My favorite view so far on the Appalachian trail came unexpectedly a few miles before Betty Creek Gap in the beautiful mountains of North Carolina.  Maneuvering through a thick tunnel of rhododendrons, hiking with what seemed like extremely exaggerated motions, I noticed an inconspicuous tunnel cut off towards the right side of the trail. At the end of the tunnel was something amazing to behold. Even though I didn’t realize at the time what peaks I was viewing, the solitude and sheer magnificence of that very spot will stay with me forever.

I may also note that Betty Creek Gap (where I ventured on down the trail) was also my favorite campsite. It was homey, there was a warm campfire with familiar faces, plenty of dry logs to squat on, and also where I found a colorful and lovingly weaved area rug (abandoned and thrown away on a downed tree) that I packed out and carried with me for miles. Though it made a toasty camp seat and vestibule decoration, we had to eventually part. Mom, you should be receiving this in the mail within the next couple of days. Her name is Betty, and It was time to part.
What’s that old hiker saying? I think it’s, “ounces equal pounds, pounds equal pain”.
True story.

A celebration at the Georgia/North Carolina border with my trail family.
It is amazing the close friends acquired on the trail thus far, well, 78.5 hiker miles to be exact.  This was the first true milestone of the journey.
Our first state crossing!
Between mile zero atop Springer Mountain to here, many adventures were to be had. They include, but are not limited to: a sweltering hot first day of hiking that transitioned into an icy and freezing rain ridge ride, a tornado touching down at a neighboring gap, riding out an unseasonal snowstorm, and battling homesickness (yes, within the first two weeks). I realize that the majority of these experiences noted forever in my mind are weather related, but when you call the Appalachian Trail your home, foul or great weather become a larger component in your life than you ever thought possible. That said, I wouldn’t trade these experiences for anything. They are intangible and brilliant. They are life changing. They also make you seriously glad you brought along the Arc’teryx Alpha SL Hybrid jacket.
 

Appalachian Outdoors’ own, Adventure Liz, begins her 6 month journey along the Appalachian Trail this month! As she hikes she will supply us with a running blog of her adventures with the Warrior Hike group. Stay tuned for her own, formal introduction next week!
In the meantime, here’s what we have from our brave Liz so far!

“My name is Elizabeth. I am an avid outdoor enthusiast and employee at Appalachian Ski & Outdoors in State College, PA.
My favorite outdoor activities include fishing, hiking, mountain biking and backpacking.  My love of backpacking and general love for all things outdoors enticed me to explore the thought of hiking the Appalachian Trail. To submerse myself in Mother Mature herself and brush away reality for awhile.
Well, roughly six months.
Wanting to complete the trail for a few years was my drive, so when a fellow co-worker disclosed his plan to thru hike, I decided it was now or never, and jumped on the bandwagon. That was a month before my estimated start date. It was also the best decision of my life.”

Photo by E.Miska

Week 1: 3/23/2013
After an 8.5 mile trek from the bottom of Amicalola Falls, I reached the top of Springer Mountain, the start of my Appalachian Trail journey.  It wasn’t until I reached this point that I realized the magnitude of what I was about to embark on. For the next 6 months I will be hiking all of 2,180 miles from this very spot in Georgia, to Mt. Katadin, Maine.

Photo by E.Miska