Point: Max Patch Camp: 255
Total: 17.8

Its a lot easier to get out of camp early when you dont have a tent to break down!  We were able to leave around 8:30 and get an early start on the trail.  We knew we had a long day ahead of us on the trail and thankfully the weather was looking really good!  During the first few miles of the trail we walked directly under I-40.  It was pretty surreal to know how close we were to home at that point.  Shortly after passing I-40 we ran into Wolf getting dropped off from a shuttle!  We hadn't seen him since the NOC so it was great to catch up and hear about how his hike had been going. 

White Blaze under 40 west

We had a 5+ mile hike up a pretty steep hill so it was nice to be able to talk with Wolf to distract us from the climb.  Shortly after the climb we ran into Doc and Tex as well!  We hadnt seen them since Hiawassee.  It was so fun to be reunited with a group that we were hiking with in Hiawassee. 

We all decided to push past Max Patch and camp at a campground close to the bottom.  Unfortunately, it started to rain soon after we finished dinner which forced us all into our tents for an early night.

Day 25
Starting Point: Max Patch Camp: 255
Ending: Deer Park Shelter: 270.7
Total: 14.3

We woke up to dry weather but it was still very cold and overcast.  We knew we had one more full day of hiking until we would be in Hot Springs, NC!  The hiking was pretty nice and around lunch time the sun finally came out.  We made it to camp around 5 and were finally able to catch up with Doc, Tex, and Wolf by the campfire.

Day 26
Starting Point: Deer Park Shelter: 270.7
Ending: Hot Springs, NC: 273.9
Total: 3.2

Today we were up and out of camp by 8 am!  We knew we would be in town within the hour and had plans for a huge breakfast at a local diner.  The trail runs right through the middle of Hot Springs and there are a lot of restaurants and shops that cater to hikers.  We had a huge breakfast with Doc, Tex, and Wolf and then checked into the Sunnybank Inn.  It is a Bed and Breakfast in a huge old house run by a former thru hiker that has owned the house since 1978.  The house is full with books, musical instruments, and lots of history about the town and trail.  It was a really neat experience to be able to stay in such a beautiful house.  

We hung out in town that afternoon getting most of our hiker chores finished (laundry, post office, resupply, etc).  We were then able to enjoy a nice afternoon walking around and enjoying the nice weather!

We are getting back on the trail today (5/3) after a great breakfast at the inn.  Our plan is to be in Erwin, Tn by Wednesday.

Happy Trails,

G & Z

Gatlinburg!!

Day: 14

Starting: NOC, 137.1

Ending: Sassafrass Gap Shelter, 144.0

Total: 6.9 miles

Happy Easter! Our day started with a hearty breakfast of biscuits and gravy and egg sandwiches at River Bend restaurant at the NOC. We then picked up a few items at the NOC General Store for a six day resupply. Unfortunately, they were all sold out of lunch items and the nearest store was about a mile away. This was my first opportunity to try to hitch a ride because as my good friend James always likes to say, "I'm lazy." So I started up the road and left Jessica behind to pack up what we're able to buy at NOC. With my thumb out and a smile on my face, I headed down the road with the hopes of getting a ride. Two cars passed by and didn't even bother to slow down, then a third and a fourth, all of which had only one person in the car. I was getting discouraged after a few more cars passed. Then an older gentleman in a pickup with a Navy license plate stopped to pick me up. The Navy plate made me laugh because the Navy is responsible for transporting Marines and now he was transporting me to the store. He was kind enough to wait while I shopped at the store and drove me back to the NOC. After packing everything up we went back to the River Bend restaurant and had lunch. Afterwards, we sat at the river's edge and soaked our feet and ankles in the frigid water, it felt great.

We finally pulled ourselves away from the NOC to starting hike around two. The first 8.1 miles from the NOC the trail climbs from 1,723 ft to 5,062 ft. Our plan was to do a short 6.9 miles today since we won't have another zero day until next weekend. Although it was a short day, it was rather difficult because of the heat and the constant climb of over 2,600 ft. We pulled into the shelter around 5:50, set up camp, had dinner and enjoyed some Easter candy trail magic.

Easter Trail Magic from the NOC

Climb out of the NOC.




