Day 1

Approach Trail

Day 1: I’m here! I have made it to Georgia! I had to take a bit of a detour that involved crashing a wedding before getting to Amicalola Approach trail!

My cousin dropped me off and here are my starting stats.

Starting strong with:

36.65lb in the pack (it is all the gummy candy i hoarded)
2 litres of water
1 ton of Audacity (really adds to pack weight)

Jokes on me! I didn’t do the steps at Amicalola falls. I apparently forgot how to read and ended up doing the the east ridge trail, which was empty, quiet, and beautiful!

I originally felt kind of embarrassed that I didn’t start on the official approach trail, I started having some doubts in my capability as a hiker. “Why should I be hiking the AT if I can’t even find the actual approach trail?” I had to remind myself that having this negative self talk isn’t helpful and not going to do anything about goofs that happen on trail. I came out here to hike, heal, and enjoy myself, so there is no room for self depreciation.

I appreciate the consideration other hikers have and how kind and good their intentions are, especially to solo female hikers, but not even 3 miles into the approach trail I had hikers telling me to turn back because of weather and hikers with some “interesting behavior”. I am glad I trusted my gut and checked the weather on my garmin, because I had a great first day on trail. Hiking in clear skies and melting from the heat.

The weather on my slog to springer was unusually hot for the season with temps getting upwards of 80⁰F. Making the day unexpectedly humid and sweaty. I felt great the entire day and ended up finishing with 11 miles at stover creek shelter, with 2 official AT trail miles.

It is still feeling rather surreal to be on trail. I still keep thinking this is experience is somehow going to be taken away from me. Like being here and hiking is a dream that I will be woken up from. So here is to making the most of being here and trying to stay in the moment and really enjoy myself.

Day 2:

Stover creek to Devils Kitchen

Mentally I am feeling more sure about myself and my ability outside. Many of the hikers I have met are encouraging and incredibly helpful which has been great for me. I am starting to be more sure of myself and actually learning from my mistakes. Crappy things will happen. Fix what you can and walk on.

Physically, I am beginning to notice some knee pain in my right outer knee which has me a little worried. The knee pain is making it hard to go down hills. I am trying to limit my ibuprofen and tylenol use, but I am going to need to buy a knee brace in town and slow down on the miles.

Speaking of miles, I have done another 11 mile day, walking Stover Creek Shelter to Devils Kitchen campsite. Personally, I thought I was going to cry coming down sassafras mountain, but I made it! Then I suddenly realized I had “almost” run out if water, as I had forgotten to filter water at Hawk Mountain. Luckily, I found a trickle of water coming out if some rocks, but I need to start tracking my water better on these hotter days.

Today was also sprinkled with some trail magic! A ridge runner, Moxie, gave me some KT tape for my knee while I was soaking in a stream. Even if the KT tape does not work, Moxie is now my hero.

Day 3

Devils Kitchen to Lance Creek

I finally earned my trail name, Lucky. Today was a weird day. Rainy and overcast but not cold… Thank God! While I was on goal for were I had planned to be, I felt behind. The hikers I had been hiking with that day were one campsite ahead of me and I was beginning to let the negative self talk get to me. Boy, is it hard to unlearn comparing yourself to others. I was behind and one if the last people out of camp. I just felt behind and just behind the curve in general. Even though I was leapfrogging and keeping up with them.

That’s when I remembered a little motto I have been trying to use rather than focusing on the bad stuff, “I am so lucky, everything is going my way!” So when I got to the shelter and it started to poor, I used it. When there was a line at the privy, I said it. Every puddle, miss step, any negative crappy thing happened, I said “I am so Lucky, everything goes my way.” Suddenly a fellow Hiker, Pants, turned to me and said I was now known as “Lucky”.

We hiked from Justus Creek to Lance Creek, a shorter 9.5 mile day as compared to the two 11 mile days. During this section, I have found a group of lovely hikers that have been an absolute joy to be around. All diverse with unique skills and stories, I am so excited to spend more time and learn from them.

I am a little nervous about some knee problems I am having. A ridge runner gave me KT tape which has been helping a lot, but it is something I am going to keep an eye on. It only hurts on very steep down hills which I can manage. Currently, I can manage the pain with stretching and minimal medication.

Day 4

Lance creek to Neels Gap

Things got a little cold and wet. A storm came through in the night, causing temperatures to drop. Thank God it was a short day of only 7.5 miles…. Up and over blood mountain to get to our resupply. I HAD A BLAST.

I don’t know what it is, but I seemed to thrive in the rain and cold. Was it absolutely miserable? Sure. But was there coffee and pizza waiting for me at Mountain crossings? Yes! I am trying to look for the small things instead of focusing on the negatives. I figure, if I keep focusing on the negative and hard, I won’t be able to pull through when things actually get bad.

I was behind the group I had been hanging out with most of the day until the summit of Blood Mountain, but I quickly caught up and kept up for the rest of the trail.

We ended up doing a nero in town and getting a hotel, which was a welcome change. I am feeling renewed from the todays nature bath and civilizations hot shower.

My knee was fine today. I am sure it is because I was freezing cold and more focused on how my rain gear wasn’t keeping me dry. I am trying to listen to my body more and not get too caught up in my head about keeping up my with other hikers.