Countdown to Amicalola: Zero Hour

Amicalola Falls, as seen yesterday. Glad I hiked up all 604 steps to see it.

Gonna keep this quick, because I'm on my phone and we're getting ready to head to the approach trail. The countdown is over, and it's time to hike. Am I ready? Perhaps not, but it's here nonetheless, so I'm as ready as I can be. From here on it's no longer anticipation, but the real thing.

Let's do this.

Countdown to Amicalola: One Day More

Here's me earlier today in front of the arch marking the beginning of the approach trail. This shirt does not represent my actual hiking attire. Photo by Travis.

Date: March 23, 2015
Current Week: 03/18/15 - 03/24/15
Days until Amicalola: 2
Pounds to next weight goal: 8.6 (+1.0)
Total gained Last Week: 0.2
Total Lost Entire Period: 7.6
Weight Goals Met: 0
Minutes Exercised, Yesterday: 0
Minutes Exercised, Last Week: 195
Minutes Exercised, Week: 52
Miles Hiked, Yesterday: 0.00
Miles Hiked, 2015: 3.76

It's down to tomorrow. One day more until the real show begins. Although these last three months haven't gone as well as I would have liked, I'm in a better position than I was at the beginning of the year. The hike up the 800 feet incline from the visitors center to the lodge above Amicalola Falls was tough, but not as tough as it would have been without the exercise I did the last three months. The fact that I'm here is a victory in and of itself. Once tomorrow comes, let the chips fall where they may.

Countdown to Amicalola: Two to Go

I don't have any good pictures from today, so I'll just reuse this one of Amicalola Falls.

Date: March 23, 2015
Current Week: 03/18/15 - 03/24/15
Days until Amicalola: 2
Pounds to next weight goal: 8.6 (+1.0)
Total gained Last Week: 0.2
Total Lost Entire Period: 7.6
Weight Goals Met: 0
Minutes Exercised, Yesterday: 0
Minutes Exercised, Last Week: 195
Minutes Exercised, Week: 52
Miles Hiked, Yesterday: 0.00
Miles Hiked, 2015: 3.76

It was a long drive, but we made it to Amicalola Falls! Instead of a full-size car, we had to take a truck down (besides my parents Altima). It was a pretty uneventful trip, save for a small fender bender in Chattanooga (my parents car, not the rental). As such I don't have a picture of the lodge or the view from said lodge.

Countdown to Amicalola: Three's Company

In the chaos of moving out of my apartment, moving into storage, and heading back to Ridge Farm I forgot yesterday was "Springer Saturday". In honor of that, here's a repeat picture of the sign showing the way to Springer Mountain.

Date: March 22, 2015
Current Week: 03/18/15 - 03/24/15
Days until Amicalola: 3
Pounds to next weight goal: 7.6 (+0.6)
Total gained Last Week: 0.2
Total Lost Entire Period: 8.6
Weight Goals Met: 0
Minutes Exercised, Yesterday: 0
Minutes Exercised, Last Week: 195
Minutes Exercised, Week: 52
Miles Hiked, Yesterday: 0.00
Miles Hiked, 2015: 3.76

I was up this morning, which isn't a surprise. Most likely I was up yesterday as well, as having a large meal at 10:00 at night tends to do that. My guess is I actually may have been down from yesterday, as although yesterday had a late, large meal, it was also an incredibly active day, with all the walking and carrying heavy things I did during the move.

Countdown to Amicalola: Four More Years

If things go well, we'll be turning at this lamp post to cross the Potomac River into Maryland, having hiked through Harpers Ferry. While the true halfway point of the trail is many miles to the north in Pennsylvania, Harpers Ferry is often considered the traditional half-way point.

