Today marks the official beginning of my journey as I awoke atop Springer Mountain, ready to embark on my northward trek towards North Carolina. The night preceding this momentous day was cold and windy, leaving me with minimal sleep. However, the weariness from two consecutive sleep-deprived nights was overshadowed by the adrenaline surging through me as I anticipated covering "real" miles on foot.
As I strolled through the brisk morning, the sun gradually warmed everything around me, allowing me to shed layers until I was comfortably navigating in just a shirt and shorts. The Georgia sun brought the day's temperature to the high 40s, providing a refreshing start to my adventure.
During the day's journey, I encountered fellow hikers, including Copperhead and Psycho (trail names), who were engaged in trail work alongside Captain Red Beard. The latter, true to his name, sported a distinctive appearance. Despite sharing the Appalachian Trail (AT) thru-hiking goal for the year, Captain Red Beard was taking a leisurely pace to commence his own adventure.
My 21-mile day passed swiftly, and before I knew it, I reached Woody Gap, feeling genuinely fatigued. Making a pragmatic decision, I opted to trek an additional 2 miles down the road to treat myself to a hot meal, specifically, pizza. This pit stop allowed me to not only refuel but also attend to the well-being of my feet—a crucial aspect of long-distance hiking.
At the hostel near Woody Gap, I met a very opinionated fellow hiker who had section-hiked much of the rest of the trail. He had some good information as well as opinions to offer. At the end of day 1 I am exhausted with only about 250 more days like it ahead!
