Georgia to Maine - - Please join me from start (4/1) to finish (8/10) - 132 days!!!!!

Bethlehem, NH
I have completed my thru-hike of the AT from Georgia to Maine; I started 4/1 and completed 8/10/10. I decided to do this thru-hike in memory of my brother Michael and in turn decided to turn it into a fundraiser. All money raised went to the Adaptive Sports Partners of the North Country which gives year-round opportunities in sports and recreation to people with physical or developmental disabilities. My wife Pam and I got involved with this program because it allows us to help people with disabilities enjoy the outdoors like we do and my brother Michael did. Michael was born mentally challenged, and he loved to visit us in the North Country of NH and go hiking. He also loved the outdoors and did many other sports. So, to help others do this and other outdoor activities is a TRIBUTE to him, and an HONOR to us. Many of you have helped me along my journey and donated (follow donation link) directly to a secure website. All donations have gone and WILL CONTINUE to go to ASPNC – nonprofit org to help assist others to hike, ski, kayak, snow shoe..etc… Thank you all in advance for your kindness & generosity, Dave & Pam Smith

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Hiawassee in GA

Hi All,


Dave was all excited on Tuesday he was in a town called Hiawassee in GA. (1st big town) Approx 67.5 miles from the starting point. He is spending the night at the Hiawassee Inn and sharing a room w/another hiker to cut costs. Hope it isn’t the one that snored in the shelter a few nights ago! He will be sleeping in a real bed, have a bathroom and a shower (1st real shower – other than dunking in creeks or the quick shower he took w/clothes on in Neels Gap).

He and others called for a free shuttle from the trail instead of walking the 11 miles to the Inn. 1st thing he did after checking into the Inn was go to Subway and he got 2 foot long meatball subs w/hots and a liter of coke. He ATE EVERYTHING! When he called me he was relaxing with the guys, sitting outside, and drinking some nice cold beers after hiking 15 miles in 5 hrs on another brutally hot day. Guess he’s earned it! Some of the other hikers were going to go to the other end of town for all you can eat buffet but Dave and a few others decided to stay there shower, do laundry, drink more beer and eat pizza. He says early to bed.

I did give him a wakeup call this morning (no land line phones, no computer, no TV at the Inn). The guys were all meeting at 8:30 for the shuttle to bring them back to the trail head to start their day.

Today he will be entering into North Carolina. He will be passing through the Nantahala National Forest w/4,000 foot gaps and 5,000 foot peaks. Nantahala is Cherokee for “land of the noonday sun”. He will stay tonight somewhere near Muskrat Creek Shelter.

That is all for now,

Pam
Posted by Dave Smith (Smitty) at 4/07/2010

9 comments:

  1. Low Carbin It7/4/10

    Wow Pam He is really walking a lot of miles.. I bet that subway sub tasted like a good steak to him!! LOL I just saw the weather forecast for the next 10 days here in NH.. Tell him it's only going to be in the 50's..

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  2. Low Carbin It7/4/10

    This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  3. Anonymous7/4/10

    Hi Pam!!! Thanks for the update.....So glad to hear thtat things are going good and that he is going to hit NC today!!!! WHAT AN ADVENTURE.......GOOD LUCK DAVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Lori Fisher

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  4. Anonymous7/4/10

    Still no trail name?
    _Crystal

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  5. Anonymous7/4/10

    No Trail name yet. He says he is working on it.

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  6. Allen Freeman7/4/10

    One state down! Well done.

    I remember the Hiawassee Inn; it's a nice friendly place. The night I spent at Muskrat Creek was miserably wet and cold. I'm sure Dave's having a better night there.

    Monkeywrench

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  7. Anonymous8/4/10

    Dave is really cranking out the miles. How is he feeling? A fellow AT'er friend of ours also stayed at the Hiawassee Inn last night. Her name is Mary Ellen (MEB) from Maine. Hope they meet up someday on the trail!
    John & June (J&J)

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  8. Anonymous8/4/10

    Hi Pam. This is a student from LHS and i was wondering if you knew what that thing was called in Maine where there is no towns or anything for a certain amount of miles. It would help me alot in my project. Thank You!

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  9. Anonymous8/4/10

    Hello Student from LHS,

    It would be called the 100 Mile Wilderness in Maine.

    Hope this was helpful,

    Pam

    See below
    The Hundred-Mile Wilderness is the section of the Appalachian Trail running between Abol Bridge just south of Baxter State Park and Monson, Maine, USA. It is generally considered the wildest section of the Appalachian Trail. This section of the A.T. is crossed by several logging roads and is maintained by the Maine Appalachian Trail Club. It consists of a small corridor of protected wilderness surrounded by large tracts of public and private land controlled by paper companies. An increasing amount of the adjoining lands are being protected by groups like the Appalachian Mountain Club and the Nature Conservancy.

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