Date: March 21, 2015
Current Week: 03/18/15 - 03/24/15
Days until Amicalola: 4
Pounds to next weight goal: N/A (N/A)
Total gained Last Week: 0.2
Total Lost Entire Period: 9.2
Weight Goals Met: 0
Minutes Exercised, Yesterday: 12
Minutes Exercised, Last Week: 195
Minutes Exercised, Week: 52
Miles Hiked, Yesterday: 0.00
Miles Hiked, 2015: 3.76

For the second straight day I'm posting after midnight on the next day after the official day of the journal. Like yesterday, this was understandable, as I spent the day moving out of my apartment, and then driving back to Ridge Farm. It was a long day of moving, with walking up enough stairs to get me to the top of Amicalola Falls.

Countdown to Amicalola: Five Alive

In four days, we'll be walking up these stairs on our short little "pre-hike" to the top of Amicalola Falls.

Date: March 20, 2015
Current Week: 03/18/15 - 03/24/15
Days until Amicalola: 5
Pounds to next weight goal: 7.0 (-1.0)
Total gained Last Week: 0.2
Total Lost Entire Period: 9.2
Weight Goals Met: 0
Minutes Exercised, Yesterday: 25
Minutes Exercised, Last Week: 195
Minutes Exercised, Week: 40
Miles Hiked, Yesterday: 0.00
Miles Hiked, 2015: 3.76

Surprisingly, yesterday didn't turn out so bad, as I actually went down. What helped was that I was done eating before eight in the evening, and I took a walk after I got back from the Fox and the Hound. This may have mitigated some of the beer, greasy appetizers, and going away cake I had. After the night before, I'll take a result like this one.

Countdown to Amicalola: Sinister Six

I'm aware that this is another repeat. But I am looking forward to walking over this Appalachian Trail marker. If only because it means I'm in Hot Springs, NC, which means it may be about time for a zero (or nearo) day. It also means a relatively flat walk through town.

Date: March 19, 2015
Current Week: 03/18/15 - 03/24/15
Days until Amicalola: 6
Pounds to next weight goal: 8.0 (+2.6)
Total gained Last Week: 0.2
Total Lost Entire Period: 8.2
Weight Goals Met: 0
Minutes Exercised, Yesterday: 15
Minutes Exercised, Last Week: 195
Minutes Exercised, Week: 15
Miles Hiked, Yesterday: 0.00
Miles Hiked, 2015: 3.76

As mentioned yesterday, Wednesday was a departure from the first two days of the week. This can be blamed on some excellent German beer (and some good German food) that my cousin and I ate at a Hofbrauhaus in Rosemont. I would have liked to kept the streak for the week going, but as it's my last week before the hike, farewell meals and get togethers are bound to happen. I'll likely have a similar report tomorrow, as there was more beer and high-calorie foods this evening, this time for a after-hours get together with some of my co-workers.

Countdown to Amicalola: Seventh Heaven

A week from now I'll be able to take a picture of the first blaze, and this marker right next to it. From the reports I've read, we'll probably have to wait in line.

Date: March 18, 2015
Current Week: 03/18/15 - 03/24/15
Days until Amicalola: 7
Pounds to next weight goal: 5.4 (-1.0)
Total gained Last Week: 0.2
Total Lost Entire Period: 10.8
Weight Goals Met: 0
Minutes Exercised, Yesterday: 30
Minutes Exercised, Last Week: 195
Minutes Exercised, Week: 0
Miles Hiked, Yesterday: 0.00
Miles Hiked, 2015: 3.76

Tuesday ended up being about as good of a day as Monday, almost erasing the less than stellar results from earlier in the week. The fact is that I'm enjoying some farewell events (and some events that aren't necessarily related to beginning the hike), and that just isn't conducive to great results on a day to day basis. I can't say I'm too optimistic about this final week, especially considering how it started (More on that tomorrow, but suffice it to say German beer was involved).

Countdown to Amicalola: Eight is Enough

A white blaze on a water fountain, in one of the Fontana Dam parking lots. Not too far from here is the "Fontana Hilton", a shelter so named because of its proximity to running water, restrooms, showers, and a phone. Photo by Erin.

