Saturday, April 6, 2019

I have a lot to write about but the technology and connectivity make it difficult. Plus I hate doing things on a cell phone.

A couple markers have passed since I last posted. I have crossed my first State line, going from Georgia into North Carolina. While in NC, I passed the 100 mile mark. So, maybe 5% of the trail done. And we sold our house so now I’m officially homeless.

The border.

100 miles.

Being on the trail is good practice for being homeless. Most of the hostels, motels, and outfitters have hiker boxes. People leave extra gear and food in the boxes. Especially people quitting the trail. You just rummage around for whatever you may need. I scored a full propane fuel canister at Mountain Crossings and a package of beef jerky here at the motel yesterday.

It’s a good idea to take what is called a zero day every 100 miles or so. I’m in Franklin NC, at about mile 110. Franklin is known as a Trail Town. I’ll do another post on trail towns, but basically they are hiker friendly towns. Businesses and individuals really support the hiker community.

Franklin is where many take their first zero day. And a fair number of hikers drop out. One metric I heard was that between the two major access points of Neel’s Gap (Mountain Crossings) and Franklin there’s a 25% dropout rate. One-fourth the starters have quit already.

It’s understandable I guess. This isn’t the picnic some think it will be. When I left the Mountain Crossings hostel at Neel’s Gap it was in the 30s, foggy, and 25 mph winds were blowing ice off the trees. I did 16 miles in those conditions, spent a 32 degree night in a tent, followed by another 16 mile day, followed by an 8 mile day into the Top of Georgia hostel. After one night with indoor plumbing it was another two 16 mile days, and a rainy 8 miler into Franklin. Not easy walking either. This is some beautiful but rugged country. Not the walk in the woods that some expect.