Fall in New Mexico

The Aspens in Santa fe National Forest--a place called Aspen Vista.

Lunabelle, my cat

ARCHES, DUDE!

I traveled up to Arches National Park early in Sept. Since my first trip there with Josh I've been dying to get back there and spend some time with the rocks. Living in New Mexico made it somewhat in the neighborhood and even more irresitable. With Heather's sister, Monet, visiting for a couple weeks, we decided to take her there for her birthday.

By the way this trip marked my first scooter policeman siting. If you've got other pictures, let me know--I'm thinking (hoping) they're rare. It's got to be tough to demand respect on that glorified scooter. And if anyone is an Arrested Development fan you can appreciate from the Gob Bluth perspective--beautiful. Also, is the helmet necessary? How fast can you really go?

A.T. notes #1: North Georgia: Springer MT. to Hiawassee

3-28-06
The first White Blaze!
This is my first time in the woods where I am content; I'm not thinking of waking up to walk back to a car in the morning--I'm filled with immense joy in this. I'm to walk in the morning at sunrise and I can't wait to see what lies just a foot ahead on the trail.

I've set camp next to stover creek, set amongst old growth hemlocks protected for years due to there remote location. I love sleeping with the sounds of water, but can't help but hear voices in the gurgling. Perhaps I'm hoping someone will arrive before sundown to talk away the dark hours until bedtime, as surprisingly I'm alone near Springer Mt. at the peak of thru-hiker season.


3-29
I caught up with the crowd the next morning after several fast paced and light-footed miles to Hawk Mt. I caught up with two brothers from Albany which I met just north of Springer yesterday, who I would later learn were dubbed "the booger brothers" somewhere between there and Southern VA. That afternoon after calling it a day at 12 miles I settled in for dinner. I ended up meeting good friends that night as 3 guys from the FLA. strolled in just completing the 16 miles many there had done in 2-3 days. Most people go super slow at the start, mostly because of a lack of physical preparation and carrying too much weight, so they met questions like pro athletes amongst crowds of admirers.

For me they were the first young people that I could really relate to and I hoped we'd walk together in the morning. I left early trying to decide if I would make the extra couple miles over Blood Mt. and down to Neels Gap for the first touch of civilization (aka, pizza and beer). Goodtimes Charley, Provost, and Fish caught up with me after a couple miles of solitude in the early morning southern Appalachians. Provost plowed by me. I caught with him at Woody Gap where we chatted, dumped trash, and decide to hike together as we waited for the other two.

(a misty morning view of perhaps Blood Mt.)

(Left to right: Me, aka "Banshee", Goodtimes, and Provost--photo by Fish)
3-31
The photo above was taken at an overlook just after Neels Gap. With full stomachs and packs, we set off to Blue Mt, some 18 miles north, to make a short trip the next day to the first town--Hiawassee, GA. Just after a few days of woods one realizes the novelty and beauty of "town." While it can be a money pitfall, who can turn down ice cream, a hotel, and southern hospitality after constant physical excertion.

The trail in GA, and throughout the southern Appalachians, goes straight up and down graded only for crazy folks looking to walk to Maine. It's hard to figure out the best pace when you try to balance challenge with prudence. And the days are long so only putting in 10-12 miles means a lot of camp time which I now avoid due to my transitioning into trail life.

Spring had arrived in GA, even at 4,000 ft. the wildflowers were poking through the dense leaf fall; here pictured is the first bloodroot I spotted on the trail.

We had three sunny days, and rain threatened towards the end of our climb to Blue Mt. Shortly after eating, enjoying my first trail campfire, and listening to a GM retiree-cum-thru-hiker lambaste hondas and toyotas, and zipping into my bag, the rain falls. It blew all night and kept me ill-at-ease throughout. Luckily I found all the leaks in my tarp and they weren't too substantial. I adjusted things all night to stay grounded as our exposed position at over 4,000 ft. didn't behoove our rest or tarp set-up. And so it went. In the morning all was calm and wet as set off to hitch to Hiawassee.