Like I be saying yo'...two more items were crossed off the 30 by 30 list this weekend. #2 Hike a piece of the Appalachian Trail and #8 Go camping are both finished thanks to the help of some friends.
Saturday I borrowed a pack, grabbed a couple of friends, and off we went into the wild wild wilderness. We started off at Walasi-Yi and made our way up Blood Mountain, the highest point in Georgia, via the Appalachian Trail. Our plan was to go up Blood Mountain, take some trails to make a loop, and get back to the car by Sunday afternoon. After the map got dropped on the hike up, we decided a change of plan was in order. We changed the plan to head back down the mountain, cross the street, go under Walasi-YI, the only spot on the whole 2, 200 mile AT where the trail is covered (i.e. a breezeway), and hike the opposite way going southbound on the AT until we got tired and wanted to make our camp. We hiked up a ridge down a steep mountain side, and made camp at the bottom. We never saw any hikers on this part of the AT until the next day when a trail runner past us. We set up camp, T made a banging good camp fire, we cooked up some hot dogs and s'mores, I proceeded to get a bit drunk on my bag of wine, and then I was forced into bed. It was a bit of a rough night. Bella came with and while she is an awesome hiker she couldn't get very comfortable on the ground so she kept moving around, disturbing my tent mates. It also got a bit cold and my fleece was in my pack outside. I didn't get much sleep other than my couple hours of pass out drunk sleep. We woke, ate some delicious cheddar cheese on bagels that I had brought, and hiked out. It was a good time and I now plan on trying to backpack more often.
Next time I am going to need to outfit Bella in some booties (her feet were jacked up from the rocks) and her own pack (I have one, but she chaffed bad last time she had it on). She's also going to need her own blanket to lie on so she will be more comfy. See below for some pics from the trip.
Random rock outcropping
Hiking it up
Close to the top of Blood Mountain
Highest peak on the Georgia piece of the AT trail
Setting up camp. Bella was a bit pooped.
Enjoying a nice glass of wine (or 6) post hike.
Good Morning Appalachian Trail
Bella and I
3 comments:
Congrats!
We have a cabin in Suches (other side of Blood Mountain near Lake Winfield Scott) and are fortunate to have the AT about 1/4 mile from us. Not that we hike it very far. I used to use my infant/toddler daughter as an excuse but now that my daughter is 9 years old I don't have that excuse. :)
Nice Jeff! I am ultra jealous of you! Just remember that when you are sitting at your cabin watching tv and drinking a beer in the hottub instead of hiking... actually if I had all that luxury at my fingertips I don't think I'd hike either:)
:) Our cabin is a step above camping; nothing luxurious but it does have basic utilities and a fridge for cold drinks. :) I might have to post a photo of it at my lazy photographer blog...
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