A Spontaneous Adventure
Don and I each have a bucket list, and hiking a section of the Appalachian Trail was on both of our lists. For years, we had talked about going. Then in early June, we looked at our schedules and saw a week window that worked for both of us - the week of June 24 - July 1, 2017!
Don and I began to furiously plan the trip. We bought equipment and a Trail Guide. We went on a practice hike at Rufner Mountain with our packs. We set daily hiking goals for the trail, booked hostels and cabins, and created a menu for our meals. We watched the weather and were very worried that there would be would thunderstorms during the week of our hike. The day we left, the rain stopped, leaving the temperature cool for our hike.
Don and I began to furiously plan the trip. We bought equipment and a Trail Guide. We went on a practice hike at Rufner Mountain with our packs. We set daily hiking goals for the trail, booked hostels and cabins, and created a menu for our meals. We watched the weather and were very worried that there would be would thunderstorms during the week of our hike. The day we left, the rain stopped, leaving the temperature cool for our hike.
Packed up and ready to go. Our packs weighing in at 35 and 25 pounds.
Our Adventure Begins
We left on Saturday, June 25th and checked into Top of Georgia Hiker Hostel. We went out to eat with our friend, Daniel Martin, at the Universal Joint in Clayton, GA. We spent the night there and were driven to Springer Mountain. On GA-60, a tree had fallen across the road about 3 miles from the drop off point. So our hike began a little earlier than we expected.
Click on the picture to see the whole picture and read the captions.
Day 1 Hike - GA-60 North to Hawk Mountain
We hiked 3 miles on GA-60 until we got to the Springer Mountain Parking Lot. It was then another mile hike to the Southern Terminus of the Trail. We signed in, took pictures, and enjoyed the view. Then we began our long hike to Hawk Mountain Shelter. Once we got there, the shelter was full, but there were plenty of campsites available. So, we set up camp.
All About Day 1
Pictures from Day 1
Click on the picture to see the whole picture and read the captions.
Videos From Day 1
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A 3 Mile Detour
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The Southern Terminus Starting Point
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A Sea of Ferns
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Stover Creek 1
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Stover Creek 2
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Stover Creek 3
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Long Creek Falls
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The Siesta
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Three Forks
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Hawk Mountain Shelter Campsite
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First Night
Day 2 Hike - Hawk Mountain to Woody Gap
Our plan for Day 2 was to hike from Hawk Mountain Shelter to Woody Gap. We wanted to make it to the Hiker Hostel in Dahlonega before dark. It would be about 13 miles. We knew it would be our longest hike in one day. For experienced hikers, 13 miles is not that big of a deal. Don and I were new to extended hikes however, and it was a little more difficult than we expected. It started off fine. We ate breakfast, broke camp, and began our hike. The steep incline from Horse Gap up Sassafrass Mountain was what killed us! After that, the hike was much easier. Sassafrass Mountain just made the Hiker Hostel in Dahlonega much sweeter!
All About Day 2
Pictures from Day 2
Click on the picture to see the whole picture and read the captions.
Videos from Day 2
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Starting Our Hike
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Done with Sassafras Mountain
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Day 3 Hike - Woody Gap to Neel Gap
Day 3 was my favorite hiking day! We hiked from Woody Gap to Neel Gap. This included the hike to Preacher's Rock and the much anticipated hike up Blood Mountain. I had originally been concerned about Blood Mountain, especially after Sassafras Mountain, but it was not nearly as hard to me. It was actually enjoyable. The sites on this hike were amazing and we met several people along the way. We finished our hike at Blood Mountain Cabins where we spent the night.
All About Day 3
Pictures from Day 3
Click on the picture to see the whole picture and read the captions. I really enjoyed this day so there are a lot of pictures. Not every picture has a caption.
Videos from Day 3
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Preacher Rock
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A Little Tutorial
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A Beautiful Surprise
Day 4 Hike - Neel Gap to Low Gap
Day 4 was the hardest day. We hiked from Neel's Gap to Low Gap Shelter Camping. I woke up and my toes hurt. The toenails on my big toe and second toe on both feet were black! Black toe is caused when the toenail sustains a constant or sudden, hard trauma. I did not remember either of those things happening, but apparently it did!
