APPALACHIAN TRAIL EXPEDITION!

In October 2022, I left Arkansas to drive to North Carolina, to participate in  Road Scholar program ( www.RoadScholar.org) #17288, called "Nature Hiking in the Southern Appalachian Mountains".  I had participated in this same program in 2017, but many of the hikes that were planned for the 2017 trip got cancelled because of severe weather as a result of Hurricane Irma. ( You can read all about the adjustments that were made in that itinerary in the article I published on this blog, dated October 12, 2017, and titled "Southern Appalachian Hiking Expedition.)  As I was driving on a stretch of highway between Helen, Georgia, and Hayesville, North Carolina, I came across an expansive parking area that was designated for Appalachian Trail hikers, and their shuttle drivers.  I wanted to get a feel for what lay ahead, so I stopped to take a few photos, including this glass-covered map at the trailhead beside the highway:

There was a table there supplying "Trail Magic" for exhausted through-hikers, and a group of hikers resting while they waited on their shuttle drivers.  A "through hiker" is defined as a person who hikes the entire trail during a 12-month span of time.  The Appalachian Trail (abbreviated A.T.) is a 2,194 mile-long footpath that crosses the hills, valleys, and ridgelines of the Appalachian Mountain Range. It  has the honor of being the longest hiking-only footpath in the world, and traverses 14 states.

"Trail Magic" refers to the act of a "Good Samaritan" volunteer, setting up a relief station with water and other treats for hikers as they pass by the area. Such assistance is just a small sampling of the 240,000 volunteer hours per year, that enable the A.T. to endure about 3 million visitors per year!

Part of the trail came down to the area on the same side as the parking lot, and then continued across the highway.  Intersections such as this--where the trail intersects with a highway--are popular as MEET UP locations.  A foot trail as long as the A.T. is going to have LOTS of "intersections" with state  borders, various government agencies, volunteer organizations, etc.; I consider it a miracle that this trail, conceived in 1921, built by private citizens and completed in 1937, still exists today, in a society that has increasingly lost the desire to spend time outdoors!

And speaking of MEET UP locations, I was happy to MEET UP with other Road Scholar hikers on a Sunday afternoon, at the Hinton Center, in Hayesville, North Carolina (www.hintoncenter.org).  It is worth noting that this facility is also open for lodging for individuals, and not just groups. I would highly recommend you consider it, if you are ever in the area!  As we did every morning during the week, we met on the deck of the dining hall before sunrise on Monday morning, so that we could do stretching exercises, as we watched the sun come up over the lake:

The deck where we stretched is adjacent to the Hinton Center Chapel, which has this amazing view to those who are seated inside::

In addition to serving the purpose of stretching our muscles, the early morning time on the deck gave us the opportunity to listen carefully for bird sounds, which naturalist Liz would then identify for us, as to the name of the bird making that particular call. 

After breakfast, we would gather in front of our lodging, beside the vans, and get a review of the area we would be hiking on that particular day:

At the time of this program, Road Scholar was requiring masks when we were indoors, riding in the vans, or in close contact with others. 

This is a close-up of the map:

I will not give a detailed account of the Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday's hikes, but will state that we hiked a different part of the Appalachian Trail each day, and the following were "place names" listed for the week:  Standing Indian basin, Rock Gap, Glassmine Gap, Long Branch Trail, Deep Gap, Standing Indian Summit, Glade Gap, Chunky Gal, Boteler Peak, Winding Stair Gap, Swinging Lick Gap, Panther Gap, Siler Bald, Wayah Crest, and Winding Stair.  It is a very good thing that I was with a trained, and experienced hiking guide, because after the first "Gap" nomenclature, I was confused, even though I had seven more "Gaps" to navigate!

One of the mountains we summited I am able to remember because there was a marker at the top that showed its name and elevation.  (the marker is next to my feet in this photo)

There were several other hikers at the summit, so we were able to get a group photo:

The following photos are just some interesting features of nature that we saw along the trail, that I want to remember, and so I am including them in this blog.  After all, the name of this program was "NATURE HIKING", and our leader was Naturalist, Liz Domingue (www.JustGetOutdoors.com).  My goal was to enjoy (and photograph!) some of the fascinating aspects of the natural world---not just race from "Point A to Point B"!  The other hike leader was Linda Flynn, and both ladies were valuable sources of information about the outdoors. I used both a Canon pocket-size digital camera, and my iPhone.  The nice thing about the iPhone, is that you can easily get that "fuzzy" look for a waterfall, without having to use a tripod (which is the way it was done in "days of old"!) 

