[at-l] slow hike #1 - first report

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i left from pittsburgh early on the 7th of march with my sweetie (barb) and=
 two girls from canada.  the two girls, laura and sabina, had arrived in pi=
ttsburgh via greyhound bus.  we stopped near bland virginia so the girls co=
uld touch a white blaze for the first time.  we stopped near atkins virgini=
a, and the girls hiked for about a mile on the trail.  we stopped in erwin =
to see miss janet, and she was not home.  i ate tacos at the erwin burrito =
company.  we drove to franklin and stayed the night at the microtel...

on saturday (the 8th) we entered georgia through hiawassee, and wiggled our=
 way to suches, then dahlonega.  after shopping and grabbing subway sandwic=
hes, we headed for springer.  the trip took us right past the highly fortif=
ied army ranger training base.  we sent good thoughts to our men and women =
who are deployed in the gulf...

we arrived at the parking area closest to springer mountain.  moose (AT '97=
) arrived soon thereafter with another slow hiker (robert) in tow.  robert =
and the two girls headed for springer.  moose, barb and i soon followed...

i had developed a severe case of gastric distress during the day, and my in=
terest in climbing springer was to benefit from the privy-with-a-view at th=
e shelter.  that accomplished, barb and i topped springer.  everything abou=
t hiking and the AT is new to barb, and i am getting quite a kick out of in=
troducing her to it all...

back at the parking area, moose, robert and the girls decided to hike north=
 to the stover creek shelter to spend the night.  barb and i drove to hicko=
ry flatts for the night so that i would be near a privy.  this turned out t=
o be a prudent decision.  barb spent her first night in a backpacking tent.=
  she survived wonderfully...

the slow hikers dribbled in to hickory flatts as the day progressed on sund=
ay (the 9th) - harris, moose, robert, laura, sabina, dan, bees knees, bacon=
 belly, and a stray named preston.  tents went up, food was prepared, and t=
here was much discussion concerning proper gear.  the weather was perfect...

as night neared, we all gathered wood and got a roaring campfire going.  we=
 spent a couple of hours chatting around the fire.  someone said goodnight,=
 and that started the exodus to bed.  we doused the fire and closed our eye=
s=2E  i kept a clear path open to the privy...

on monday, robert and dan asked to be taken out.  they had decided to stop =
their hikes.  i protested some, but they ultimately must make their own dec=
isions.  tents went down, and food was prepared, and the slow hikers drifte=
d out by ones and twos.  my health was not going to let me hike, plus i sti=
ll had some loose ends to tie up at home, so barb, robert, dan and i said f=
arewell and drove out of hickory flatts...

dan and robert were dropped off at convienient locations in tennessee, and =
barb and i drove north to pittsburgh.  i will be returning to the slow hike=
 this saturday (the 15th), at tray gap, where there will be a hiker feast...

pittsburgh

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