Turn Your Troubles into Blessings
I received a text message from a friend: “My sister and I want to begin a hike at Springer Mountain in mid-July. Do you have maps we can borrow or recommend the best maps?” My maps are in storage in Virginia while I work out in California! Besides, once you step on the Appalachian Trail, …
Continue reading “Maps for the Appalachian Trail near Springer Mtn., GA”
September 18, 2016 We stopped at 6:35 p.m. when we reached the Shooting Star Camp, the northernmost shelter on the Long Trail, just 4.4 miles from the northern terminus. We had talked about pushing on in the dark to the end, but agreed that the risk and slowness of night walking in this rocky terrain …
September 17, 2016 9 a.m. 26 miles to go! Yesterday evening, we reached our goal, the Spruce Peak Shelter. It was a nice shelter, but it was only 5:00 p.m.! There were still two hours of light. We kept going. First, through Devil’s Gulch, a short scramble through huge craggy boulders covered with ferns. I …
September 12, 2016 “Hiker Friends, we need a hiker friend, to pick us up at this trailhead and take us to town.” That’s my new thought when I have to hitch a ride into town for resupply. I accept that most of the drivers passing us by don’t know anything about the Long Trail and …
September 12, 2106 I bought a backpack in Waterbury. It’s very cool, emblazoned with “I ♡ 1 Direction” and a photo of the boyband. “Whaaat?” you say! Actually, it’s perfect…….because… It has a zipper! My pouch needs a new zipper, and this backpack has a good one. I can cut it out and use it. …
September 8, 2016 I’ve spent almost as much time shopping when I lived in Decatur, GA, than I did today starting from the trail! When I lived in Midway Woods, John Reiter and I would don our backpacks (we had no car then) and walk 45 minutes to the Dekalb Farmers Market, shop for a …
September 7, 2016 The local hiker we met a couple of hours after our 6:43 a.m. start on our first full day of this walk said, “This slabbing makes for quite a walk, doesn’t it?” I was unfamiliar with the term, but realized she was talking about how the trail was carved out of the …
September 6, 2016 8 miles completed on this section of the Long Trail! We got out on the trail about 2 p.m. A sense of home at the Inn at Long Trail pervaded the day. Was it the familiarity with that spot since we had stopped there last year, even though we didn’t stay. The …
September 5, 2016 The sign here we left the Appalachian Trail, finished and new complete, and a little sad, said “Please Stay on the Trail.” In my mind I sang along with Arlo Guthrie, “That sign was made for you and me.” And we also knew that what we really wanted to do was heed …