OmPi's Adventures

Sometimes you just need a day off to get you head back in the game. Today provided that for me. I woke up around 6 and hurriedly packed my camp so I could get down to the hostel when they opened. The last few days they had been booking up and it was a Saturday so I wanted to make sure I got a bunk but more so I wanted to just be able to relax.

Well relax I did from the moment I arrived I sat down with my hiking shoes off and enjoyed the day. As I arrived I crossed paths with Cole, Pantyhose, JT who I met at the camp fire at Tray Mountain, and a few others. They were all leaving on the next shuttles out and I was just happy as a GA peach to be sitting in a rocking chair catching up and relaxing.

As everyone departed I was welcomed in and offered a beverage. Nothing like a hot cup of coffee to warm you up, especially when you don't have it regularly. I settled in and took advantage of their wifi to update my blog. I also met tumbles who I would have packed out of there in an instant. Some of you may have already seen her of you are on my instagram.

I got a shower, laundry done (they even gave you scrubs to where so you could do all of your laundry in one load) and caught up with other hikers. I'm feeling better and better about knowing lots of people, both ahead of me and behind me.

Bob (aka sir packs alot) was the proprietor of Top of GA and a triple crowner. This means he has hike the three key trails in the states. These include the Appalachian, the Pacific Crest and the Continental Divide trails. Someone with this much experience is a guy I wanted to learn from. When greeting those staying at the hostel he always congratulated them for making it past woody gap (site of my first Trail magic) apparently at that location approximately 10% of people drop out if hiking the trail. At Dick's Creek that number increases to 25% and after the smokies nearly half of all people who will not make it to Maine will have given up.

While there so early i relaxed for a bit before catching a shuttle into town for lunch.  There was an All You Can Eat (AYCE) buffet for $8.95 that included a salad bar, veggies, southern fried chicken, mashed taters, beef tip gravy and plain brown gravy, oh of course and dessert. I ate and ate and ate then the first couple I was sitting with left so I moved over with some other hikers and ate some more.

Once done stuffing my face in went back to the hostel and retrieved my resupply box. I have been kicking myself for picking up a few of the supplies I did at Mountain Crossing, specifically a 16oz jar of peanut butter. Really OmPi you are carrying a pound of peanut butter. Absurd. Anyway after bitching and moaning about how much food I had I organized it all into my stuff sack and just relaxed a bit more.

Each night Bob gives a little talk/lesson on successful thru hiking based around his 10 guidelines. All of them were great, most I was familiar with but it is always nice to have a reminder. He also shared some stories about things on the trail that were pretty awesome. One being that Dr. Seuss got his character and story of the grinch from a tomb of a hermit that is on the AT. I'll be sure to post when I pass it.
 
As a whole the time there was nice, the Accommodations were what you would expect from a hiker hostel. Staff was friendly and the entire place was clean (as in by a cleaning person, daily between checkin and checkout.) Breakfast the next day that was included was a nice touch. The biggest values of the hostel however were the shuttle services and Bob himself. Highly recomend staying there!

Great day to just relax. Check out mountain crossings again, better today with a more personable staff still a less than I anticipated. Anyway the day started by making breakfast for my cabin mates. I love cooking breakfast and I think they enjoyed it as well.

Only Podazon decided to stay around for a zero. He's a really cool guy also from SWFL. We sent the other hikers off and along their way. Bandana was the first to leave. Very brave young man who flew from Japan to hike the Appalachian Trail, and speaks pretty broken English. I give him and anyone mad props for undertaking such a huge adventure. Kris and Starfish also left a bit later.

We caught up with a guy named Living Proof who hiked about 150 miles of the trail last year before he broke his shoulder. He was resting his feet a few days recovering from pretty intense blisters. We also crossed paths with a few other hikers we had been hiking with and many more we have not met yet.

Today gave me a little time to catch up on some documenting of this adventure even though cell service is limited I got a few things out and posted. I picked up a few post cards for my letter writing friends but I will need your addresses so please message them to me.

Thanks all for following tomorrow will be a big day, possibly the biggest yet so tine for bed it's almost actual midnight. Blasted electric messing up my sleep paterns.

