Rhiannon and I arrived at Amicola Fall State Park in North Georgia
after a few stops along the way. The Approach Trail is about 8 miles
and is not technically part of the Appalachian Trail, it is simply
where you hike to the start. Some people also use dirt roads to get
dropped off closer to the start.
I signed in at the office (I was the 249th person to start with the
intention of finishing in Maine) and we headed off for the almost
entirely uphill trip. It was a beautiful day but it was certainly slow
going. The trail starts at the base of the falls and climbs 604 steps
to the top. Then we took more traditional trails to our campsite at
Black Gap Shelter,1.5 miles from the start.
We had a great dinner consisting of Lenny's Subs (amazing foresight on my part) supplemented with some trail food. We stayed in a tent to avoid the mice in the shelter. It was Rhiannon's choice, but I think it probably had something to do with a Chatty Cathy in the shelter. He is a nice guy who has a lot to say. I'm sure I'll see him again. My sleeping bag is rated at 20 degrees due to predicted temperatures but as it has been unseasonably warm I slept ridiculously hot. Not my best night's sleep for sure.
To be fair, there definitely were mice. :) But yes, he was very friendly. Hope the thru-hikers you've connected with are being just as nice!
ReplyDelete