First Day Jitters and Tornadoes

Day one brought a lot of emotions. I woke up excited and nervous. As I made my way to Amicalola Falls to sign in, the nerves gave way to happiness and then quickly to sadness as the weather went from bad to worse.

Tornadoes

The weather forecast went from rain to possible tornadoes pretty quick. The AT ridge runners suggested waiting 24 hours to start. The last thing you want to do is get blown away on your first night out there… or worse. So after registering my hike and getting my official AT thru-hike tag, I booked a room at the Amicalola Lodge and waited out the storm.

Sunday Funday

Now it’s Sunday, and it’s bright and sunny but still very windy and I am glad I waited. My emotions this morning are ones of apprehension and excitement. Like waiting in line for a roller coaster. My thoughts are mixed. I’m well prepared and I know I can handle it, but I can’t help but wonder what challenges the trail will bring. Will I be warm enough, strong enough, smart enough to overcome the obstacles and accept the trail’s blessings? Only time will tell. But today, the sun is out, there is fresh air in my lungs, and I’m officially on the trail chasing my dreams.

Happy trails!

Chad

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