OmPi (  ॐ  π  )

I woke up and broke camp, in the last 3 days I've already shaved 30 minutes off my breaking camp routine getting it down from 75 minutes to about 45. As everyone began to rise and make breakfast I put the last of my items in my pack and started to make my way toward Blood mountain. We had a few good climbs that day with the first descent leading us into Jarrard gap.

The forestry department has deemed that the area between Jarrard gap and Neel gap needs some natural rejuvenation which led them to prohibit camp fires. There has also been an issue with bear and human interactions in the area so they have also made it a requirement to store all food and scented items in a bear canister not just follow basic bear bagging principles.

(Photo bear sign.)

So this has resulted in few people actually camping in this section of the AT as it is just easier, lighter and less burdensome to hike just before the boundary and camp then like all of us just hike through the area the next day.

This section of the AT was especially beautiful and with the heavy mist that was setting thick upon the trail it made for a very unique hiking experience.

(Video)

All the way up the trail felt like I was in a JR Tolkien book. The trees had all their own personalities.

(Photos)

At the foot of blood mountain was a turn in the trail at a small stream I realized where I was and decided now was as good a time as ever to enjoy my snickers a few bites of trail mix and refill my water supply. Whole enjoying my rest and photographing the mist and trees I heard and sound when up came Jay "the writer." We chatted a bit and I let him know our location and he decided to also power up. Cole followed and before you knew it the whole camp was resting at the base of the mountain except for Nadine who blasted right by and was ready to reach the top of the mountain. I followed after her and the ascent through various switchbacks lead us on a nice incline up up up. Before I knew it we were passing into an open rock Vista with a stone shelter right beside.

While the view from the top was limited by the fog the experience was still as magical as ever.

(Photo at shelter / video)

I took a moment to review the shelter log and write a short entry before beginning the descent. It wasn't long before the youngster hikers trekked right by leaving Jay the Writer and I in the dust. It was alright though as we had some great conversation on the way down.

(Photo stone)

The descent was a tough one with blazes painted on rocks trees so that hikers paid attention to their step rather than looking up and around for the next blaze. Though slow going we made our way to the bottom and into mountain crossings outfitter. I have to say I was less than impressed with the reception but maybe I had built up my expectations too high.

The renown tree of shoes where SOBO'S (southbound) hikers and NOBO (northbound) would-be hikers leave their shoes if they give up or get a big upgrade in the outfitter. I opted for the Blood Mountain Cabins tonight over the Mountain Crossings Hostel and decided it would be a good day for a zero as well since we were anticipating rain this evening and tomorrow. I collected a few people and headed over to secure our spot.

(Photo cabins)

When we arrived we were welcomed with cheerful greeting, hot pizza and a small resupply. Yes I'm very glad I chose Blood mountain Cabins. Thanks Bat for the heads-up.

We settled in ordered a freshly made pizza from Trish the owner of the cabins and enjoyed a cola. Their pizza is a steal at $10 with unlimited toppings and discounted add on like chicken wings. Um, yes please. Anyway we settled in dropped our laundry off at the office, yes they do your laundry, no it doesn't cost extra and all began to wash the wilderness off.

I picked up a few things for breakfast (eggs, biscuits and gravy) so I could send those who were not staying for a zero off with a bang in the morning.

We settled in for the night with a giant bowl of soup from kris and starfish's food bag and got a nice little fire going in the fireplace. We talked, lives, how good it is to be warm, clean and laundered. Soon hiker midnight came and we headed to bed.

(Photo)

OmPi ( ॐ π )

After a good nights sleep at The Hiker Hostel in Delonega, GA I awake to the percolating of the coffee machine. 7 am is coffee to get the day started then 730 is breakfast made by owners (Josh and Leigh) and the hostel hands. Delicious! It included pancakes, eggs which I had hoped were from their chickens (but Leigh said they only produce enough every 4 or so days),

(Photo)

Grits (a southern delicacy and requirement) with cheese, as well as oatmeal with raisins and brown sugar. Everyone was so polite and only took a small plate but not me, well I was polite but filled my plate then when I got to the table smothered my pancakes with butter, peanut butter and syrup and hit those grits with a generous sprinkling of salt and pepper. Simon who is from England and also a Thru-hiker with his wife Sarah, asked about the grits and was enjoying trying an American Southern delicacy. The Germans (Sebastian and Brian) tried the pancakes in the "American fashion" aka loaded, when Kate who is from MSP informed them that the PB was not as common. Clearly from the Midwest. Lol.

