More than 650 Georgia residents have already signed up to support the Georgia A.T. license plate project. Some have lent their stories of the Trail and what it means to them. Be part of the story by telling us yours!
Freedom, Courage, Determination
I
normally do not write about things like this, but the A.T. means a lot to
me. The Appalachian Trail represents freedom, courage, and
determination. I grew up hiking, but couldn’t hike for quite some
time.
It all began when I was 29. Within in 2 years time, I had to
have 5 surgeries. I was told I almost didn’t survive. I had
to rely on my husband to wait on me hand and foot. When I was 32, we
started hiking together, just to get me out of the house. My strength
began to grow, and I began to feel alive again. We hiked Blood Mountain,
which then inspired section hiking the A.T. In just a few months, we had
covered 100 miles. Hiking was all we wanted to do in our spare
time. The A.T. became a hobby we both shared, that bonded us like never
before. There have been some hard times on the Trail; times I could
barely walk, times I was scared.
To me, the A.T. represents freedom from
the real world, freedom from troubles. It helps me feel brave that I can
face my fears, over and over again. It helps me feel as though I can
accomplish anything I put my mind to. I simply feel alive. On the Trail,
I see the world through different lenses. In short, I hike it
because I can. What a blessing it is that I have the ability to walk; the
ability to see, hear, and smell nature. What a glorious Trail. I
get tearful every time I talk about it. No one understands why I am now
hooked, and the words are hard to find. I tell people they just have to
hike it, to understand it.
Amy
Kay
Rockmart,
GA
A Badge of Honor
A friend of mine had just had knee replacement surgery and wanted to start hiking as part of his post-surgery physical therapy. I wanted to get into a regular exercise program myself so it was a good match for both of us. Four months after his surgery, we started with short hikes around Kennesaw Mountain.
After building up our stamina, I suggested that we make it a goal for both of us to hike the 76 miles of the A.T. in Georgia by the end of the year (2009). We started in the ice and snow in February at Springer Mountain. As I write, we are within 10 miles of the North Carolina border and it’s only September! I think we will make our goal.
Hiking the A.T. has been a mental, physical and spiritual experience for both of us. We have become closer friends and learned how important the buddy system is when hiking. At one time, going up Blood Mountain from the north end, I told my friend that I couldn’t take another step. He replied, “Oh yes you can, and many more…so let’s go!” That is the kind of friend you need to help you through. (More...)
Donna Burns
Kennesaw, Georgia
Day Hikes with My 8 Year Old
My son and I began hiking the North Georgia mountains when he was 6. These were short, easy day hikes in great settings to get us both out of the house. A barbeque sandwich picked up somewhere after was our reward. We eventually graduated to sections of the A.T., and by the time he was 8 or 9 we were doing 6 to 8 mile jaunts on the A.T. Those were our favorites. We did 8 or 10 segments of the A.T. and several sections of the Benton MacKaye Trail. When the teenage thing kicked in it seemed like he had no time and little interest in hiking with dad, so the hiking pretty much stopped. He's off at college now and hardly has time for an occasional phone call. I still try to do some day hiking and my first choice is the A.T, but I treasure those times and memories of hiking along the Appalachian Trail with my favorite 8 year old.
Craig Bowman
Decatur, Georgia
Ripped Shoes
The Appalachian Trail has a special meaning to me. My sons and I have spent many great days and nights hiking portions of the trail from Georgia through Tennessee. Springer Mountain is a real “proving ground” that sets the stage for the endurance that lies ahead.
Not only am proud to tell friends and associates from other regions that the “A.T. starts in Georgia,” I wanted to apply for a special “tag” because every time I see my car tag or anyone else’s, I will have those fond memories of those great days on the trail with my sons Chase and Tyler.
One of the most memorable stories of taking teenagers backpacking, was on the stretch of Trail from Max Patch to Hot Springs when one of the teenagers that I included on our backpacking trip completely ripped his shoes apart within the first mile of the hike. Duck tape, a good pair of sandals, and plenty of prayers got us through the trip to conclude with plenty of laughs.
Rhett Mouchet
Savannah, Georgia
Six Atlanta Section Hikers
It all started over 11 years ago. Six Atlanta Section Hikers (SASH) was born in 1998 when 6 corporate American guys, including my husband, put on their hiking boots and began the adventure of their lives. They hoped to be finished section hiking the A.T. by the time they were 60 but it has taken a little longer than they thought. They started with 6 hikers and now they are 3. One dropped out early and now cheers them on, and another was with them until last year but could not continue due to severe knee problems, and he hopes to return after rehab. Their stories could fill a book and make for "can't put it down" reading! They started out with 60 pound packs without water, and over the last 11 years of "practice", they are down to 30 pound packs.
