Date: December 09 2000
Trail Day: 192
Miles Today: 11
Location: Near Fall Branch Falls
Section Mile: BMT 39
ECT Mile: 2859
Got a late start today. Tried to get a ride for a long time. Took about 2
hours to get a ride - I am definitely off the AT. It was a local guy
and he gave me a ride all the way to Wilscot Gap. This was unusual
because I had to take 2 roads to get there. Saw several cars parked there
with BMT and AT stickers. A little down the trail I met a maintenance
crew. They were a very friendly lot. Also met Marty Domini, president of
GPT. Got information on the Georgia Pinhoti trail from him. Another maintainer
gave me the set of maps for the rest of the BMT. So I have now gone from
having no information to having all the info.
The trail continued to be moderately difficult. I realized that I need to
cut my pack weight. I will have to clear the Alabama Pinhoti before I
can do anything.
Even though I did only 11 miles today I was quite worn out. Met another
4 day hikers towards the end. This trail is a lot more popular and well
maintained than I thought. The BMT association has done a fantastic job.
Date: December 10 2000
Trail Day: 193
Miles Today: 18
Location: Near Hatley Gap
Section Mile: BMT 57
ECT Mile: 2877
Last night a dog was barking and running all over the place. Once it came close
to where I was. I shooed at it and it ran off.
Rained a little last night. Started hiking and met 2 hunters / hikers.
They asked me if one of the dogs with them was mine. I said no. A few
minutes later I found that the dog was following me. It was a hunting
dog with a radio collar but no owner info. I fed it some cheese at a
break point. It followed me for a couple of minutes after that and then
disappeared.
Today's trail was a mix of proper hiking trails, old logging roads, dirt
roads and paved roads. The paved road sections have been kept to a minimum.
Also saw Indian Rock shelter. Took a
photo.
It has not gone below freezing in the last several days. I feel quite warm !
Tomorrow I go up Flat Top mountain - elevation 3732 feet. After that
I will be done with 3000 footers.
Date:
Trail Day:
Miles Today:
Location:
Section Mile: GPT 12
ECT Mile:
Had a light rain last night. It was very foggy in the morning. Started the
climb up Fowler mountain. Found a little stream on the way up. These
have become very rare. I was also out of water - again.. Took a break and had
breakfast. It became more and more misty as I climbed. Then a ridge run
with 500 ft ups and downs and a last small climb to Flat Top mountain.
Then came a descent to Dyer Gap.
All of a sudden there were no blazes near the gap. Found them again
down the road. Got to the junction with South Fork trail. My BMT section
ends here. Took a photo (The BMT goes on all the way to the Smokies). There
are no blazes on the South Fork trail, but its very short. Back on FR 64,
a 3 mile walk and then the Mountain Town Creek trail. This is another trail
with no blazes.
The maps I have got from the Georgia Pinhoti association are horrible.
Its a photocopy and its barely useful. I had to squint for some 5
minutes at a map to see that a point was Cave Springs - a decent sized
town. Streams, roads, contours etc are undistinguishable. The only thing
that stands clearly is the trail which is marked with a color pen.
However there is no map for this section. The written description
asks me to go 4.3 miles along the trail and "Turn right off trail prior
to creek crossing. Travel cross country south to ridgeline. Turn right
on old logging road near ridge line". The description also calls it a
trail of many creek crossings. So its not just one crossing that I come to
but have to decide from numerous.
I covered 4 miles or so and started looking for appropriate places to
bush wack south. But all the places led me directly across the creek if
I were to head south. Continued on till I was sure I had over shot.
The trail ended in a dirt road. Asked directions from a guy in a jeep
and continued. Another couple of miles and I got to road signs that
are mentioned in the description - I was back in known territory.
Continued for a while and set up camp. End of a rather long day. Switched
from the BMT to the GPT and also got done with everything above 2500 ft,
I believe.
BMT is a nice trail worth hiking. It has a good mix of trails, old
logging roads and dirt roads. I like this aspect of it. You get to see
more of the local people.
The GPT is off to a bad start. I hope it improves and some of the trails
are blazed.
Date: December 12 2000
Trail Day: 195
Miles Today: 32
Location: Day's Inn, Dalton
Section Mile: GPT 44
ECT Mile: 2931
A very long day today. Set a personal mileage record - 32. The previous was 27
on a roadwalk on the IAT.
It rained last night but I stayed dry and extremely warm. The temperature
dropped to about freezing. I got up early, even before the sun rose and started
hiking. It was quite foggy when I started. Roads I walked - Shakerag road,
Conasauga road, Highway 2/52, Alt 52, Route 52.
