[at-l] Trip Report - initial installment

[dfaddleton@mindspring.com (David)]

This will eventually wind up with pictures at=20

http://dfaddleton.50megs.com/id22a.htm=20

31 August

Escape from the city became escape from a labarynth. Got out of the =
office a whole hour early at 4 pm; left the apartment at 5:45 pm and =
didn't really escape Atlanta's metropolitan area until around 7:30, =
picking up Adriana's friend Matt in Lawrenceville. Drove straight =
through Helen without too much trouble to Unicoi Gap and arrived at the =
Appalachian RV Park on GA 17/75 & 180 around 8:30 pm. Jan was waiting, =
concerned I'd come and gone from our rendevous since she, too, arrived =
late. Drove 180 in the dark to Suches to pick up FS 42, the mist =
becoming thicker as we ascended into the forest. White-out conditions in =
the windy fog and rain didn't keep us or others home. We found the =
parking lot on Springer's Summit remarkably full. Hummingbird and =
Dutchtreat's van was there and we awoke them in the rain to let them =
know we had arrived just shy of midnight. We set up our tarps in the =
rain, deciding against a night-time summit assault in these conditions. =
I gave instructions to Adriana about how to drive out of the forest the =
shortest way to Dahlonega and fell asleep dreaming about her and Matt =
flying over the drainage moghuls that make the FS roads so adventurous. =
We Slept at the FS42 parking lot behind the information sign.

We weren't the last to arrive. I remember these 'Bama guys who showed up =
at the parking lot after us. One of them came over behind the =
information sign and asked: "Mind if I throw up here?" To which I said, =
"Well, actually, if you're going to throw up I'd rather you do it some =
distance away from here!" We both enjoyed a good laugh and they =
assembled their tent in the rain.

1 September

Maybe it rained all night. I don't remember. I remember waking up and =
closing up shop in the rain. We stowed our packs in the van. And hiked =
to the top of Springer that morning. It was a different mountain than in =
the summer-time when Nimblewill and I walked to see the Benton Mckaye =
memorial plaque placed some 200 yards down the trail that bears his name =
under a rock. Many AT hikers miss this special place in the woods.

After the visit to the Benton McKaye memorial Jan, Hummingbird, and =
Dutchtreat went to the shelter and I went to the summit where I faced =
the cool horizontal rain and mist blowing through the laurel. Photo ops:


Jan's first southern terminus summit

David's last cigarette

After leaving the summit we bade good bye to Hummingbird and Dutchtreat =
and slacked to Hickory Flats, the place for meeting the rest of our =
group. A wet descent to Three Forks brought memories of my first hike =
through the area. At Long Creek Falls we ran into a hiking family: Mom, =
Dad, two girls and a boy, all decked out in Columbia gear. This was one =
hiking family.=20

The blue-blaze trail to Long Creek Falls had changed: an occupied =
tenting spot marked the old intersection. Had I thought about it, the =
change might have given me pause, but I confidently told Jan to expect =
Hickory Flats to appear over her right shoulder as she neared the gravel =
road where she would turn right to enter the cemetery area. She =
generally hiked ahead of me.

We hit the gravel road with the Columbia family in close pursuit. They =
kindly checked and rechecked their guide books at the gravel road. I had =
a bad feeling. Nothing at this intersection jogged any memories and I =
generally have a good geographic memory, expecially for Hickory Flats. =
The books said right down the gravel road. I said this isn't right. But =
we followed the book until my instinct told me to stop before we walked =
further down that road.

Returning, we turned left instead and almost instantly found Hummingbird =
and Dutchtreat headed out to meet us, and Hickory Flats around the bend, =
to the LEFT. The GATC had relocated the trail to the other side of =
Hickory Flats.

I tried to hang my hammock in the pavilion, but gave up and put it =
between two trees some distance away from the bonfire a father and =
daughter had started. Our hiking group grew at this rendevous, with =
Pittsburg, Clyde, Russ, and others showing up as the afternoon waned. =
Father and daughter provided smors for everyone.

At Hickory Flats I awoke to the full moon shining through the mysts and =
the sounds of a whipoorwill and owls, a precious and enduring memory =
from this wonderful trip.

David Addleton
vocate atque non vocate deus aderit
http://dfaddleton.home.mindspring.com
http://dfaddleton.50megs.com


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