They just returned from their latest trip and are in Maine just before the 100 mile wilderness, and they ALL agree that it is the hardest thing they have ever done in their entire lives - and the most amazing!
The third hiker was not able to make the last trip . . . he unexpectedly passed away October 3, 2008. He was my brother and a really great guy! He was the one behind the start of the SASH adventure. Now his two sons are hiking the rest for him. They have a new appreciation for their dad and his strength, not to mention his dream of hiking the trail. He is up there watching and laughing and enjoying every step of the way - all the way! He made it to all 14 states, and his sons and SASH will make sure he makes it to Katahdin! The A.T. is so much more than just a trail. In fact, the Appalachian Trail has become part of who they are!
Melanie Curtis
Cumming, Georgia
Come to Know Home
I had little choice about falling in love with Georgia’s Appalachians. I’m a native of Dahlonega, GA, and a sixth generation descendant of a Mr. Daniel Davis – one of the first European settlers in these North Georgia mountains. Daniel’s wife was Rachel Martin – a full blood Cherokee, so the roots go even deeper down from her side of the tree. My earliest memories are of red clay, spring water, and blue hills on the horizon.
As a kid, the ride home from school passed over a rise on Oak Grove Road with a tremendous view westward, toward Springer Mountain. I learned that there was a trail up there some where that went all the way to Maine. I also heard there was a big mountain made of stone on the other end, and once in a while there would be an article in the local paper about some fool walking all the way from there to here. 2000 miles of walking. The idea rolled around in my head, and sort of stuck on something.
The years passed, and I moved away, following my dreams. (More...)
Jeff Davis
Dahlonega, Georgia
Taking a Hike at 70
Shortly after my 70th birthday I was invited to go on a boy scout backpacking trip on the A.T. This sounded like fun so I began to prepare.
The scouts won't let you go unless you meet their physical requirements, so I went to a doctor to get a physical. She gave me a clean bill of health but she still seemed concerned due to my age.
Next I looked at whatever backpacking equipment I had, mostly from 40 - 50 years before. I decided I wanted to update my equipment but wasn't sure I would be doing any more backpacking, so I went to a place that rented equipment. They were very helpful and rented me a tent, pack, pack cover, mattress pad, and poles. I didn't need to bring any cooking gear as we had common meals and the leaders provided the gear.
The leaders also provided water filtration equipment, which I had never used or needed before. (More...)
Lang Stallard
Snellville, Georgia
An Hour per Mile
After thru hiking the A.T. in 1984, I was determined to give one hour of service (trail maintenance) for every mile I hiked. I did that several years ago and decided to do a "flip-flop" (4300 hours of service). I have completed that and now have 4950 hours of service since 1992.
The A.T. in Georgia is the #1 thing in my life at present as evidenced by my 48 separate worktrips on the A.T. in 2009.
Jerry Carnes
Hiawassee, Georgia
It's Simple Yet Complex
The reason that the A.T. is so special to me is simple, yet complex. The simple part: I love to hike, love being outdoors, and love sharing the out of doors with my kids and grandkids. The more complex part is harder to put into words. I strongly believe that the A.T. speaks to some innate part of all of us in that it lets us truly connect with our heritage as its rigors prompt us to connect to our inner strength and resources.
Barb Ribner
Decatur, Georgia
The First of Fourteen States
Living and working in the metro Atlanta area just makes me appreciate having the Appalachian Trail just north of me. Its beauty and serenity refreshes me when I get too caught up in everyday life. As Georgians, we are only 1 of the 14 states that can say they are a part of the A.T. life.
The southern terminus is located on Springer Mountain and leaving there, you find 75 miles of trail in our state. Most mentions of the A.T. include that it runs from Georgia to Maine. This is also the direction that most thru-hikers go. That makes Georgia very special to the A.T. and the environment.
The trail is maintain by volunteers, but many more Georgians enjoy it than work to maintain it. If you have ever hiked on the Appalachian trail, whether for a day hike, overnighter or extended, you should understand the feeling that the A.T. has. So, visit the Appalachian Trail Conservancy’s website and sign up to support the special interest A.T. tag for Georgia.
Don’t you want the trail to still be there for your kids and/or grandkids?
Ron "Ghosthiker" Gregory
Canton, Georgia
Liberty Bell's Dream
Back in 2000, my sister and I started what was to be a thru-hike over 6 months. We left at the end of March from Springer into what turned out to be the wettest and coldest spring in 11 years. My knees gave out by the Nantahala Outdoor Center after 3 weeks, and fourteen of the 21 days were rain, sleet, snow with temps in the 20's at nite--60's by day and very wet. We were off the trail every 3-4 days in a motel or hostel drying out or tending to minor stuff.
