Considerations

I did my first 12-mile day yesterday. My knee has been doing quite well so far, but yesterday it protested a bit, which means that probably 10 miles a day is going to be my maximum average sustained speed. That's consistent with last time, when it was also after I started to push beyond 12 that the knee really began to give me problems.

Which raises some considerations. Plan A was always to do this as a single through-hike, and that's what I'd still like to do. But there's a math problem: I have 2,053 miles left to go. Taking a single day off each week, which is a necessity for me, I will average 60 miles per week. Assuming that nothing else went wrong (unlikely) and skipping my planned extended break at home, that would still put me at Mt. Katahdin on October 24th--too late.

Also, there's another issue that I was hoping to avoid by starting so early, but not so successfully. There are already a LOT of people on the trail. I've had a couple of nights with 8-12 people at a shelter, and the season hasn't even really started yet. Once the dreaded "bubble" comes along, I'm told that there will be 30 or 40 clustered around a shelter built for 6, trash everywhere, privies destroyed, human waste and dirty t.p. on the side of the trail, and a general spring break atmosphere among the college kids who are out here. Not what I came out to experience.

So I may have to turn this into a section hike, and finish it next year or maybe even the year after. I'm going to wait until I get to Damascus, Va and see how my pace, my knee, and the crowds are doing before I decide. That's still 332 miles away, so by then I should know for sure. At that point I'll decide either to finish the whole thing this year, continue to my house and finish next year, or stop there and divide it into multiple sections, say doing just Virginia next year.

I met a couple on the trail yesterday, very serendipitously, in light of the post I'd made the day before, and we got to talking about the rose and my reasons for walking, and they shared some of their story with me.

He was my age and she was 34 and breathtakingly beautiful. They've been married for ten years and are still completely in love. You know how sometimes you see a woman with her husband and it's just all over her face that she is happy, and loved, and in love? I hope I don't get him in trouble by sharing this, but he told me that the night before, they were in their tent, and she said that there was no one on earth that she'd rather be camped out on top of a mountain with.

Such a lovely story. It's so good to see true love once in a while, to renew your faith.

Milestones

Thought I'd share this with you, since I had to climb a beast of a mountain, plus this rickety old fire tower to get it.

I passed the hundred mile mark yesterday. Today is town day: a shower, a meal, and a bed. The Hobbits had it right.

Goodbye to Georgia

When I got back from my last hike, someone said to me that he knew I wouldn't have made it through the mountains in north Georgia anyway.

As I was walking along the highway a few days ago, on my way from the trail to my last stop in Georgia, I suddenly recalled the other side of the people of my home state: genuine, generous, kind, decent, patriotic, and God-fearing. And I also remembered that I have good memories from my childhood as well as bad ones. And all my bitterness towards this place and my past here evaporated.

And, as if on cue, the last town I stopped in, Hiawassee, turned out to be exactly all the good things I remember about the north Georgia mountains, and which I thought was long gone. Even got some genuine Georgia barbecue; best I've had in ages.

So Georgia and I part as friends.

A Better Day

A Tough Day

Cold, rainy night last night with high winds kept me awake most of the night. Then this morning I woke up to snow and frost. I started the day's hike with too many clothes in the face of a brutally cold wind, then quickly worked up a sweat. So I took off a layer, but the wind chilled me to the bone because I was damp from perspiration. I kept going, thinking that I'd warm back up with exertion, but the wind chill was too much. Ended up with a little case of hypothermia.

I walked to the next shelter which was, thank God, in a little vale mostly sheltered from the wind, changed into something dry, and wrapped myself up in my down quilts. But it still took several hours to get warm, and I lost half the day.

I'm in my hammock now, and feeling okay. A bit dispirited, though, and for some reason very lonely. Don't know why I should be; I'm not any more alone out here than I am at home. Maybe it's the absence of distractions and comforts.

Week One

First week completed as planned. I've spent the last couple of nights in a cabin, and am setting out again tomorrow morning. I stayed one day longer than I had anticipated, because I want to be smart this time and give my body the time it needs to recuperate. My knee was a bit wonky after coming down from the aptly-named Blood Mountain last thing of the first week.

It's very challenging: quite a bit steeper and more rugged than I'd guessed; quite a bit of it would be better described as climbing than hiking. I mean, I knew there would be some of that, but I thought it would be more like bits of steep, rugged, and rocky interspersed with lots of rolling and hilly. But it's good.

Did some pack reorganizing while I was resting here. I've got a better idea now what I do and don't need. I brought too many warm clothes; was okay on a windy 19-degree night without even getting into some of my layers. So they're going back home to save weight, along with a few other items.

Sleep is a challenge, because of my apnea. I'm getting enough to keep functioning, but only just. I think it's getting a little better, but as the days without good sleep stacked up, my body started to rebel: I was falling asleep on the trail side when I paused to catch my breath. Had one really bad day, when it felt like I was coming down with something--flu-like weakness and fatigue. But I pressed on through it and whatever it was passed.

Overall, it's going quite well, and I'm feeling good.