Day: 15

Starting: Sassafras Gap Shelter, NC 144.0

Ending: Cable Gap Shelter, NC 159.2

Total: 15.2 miles

Started the day by finishing the last 1.2 miles of the climb out of NOC. We reached the summit at Cheoah Bald at 5,062 ft.

Panoramic from Cheoah Bald.

Benchmark at Cheoah.

After an arduous decent to 3,165 ft over in less than five miles we were greeted by trail magic!! The thoughtfulness and generosity of people is amazing along the trail. To quote Jessica as soon as she spotted it, "people are great!" It's true! I don't think I've ever smiled that big for simply bananas and apples.

Trail Magic!!

We then continued our hike to meet Jacob's Ladder 7.2 miles up the trail. As the name implies, the trail is nearly vertical, it was an absolute beast, you could have easily reached out in front of you and touched the ground. We stopped for lunch right past the summit at Brown Fork Gap Shelter where we met a young couple from Nashville. They're the first hikers we've met from Nashville, it was nice spending time with others talking about home. The day ended at Cable Gap Shelter where we were lucky enough to find flat ground to set the tent on. Flat ground at the shelters is a premium.

Day 16

Starting: Cable Gap Shelter  159.2

Ending: Birch Spring Gap 171.7

Total: 12.5 miles

Very wet day. It started raining as soon as we started packing up and didn't let up until we got to Birch Spring. On the way there, we stopped at the Fontana Dam visitors center which had a snack shop that was closed for remodeling. It was very upsetting because there were signs for ice cream and other snacks and we were both pretty hungry. Nevertheless, we were able to get a soda from the vending machine which turned out to be a nice treat with lunch. We were also lucky enough to have a dry covered pavilion with picnic tables to relax and eat lunch. Although it was cold and raining the setting was very nice alongside the Fontana Lake.

Fontana Lake, NC

Jessica referred to it as the Great Spooky Mountains since the visibility was around 20-30 ft sometimes less, it was very eery. Also, we didn't see another person on the trail the entire day, including the campsite at night. 

A couple miles into the park we stopped to take a drink and two bears went scurrying down the side of the hill right in front of us. It looked to be a mother and its cub. The rest of the day we were either whistling or talking so that we didn't sneak up on any other bears. As soon as we arrived at the campsite the clouds opened up and the sun started shining, it was the perfect ending to the day!


Day 17
Birch Spring Gap 171.7

Ending: Derrick Knob Shelter: 188.8

Total: 17.1 miles


Today was the most difficult day yet, both physically and mentally. Physically, because of the mileage and difficult terrain and we were both exhausted from the prior two days. The first half of the GSMNP is very difficult hiking. Mentally, it was difficult because we got to the shelter over an hour after we expected to arrive there. At one point I thought we had wandered off the AT onto a side trail because we didn't see any white blazes for some time. I swear the signs and the profile map we use were both wrong because our ETA was so off. But like I always say, "99% of the time, it's user error." We eventually made it into the shelter with our legs and feet hurting pretty badly. We were glad to have this day behind us.


Day 18
Starting: Derrick Knob Shelter: 188.8
Ending: Mt. Collins Shelter: 202.3
Total: 13.5 miles


It's all down hill from here!! Today we crossed over the highest point of the entire AT, Clingman's Dome at 6,643 ft. The pictures speak for themselves...

On the climb up to Clingman's Dome.

Selfie from the top!

Day 19
Starting: Mt. Collins Shelter: 202.3
Ending: Newfound Gap: 206.8
Total: 4.5 miles


I wish everyday could be like today! We had a nice, easy 4.5 mile downhill hike to Newfound Gap, where we were going to meet Jessica's parents and head to Gatlinburg. Because we were so excited to see the family and have the weekend off we ended up getting there much earlier than anticpated. Jessica's parents were also running a litte late because of the bad weather and traffic heading into Gatlinburg. While we were standing in the parking lot debating on what to do until Jessica's parents showed up, a nice older gentleman offered us a ride into town, we gladly accepted. He had just gotten back from doing a 3 day hike with his brother-in-law and was heading into town for lunch. On the way there, he kindly offered to buy our lunch, which again, we gladly accepted. It worked out perfectly, as soon as we were done eating Jessica's parents showed up at the restaurant. It was great to see them.