A man at the Neels Gap Store told me that my shoes were actually too small. He said that you need to buy a half size too big when walking the trail. To keep it from slipping off your foot, you lace the shoes a special way, by looping the string through the bottom holes of the shoe. He recommended new shoes, but I decided that it was not worth it for just 2 more days of hiking. This was a bad decision! My toes hurt and so I curled them up in my shoe, somehow as I was curling them up and preparing to go down Cowrock Mountain, I twisted my leg and tweaked my knee.
Now, if you have never tweaked your knee, the word tweak will lead you to believe it is not all that painful. So let me illustrate it more clearly! Tweaking your knee is better described as "turning your knee cap the opposite way and back again really fast!" As I continued to hike, my knee began to swell. Any pressure on it was agony. I became really frustrated because I was slowing Don down, but I was so stubborn I would not stop until we got to Wide Gap.
It was there, Don called it! He called a courier to come pick me up and take me to the cabins. At first, I was really hard on myself. I was so upset. I only had one mountain left! It was the right decision though. There was no point in making my knee worse. I had hiked the Trail. I had set out to do what I had intended to do... Not to mention, I couldn't afford to have a hurt knee, I am the personal chauffeur and entertainment service for three kids, ages 12, 11, and 8 and a school teacher of over 200 kids with less than a month before school starts back!
A man at the Neels Gap Store told me that my shoes were actually too small. He said that you need to buy a half size too big when walking the trail. To keep it from slipping off your foot, you lace the shoes a special way, by looping the string through the bottom holes of the shoe. He recommended new shoes, but I decided that it was not worth it for just 2 more days of hiking. This was a bad decision! My toes hurt and so I curled them up in my shoe, somehow as I was curling them up and preparing to go down Cowrock Mountain, I twisted my leg and tweaked my knee.
Now, if you have never tweaked your knee, the word tweak will lead you to believe it is not all that painful. So let me illustrate it more clearly! Tweaking your knee is better described as "turning your knee cap the opposite way and back again really fast!" As I continued to hike, my knee began to swell. Any pressure on it was agony. I became really frustrated because I was slowing Don down, but I was so stubborn I would not stop until we got to Wide Gap.
It was there, Don called it! He called a courier to come pick me up and take me to the cabins. At first, I was really hard on myself. I was so upset. I only had one mountain left! It was the right decision though. There was no point in making my knee worse. I had hiked the Trail. I had set out to do what I had intended to do... Not to mention, I couldn't afford to have a hurt knee, I am the personal chauffeur and entertainment service for three kids, ages 12, 11, and 8 and a school teacher of over 200 kids with less than a month before school starts back!
All About Day 4
Pictures from Day 4
Click on the picture to see the whole picture and read the captions. Not every picture has a caption.
Videos from Day 4
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Fresh Baked...What?
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A Scenic View
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Day 5 Hike - Low Gap to Unicoi Gap
The beginning of Day 5 was different for Don and I. Don hiked from Low Gap to Unicoi Gap. Because, I had hurt my knee, I had spent the night at Enota Wilderness Retreat. I have the pictures divided up into his journey, my exploration, and then coming back together again. Don had a good hike. I really struggled with the fact that I was not with him, but a good night's sleep and waking up to a knee that I could actually put weight on again put things into perspective.
There was one thing Don experienced on his hike that actually made me glad I was not was not with him. During the hike, he came close to a large branch lying in the middle of the pathway. As he got closer, he realized that it was not a big branch but a big rattlesnake! The snake slithered on by, but every limb that brushed his pack or undergrowth that swiped his ankle, had him jumping and double timing it down the trail. Those of you that know me know that I have an "Indiana Jones" like fear of snakes. We had not encountered any dangerous, wild animals the whole time we were on the trail until the snake. I have to admit, I am glad I missed it.
I did sort of want to see a black bear though. Just from a far distance.... One hiker we encountered did come across a bear. He did what you are supposed to do when you see a bear. He stopped in his tracks and started clanking his trekking poles together, yelling, "bear, hey bear!" He said, the bear did not just run away like you learn they are supposed to do. He told us that bear looked at him like he was some kind of crazy fool. It almost appeared that the bear shook his head at him and then casually walked off. I guess the bears are used to us crazy human types!