I remember my high school science teacher, Mrs. JoAnne Rife, teaching us that where we lived in Arkansas, was part of the "Oak-Hickory Biome".  However, the area in North Carolina where we were hiking, was part of the  "Oak-Heath Biome or Forest".  This is a type of deciduous forest with well-drained, acidic soil, containing plants from the oak family and the heath family (Ericaceae).   Ericaceae would include heath plants, mountain laurel, blueberries, huckleberries, sourwood, azaleas, and rhododendron.  There are numerous sections of the A.T. in this area that pass through "Rhododendron Tunnels", and the photo below shows a hiker entering a rhododendron tunnel. 

One of the interesting features Linda pointed out along the trail was the "Eiffel Tower Tree":

 Another tree I spotted along the trail, had an unusual "crossed fingers" formation near its top:

We learned about a substance called "Rock Tripe", that our leader said was used by early settlers for food, whenever all other rations had been depleted (aka, a "famine food").  Several of us tasted it, and did not find it delicious, but perhaps acceptable if nothing else was available.  I would describe the taste as "bland", and I read later,  that it is often used in Asian cuisine, as well as traditional Chinese medicine. 

Rock tripe looked like "dark chocolate" peeling off a rock, as seen in photo below:

Our leader also pointed out this unusual "art work" of nature along the trail, that resemble hiking boots!

 

This profile photo of a hiker with her two hiking sticks (also called "trekking poles")  is a reminder to encourage the use of these walking aids when doing the A.T., as they can help take pressure off your knees as you ascend and descend.  Plus, they are very helpful for stability when doing water crossings. 

The photo below shows our entire Road Scholar group:

The group photo of all of us was taken by Bev Richardson, who along with her husband, Rod, had the role of "Host Couple" for our Road Scholar program.  They are pictured below, with birthday cake, as we got to celebrate Rod's birthday during our week at the Hinton Center.

 Appalachian Trail guidelines recommend no more than ten people to a group, so each day,  we split into two groups of ten each.  This photo shows one of the groups of  ten, that I was with on the first day.

When you are hiking the Appalachian Trail, it is POSSIBLE that there will be a sign as you enter the trail.  However, don't count on it!

Some of the trails show a sign on a post at the trail head, with AT standing for Appalachian Trail, and N, standing for North.  That is what I am pointing to, in the photo below:

Most "through hikers" on the A.T., start their trek at the southern end, at Springer Mountain in Georgia.  They go in a northerly direction, to where the trail ends in Katahdin, Maine.  Signs like the one below are very helpful, but one also needs a paper map to help navigate the numerous twists and turns the trail makes (many necessitated to circumnavigate private property, and keep the hikers on public lands).  Skill in using a GPS would also be a valuable asset for backpackers!

Since friends I know who backpacked on the A.T. said they preferred to sleep on the exterior of an A.T.  shelter, rather than the interior, it made me curious what they looked like, so  I was glad that our group  was able to take a side trail to examine a shelter:

The shelter had an elevated area in the back, (presumably for placing a sleeping bag), a sitting bench, a counter-height bench, a roof, and a concrete floor. 

This particular shelter also had a "potty" of sorts, several yards away from the roofed in structure:

For the most part, The A.T. trail is marked by white rectangular metal "blazes", nailed to a tree.  The blue blazes could indicate a side trail to a shelter for overnight use:

I used my Fit Bit to record the steps I took each day, and every day was a new personal record for me! The most steps per day I ever logged was 28,143.  I was feeling really proud of myself, UNTIL I came across this figure, as I was researching information for this blog:  "It takes roughly 5 MILLION steps to hike the entire Appalachian Trail"!!    Those numbers reminded me of the verse in the Psalms that talks about "steps".  Psalm 37:23 says, "The LORD makes firm the steps of the one who delights in Him."  I was delighted I was able to complete the number of A.T. steps that I did, even though they are a LOOOOOOOOONG way from five million!  Making it to four separate summits, on the four days of A.T. hiking, means four photos of me with hands uplifted to God, in gratitude for being able to take the steps needed to make the summit! 

One reason I was so joyous about participating in the 2022 program is because so many of our hikes were cancelled when I did the same program in 2017.  However, one aspect of both programs included a visit to the Wayah Crest area.  Hence, I was able to get my photo with the same sign, but with me five years older, in one of the photos!:

To find out more about the Appalachian Trail, check out the website for the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (www.appalachiantrail.org) and the National Park Service ( www.nps.gov).
  I am thankful for every step I was able to take on the Appalachian Trail for this program, and it gave me "MILES OF SMILES"!!  Tricia