March 25

First day on the AT

Woke up on Springer to a cold fog.  Very limited visibility.  We packed up our gear, ate breakfast, and continued hiking officially on the AT.....horray!  After a few miles we passed the Stover Creek shelter, and continued on until mile marker 4.3 at Three Forks, where Mom had driven up a forest service road to meet us for lunch.  Then I had to say my good byes, and Dad and Tim got in the car to head back home, and I kept hiking north.  After a mile or so, I stopped at a nice little waterfall at Long Creek to take a break.  I met another thru hiker there from West Va, and we continued on to Hawk Mnt Shelter to camp for the night.  Lots of other hikers were there already.  I set up my tent, got water, cooked dinner, several other hikers arrived throughout the evening, and stayed up talking with people for a little while before heading to bed.  Beautiful hiking today.  The trail was pretty easy going.

The start of the AT, and the first white blaze.