Embarking on Adventure: AT
The famous brick arch. Not technically Springer Mountain, but this arch is the unofficial start of the Appalachian Trail. As we stood there, filled with a palpable anxiety, I could only think about all the things that I didn’t know. One being where this arch even was relative to Springer Mountain. I mean EVERYONE takes their picture here, how was this not the start of the trail?
Another was that our start date, one we picked with nearly complete ambivalence and was solely out of the convivence of quitting work, was the AT thru hiker kick-off weekend. We were not opposed to being around people, in fact the idea was comforting, but starting with 50+ hikers felt overwhelming, as if the woods could not possibly be that vast to hold 52 people. Former thru hikers and AT trail legends had set up on the lawn across from the arch to celebrate those who were embarking on their journey. I almost wished there wasn’t an audience to what a week ago felt like a thoroughly planned out trek and now felt like a hairbrained scheme I would be lucky to survive.
Riveter (my older sister and hiking partner) and I registered for our thru hiker bag tags with the AT rangers. The coveted bag tag was all over the AT online presence and was the ultimate sign that you are an aspiring thru hiker. It came at the cost of sitting through an orientation… with our mom right behind us whispering in our ears to pay attention and maybe take some notes. Credit where credit is due and we did learn the PCT bear hang.
THEN picture time. Little did we know this was the last time our gear would look vibrant and fresh. At 29 and 25 it felt like ‘back to school’ pictures. Our dad wanting to try different frames and stances, while our mom chatted nervously with other families trying to reassure herself that this was something other normal people did.
By 9:40 am we were setting off with family in toe. This meant we all did the 175 stair climb up Amicalola Falls. While on the steps, a man gave us our first trail magic- $20 each for our first resupply! The trail magic extended far beyond monetary, as our parents were fearful letting two of their daughters live in the woods for 5 months. The money displayed the kindness we would encounter over our 2000 mile trek. Around 10:30 am we said our final good-byes. The weather turned from cloudy to a sunny, 68 degree day. Mother nature must have known we couldn’t handle rain after watching our family turn back. The other thru hikers starting today never materialized. When we passed shelters only 3-4 people were there. After covering 14 miles, we set up camp next to a creek, successfully hung bear bags, and chowed down on meals too large for us.
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