3/18/23
Mom and Dad have been planning and preparing to backpack section hike the Appalachian trail (AT)! They practiced at a local park with a small trail and over 300 stairs. They went up and down the stairs with their packs multiple times because they planned to start their hike at Amicalola Falls that had a climb of over 300 stairs:
The stairs were a nice challange:
It was early in the morning but was starting to warm up:
3/15/23
The planned AT backpacking day arrived and they decided to take us on the trip. We stayed at an awesome Airbnb while they hiked. The place had goats!
3/16/23
Mom and dad had a shuttle driver meet them at their car where they planned to hike to over the next two days and then he drove them to the starting point at Amicalola Falls.
They hiked a small trail that lead to the falls:
There was a paved path at the bottom of the falls:
Now it was time to start the first section of the stairs 175 steps:
Still going up!
More steps!
The steps are done, now to get to the start of the 8.5 mile approach trail which is not even part of the AT. The At starts at the top of Springer mountain and there is no way to get there but to hike!
They made it to the top of Springer Mountain and the start of the Appalachian Trail!
The happy couple!
The first (if you start from the south) white blaze of the AT!
The next blaze was on a tree:
They made it back down Springer mountain and headed north along the AT.
There were some easy stream crossings along the way:
Mom still likes her bridges.
The plan was to hike to this waterfall:
Long Creek Falls was in sight!
They made it to the waterfall!
They set up their campsite by the stream coming down from the waterfall.
3/17/23
Mom and Dad got up before 5am to try and pack up the tent before the predicted rain, but it rained before they could get all packed up. It was still dark out but they were all packed up so they decided to start their hike:
Rain, wind and fog, not to mention it’s still dark!
They got in three miles before the sun came up:
It was lightly raining throughout the day and the hiking was super challenging. Mom and Dad said it was the hardest hike they had ever experienced! They made it back to the car and look who greeted them at the Airbnb:
These goats were crazy!
3/18/23
The next day mom and dad decided they did not want to section hike as planned so they took us out for some adventures. Our first stop was a tiny house open house:
Mom likes the tiny house concept, Dad not so much.
Then we stopped at some weird roadside thing:
And our final stop was the Big Foot Museum!
Lets go inside and see what evidence they have!
“Real” science:
A reenactment of an “actual” Big Foot attack!
We weren’t all convinced… but it was a nice outing. Time to head back to the Airbnb and then home tomorrow.