There was one thing Don experienced on his hike that actually made me glad I was not was not with him. During the hike, he came close to a large branch lying in the middle of the pathway. As he got closer, he realized that it was not a big branch but a big rattlesnake! The snake slithered on by, but every limb that brushed his pack or undergrowth that swiped his ankle, had him jumping and double timing it down the trail. Those of you that know me know that I have an "Indiana Jones" like fear of snakes. We had not encountered any dangerous, wild animals the whole time we were on the trail until the snake. I have to admit, I am glad I missed it.
I did sort of want to see a black bear though. Just from a far distance.... One hiker we encountered did come across a bear. He did what you are supposed to do when you see a bear. He stopped in his tracks and started clanking his trekking poles together, yelling, "bear, hey bear!" He said, the bear did not just run away like you learn they are supposed to do. He told us that bear looked at him like he was some kind of crazy fool. It almost appeared that the bear shook his head at him and then casually walked off. I guess the bears are used to us crazy human types!
All About Day 5
Pictures from Day 5
Click on the picture to see the whole picture and read the captions. Not every picture has a caption.
Don's Journey From Low Gap to Unicoi Gap
Don took pictures on the trail of things he thought I would have liked to see.
April's Exploration of Enota
While Don was toiling away on the trail, I rested up. Enota Mountain Retreat was a diamond in the rough! I was not the bare bone hiker hostel that I had expected. It reminded me of the summer retreat on Dirty Dancing! Actually, it used to be a summer camp for boys. They have now turned it into a camper's retreat. It was a great place to relax and rest up.
Together Again and Dinner in Helena
Don made it to Enota safely. After a brief nap and much appreciated shower, we celebrated the end of our journey by going to a nearby town for dinner. Helena is a German inspired town. All the architecture is done in German style. It was a beautiful town. We did not stay and look around. Don was dog tired. We went. We feasted. We slept! A great ending!
Videos from Day 5
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Reflections
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Wild Life
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The Last Valley of Ferns
Our Adventure Ends
On day 6 our journey was over. We packed up and headed home. It rained hard on the way back. We were really glad we got our hike completed when we did. We both learned so much about ourselves on this trip. It also brought Don and I even closer together.
All About Day 6
Pictures from Day 6
The Play List
Music will get you through just about anything. Here is my personal playlist - the songs that got me through it. It is definately a mix of genres for all kinds of moods. No judging me! I have impeccable taste in music!
Instrumental Music
Promentory Trevor Jones - Last of the Mohicans Soundtrack
Bella’s Transformation Carter Burwell - Twilight Breaking Dawn Part 1 Soundtrack
The John Dunbar Theme John Berry - Dances with Wolves
The Princess Pleads for Wallace's Life James Horner - Braveheart Soundtrack
Han Solo and the Princess John Williams - The Empire Strikes Back
Bella’s Transformation Carter Burwell - Twilight Breaking Dawn Part 1 Soundtrack
The John Dunbar Theme John Berry - Dances with Wolves
The Princess Pleads for Wallace's Life James Horner - Braveheart Soundtrack
Han Solo and the Princess John Williams - The Empire Strikes Back
Songs With Lyrics
Back in Black - AC/DC
Highway to Hell - AC/DC
Shoot to Thrill - AC/DC
Dream On - Aerosmith
Walk this Way - Aerosmith
A Woman’s Worth - Alicia Keys
Fallin’ - Alicia Keys
Ramblin' Man - Allman Brothers
House of the Rising Sun - Animals
