March 21, 2001
I awoke yesterday morning to see it snowing sideways in Asheville. Sarah Hay, a friend from Warren Wilson, borrowed her boyfriend's Jeep and we drove down to Northern Georgia anyway. The trip was extra long due to road conditions and an accident that blocked traffic for over an hour. No worries--we had a lot to catch up on. We arrived too late to start the trail that day. So we stayed in a hotel in Ellijay near the trailhead and went out for Chinese with Team Shannon.
Team Shannon is Liddell's family. Liddell is a friend from Camp Green Cove. Her parents are really cute and excited. They and Sarah hiked the first 2.5 miles with us, running a car shuttle at that point. We tailgated in the parking lot with Black Bean salsa and spinach dip, refrigerated items that we won't see for awhile.
I'm really glad to be hiking with Liddell. There must be close to 30 hikers camped around Hawk Mountain Shelter, the first shelter after Springer Mountain. There would probably be even more if the weather was better. I can hear artillery fire close by. We passed a shooting range that borders the trail. No worries though. It's just the Army Rangers that train near the Hawk Mountain Shelter learning to be all that they can be.
Lying in bed last night and again tonight, I revel in how many people have helped me achieve this dream. Not often can I say that there is no other place that I'd rather be.
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