So... its the end of Day 1! Can you believe it! We left Charlotte this morning at 8:30 am and had a very rainy drive down to Springer Mountain, Georgia. In fact, it rained the entire drive right up until the moment we got on the service roads that would lead us to our destination...Then it started snowing! It was beautiful. Adam "Topo" Palmer, his dad "Methane" and I met up up with Kat and her parents, and started up to the beginning of the trail at the peak of Springer Mount. There was already a lot of snow on the ground, the trees, everything. . . and it was still coming down pretty hard. It was a bit chilly, but my excitement overcame every other feeling in my body. Besides, it was gorgeous! We hiked down the trail only about 3 miles and stopped at a big, new-looking shelter. There were only a few hikers already there, and plenty of room for a few more, so we decided to call it a day. We have already met a lot of cool people. A couple of guys from Chapel Hill, a guy from Raleigh, a legend of the AT named Sarge who seems very wise, and an Army vet from California named Autumn. As soon as we got to the shelter, we set up our pads and sleeping bags and got inside them to warm up! It was difficult to get out . . . but a hungry belly and an awesome campfire that Methane and Topo was enough to convince me! We ate some food and we all sat around the fire talking. Even though it was kind of cloudy, the sunset was beautiful and we could see a Cheshire cat moon and some stars peeking through. Upon meeting Kat and talking with her for a few minutes, our new friend Autumn assigned Kat her new Trail new. And it is (drum roll please) . . Giggles, of course! It was a great first day. I know this endeavor is going to be the most challenging thing I have ever done. But I have a positive attitude, courage, a great community of support, and I am ready to learn a lot and take away as much as I can from this amazing opportunity.
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