Appalachian Trail: Getting To The Beginning

April 4, 2017 - Traveled to Dahlonega, GA where I will be prepping for my AT hike on the 6th.  

I was concerned that my backpack would not fit in the overhead.  I worry about everything.  I was seated in an exit row and one perk of that is you board relatively early so I had an empty overhead bin near my seat.  Turned out my backpack fit easily.

My flight left on time.  Ended up having the whole exit row to myself.  I didn't have anything to read so it was a rather boring two hour and fifteen minute flight.

Arrived in Atlanta fifteen minutes early and picked up my checked bag (with all the liquids and pointy things that worry the TSA) which was the first one off and headed for the MARTA train station.  I bought my ticket and boarded the waiting North Spring train one minute before it left.  From there I took the train to the North Spring Station.  I ended up getting to the station forty-five minutes early due to all my luck today.

I was picked up here by my shuttle guy and he drove me to my hotel in Dahlonega.  The guy was full of good information.  There were three other thru-hikers in the guy's 4Runner who were starting from Springer Mountain the same afternoon.  I got my first stamp in my Appalachian Trail passport from the shuttle driver.

The forecast called for rain on Wednesday when I'd planned on going to the outfitters to buy fuel and other non-flyable hazardous stuff.  Since it was still early and the weather was nice, I went to the outfitters a day early.

Dahlonega is a nice historic town.  There were a lot of people out enjoying the warm weather before the storm.

April 5, 2017 - Rainy day in Georgia.

It was a rainy day in Dahlonega so I considered just staying in my room all day and pack/repack my bag.  The hotel had breakfast but I would need to get out for lunch and dinner.  This would be my last chance for real food for eleven days - I needed to take advantage of my time in civilization.  My rain gear would get tested before I got on the trail.

I walked​ to the nice downtown area and had a sandwich in a cafe.  My rain coat did a good job at keeping me dry.  Tomorrow the rain will be showers and there will be a lot of wind.  Not sure I will be as dry when I get to Springer Mountain shelter tomorrow.

I did pack and repack my backpack a few times Wednesday.  That is to be expected.  I also spent the day checking the weather.  I will probably walk through showers but that is not what is worrying me.  Wind.  It will be blowing 20+ mph tomorrow.  I'm not sure if I'm ready for this ... But I will find out if I'm ready soon enough ... Tomorrow in fact.