Some pictures:

I was fortunate to get the ones from the top of Blood Mountain. It started out as a very cold, windy, and foggy day with some snow and ice. The other guys I'd been hiking with decided to take the bypass trail around the mountain because of the ice. But I took the straight route over the top. It was a hard, freezing, miserable climb most of the way. But then just before I reached the summit, the wind died, the fog cleared away, and the sun came out, and it was all worth it.  Then, after making the extremely long, arduous, and difficult descent, I got to my first night indoors: a hot shower, a pizza, and an evening with Shrek and Princess Fiona, then a real bed and some decent sleep.

I've had the very distinct impression continually that Someone is looking out for me.

"God did not die for the good and beautiful: that is easy enough. The hard thing is to die for the miserable and corrupt."

-- from the movie Silence

Itinerary

I leave tomorrow night. Everything is prepared, just have to do a bit of housecleaning today, and then tomorrow put the final touches on. I was planning, when I was scheduled to leave on Friday, on taking the county transit to the Charlottesville train station. But as they don't run on Sunday, I'm going to have to get a cab. Thinking I'll try that uber thing--I guess I should contact them today.

Anyway, I'm posting my itinerary here, just in case anyone needs to find me or get in touch with me. I'll have my cell phone (434) 981-8303, and you can email (michaelsdupre@gmail.com), text, or call, although most likely I'll have to call you back, since it will be off most of the time to spare battery power, and I'll only be checking in a couple of times a day. But, you never know: I could lose it, or we could get hit by an EMP, or whatever. Also posting it here, so that if I lose my phone where the file is saved, or it dies, I can get on anybody's computer or phone and find out where I'm supposed to be and how to get in touch with them. So here's where and when I'll (tentatively) be.

1/29
Depart Amtrak Charlottesville 8:52 PM

1/30
Arrive Amtrak Gainesville 6:58 AM

1/30
Hiker Hostel 770-312-7342
7693 US Hwy 19, Dahlonega, Ga 30533

1/31
Amicalola Falls Trailhead, AT Approach Trail

2/7
Mountain Crossings Hostel 706-745-6095
12471 Gainesville Hwy, Blairsville, Ga 30512

2/14
Top of Georgia Hostel 706-982-3252
7675 US Hwy 76 E, Hiawassee, Ga 30546

2/21
Gooder Grove Hostel 828-332-0228
130 Hayes Cir, Franklin, NC 28734

2/28
Hike Inn 828-479-3677
3204 Fontana Rd, Fontana Dam, NC 28733

3/7
Grand Prix Motel 865-436-4561
235 Ski Mtn Rd, Gatlinburg, Tn 37738

3/14
Lauging Heart Lodge 828-622-0165
289 NW US Hwy 25/70, Hot Springs, NC 28743

3/21
Uncle Johnny’s Hostel 423-735-0548
151 River Rd, Erwin, Tn 37650

3/28
Mountain Harbour B&B 423-772-9494
9151 Hwy 19 E, Roan Mtn, Tn 37687

4/4
Hiker’s Inn 276-475-3788
216 E Laurel Ave, PO Box 396, Damascus, Va 24236
mail to:
Mt Rogers Outfitters 276-475-5416
110 W Laurel Ave, PO Box 546, Damascus, Va 24236

4/10
Relax Inn 276-783-5811
7253 Lee Hwy, Rural Retreat, Va 24368
mail to:
The Barn Restaurant 276-686-6222
7412 Lee Hwy, Rural Retreat, Va 24368

4/18
Woods Hole Hostel 540-921-3444
3696 Sugar Run Rd, Pearisburg, Va 24134

4/25
Four Pines Hostel 540-309-8615
6164 Newport Rd, Catawba, Va 24070

5/2
Staying with my daughter in Lynchburg

5/9
Stanimal’s Hostel 540-290-4002
328 Lee Dr, Waynesboro, Va 22980

5/16
Home

I'm setting myself a very moderate pace of six miles a day for the first couple of weeks, until I get to the Georgia border. Then I'll increase it to 8-10 through North Carolina and Tennessee, and then around 12 when I get to Virginia. I've given myself enough time to be able to maintain that all the way through, and still finish by October 15th, but I may increase it at some point, depending on how I feel. I'll make those decisions when I stop at home and plan the second "half" (actually, a bit more than half--from Amicalola Falls, Ga to Swift Run Gap, four miles from my house, is 916 miles, leaving 1282 to Mt. Katahdin).

Anyway, when I get home, I'll take a week or so to get a good rest, wash everything, repair and/or replace gear, plan all the stops for the second half, order supplies, pack resupply drops, and check on my house and garden. Then set out again around the last week in May, and that will give me 4½-5 months to walk that 1282 miles.

Can't wait to get on that train tomorrow. I've been going nuts here, confined in this house with nothing to do but plan and prepare.

Just got back from dropping my cat off at my brother's. My heart aches.

My four year old niece gave me this bandaid to take with me in case I get hurt on the trail.

"Millions of spiritual creatures walk the earth unseen, both when we sleep and when we awake." -- John Milton

"There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy." -- William Shakespeare

Final Preparations

Packing resupply mail drops.