Climbed to Fort Mountain state park. There was leftover snow in this height
and the trees were covered with ice. People in cars seemed mixed. Many smiled
and waved, some looked puzzled - a throw back to the IAT road walk. Almost
none of these roads are designed for pedestrian use. If you have a stalled car
and you have to walk 2 miles to get some gas you take your life in your hands.
Shows how auto-centric American culture is. No wonder we are all so fat.
Had lunch at a Mexican restaurant in Chatsworth. I have been wanting to do
that since I started the AT but there were very few opportunities to do so.
Relished the meal. Ordered a second lunch. The waiter asked - "To go". I
said - "No, for here". He had to make an effort to keep his surprise from
showing. The service was very good. This area seems to have a decent hispanic
population. I am glad to see a somewhat cosmopolitan place after the almost
all white scenario since Canada.
Decided to bounce my sleeping pad. Bounce means to mail stuff to a new location
and if not needed there, forward it to the next location. I dont think I will
be needing the pad any more. I am tyring to cut out the weight
as I dont think I will be facing the 15 F temperature I faced in the Smokies.
I had no intention of walking to Dalton, but as I kept walking the traffic
picked up and I realized it was city traffic. Also, I decided to get a
motel and they were all on the other end of Dalton. Walking at night is
also possible in a city because of all the lights - in fact its downright
interesting. I find the reactions I provoke from drivers and passengers to
be the most interesting. Each demographic has a general reaction - Country,
City, male, female, young and old.
Stoppped at a gas station to get me directions and withdraw money. As I put on
my pack outside and got ready to move on a guy drove up to me and said - "Hey,
looks like you could use some help" and offered me 5 dollars. I refused saying
I was just a hiker. He was a little disappointed that his generous act had not
worked out. I found this to be a small moral dilemma - should I have accepted
the money just to make him feel good even though I did not need it. Was I in
fact justified in taking it because he offered it to me. Had it been an old
friend offering me food/drink for 5 dollars, I would have accepted it
immediately. What is the right thing to do - I wonder.
Got de-natured alcohol at the "Super" K-mart. The merchandise available for
sale is just astonishing. There is no doubt in my mind that the materialism
has gone way overboard and is now functioning to fill the voids that modern
life has created in us. The crap that will be exchanged and discarded promptly
during this Christmas will be proof enough.
Got to Day's Inn and was glad to sit down. I am quite tired after a long long
day.
Date: December 13 2000
Trail Day: 196
Miles Today: 0
Location: Day's Inn, Dalton
Section Mile: GPT 44
ECT Mile: 2931
Decided to take a zero day as I was very tired and the weather seemed to be
quite bad. It started raining heavily in the afternoon and I was glad to be
indoors.
Date: December 14 2000
Trail Day: 197
Miles Today: 21
Location: Horn Mountain
Section Mile: GPT 65
ECT Mile: 2952
Today was overcast all day. Never saw the sun. Had breakfast at Waffle House
and started off. Saw my first Pinhoti blaze. I hugged and kissed it
as tears of joy ran down my face :) Blazes make a huge difference to the trail.
I can slowly see that the mountains are coming to an end. On Blood mountain,
about 20 miles north of the AT there are no mountains to the south. On Cohutta
overlook, near the beginning of the GPT there are no mountains to the north.
Now there are very few mountains to the west. They are spaced further apart
and are quite low. I dont think the climbs are more that 500 feet. It is a very
satisfying feeling to see that I have almost crossed an entire mountain range.
The hike was fairly easy. The climbs were short and the ridge runs relatively
flat. I was quite surprised to do a 20+ day with a late start. I was also
grateful that it did not rain.
Date: December 15 2000
Trail Day: 198
Miles Today: 21
Location: Old Narrows's Park
Section Mile: GPT 86
ECT Mile: 2973
Due to the humidity the sleeping bag felt clammy all night. In the morning
there was a lot of dew and fog.
Decended from Horn mountain. Met a hunter along the way. Took a break at
Pikher pond. Met another hunter. This guy was not a serious hunter. He seemed
very relaxed and said he never walked too far from his truck. I think he uses
hunting just as an excuse to get out into the woods.
Then came a climb up Keown Falls park. Its a very small falls but the trail
maintainance seems very good. Crossed two creeks and got my shoes and socks
wet. All in all a fairly easy hike. Most of the trail is blazed and therefore
easy to follow. I have also cross referenced the GPT maps with the DeLorme
maps and now have a much better idea of what the trail is doing.
Today I reversed all the north meander caused by the BMT and am now south of
the Springer mountain.
The day turned quite warm, probably 55 F. I could hike in just my shirt.
