[at-l] A Hike in Georgia

[KarenS62@aol.com (KarenS62@aol.com)]

As Gutsy mentioned, Dee and Jess left for Maine on Friday. Due to a really=20
bad  accident which closed a road, they got to Amicalola about six hours=20
later than planned, so we never left Springer until after 4pm. But they left=
=20
with light packs. Including food, water and a two-person tent, Jess's pack=20
weighed 28 pounds and Dee's weighed 32.  Not too much tuckering to be done=20
there!

The first night we camped just south of Long Falls, had a pleasant evening=20
sitting and talking. We discovered that Jess is easily motivated by the=20
promise of food - she peeled off that last mile in milliseconds. I have neve=
r=20
seen anyone get that excited about a pack full of Liptons and Ramen.=20

Saturday morning, I hiked south back to the parking lot and they hiked north=
.=20
Three or four different northbound hikers felt it was very important to poin=
t=20
out I was headed the wrong direction!  I chatted with the caretaker for quit=
e=20
a while (he said to thank you Gutsy) and he said hikers have been pretty=20
receptive to education on LNT practices. I hope they remember what they are=20
taught because we saw evidence this weekend of lessons not well learned.=20

I passed about 12 northbounders in the four miles south - they are so easy t=
o=20
pick out - all fresh faced with clean shirts and boots. It doesn't take long=
=20
on a muddy trail for that to go away! =20

I picked Dee and Jess up at Coopers last night after a hot sunny day of=20
hiking and we went to Gooch to tent. Because of the heavy traffic, we decide=
d=20
not to stay at Coopers. We had fun last night too - there was a group of=20
eight friends all out for a long weekend who invited us to share their=20
campfire, their trivia contest, popcorn and lots of laughs.=20

I dropped Dee and Jess back off this morning , headed out and about a minute=
=20
down the road, I pass a blue van! Pittsburgh! We jumped out, I told him if h=
e=20
hurried he could catch them,a quick hug and that was the last I saw of him.=20=
I=20
am not sure where he was headed and he didn't catch Dee and Jess either. I=20
wish I had known he wouldn't - I would have stayed to chat.  Ya gotta love a=
=20
community where you are driving down a forest service road and can see=20
someone you know well enough to hug, but who lives hundreds of miles away!

I went for a little hike  in the sunshineto pass the time before they arrive=
d=20
for lunch at Gooch. A long hug and a couple tears later, they headed north.=20
Jess was already excited about the idea of macaroni and cheese for supper.=20

POG
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"I was always looking outside myself for strength and confidence,
but it comes from within.=A0 It is there all the time."     Anna Freud




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