Newfound Gap

Day 20-21
Starting/Ending: Gatlinburg
Total: 0


We spent the weekend in Gatlingburg with Jessica's parents, brother, sister, their spouses and our niece and nephew. On Friday, we spent the afternoon with Jessica's parents and our niece, Abby. They went and rode the earthquake ride while I caught on some phone calls, including my boss Alec. It was great taking with him and getting caught up with work matters. That evening, Jessica's sister, brother-in-law and nephew arrived. We built a fire and roasted marshmallows and had a nice evening hanging out. Jessica's brother and sister-in-law arrived late into the night.


Saturday, I continued my ritual of visiting the local barber to get my haircut, but not my beard, while the family went to the aquarium. We all met up afterward and had lunch, rode the skylift and enjoyed the sights and people watching in Gatlinburg. We capped off the night grilling bbq chicken, enjoying the hot tub, playing corn hole and having smores. It was a great weekend and we were so happy to be able to spend time with them.

The only (semi) group picture we got all weekend! Eli is sleeping and we accidentally cut Kate and Abby out.

Riding the skylift

Abby in the front yard of the cabin

Eli enjoying brunch Sunday morning

Eli and Brandon playing in the water

We get back on the trail tomorrow morning. Our goal is to stay safe in the upcoming weather and to hit Hot Springs by Friday!

Happy Trails,

Z & G

Put a fork in Georgia and other updates

We have experienced a lot of milestones this week! Some highlights include: crossing our first state line, hitting the 100 mile mark, and completing the Chattahoochee National Forest! 

We are currently resting and resupplying at the NOC, a huge outdoor recreational center in Bryson City, NC. We are planning on getting back on the trail this afternoon. We are meeting up with my parents for our next zero in Gatlinburg, TN on Friday so we have lots of miles to cover! 

Here is a breakdown of our last week:

Day 9

Starting: Dick's Creek, GA 69.6

Ending: Muskrat Shelter, NC 81.4

Total: 11.8

We took an early shuttle from the Holiday Inn and got back on the trail by 10am. We managed to avoid most of the bad weather during our time in Hiawassee but it was still a cold and rainy day.  We hit the Ga/Nc border and were greeted by our friends Rob and Ash! We all celebrated crossing our first big milestone. 

The rest of the day was a cold and windy hike to the shelter. NC definitely welcomed us with cold weather and big hills! We got to the shelter and set up the tent quickly. The weather dropped into the low 20's that night so we did our best to stay warm! 

Day 10

Starting: Muskrat Shelter, NC 81.4

Ending: Betty Creek Gap, NC 97.6

Total: 16.2

We got a very late start today. It was still pretty cold and neither of us wanted to get out of our tent. By the time we got on the trail the sun was starting to come out and we were finally starting to warm up! 

It is interesting to see how much the terrain has already changed only two days into NC. The soil is much darker and the hills have become longer and not as steep. 

We found a great spot to camp by a stream and got to bed pretty early. Overall, it was a good day of hiking!

Campsite for the night

Our makeshift drying rack

Day 11

Starting: Betty Creek, NC 97.6

Ending: Swinging Lick Campsite, NC 110.7

Total: 13.1

We got off to a pretty early start today. We were excited because we knew we were in for some good views and we were also going to cross the 100 mile mark today!! We hiked with our friend Wolf for most of the day. 

One of the side trails that crossed the AT

Right after we hit the 100 mile mark we climbed to the top of an old fire tower observation deck. The views from the top were amazing. Unfortunately, most of the pictures/videos we have are currently stuck in Mikes GoPro (we are still trying to figure that thing out)!

Selfie from the fire tower

The rest of the hike was pretty easy. We had some long rolling hills but nothing like what we were used to in Georgia! 

We met a woman at a road crossing who thru hiked in 1981. She was talking about some of the main differences between hikers now vs then. One of the main things she pointed out was the volume of people on the trail. In her year, 800 people attempted and about 100 finished. Our year close to 3000 people will attempt to thru hike! She also said that her pack weight averaged between. 40 to 60 pounds and she usually packed 15 days worth of food. Our packs are around 30-35 pounds and we pack 6 days max! There is a lot more support/options available for hikers now than there was 35 years ago.

Waterfall close to our campsite

We camped at a great site that had a stream running right beside. We had dinner with Wolf and sat by the campfire for a bit before bed.

