I decided to day-hike the Appalachian Trail, taking small sections at a time. My husband Jerry agreed to join me. In previous blogs, we talked about the preparation. We decided to do a 1-week trial run to test equipment and readiness.
There are several ways to hike the Appalachian Trail. We decided to day hike. Each day we met a shuttle driver at our end location. We left our car there and our driver brought us to the start point. At the end of each day, we returned to our Airbnb.
We’ve been on a few short hikes on the trail over the years. We had already hiked the first 4 miles, so we decided to start where we left off.
Day-by-Day Recap
Day 1: 3 Forks to Cooper Gap – 7.9 miles
Our Airbnb was a beautiful cabin located on the top of a mountain in Blue Ridge, Georgia. The night before our first hike, it rained- hard. In the morning it was still rainy. The most dangerous part of the day was driving down the narrow mountain road in the dark with limited visibility. The road to get to Cooper Gap was on a dirt road. The storm had blown a small tree down across the road. Jerry had to move it so we could pass.
We arrived at Cooper Gap and met our driver Tom and his blind dog Peppy. Tom took us to 3 Forks and made sure we started off in the right direction. It was still raining so we put on ponchos. It wasn’t cold so it wasn’t too bad.
The hardest part about the first day was being unfamiliar with the terrain and the whole process. Jerry had an expensive Garmin GPS that he hoped would tell us exactly where we were on the trail and would warn us if we veered off. The GPS just wasn’t working. It was causing a lot of doubt and confusion and Jerry kept thinking we were going the wrong way. There were a few tough inclines but we got through them and didn’t get lost. It took us 6 hours to hike this day.
Day 2: Cooper Gap to Woody Gap – 8.3 miles
This was the longest distance we would hike but it went much better than the first day. The elevation changes weren’t as pronounced and we were generally more comfortable.
It stopped raining and the temperature started out in the low 60s. By the afternoon it was in the high 70s. It was a little warm in the afternoon but being from Florida we were used to that. Even though we were sore after the first day, our muscles loosened up once we got going. We kept a fairly slow pace and took breaks when needed.
We saw 2 through-hikers who had started in Maine and hiked the whole trail. They were almost done and very excited. We also met a few campers and people out just for the day like us.
Rest Day: Blue Ridge & Bear Claw Winery
On our planned rest day, we did some shopping in Blue Ridge. We then went to the Bear Claw Winery where there was a musician playing. It was a low-key day.
Day 3: Neel Gap to Hogpen Gap – 6.7 miles
This day had the most challenging terrain. There were a lot of ups and downs and rocky trails. Also, parts of the trail were overgrown with weeds and the blazes were faded. I think this part of the trail wasn’t as popular with the locals. The last mile involved a steep climb up a mountain. It was difficult, but we were then finished for the day.
By this day, we felt more comfortable navigating the trail. We weren’t as worried about getting lost.
Day 4: Tray Gap to Unicoi Gap – 4.4 miles
For the first 3 days we hiked from South to North. On the last day, we started at Tray Gap which was to the North. Tray Gap was at the end of a bumpy dirt road. Our driver was worried our car wouldn’t make it, so we met him at Unicoi Gap and he drove us to Tray Gap. The elevations were challenging, but we were done quickly since the distance was shorter.
We were very close to Helen, Georgia so we took a visit there when we were done hiking.
Trail Lessons & Takeaways
Training:
I felt physically well prepared for the hikes. My routine includes running (some on trails) and CrossFit. I felt like the box steps and weight training from CrossFit prepared my legs for the climbs. Jerry practiced by going up and down stairs. He recommends sustained climbing, like on a Stairmaster or a treadmill with an incline. We both agree that balance is important as well.
Emotionally, it took practice being out in the woods for many hours. The first day, I was surprised at how long it took us. I had to slow my mind down so I could enjoy the peacefulness.
Equipment:
In our preparation blogs, we talked about the importance of well-fitting hiking shoes or boots. Jerry found it helpful to have a walking stick. The GPS, while a great idea, did not work for us. I also mentioned that I initially used Chat Gpt to plan my route. It turned out, that was not accurate. I had to use an old-fashioned map.
Hydration & Nutrition:
We enjoyed Uncrustables for sandwiches. The first 2 days, I made the Pb+J but I accidentally used garlic bread on Day 2. It was not good. We drank plenty of water, but next time I will bring some electrolytes as well.
Final Reflections
Overall, I enjoyed the trip and feel like this was a successful trial run. I’m already planning our next hikes, though I need to make sure we don’t go when there is snow. We can’t wait to share the next part of our adventure.
