Date: 3/11/04
Starting Location: Springer Mt. Shelter
Destination: Gooch Gap Shelter
Miles: 14.5
Total Miles: 23.3
The weather was so beautiful today that I decided to leave my schedule a bit and push on a bit further. Went past Hawk Mt. Shelter with the trail all to myself and up and over some sun-soaked hills (albeit still dead and leafless since it's still early for spring even in Georgia) where I promptly did a nice job of starting myself on a good sunburn. More easy going today, and I'm amazed at how level the trail is so far, without any rocks of any kind nearly, whether it is uphill, downhill, or just plain flat. A far cry from what things are like up north in the Adirondacks, Greens, and Whites, but it sure makes for pleasant hiking. Arrived at Gooch Gap to find another thru-hiker named Chestnut, who also thru-hiked in '02, and a man named Claude just out for a few days to Neels Gap. Spent the night in this nice shelter with some U. of Georgia kids who were also out on the trail for spring break.