Bad Company - Bad Company
Shooting Star - Bad Company
Come Together - The Beatles
Tomorrow Never Knows - The Beatles
Loser - Beck
Boom Boom Pow - Black Eyed Peas
Pump It - Black Eyed Peas
Don’t Fear the Reaper - Blue Oyster Cult
Wanted Dead or Alive - Bon Jovi
Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked - Cage the Elephant
Jeremiah Was a Bullfrog - CCR
Bad Moon Rising - CCR
Barton Hollow - The Civil Wars
Fix You - Coldplay
Ain’t No Grave - Crooked Steel
Love Her Madly - The Doors
People Are Strange - The Doors
Riders on the Storm - The Doors
Hotel California - The Eagles
Seven Bridges Road - The Eagles
Sweet Dreams Are Made of These - Emily Browning
Blues Before Sunrise - Eric Clapton
I’m Tore Down - Eric Clapton
Centuries - Fall Out Boy
Carry On - Fun
Mad World - Gary Jules
Feel Good - Gorillaz
Take Me to Church - Hozier
White Rabbit - Jefferson Airplane
Are You Gonna Be My Girl - Jet
Get by With A Little Help From My Friends - Joe Crocker
Bye Bye Blackbird - Joe Crocker
A Boy Named Sue - Johnny Cash
Hurt - Johnny Cash
Jackson - Johnny Cash and June Carter
Carry On My Wayward Son - Kansas
Kashmir - Led Zeppelin
Stairway to Heaven - Led Zeppelin
What a Wonderful World - Louis Armstrong
Possibility - Lykke Li
Simple Man - Lynard Skynard
Free Bird - Lynard Skynard
The Light House’s Tale - Nickel Creek
I Want It All/We Will Rock You - Queen
I Get to Love You - Ruelle
Paint it Black - Rolling Stones
Sympathy for the Devil - Rolling Stones
You Can’t Always Get What You Want - Rolling Stones
Hallelujah - Rufus Wainwright
Renegade - Styx
Fell In Love With a Girl - The White Stripes
Jolene - The White Stripes
Seven Nation Army - The White Stripes
Behind Blue Eyes - The Who
Fire on the Mountain - Widespread Panic
Hatfield - Widespread Panic
Makes Sense to Me - Widespread Panic
Tall Boy - Widespread Panic
Highway to Hell - AC/DC
Shoot to Thrill - AC/DC
Dream On - Aerosmith
Walk this Way - Aerosmith
A Woman’s Worth - Alicia Keys
Fallin’ - Alicia Keys
Ramblin' Man - Allman Brothers
House of the Rising Sun - Animals
Bad Company - Bad Company
Shooting Star - Bad Company
Come Together - The Beatles
Tomorrow Never Knows - The Beatles
Loser - Beck
Boom Boom Pow - Black Eyed Peas
Pump It - Black Eyed Peas
Don’t Fear the Reaper - Blue Oyster Cult
Wanted Dead or Alive - Bon Jovi
Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked - Cage the Elephant
Jeremiah Was a Bullfrog - CCR
Bad Moon Rising - CCR
Barton Hollow - The Civil Wars
Fix You - Coldplay
Ain’t No Grave - Crooked Steel
Love Her Madly - The Doors
People Are Strange - The Doors
Riders on the Storm - The Doors
Hotel California - The Eagles
Seven Bridges Road - The Eagles
Sweet Dreams Are Made of These - Emily Browning
Blues Before Sunrise - Eric Clapton
I’m Tore Down - Eric Clapton
Centuries - Fall Out Boy
Carry On - Fun
Mad World - Gary Jules
Feel Good - Gorillaz
Take Me to Church - Hozier
White Rabbit - Jefferson Airplane
Are You Gonna Be My Girl - Jet
Get by With A Little Help From My Friends - Joe Crocker
Bye Bye Blackbird - Joe Crocker
A Boy Named Sue - Johnny Cash
Hurt - Johnny Cash
Jackson - Johnny Cash and June Carter
Carry On My Wayward Son - Kansas
Kashmir - Led Zeppelin
Stairway to Heaven - Led Zeppelin
What a Wonderful World - Louis Armstrong
Possibility - Lykke Li
Simple Man - Lynard Skynard
Free Bird - Lynard Skynard
The Light House’s Tale - Nickel Creek
I Want It All/We Will Rock You - Queen
I Get to Love You - Ruelle
Paint it Black - Rolling Stones
Sympathy for the Devil - Rolling Stones
You Can’t Always Get What You Want - Rolling Stones
Hallelujah - Rufus Wainwright
Renegade - Styx
Fell In Love With a Girl - The White Stripes
Jolene - The White Stripes
Seven Nation Army - The White Stripes
Behind Blue Eyes - The Who
Fire on the Mountain - Widespread Panic
Hatfield - Widespread Panic
Makes Sense to Me - Widespread Panic
Tall Boy - Widespread Panic
The End