830 we settled our tab and departed the Hiker Hostel arriving at Amacolola state park around 915.

We all met Clarity the RR and 2015 AT Thru Hiker and I signed in with a 31lb pack not bad but I would like to drop 6 or more pounds. The pounds will come off  know, as I had 2 ltrs water and in reality 1 ltr is all you really need to carry so long as you camel up at sources. I also had a left-over subway sandwich for lunch that I was packing out, that was soon to be gone (sorry Leigh no luck when it comes to my food being left behind.)

Clarity offered a brief demo on how to use trekking poles and helped adjust the weight distribution of my pack. In comparison to my FT hike the pack felt much better though I know I will still make tweaks along the way.

After a photo at the Arch we hiked out.

(Photo)

Brian & Sebastian (Germans), Cole  (from Baton Rouge, LA), Kate (MSP), Stretch who has done sections of the trail in NE but is setting off to thru and Simon and Sarah (the brits) who I met intitially at the Marta and shared a shuttle to HH with. Really cool couple who have just spent 6 months in South America. They also jumped at the opportunity to share a pizza with me last night at the HH, I don't see sharing a pie after a few weeks once Hiker Hunger kicks in, hell I barely share a pizza now.

The initial walk is beautiful and not too intense with some creeks and streams common in GA.

(Photo)

Then the stairs come, first 175 to the falls and then another 425 to the top. (Mikey, I thought of you and how much you would love it.)

(PHOTO)

Holy cow that is a great work out for the calves and quads, I can see why hikers have legs of steel.

The Germans pull ahead with what the Brits attribute to renown German efficiency and I fall in with Stretch, Kate and Cole, as the Brits lagged a little behind then catch up with us at resting and photo ops. The falls were incredibly beautiful and worth the effort.

(Photo)

The view at the top was magnificent 

(Photo)

but little did I realize what I was in for just to get to the start of the AT atop Springer mountain. This sign greeted us just a hair up the trail.

(Photo)

(Yes that's right, to make it to the start of the AT I would have an aprox 6 hour hike, that doesn't even "count". I don't want to say that sign burst my bubble but well it burst my bubble. Nonetheless, I kept spirits high and hiked mostly with Cole and Kate for a while. As we were hiking we picked up some trash along the trail in the form of tin cans and Merrill boot soles. Really people? Pack out your shit and don't leave it to destroy the experience for others. LNT.

The next few hours were a nice but pretty serious hike. I really enjoyed the flat portions, the descents inspired me less and we'll you can keep the climbs, but being from FL what would you expect? It was beautiful to see the rebirth in nature taking place before my eye's and it got me thinking how in this journey I am also experiencing a bit of a rebirth.
(Photo)
New leaves budding.

Cole and I stopped for lunch at Frosty mountain camp site and well let's just say it is called Frosty Mountain for a reason. Cole plans on cooking 3 meals a day which is commendable but I think that will change. As he fires up his stove I'm thrilled to eat my sandwich. He shares that he is packing 6 days of food which is quite a bit and then as he cracks into a tuna packet, he mentions that he isn't sure if he even likes tuna. Needless to say he doesn't care for it as much as he had hoped and offered it to me. You better believe I'm gonna eat any food that is offered cause afterall I'm a foodie and more so I know calories are king on the trail. Best yet it was food I didn't have to carry. THANKS Cole! Jack a section hiker was also atop Frosty mountain for lunch but he was wrapping us as we got settled in. StarCrunch another ridge runner passed us as she made her way from Springer Shelter to the state park collecting trash and educating hikers along the way. We mentioned collecting the cans and shoes and she offered to take them but I said that it was OK that I would throw them away at the next can as she already had a pretty full bag. As we talked she informed me that the next can would not be atop Springer mountain (as I had visions of it being a developed mountain top) but it would be another 20 miles or so at Woody gap. I was starting to wish I hadn't said no to her taking the trash or wishing she would offer one more time.