Date: March 17, 2015
Current Week: 03/11/15 - 03/17/15
Days until Amicalola: 8
Pounds to next weight goal: 6.4 (-0.8)
Total gained Last Week: 1.6
Total Lost Entire Period: 9.8
Weight Goals Met: 0
Minutes Exercised, Yesterday: 30
Minutes Exercised, Last Week: 181
Minutes Exercised, Week: 165
Miles Hiked, Yesterday: 0.00
Miles Hiked, 2015: 3.76

Things quieted down on Monday, as I started working my way back from the weekend. I got 30 minutes of walking in on the warmest day of 2015 yet, and was able to rein it in at dinner time. I was probably helped out a bit by all the work I was doing to pack things up and sort things out. I've actually made a good deal of progress, packing up several boxes of electronics, books, DVDs, and other sundry things. I've also cleaned out a bunch of unneeded papers and clothing, much of which was not fit to keep.

Countdown to Amicalola: The Whole Nine Yards

The high ridge of the Smokies, as seen from Cades Cove at Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The AT travels along the peaks in the rear of the picture. It's several steep, rocky miles up from the Cades Cove area to the trail. Photo by Erin.

Date: March 16, 2015
Current Week: 03/11/15 - 03/17/15
Days until Amicalola: 9
Pounds to next weight goal: 7.2 (+4.8)
Total gained Last Week: 1.6
Total Lost Entire Period: 9.0
Weight Goals Met: 0
Minutes Exercised, Yesterday: 0
Minutes Exercised, Last Week: 181
Minutes Exercised, Week: 135
Miles Hiked, Yesterday: 0.00
Miles Hiked, 2015: 3.76

Yeah, as expected, that was a bit costly. Probably more costly, as Sunday was not a day where I felt like doing much in the way of any exercise, so my two meals for the day probably didn't help as well. I've still got two days to turn this around, so I'm not that worried about the week. Even without any exercise on Sunday, I'm looking really good to have another increase in total exercise for another week in a row. Anyway, it's all moot come next Wednesday.

Countdown to Amicalola: Katahdin

A series of Rock Formations as Arches National Park known as Park Avenue. It got its name from its resemblance to the street of the same name in New York, as the rock formations look kind of like tall buildings with a street in the middle.

Date: March 15, 2015
Current Week: 03/11/15 - 03/17/15
Days until Amicalola: 10
Pounds to next weight goal: N/A (N/A)
Total gained Last Week: 1.6
Total Lost Entire Period: ??? (13.8 on Saturday)
Weight Goals Met: 0
Minutes Exercised, Yesterday: 40
Minutes Exercised, Last Week: 181
Minutes Exercised, Week: 135
Miles Hiked, Yesterday: 0.00
Miles Hiked, 2015: 3.76

I don't have a recorded weight for today, because I was out of town until this afternoon, and did not take the scale with me. I can't imagine it was a good result, considering the amount of beer and less than healthy food I ate. On the other hand, I did get 40 minutes of recorded walking in yesterday, plus a good amount of walking that wasn't recorded as we walked back from the hockey game.

Countdown to Amicalola: Springer Saturday #10

This nondescript gravel road (not pictured: gravel) is USFS 42. This is the primary road to reach Springer Mountain trailhead, and the first road crossing of the NOBO Appalachian Trail. This was quite rough when my parents and I went up to Springer, but when Erin and I visited a couple years ago they had regraded and graveled the road, and it was in OK condition. I bet it's a lot closer to this picture right now.

Date: March 14, 2015
Current Week: 03/11/15 - 03/17/15
Days until Amicalola: 11
Pounds to next weight goal: 2.4 (-3.8)
Total gained Last Week: 1.6
Total Lost Entire Period: 13.8
Weight Goals Met: 0
Minutes Exercised, Yesterday: 15
Minutes Exercised, Last Week: 181
Minutes Exercised, Week: 95
Miles Hiked, Yesterday: 0.00
Miles Hiked, 2015: 3.76

After two less than stellar days, I was able to rein things in on Friday, and look to be back on track. Just in time for a weekend with some friends from high school to send it heading back the other way. Oh well, I suppose this is a cushion for tonight.