The current state of my kitchen:

In case you ever wondered what 12 pounds of beef jerky looks like.

A Beautiful Thing

I have made a new friend in India: brother Ravi. One of his ministries, and the one that caught my attention, is providing poor women with saris and dowries so that they can get married. In India, many women are mistreated, abused, and even killed over dowries (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dowry_system_in_India), and many more simply cannot marry, and thus often end up in the worst place a woman can end up--I don't even like to say the name, but you know what I mean.

This ministry reminds me of what the real St. Nicholas did, which seems to us comfortable Westerners like a tale out of the bad old days, so remote that it's nothing but an allegorical moral lesson. But much of the world is still in the darkness of paganism--modern India is in many ways very much like ancient Rome. (And the rest of the world, which once had the light of the Gospel, is moving with great determination and rapidity back toward that darkness.)

It only costs $4 to provide this beautiful gift to these lovely and vulnerable women. If you want to help, contact Bill Bray at Overseas Students Mission, who processes the funds for Ravi.

Date Set!

I found a hostel in North Georgia that specializes in AT hikers. They're going to pick me up from the train station in Gainesville, put me up for the night, and then drop me off at the trailhead next morning.

I'm leaving here on Amtrak January 27th, and will hit the trail the 29th, Lord willing and barring unforeseen circumstances such as severe weather, in which case I'll be at the hostel additional days. Three weeks!

Why Georgia?

The question inevitably arises, if my goal is to avoid the crowds of the northbound "bubble" on the trail, why not hike some other way in better weather? I could go north to south, flip-flop, etc., still avoid the pack, and not be hiking in the dark of winter.

The thing is, you see, I'm from Georgia. Born in Atlanta. And the AT has called to me since I was a boy. North Georgia was where we spent as much of our time off as possible; it's where my family is from, and it's the place from which I've always imagined starting the trail. It's familiar, and the North is the unknown, which I'll be walking off to explore. My father, my grandfather, my great grandfather, and my great-great grandfather are all buried 18 miles northwest of the trailhead, in Blue Ridge.

And I'll be starting at Amicalola Falls, on the "approach trail" rather than the official start of the AT at Springer Mountain, because that's where I've looked at this sign

all my life, and wished. I'll start at the top of the falls, though, rather than walking up from the bottom: I've done that hike plenty of times, including way back before they built the fancy wooden stairs. In fact, here are some photos I took of the falls, and from the top, when I was 8 or 9. 

The approach trail isn't officially part of the AT, so I'm not cheating or avoiding anything by not repeating the falls climb, except a lot of exertion and exhaustion on my first day out.

There are other reasons, as well: more practical ones. For starters, I'm anxious and don't want to wait that long. I'm already antsy, sitting here waiting to begin, and sitting out the rest of the winter while waiting for the earliest I could start from Maine would be intolerable. Also, it's commonly reported that if you start from Mt. Katahdin as soon as it opens, you'll be passing through the north country at the height of the infamous and abominable blackfly season, and I hate bugs. Frankly, I'd rather deal with bitter cold any day than incessant swarms of tiny biting flies. There's still the "flip-flop" option, but that doesn't really feel like a through-hike to me, although I know the ATC recognizes it as such.

So, it's Winter in the southern Appalachians for me. I should be back through here sometime in the Spring, if anyone cares to have a visit.

Sleepyfaces

Adjustments

After going over the shortcomings of my sleep system, I've decided to go with an option that corrects both the hammock and sleeping bag issues at once, and get this. It's specifically designed to fit my hammock, and this company is a small business owned and run by two retired Army vets here in Virginia.

As an added bonus, it covers another dilemma; that of whether or not to take a seriously warm, big down parka "just in case" (specifically, the one I'm wearing in the photo at right). But with this system, the top quilt can double as a down boreal jacket in an emergency (as in, temperatures dropping way below zero on a windy mountaintop miles from anywhere suitable for camp). Also, I didn't mention this in detail before, but the combination of sleeping bag and insulation system I have made it a very complicated and slow process to get out of the hammock, and I hate the feeling of being trapped in there and not being able to get out quickly if I need to. Old habits, I guess. Military sleeping bag zippers, for instance, have a quick-open feature which allows you to just yank the two sides of the bag apart and it comes right open.

Unfortunately, the best option is also the most expensive option, and I've more or less wasted the money I spent on my sleeping bag and wool liner. But, they might still be useful someday in some other situation, so it's not that bad. I think I will, however, return the insulating underlayer portion of my hammock system, as I'm within their ten-day return window. But I'll keep the over-cover, as it's extremely light and small when packed, and will still be useful for extreme cold.

I've also ordered a better set of lighter-weight, more flexible and packable gore-tex top and bottoms to replace my military-style ECWCS ones. The ones I've got are just too heavy and bulky to pack efficiently when they're not being worn, and too loud and stiff when they are. Also, the hood is designed to be worn over a helmet and is annoyingly in the way without one, always falling in my eyes and blocking peripheral vision.

It seems (and feels) like a lot of money to get ready for this trip. But I'll be using this stuff for years to come, only tweaking or replacing a piece here or there for other trips and activities, so it'll pay off in the end.