Day 12

Starting: Swinging Lick Camp 110.7

Ending: Cold Spring Shelter 125.6

Total: 14.9

We were out of camp today by 9am which is really moving for Mike and I! We were feeling good and we completed our first 5 miles in 2 hours! The profile was pretty easy at that point. We ended up doing another 5 before lunch as well. That stretch included another observation tower which had a great view of the Smokeys. We got to see a lot if the mountains we would be climbing in the coming days! 

After lunch the weather started getting cold and rainy. We did our last 5 miles to camp in a constant drizzle. We set up the tent quickly and didn't leave for the rest if the night. We even had a cold dinner of tuna fish tortilla wraps because we didn't want to leave the tent to cook!

Day 13

Starting: Cold Spring Shelter 125.6

Ending: NOC 137.1

Total 11.5

Today was tough! It was probably the hardest day for me on the trail to date. I think the combination of the slick, technical downhill coupled with our desire to get to the NOC made for a hard hike.

We got up super early and made record time getting out of camp (8:30)! It had rained all night and we got really wet and muddy trying to pack everything up. We kept good spirits because we knew we would be enjoying a burger and a beer by lunch time! 

Some of the views on the trail were amazing. We hiked above the clouds for the first 5 miles of the day! The last 4 miles to the NOC are all downhill. There are some pretty steep switchbacks and rocky steps. It made for really sore ankles and knees by the end of the hike. 

We made it to NOC by 2 and had lunch with Wolf, Half Moon, Moxie and Picnic. The burger at River's End definitely lived up to our expectations and we were happy hikers by the end. 

We spent the night at the cabins and are getting ready to hit the Smokeys by Tuesday!

NOC Nantahala River

AT trail over the river

Happy Hikers!

Happy Trails!

Love,

Z & G

We Have Internet! A 7 day recap.

During our first week on the trail we have come to find out that the AT is definitely not Sprint friendly.  While some AT&T users are literally "live tweeting" their entire experience, we are struggling to find a signal on any mountain top.  We are now enjoying our first "zero" day of the trip in Hiawassee Georgia after hiking 70 miles on the trail.  Here are some highlights of our first week:

Day 0:
Starting Point: Nashville, TN
Ending Point: Hiker Hostel Dahlonega, GA
Total Miles: 0

We left Nashville Sunday morning (April 6th) after a great attending a great fundraising event for Benchmark Adventure Ministries (www.benchmark.org) Saturday night.  We were picked up in Gainesville, GA by Patty, the mother of the owner of the Hiker hostel where we spent our last night before the trail.   We spent the evening going over our gear and meeting other thru hikers.  We shared a room with Lightfoot and Caveman.  A couple from Virginia who had a goal to finish the AT by August and were slackpacking Georgia with the help of the hiker hostel.  

Checking my pack

Day 1:
Starting Point: Springer Mountain 0
Ending Point: Hawk Mountain Shelter 8.1
Total Miles: 8.1

The hostel fed us a great breakfast and we loaded into the shuttle for the hour ride to the southern terminus of the AT.  The weather forecast called for heavy rains all day but by the time we were dropped off at the start the rain had stopped and we were able to get pictures from the top of Springer Mountain.  We spent the rest of the day hiking in light rain and made it to the shelter around 3.  We were happy to set up our tent and get out of the rain.  We were tired but happy to have completed our first day on the trail!

Waiting for the shuttle at the hostel

Starting point of the AT!

Day 2:
Starting Point: Hawk Mountain Shelter 8.1
Ending Point: Woody Gap 20.6
Total Miles: 12.5

We had beautiful weather all day and the hiking was relatively easy.  We had lunch by a nice stream and ran into some of the thru hikers that stayed in the hostel with us.  We have met a lot of great people from many different backgrounds.  The hostel owner said that this season is averaging 47.5 thru hikers starting a day.  Its great to hear all of the different reasons people are out on the trail.

Day 3:
Starting Point: Woody Gap 20.6
Ending Point: Neel Gap-Raccoon Cabin 30.6
Total Miles: 10

We were excited to get going today because we had made reservations to stay in a cabin just outside of Neel Gap.  The cabin promised a hot shower, clean bed and clean laundry (we really like to rough it).  We were sold.  The hike had some difficult climbs including Blood Mountain.  The views from the top of Blood Mountain were definitely worth it.  Again, we had clear skies and could see for miles from the top. 
We resupplied from the outfitter at Neel Gap and walked over to our cabin for the night.  We stayed in the "Raccoon" themed cabin which included 4 stuffed raccoons mounted in various poses over the fireplace.  The star the pack was Ricky, a local raccoon who used to eat out of the cabin's trash but was hit by a car crossing the road.  He now lives above the fireplace in the Raccoon cabin.

