Out of the Rain! Into Uncle Johnny's Hostel!

Found Hiking in Mist

As I write this post, it is raining cats and dogs outside. Right now, the southeast is just a big wet, muddy mess. The skies have been gray for 5 out of the last 6 days, and everything is just plain damp. This the the cold, wet AT that I signed up for!

When I started out on this hike, I was stunned by the nice, sun-filled skies. Temperatures were in the 60's and 70's, and I remember thinking to myself, hmmmmmm... it seems like the weather should be really crappy at this time of year. Well, it's now really, really crappy.

On top of Big Firescald Knob

Nonetheless, I had one really nice day between Hot Springs and Erwin, and I took advantage of it - I took a lot of pictures, and hiked a 20-mile day.  In spite of shifting rocks under foot, Big Firescald Knob had great views of the low country (and perhaps Knoxville) to the east and the Blue Ridge to the west.  It was an awesome day to be outside!

I have been hiking with Found (PCT 2006, CDT 2010) since Georgia, and I really enjoy his company.  What's interesting about our hiking relationship is that we are both interviewing for the same job with the Pacific Crest Trail Association.  How crazy is that?  One thing that I have discovered on these long distance trails is that it is a small world.  I have run into many hikers that I know (or hikers that I've heard of) on the trail over the years, so may be it's not so surprising.  While we may be competitors for the same job, we are companions out here on the trail.  I like that.

There was no view down to the Nolichucky River

I have only 50-miles to go before I am finished with this odyssey on the trail.  This next section of trail includes Big Hump and Little Hump, and Roan Mountain, which I remember being very scenic.  However, it looks like the weather will continue to rain over the next few days, so I am not guaranteed any sweeping views.  I will be getting off at Elk Park on Sunday, where I will meet up with my friend and 2009 CDT hiking companion, Patch.  I look forward to our meeting.

I am happy to be out on the trail, and I will check back in soon!

Found's All You Can Eat Supper in Hiawassee, Goergia

Found and I stopped at Daniel's in Hiawssee, Georgia for supper.  It was an all you can eat supper, and we loaded up on the food.  Below is a little video of Found talking about his delight over the food.  Enjoy!

Impressions: Two Weeks on the Appalachian Trail

Found taking a break at shelter
in North Georgia

Like the teeth on a gear, the Appalachian Trail has so many little ups and downs, and makes it one of the more physically challenging hikes of the the Triple Crown.  I had forgotten how taxing the grind of ascents and descents are on the body (yep, my knees are feeling it!), and I am now looking forward to rest here in Hot Springs, North Carolina, before hiking the last 110-miles of this journey.

This is the earliest I have ever set out on a trail (March 11th), and I am both bored and intrigued by the landscape of the southern Appalachians.  On the one hand, it is a grind to see a lot of the same scenery (dead leaves, rocks, denuded trees), while on the other I am watching spring foliage slowly explode, hearing more birds chirping, and seeing more wildlife.  It truly is a spectacle that only be seen by living in the wilderness on a day-to-day basis.  This spring spectacle seems more pronounced as I fluctuate from high to low elevations, where wildflowers are already in bloom.

Trillium in Bloom along AT

Every thru-hiker has humble beginnings, and I am reminded of that when I meet a lot of these newbie hikers.  I cannot believe how much stuff a lot of these hikers carry!  However, I am reminded that I also started out with a 50-pound pack on the AT in Maine in 2000.

I get a lot of questions from other hikers about gear.  I have been asked about my pack, and how I fit so little inside of it.  Some hikers have asked me when they should switch out their jackets, or when to start carrying bug spray.  I try to offer some advice, but I am hesitant to dole out too much.  I feel that people need to discover some of these things themselves.  I did tell one hiker not to buy the same backpack that I have, only because he would also have to switch out his sleeping bag and tent to make things fit.  He agreed that switching would be a bad idea at this time.

