Hiking The AT 2009 4/14/2009

4/14/09

Justin dropped me off at the approach trail to Springer Mountain, it was raining on and off.

The first white blaze of the AT

On top of Springer Mountain I met Jerry a volunteer with the Georgia Appalachian Trail Club, and a girl who was starting a thru hike her trail name was "MO".

Jerry talked to us about "Leave No Trace Camping " Then gave us a book of matches which I thought was kind of funny. After I signed the guest book it was time to follow the white blaze's of the AT.

The first day it felt like I was walking in a rain forest . It stopped raining about 1:00 as the day went on my right foot began to hurt. I made it to Hawk Mnt. Shelter around 3:30 Hiked over 8 miles today had hoped to get farther.

Hawk Mnt. Shelter was a tipical AT shelter double deck with three sides. The mice can be crazy at the shelter's. Talked with someone who had spent the night at this shelter the night before and said a mouse had eaten a hole right through a stocking hat that a guy was wearing the night before.

Many of the shelters had places for you to hang your food from the bears.

I perfered my tent to the shelters

Some of the shelters had Priveys