  Overlooking Blood Mountain

Raccoon Shelter

Ricky and Friends

Day 4:
Starting Point: Neel Gap-Raccoon Cabin 30.6
Ending Point: Low Gap Shelter 43.2
Total Miles: 11.5

We didn't get on the trail until after 11 today.  We couldn't pull ourselves away from Ricky and the comfortable bed.  The weather again today was beautiful but the trail proved to be pretty difficult.  We had some tough climbs including a hill that seemed to be more difficult than Blood Mountain (the highest point in Georgia on the AT).   We have come to realize that the trails in Georgia are a series of steep rocky hills. 
We also experienced our first Trail Magic today!  After coming down from a particularly large hill we could see a blue tent set up by the side of the road.  We didn't want to get our hopes up too much but we were pretty sure it was trail magic.  By the time we got to the bottom of the hill there was a nice couple inviting us to sit down in the shade and enjoy cookies, soda, fruit, and other snacks.  They were a retired couple from Atlanta who like to come up to the trail a few times a year to do trail magic.  While we were there, a man on a motorcycle drove by and told us there was a bear by the road a few hundred feet away.  Mike raced down the road to take a picture, I stayed with the cookies.  The bear still looked to be a cub and this was probably the first year away from its mother.
 
After lunch we still had about 4 miles to go before reaching Low Gap.  The trail proved to be harder than anticipated, which has definitely taught us not to underestimate the "easy" profiles on the map.  We made it to the shelter around 5.  We had an early dinner and went to bed while the sun was still out.

We also finalized our trail names today.  Mike is officially known as "XYZ" (Z for short) and I am "Gia."  Mike's is from having his zipper down all day the first day on the trial and mine is an old college nickname.

Bear by the trail

Day 5:
Starting Point: Low Gap Shelter 43.2
Ending Point: Cheese Factory Site 56.6
Total Miles: 13.4

We got on the trail by 9:15 this morning which has been our earliest start on the trail by far.  The beginning of the hike was fairly flat and we made good timing on our mileage.  We have been averaging about 2 miles per hour on the trail (including hills and water breaks).  We had lunch at Blue Mountain Shelter.  It was very well maintained and was a great location for lunch.  We also celebrated a mini milestone right before lunch by crossing the 50 mile mark!  We actually didn't even realize it until we were looking at the map later that night. 
We set up camp near an old cheese factory site.  We learned that the factory closed in the 30's and there is no evidence that there was ever anything there.  It was a nice flat place to camp.

Breakfast at camp

Day 6:
Starting Point: Cheese Factory Site 56.6
Ending Point: Deep Gap Shelter 66.0
Total Miles: 9.4

As we were finishing up breakfast a group of about 20 boy scouts stopped for a break at the camp site.  They were on weekend hike preparing to go to Philmont.  We also learned that they were planning on staying at the same shelter we were that night.  Thankfully, they were a well behaved group and went to bed early. 
We had lunch at Sassafras Gap and met Chicken Feathers, an AT veteran who was very knowledgeable about the trail.  He told us about places to stay and avoid along our trip.   His advice also caused us to change hotel reservations in Hiawassee. 
We made it to the shelter by early afternoon.  We spent the afternoon playing cards and talking with other hikers.  We were excited to get an early start the next day because we were taking a shuttle into town for our first official "zero" day. 

Day 7:
Starting Point: Deep Gap Shelter: 66.0
Ending Point: Dicks Creek Gap: 70.0
Total Miles: 3

Today was an easy 3 miles to the highway that leads into Hiawassee Georgia.  We were originally planning on taking a $10 shuttle into town but we found a ride from a nice retired couple who live in Hiawassee and maintain part of the trail.  They dropped us off at the Holiday Inn Express where we are staying until Tuesday morning.  Our timing has been perfect as there is a storm coming through over the next two days.  We will resupply here and rest up for next week.  We are hoping to increase our daily average to around 15 miles per day next week.  Our goal is to make it to the NOC for resupply by Saturday. 

Happy Trails to All!
Z & G