Beginning AT

Let's begin this this thing. As the day at work came to an end we changed into our hiking clothes and readied for the drive to Neels Gap to leave a return vehicle. Oh, by the way the "we" currently consists of myself and fellow engineer Evan. As others join in the adventure they will join the "we". It was a quick drive of an hour and fortyfive minutes parking the truck at the Byron Reece Trailhead. http://www.georgiatrails.com/gt/byron_herbert_reece_access_trail. We drove in Evans car over to the Springer Mountain parking area, after a 10 mile ride down a semi rough dirt road we arrived at the parking area in the dark and a very thick fog. Springer mountain. Note these underlined sections they are www links to provide a more in depth look at the areas we visit.

Here's the sign at the parking area indicating the direction to the Springer Mountain terminus of the Appalachian trail. The trail is marked with white rectangular blazes painted on trees all along the way.

This is the bronze plaque at the official starting point of the AT. The first blaze also here just to the upper left of the picture. This is located approximately 1 mile from the parking area and it has to be retraced as you head northward. I almost forgot my trekking poles here, Evan saved me by noticing them as we officially departed. We signed the log book and began our 32 mile journey to Neels Gap.

As you can read "Sunflower", a trail name, just finished a SOBO southbound journey from Maine as opposed to a NOBO northbound from Georgia. We met two other hikers on the trail who where about to finish their SOBO. Carpenter from New Hampshire and another from Boston. The hike usually takes approx. six months. We departed and hiked almost 4 miles to the Stover Creek Shelter to ready ourselves for the two upcoming days. It was here that we met our fiercest wildlife in the form of 2 brown mice. One crawled into the sleeping bag with Evan and the other proceeded to attack my backpack and earned my wrath. We slept until daylight ate breakfast slipped camp and headed north.

To be continued...