The next bit of trail provided a workout for my quads which stiffened up at times though I know they will grow rapidly. It was amazing to see how quickly a group of 10 can spread out based on hiking speeds, breaks, etc. Cole and I hiked for a while together, he really seems like a cool kid who has traveled much more than some people 2 and 3x his age. His father Reid dropped him off at the trailhead and was heading back to Baton Rouge, LA. I know Cole is really thankful for his father and his support on this journey. This gratitude got me to thinking of all those who have made my journey a possibility, especially my partner Chad, who I could never do this without.

We passed Nimblewill gap and I had to get a picture in honor of a AT Trail Blazer and one of the Trail Angels while I hike a little of the FT. Nimblewill Nomad was one of the first to hike the ECT (Eastern Continental Trail) from the FL keys up the FT, through a trail in Alabama Trail which connects to the FT and AT, it then shares the lenght of the AT continues on past Katahdin into Nova Scotia if I recall. Has a book called 5 Million Steps which I highly recomend.

(Photo)

As I continued my hike to the top of Springer I found myself hiking alone in a forest of no leaves as I approached the ridge.

(Photo)

After a couple of stops to rest and stretch my burning quads, I happened passed some other hikers, a few were thru, some were section as well as a couple day hikers. I found Simon, Sarah and Cole atop Springer at the first white blaze, the official start of the Appalachian Trail.

(Photo)

My journey officially begins with a touch of the first blaze and of course a phone call to my partner and mother while I was atop a mountain and had service. Cole and I scanned and signed the registry at the start monument and headed on our journey. We had discussed wanting to get past the springer shelter to at least the next one and give ourselves plenty of time to set up camp and get the camp chores done with light to spare. I actually wanted to stop near a stream and stealth camp as the shelters generally freak me out as they can be a haven for rodents and can become host of norovirus.

We hiked on and came to the parking lot a mile off springer where we met John and his 3 kids who came our for a day hike on the Benton McKay trail. He was a nice guy that I had every intention on pawing off my trash to so I didn't have to carry it for another 19 miles. John became my first trail angel or trail magician who agreed to take my trash off my hands and dispose of it for me. Thanks John you go down in OmPi History. As I write this I realize I didn't get a photo of him to commemorate the event. STINK.

Cole and I made it to a few way points and the trail became pretty nice. We found some really incredible camping spots but it was early in the day with lots of light so we hiked on. When we arrived at the next  shelter and there was lots of space and plenty of room for camping. Cole was set and I was not so I continued on.

I went about another mile past the shelter and decided I wanted to get setup before I lost too much light and was glad I did as camp chores took me a little longer than expected. I am currently writing from my home for the first night on the trail.

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My humble abode. It is supposed to get to freezing Temps tonight so I was trying to figure out how to pitch my tarp to keep out the wind. I think I was only half successful. Still lots to learn! After setting up camp I got some water from the stream opposite the Trail from me and started to cook my first meal. I winged it as I had no measurements and decided the extra calories of a warm dessert would be helpful in freezing temps so tonight's meal was Lentil Rice & Veggie Curry with Banana Bread mush for dessert.

(Photos)

Both homemade recipes and I was happy with both. While the meal cooked, I attempted to bear bag for the first time. If only someone was there to video it may have been the most dangerous thing I've done on this trip so far and probably the funniest. I made a major mistake a lost a carribiner and some rope as I attempted my 103rd attempt at hanging my food bag. Another couple dozen attempts yielded a sufficient first bear bagging.

(photo)

I ate my dinner and realized just how much food it prepared so I stored some in my termos to have for breakfast or lunch as a quick warm meal... this will become very convenient once I work out the details. I found that I was missing a piece, well 2 stakes for my stove set so will have to pick up something at mountain crossing but will work it out till then.

I brushed my teeth, hung any scented items in the bear bag and settled into bed around 830. Needless to say with freezing temps expected I bundled up. Here I am inside my hammock for the first night.

(Photo)

I know my partner in going to say I look like a terrorist but I will say I stayed toasty warm through the night. Woke up at 11:55 and thought my tarp had come unstaked on one side but it had held. So back to bed I went. Around 5:45 I woke up again very refreshed but not ready to break camp in the dark so I started journaling. It is nearly 7:15 and dawn has broken so I think it is time to hit the trail. No plans today I'll hike and see how I feel and stop when ready. My belly is grumbling, I guess its time to break camp and have an energy bar or 3.

Much love to all and thank you for your support. If you have insight into how to do things better or well wishes please share them.