Hiking was my Hobby- Now It’s My Life

Week One- Amicalola Falls to Hiawassee

And just like that I am almost out of Georgia. Just enough time in Georgia was spent seeing hundreds of people starting out on this hike just the same as I. The old, the young, those with all various levels of prior backpacking knowledge.

Nothing can beat humerous pack shakedowns and seeing the items people have selected to carry on their backs for months to come. People are quickly learning that backpacking is very different from camping. Fishing poles and cast iron pots don’t travel so well when being carried on your back day after day.

Walking In and Out of Other’s Journeys

While I am out here hiking on my big adventure, so are hundreds of other aspiring individuals. Every day you will cross along the paths of many people, never knowing if you will ever see them again. They are all out here on their own journey, for their own reasons too.Therefore I try to have a small positive interaction with everyone I cross, not knowing if our paths will cross again.

The farther I travel the more I learn and am getting smarter with what to carry and make best use of. I traded my tent at Neels Gap, needing to have a quicker and faster set-up, especially for cold mornings.

The Trail Takes Care of You 

I have been picking up any trash along the way, in my attempts to help take care of the trail. In return, the trail has been so good to me. One cold day I thought about how much I would love some Hot Chocolate. Crossing the next gap, a former thru hiker was passing out some Hot Chocolate doing trail magic. Trail magic is plentiful in Georgia it seems, as more has continued to come.

The new friends are plentiful as well. I am getting to know people better by the day who I continue to cross paths with. You never know when a random act of kindness can save the day on trail.

Survival Strategies

At home I have never willingly camped out in the snow and below freezing temperatures. I am happy to be learning how to better deal with camping in the cold and have really enjoyed hiking in the snow.

All things considered, the AT is very civilized. Everyday we have passed through several road crossings. Carrying enough food to last around average three to four days is what is working best for me on the trail. There is almost always the option to hop off for more supplies if need be, in this area at least.

Now onwards to the beautiful state of North Carolina. I have had so much fun so far, I can’t wait to see what one of my favorite states on the east coast has in store for me.