[at-l] Great time on the AT

[Farina6@aol.com (Farina6@aol.com)]

Hi all you at-l'ers.  My name is Teresa and I live in FL.  I've been a member 
of this list before, but always seem to fall behind and get off the list.  
Anyway, I'm back.

I spent last Sunday through Wednesday on the AT.  It was my first section 
hike and multi-night backpacking trip anywhere, and it was the almighty AT!  
My partner and I were planning on a 40 mile hike from Dick's Creek Gap to 
Winding Stairs Gap Sunday through Thursday, but we knew (well, I knew anyway) 
that we'd never make it that far, so we planned a 'shortcut' from Deep Gap to 
Glassmire (that's close, but not sure if that's the right name???) using the 
Kimsey Creek Trail and Long Branch Trail(?) through Standing Indian 
Campground.  Well, Tuesday night we camped along Kimsey Creek, and found out 
Wednesday morning that the temperature got down to 18 degrees!  Keep in mind 
that I've lived in Southwest FL since I was 6, it was downright chilly!  BUT, 
I survived and it gave me a terrific confidence boost to thruhike the AT 
sometime in the not-so-distant future.  I don't forget that I had great 
weather...clear, not too hot, cool enough...and that I will not thruhike in 
those conditions.

We met 2 southbound thruhikers just north of Dick's Creek Gap.  Phoenix and 
Sodapop I believe.  They were doing great and could expect great weather 
through to Springer.  It was a terrific pleasure meeting them, and I hope 
their last 60 miles were wonderful.  If any listers know them, let me know 
how they're doing, would you?

One thing that I don't quite understand:  We met 2 hunting dogs near Bly Gap, 
both of the same owner, both wearing radio collars.  My question is, what do 
they do with these dogs?  They were with us all afternoon and we never saw a 
human in that time.   Do these dogs go "home" at night, or do they stay out 
for several nights?  I noticed the tracking collars on them, plus the owners 
name and phone number on another collar.  Do the owners depend on others to 
call on the whereabouts of their dogs?  Also, it is necessary to wear orange 
or some bright color on the AT in hunting seasons?  My previous opinion was 
that surely hunters know how well-used the AT is and they know to watch for 
hunters, but I'll tell you, I felt safer from them with their dogs around.  I 
had never thought about hunters on the AT before then.

Well, I've rambled enough.  I'm still on a high about my trip.  Thanks in 
advance for your comments.

Teresa

"Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we 
fall." 
-Confucius



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