Back in the flats

Decided to come home today from north Georgia, and that was good because I missed my family--plus I have to work tomorrow--plus I got hellacious blisters on both feet after buying new shoes--but let me tell you, today was gorgeous up there. (Or "GO-jus' " as we Southern women say.) Friday was spent hiking around (and north of) Amicalola Falls State Park. Had a little day backpack with water and camera inside (the old-fashioned kind, with film) and I got to an overlook and had not yet put the film in. Argh. Continued on. Then drove about 5 miles up a Forest Service road to a spot along the Appalachian Trail, which led .9 miles south to the southern terminus, Springer Mountain. This was practically a religious experience for me, as I had always wanted to see it. (From there, the trail winds more than 2,000 miles north to Maine.) On the top of Springer, I met a guy named Roger Dunton, who's a ridge runner. These are people who camp out and hike around on the trail for days at a time, answering questions, providing advice and the like. He also writes down how many people he sees--who's day-hiking, who's on extended trips. Roger hiked the whole thing in '98 and his trail nickname is "Many Sleeps." With a long white beard, Many Sleeps said he's up there 10 days, off four. ...It felt like he was the welcome wagon on Springer, or maybe like the bouncer. "You can come up, but not you or you or you."
The guy on the left is Roger. The other guy hiked the trail in '06, and journaled about it, but I don't know him.
Friday ended with a great big meal of trout and rice in Dahlonega, which was also hosting a street festival. People were playing guitars and yes, banjos, in little groups all over the town square. Which was pretty cool.
More of the same for Saturday. Another clear day. Started off hiking at Neel's Gap, where I bought new boots. (Bad move in hindsight, trying to break them in the first day.) Headed south on the trail which means a healthy climb up Blood Mountain. (Funny T-shirt I saw: "Hike Faster. I hear banjos playing." A reference to "Deliverance." Unfair, perhaps, but funny.) Lots of hikers Saturday, including two fathers from Atlanta out with their sons. The boys, being teen-agers, obviously wanted to be away from their dads, but they also ventured off-trail a time or two by mistake or curiosity or both. We all had snacks on top of the rocks on Blood, which affords great views. Back down the mountain from the same direction, there were lots of cyclists who were riding some of the gaps, and stopped at one of my favorite haunts. (This is where I bought the boots.)
At least two of the cyclists live in Columbus and we chatted. Later, on the way back down the highway in my car, I recognized another cycling friend, pumping up the (very steep) road in the opposite direction. So I wheeled around, and met him back at the top. These friends were in the area partly to watch the pros ride in the Tour de Georgia mountain stage, which on Friday traveled 107 miles from Dalton to Brasstown Bald. Wow. (I get tired DRIVING up Brasstown Bald.) After about a six-mile hike Saturday, dinner consisted of copious amounts of bread, salad and chicken parmesan. ... If it wasn't nailed down, I ate it. Then soaked my blistered feet again in the tub.
At the place I stayed, (which comes highly recommended), some of us got into a discussion about hiking the A.T. Four of my friends have done it end-to-end. I love hiking it myself and, given the right conditions, could hike many days in a row. But, the older I get, the more I appreciate a soft bed, a shower and clean clothes at the end of the day; others around me appreciate that about me, too. Not to mention food that doesn't require preparation over a camp stove.
Another small-world story: Stopped by an Atlanta mall on the way home today and saw a friend who lives there (not at the mall, but in the city) and whose parents are missionaries from our church/diocese. So we got all caught up. A weekend of serendipity all around.

PS Giving credit where it's due: The top photo was shot by Joe Cook of Rome, Ga., who is one friend who thru-hiked. It's sunset from Springer.