Countdown to Amicalola: Pleasant Spring Days

The first plants of Spring along the Willow Creek Trail at Forest Glen. This picture was taken about a year ago during my first hike after coming back from double pneumonia. 

Date: March 13, 2015
Current Week: 03/11/15 - 03/17/15
Days until Amicalola: 12
Pounds to next weight goal: 6.0 (+0.4)
Total gained Last Week: 1.6
Total Lost Entire Period: 10.6
Weight Goals Met: 0
Minutes Exercised, Yesterday: 35
Minutes Exercised, Last Week: 181
Minutes Exercised, Week: 80
Miles Hiked, Yesterday: 0.00
Miles Hiked, 2015: 3.76

What a difference a week makes. Last Friday, the morning began at around zero degrees Fahrenheit. Today it was almost 65 here in Schaumburg. I went to lunch without a coat or even jacket, something I wouldn't have done last week. Such is March weather.

Countdown to Amicalola: To

This is the view looking out from Fontana Dam. The river in the picture is the Little Tennessee River. Fontana is the highest dam east of the Rockies, and it looks the part. Photograph by Erin.

Date: March 12, 2015
Current Week: 03/11/15 - 03/17/15
Days until Amicalola: 13
Pounds to next weight goal: 5.6 (+0.4)
Total gained Last Week: 1.6
Total Lost Entire Period: 10.6
Weight Goals Met: 0
Minutes Exercised, Yesterday: 45
Minutes Exercised, Last Week: 181
Minutes Exercised, Week: 45
Miles Hiked, Yesterday: 0.00
Miles Hiked, 2015: 3.76

Not a lot for today. I was slightly up from yesterday, but did get 45 minutes of walking in. I moved closer to getting things packed up and ready to move out. I even made some progress on the tree identification app, reaching a point where the app listed trees inserted into a SQLite Database.

Countdown to Amicalola: A Fortnight for Thee

The Sierra Nevada Mountains, near Sequoia National Park. Obviously these mountains are not along the Appalachian Trail, but the Pacific Crest Trail travels along the high ridges of these western peaks. Because of the trails length and the much higher elevations, through hikers on the PCT can often run into precarious situations with snow up on the higher elevations between Kennedy Meadows and Sonora Pass. If you wait too long to start so that you can avoid the snow in the High Sierra, you run the double risk of hiking the desert when it's way too hot (as opposed to merely uncomfortably hot) and then hitting the North Cascades just as the first dangerous snows of Fall begin.

Date: March 11, 2015
Current Week: 03/11/15 - 03/17/15
Days until Amicalola: 14
Pounds to next weight goal: 5.2 (-0.4)
Total gained Last Week: 1.6
Total Lost Entire Period: 11.0
Weight Goals Met: 0
Minutes Exercised, Yesterday: 35
Minutes Exercised, Last Week: 181
Minutes Exercised, Week: 0
Miles Hiked, Yesterday: 0.00
Miles Hiked, 2015: 3.76

Two weeks to go.

That's all the time left before our Appalachian Trail hike begins. In less than 336 hours we'll say our goodbyes at Amicalola Falls State Park and head out on our way up the Approach Trail to Springer Mountain. Yeah, it's hard to believe the time is almost here. However, having a tough time dealing with the lateness of the hour before we step off doesn't change the fact its coming.

Countdown to Amicalola: Goodbye, Ruby Tuesday

This white blaze was on a rock wall near the Fontana Dam and Visitors Center, which is the entry point into Great Smoky Mountains National Park for the Appalachian Trail. While the vast majority of blazes can be found on tree trunks, there are plenty of more creative places they hide as well, including a lot of rocks that make you think "The trail goes THERE?!?" Photograph by Erin.