I have received a lot of trail magic out here.  One guy was cooking hot dogs at Woody Gap, and another was passing out chips and honey buns just north of Davenport gap.  I've also had hamburgers at Hogback Gap, sodas and chips at Unicoi Gap, and I am sure that I've missed out on many more trail magic opportunities.

Oak Tree at Georgia-North
Carolina Border

The trail magic thing here in the south has me feeling a little conflicted.  No doubt will I turn down a free hot dog, but I wonder if many of the northbound hikers get a little spoiled.  When I hiked southbound on the AT in 2000, I had a woman buy me lunch in Gorham, New Hampshire, which was completely unexpected.  That was the only trail magic I received until I hit Virginia!  Out here, I have received it 5-times in 2-weeks!  Honestly, I think hikers need to be a little more hardened to their experience.

Similarly, I am also amazed by the number of vendors, hotels, and hostel owners out here who are scratching for business from hikers.  It seems like every gap (Woody, Neels, Dick's Creek, Winding Stair) in Georgia and North Carolina has free hiker shuttles to hotels, hostels, or an outfitter waiting to change out one's heavy pack for a lighter one.  Again, when I stated out my hike up in Maine, I had none of those options!  I lament the commercialization.  However, I can see the flip side to the coin that it's good for one to have options to switch out gear to encourage a lighter, more enjoyable hike.

A Snowy, Foggy Morning on the AT

All in all, I am charmed by this experience, and I have met some wonderful people out here.  The people out here love to be outside, and enjoying the wilderness.  Hiking the trail is an enriching experience for anyone, which teaches responsibility, simplicity, and a deep care for creation.  I love this lifestyle, and the people who embrace it.  I love these AT hikers!

Rest in Hiawassee, GA

I am in Hiawassee, Georgia for a short break.  I stayed at the Blueberry Patch Hostel, which is 7.4-miles outside of town, and I definitely recommend staying there.  I get back on the trail later this afternoon, and then I will huff it to Fontana Dam, where I will be arriving on the 20th of this month.  I am really enjoying my AT experience again, and after eleven years off this trail, I have to say that there's not much of it I recognize!  So, in some ways, I feel like I never hiked this trail before.  More to come later.

Looks Like Great Weather Ahead

The rains have moved through Georgia, bringing with it cold temperatures and high winds. However, the weather report looks great for the next three days.

I am excited to get back on the Appalachian Trail. I am poising myself to hike 20-mile days up to Fontana Dam to meet up with Squatch there. Although this will be a short journey (3 1/2 weeks), it should be epic! I

The Hiker Hostel in the North Georgia Mountains

hope to check in again in four days with a full report with my impressions.

I am staying at a lovely hostel called the Hiker Hostel. This place is seriously the Taj Majal of hostels. It is a beautiful log cabin with three levels for hosting hikers. The owners, Josh and Leigh Saint, have decorated this place with all kinds of pictures from their previous hikes. This is the place to stay in North Georgia.

Video: The Green Tunnel

This video about the Appalachian Trail's green tunnel is making the rounds on the web, and I agree that it is pretty sweet to watch. Enjoy the AT in 5 minutes!

Green Tunnel from Kevin Gallagher on Vimeo.

Appalachian Trail Hike: 3-Weeks

I learned the other day that I will only be on the Appalachian Trail for three weeks.  I figure that's enough time to scramble up to Erwin, TN (or perhaps a little further) before I have to catch a flight out of Knoxville.  This is certainly not bad news, because I am leaving the trail to interview for a job with a well-known trail organization.  Yep, I have the opportunity to land a dream job, so I have to go for it.

That said, after the interview, I plan to hop on the Pacific Crest Trail near Mojave, and hike south for a few weeks.  I am pretty excited about that.  Now, if only I can figure out a way to hike on the Continental Divide Trail for a few weeks, then the circle will be complete.  Who knows? It might happen.

I leave for Georgia in a week, and I getting excited.  I have a lot to do in the next week to prepare for the AT, and living the drifter lifestyle for the next two months.  Look for more updates here as March 11th approaches.