Doodles
Active member
6 years, 21 days after first setting foot on the AT, I have completed one of the greatest journeys.
With 66 miles left, from Dicks Creek Gap to Springer Mountain, my wonderfull wife dropped me off and waved good-by as I disappeared into the Georgia woods. She would see me again along with my good friend Repeat to walk the last mile up to Springer.
Although very dry right now down South and water scarce, I had a phenonenal trip. There weren't very many hikers out over the five days, as some noted the dry conditions kept them off the trail. The hikers that were out were a great group as all encountered over the entire journey.
The AT is truely a magical place. Every time I was out, I found myself planning my next trip. I quickly realized that this time there was no next trip. This was my finish. So I started thinking about my planned thruhike when I retire. "Yeah, lets think about that". Or, "I still have a lot of friends who haven't finished the trail yet", "I can hook up with them on their trips". Or, "I can go back and rehike all the sections that I hiked in the rain". OR, OR, OR, the list goes on. Once the TRAIL grabs you, are you really ever finished???
Anyway, as I closed in to within 20 miles, I said,"YE HA, I'm only a day hike away". When I saw the sign that put me about 6 miles out, I said "YEEE HAAA, I'm only a good trail run away".
As I hiked the entire trip, I was thinking how lucky and happy I was to have a friend who was driving down from Ashville and a wonderfull wife who wanted to walk that last mile with me.
This is where it gets crazy. I made it to FSR 42 parking lot, 0.9 miles from the summit where my wife and Repeat were going to meet me the next day. But wait, I want to hike the approach trail down from Springer as well. I told my wife that this was a possibility if I made good time. With compass and map in hand, I would probably be the first hiker to purposely miss the summit. I promised to hike the last mile together, so now begins the miss the summit 2 mile bushwack around Springer Mountain and intersect the approach trail about a mile below the summit. The people I told this idea to called me crazy, those who know me would call me sounds like Doodles. Once the Georgia woods grabbed ahold of me and started to draw blood from my legs, I yelled out, "now this is hiking, bring it on". A very steep side hill, thorn and laurel packed 2 mile trip. I re-entered the approach trail very close to my intended point. Yelled out a top of the lungs YEE HAA, for it was all down hill from here.
I camped at Black Gap shelter that night, expecting to be alone. Just as the sun was setting, two very entertaining first time hikers showed up to spend the last night on the trail with me. Jackie and Marian were looking for Springer Mt shelter and ended up 1.5 miles to far. They said it was fate that brought them here for my last night and their first. It was great to have them around.
A lite rain started in the early morning, but it had quit by the time I said my goodbys to the girls and set off for Amcalola Falls State Park. With this detour around Springer, Repeat and my wife would pick me up at the Park and head back up to walk that last mile.
I made it to the park and had about a 2 hour wait for my ride. I signed the register at the visitor center and was congratulated by dozens of park visitors as they asked me how far I had hiked, and I told them of my greatest journey. They all made me feel very special, something I never expected as I sat on that stone wall waiting. There were some who wanted to take pictures with me. These actions by others were the furthest thing from my mind, but I have to admit, it made me feel reallllly good. The time passed quickly and the love of my life and Repeat finally drove up. My wife greeted me with a great big kiss and Jackie with a hardy handshake and "you crazy son of b----, only you would bushwack aroung the summit". And with that we were off up the forest service roads back to Springer. Back at the Springer PA. it was quite cloudy and threatened rain, but we all set off for the summit.
The last 0.9 was a nice slow hike up and we finally crested to the plaque at the summit. On the summit rock there was another finisher waiting for his parents who were coming up to greet him. Congats to him as well. As we talked the skies cleared and we were rewarded with the final view.
Hugs and kisses and handshakes and pictures and my journey was officially completed.
With 66 miles left, from Dicks Creek Gap to Springer Mountain, my wonderfull wife dropped me off and waved good-by as I disappeared into the Georgia woods. She would see me again along with my good friend Repeat to walk the last mile up to Springer.
Although very dry right now down South and water scarce, I had a phenonenal trip. There weren't very many hikers out over the five days, as some noted the dry conditions kept them off the trail. The hikers that were out were a great group as all encountered over the entire journey.
The AT is truely a magical place. Every time I was out, I found myself planning my next trip. I quickly realized that this time there was no next trip. This was my finish. So I started thinking about my planned thruhike when I retire. "Yeah, lets think about that". Or, "I still have a lot of friends who haven't finished the trail yet", "I can hook up with them on their trips". Or, "I can go back and rehike all the sections that I hiked in the rain". OR, OR, OR, the list goes on. Once the TRAIL grabs you, are you really ever finished???
Anyway, as I closed in to within 20 miles, I said,"YE HA, I'm only a day hike away". When I saw the sign that put me about 6 miles out, I said "YEEE HAAA, I'm only a good trail run away".
As I hiked the entire trip, I was thinking how lucky and happy I was to have a friend who was driving down from Ashville and a wonderfull wife who wanted to walk that last mile with me.
This is where it gets crazy. I made it to FSR 42 parking lot, 0.9 miles from the summit where my wife and Repeat were going to meet me the next day. But wait, I want to hike the approach trail down from Springer as well. I told my wife that this was a possibility if I made good time. With compass and map in hand, I would probably be the first hiker to purposely miss the summit. I promised to hike the last mile together, so now begins the miss the summit 2 mile bushwack around Springer Mountain and intersect the approach trail about a mile below the summit. The people I told this idea to called me crazy, those who know me would call me sounds like Doodles. Once the Georgia woods grabbed ahold of me and started to draw blood from my legs, I yelled out, "now this is hiking, bring it on". A very steep side hill, thorn and laurel packed 2 mile trip. I re-entered the approach trail very close to my intended point. Yelled out a top of the lungs YEE HAA, for it was all down hill from here.
I camped at Black Gap shelter that night, expecting to be alone. Just as the sun was setting, two very entertaining first time hikers showed up to spend the last night on the trail with me. Jackie and Marian were looking for Springer Mt shelter and ended up 1.5 miles to far. They said it was fate that brought them here for my last night and their first. It was great to have them around.
A lite rain started in the early morning, but it had quit by the time I said my goodbys to the girls and set off for Amcalola Falls State Park. With this detour around Springer, Repeat and my wife would pick me up at the Park and head back up to walk that last mile.
I made it to the park and had about a 2 hour wait for my ride. I signed the register at the visitor center and was congratulated by dozens of park visitors as they asked me how far I had hiked, and I told them of my greatest journey. They all made me feel very special, something I never expected as I sat on that stone wall waiting. There were some who wanted to take pictures with me. These actions by others were the furthest thing from my mind, but I have to admit, it made me feel reallllly good. The time passed quickly and the love of my life and Repeat finally drove up. My wife greeted me with a great big kiss and Jackie with a hardy handshake and "you crazy son of b----, only you would bushwack aroung the summit". And with that we were off up the forest service roads back to Springer. Back at the Springer PA. it was quite cloudy and threatened rain, but we all set off for the summit.
The last 0.9 was a nice slow hike up and we finally crested to the plaque at the summit. On the summit rock there was another finisher waiting for his parents who were coming up to greet him. Congats to him as well. As we talked the skies cleared and we were rewarded with the final view.
Hugs and kisses and handshakes and pictures and my journey was officially completed.
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