Date: March 10, 2015
Current Week: 03/04/15 - 03/10/15
Days until Amicalola: 15
Pounds to next weight goal: 5.6 (+0.8)
Total lost Last Week: 3.2
Total Lost Entire Period: 10.6
Weight Goals Met: 0
Minutes Exercised, Yesterday: 25
Minutes Exercised, Last Week: 165
Minutes Exercised, Week: 146
Miles Hiked, Yesterday: 0.00
Miles Hiked, 2015: 3.76

Monday turned out to be a pretty "meh" day, which is what I expected. I kind of splurged at lunch and a bit at dinner, which resulted in going up a bit. It was less than one pound, and I'm hoping for a better result tomorrow.

Countdown to Amicalola: Miles

Along the Appalachian Trail at Grayson Highlands State Park in southern Virginia. Not pictured are the famous ponies of the park. They did not show up during the part of the trail we walked, although we heard they were SOBO down the trail from Massie Gap, where we walked up to the trail. It's hard to tell from this picture, but Grayson Highlands is one of the places along the trail where you really feel like you are high up in the mountains.

Date: March 9, 2015
Current Week: 03/04/15 - 03/10/15
Days until Amicalola: 16
Pounds to next weight goal: 4.8 (-3.6)
Total lost Last Week: 3.2
Total Lost Entire Period: 11.4
Weight Goals Met: 0
Minutes Exercised, Yesterday: 20
Minutes Exercised, Last Week: 165
Minutes Exercised, Week: 121
Miles Hiked, Yesterday: 0.00
Miles Hiked, 2015: 3.76

Just as I thought, it turned out that the weekend wasn't so bad after all. I got 70 minutes of exercise, and didn't too terrible (if not overly great) with food. In fact, it was one of the best weekend results I've had in a while, erasing most (but not all) of the mess that I made on Wednesday and Thursday.

Countdown to Amicalola; Just Making it up as I Go Along

Miners (not Minors) Castle, from an overlook at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. From this overlook you can walk down stairs and pathways to a point about even with the rock formation. Why was it called a "castle"? Well, there used to be a second "tower" on the formation, which gave it the appearance of a rocky stronghold on the edge of Lake Superior.

Date: March 8, 2015
Current Week: 03/04/15 - 03/10/15
Days until Amicalola: 17
Pounds to next weight goal: N/A (N/A)
Total lost Last Week: 3.2
Total Lost Entire Period: N/A
Weight Goals Met: 0
Minutes Exercised, Yesterday: 50
Minutes Exercised, Last Week: 165
Minutes Exercised, Week: 101
Miles Hiked, Yesterday: 0.00
Miles Hiked, 2015: 3.76

I once again did not weigh in. Not because of the bad results from Thursday and Friday, but because I wasn't where my scale was to weigh in before I ate the first meal of the day. I can't imagine Saturday would have been good, but Sunday may have been OK. I got a fair amount of exercise, walking almost fifty minutes (with another ten or so that I didn't record). I had two calorie rich meals and some snacks, but the meals weren't completely overboard. It was the prime example of how to do a weekend day involving a visit of my parents.

Countdown to Amicalola: Springer Saturday #9

This is not on Springer Mountain, but it is on the approach trail to the start of the AT. This little monument is overshadowed by the more prominent arch marking the start of the approach trail.

Date: March 7, 2015
Week: 03/04-03/10
Minutes exercised: 15
Minutes exercised week: 51

No weight recorded from yesterday because I was away from the scale. However, I doubt it was too good.  Sometimes you and your parents order dessert at a restaurant you frequent.  Sometimes the manager of said restaurant surprises you with an off menu dessert as well. They were delicious,  but not helpful.

Countdown to Amicalola: Fickle Friday

Memorial to John Muir along the Ice Age Trail near the site of his family's first home in Wisconsin. Muir was the founder of the Sierra Club and a strong proponent of the preservation of natural areas.

Date: March 6, 2015
Week: 03/04 - 03/10
Days left: 19 days
Minutes exercised yesterday: 21
Pounds gained: 2.6

Gonna make this quick because I'm posting from my phone. This is starting to look like kind of a wasted week in terms of weight. Prussia I can still get some good exercise in, and finish the week strong.