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T-Minus 10 Days to Amicalola
Excitement has officially turned into panic. I board a one-way flight to Atlanta in ten days. While over a year of planning is about to be put to the test, there’s still a lot to do.
Destination: Amicalola
The logistics game has begun. Flight from Philadelphia to Atlanta… booked. ATL to MARTA North Springs… cross your fingers I get on the right train. Shuttle to Amicalola with Survivor Dave (he made fun of me over the phone)… check. I spend my first night in Georgia at the Amicalola Lodge, approach hike to Springer Mountain Shelter the next day, and then get up and go for the main event.
Time to Scramble
While my gear has been dialed in for weeks, there’s a lot I have left to do. I have a week to wrap up projects at work. Belongings have to be moved to storage. There are taxes to be filed. Tents to seam seal! Friends and family to celebrate with and say goodbye too.
I can’t believe it is really happening! I feel both extremely prepared and totally overwhelmed. The countdown to the AT continues on.
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Comments 4
Good luck! 2020 is definitely a good year to start NOBO thru-hiking early. I live off the trail near Sam’s Gap in NC and so far the trail has very little snow. We’ve had a ton of rain since the New Year so the springs should be flowing well.
I’m doing a section hike in two weekends from Spivey Gap to Sam’s Gap: I’ll update Guthook with the conditions.
The Marta is super easy. The only place the MARTA goes efficiently is the airport and back. Get on the red line and take it all the way there. Make sure you hear on the intercom “Red line North Springs, Red line North Springs” it’s my fav. Happy hiking!
I’ll make a suggestion – in lieu of staying at the Lodge – hike the 5 or so miles to the Hike Inn. It is near the approach trail and the atmosphere is far superior to the Lodge (& maybe cheaper depending on whether or not it is a weekend).
http://hike-inn.com/ Assuming you have time of course – I think you have to set out before 3pm or something like that – my kids and I have visited there several times and it takes us less than 2 hours, and we aren’t hurrying…