We had planned this over 2-1/2 years, been to seminars, talked to hikers, read books, bought equipment and drew on past hiking experience. My sister (Marcia Roland) aka "Smasher " went on and completed about 600 miles to reach Bland, Virginia before she headed home to Franklin, N.C. Every year since, she has done another 100 miles and is now well into PA doing sections and last year did Maine; she will finish.
As for me, "Liberty Bell " -- I never had the knee surgery and haven't hiked again, sorry to say -- and at 70, I still dream and look ahead.
Georgia has an excellent maintenance crew with the GATC and, as a result, the Trail is in very good shape. It is a good cross-section of the entire A.T. in our 78 miles of Trail. I wanted to help the on-going effort to conserve and preserve the A.T.
John Ulp
Stone Mountain, Georgia
New York to Springer Mountain
My wife and I came to Atlanta via New York City and Washington, D.C. We've hiked many parts of the A.T. in many states, from Virginia to Vermont, and Springer/Kathadin have always been revered places for us. So it was very special for us to finally have Springer Mountain right in our backyard, not to mention the wonderful Len Foote Hike Inn!
Laurie & Jonathan Blank
Atlanta, Georgia
The Facination Began in Childhood
In 1969, when I was about 6 years old, my uncle and cousin stayed overnight at our home in Snellville, Georgia. They had traveled from Ashland, Kentucky to spend a week hiking on some trail I had never heard of. I lived about two miles from my elementary school and took the bus to school, so spending an entire week walking in the woods was utterly foreign to me. I went with my aunt to drop them off at Amicalola Falls. As I watched them disappear in to the woods my fascination began. I joined the Cub Scouts and later the Boy Scouts and was able to hike the entire section in Georgia. I haven't been able to hike the entire Trail, but I will eventually section hike the whole Trail.
Kevin Mitchell
Cumming, Georgia
The Trail's Lessons
The Appalachian Trail (A.T.) has provided many memories for me over the years, and the trail in Georgia holds some very special ones. I was on the trail last week with two of my five kids – and all of them have spent time on the trail. My wife and I use the trail as part of an “outdoor classroom” to give our children a well-rounded education. The trail allows us to tie in history, biology, chemistry, geology, climatology, and religion in one of the most beautiful locations anywhere. Just seeing some of the plants and wildlife or watching the sky or staring out across the mountains sparks vivid conversations and experiences that we could never replicate indoors, and that my children could never get from a textbook. And the longer hiking and backpacking excursions that the trail permits create a wider variety of experiences than any available in the state: including federal lands and state parks.
Starting with my experiences as a metro Atlanta Boy Scout, and culminating with my thru-hike almost 20 years ago, the A.T. has taught me many lessons as well. That is why I became one of the first to apply for a Georgia A.T. license plate: both to give back to the trail, and to show others that the trail is an important part of my life.
Don Allen
Thomson, Georgia
A Calling Between Rocky and Tray Mountains
One would think that growing up seeing the twin peaks of Rocky and Tray Mountains almost every day that it wouldn’t take almost 30 years to discover the Appalachian Trail.
But it happened that way.
I knew the Trail was there. I had crossed it on the roads here and points north many times. But it took a chance meeting with a few thru-hikers at Newfound Gap in the Smoky Mountains to light the fire for me. Since almost that day those twin peaks, 20 miles to the north, beckon to me when I make the first turn headed to work.
Since that day in 2005 the Trail has enchanted me. Just a few weeks later I took my first day hike. Neels Gap to Hogpen Gap with my then six-year old daughter. The fire was lit by the time we stopped to have lunch on the rock face of Cowrock Mountain. What a fabulous view! Now here in 2009, some 500 trail miles later, I am still hiking the Appalachian Trail every time I get a chance. Whether it is a short day hike, an afternoon hike to take in a sunset from one of the 4000' plus peaks, or a three or four day section hike, I am just happy to be on "the people’s trail". (More...)
John Chad Kinsey
Mt. Airy, Georgia
Earth Beneath My Boots
My fiancee and I have gotten very heavy into backpacking whenever we have spare weekends. We have completed only the first section (Springer to Hightower Gap). To think that we were on a trail that stretches all the way up the Eastern seaboard to Maine is simply awe inspiring. We may be fairly new on the A.T., but we will finish it one day.
Even though there are two other long trails in the U.S., the A.T. is the longest marked trail and the majority of hikers take to the mystique of trying to thru-hike it more so than the others. If you can figure out why that is...then let me know...because this addiction to having a pack on my back and earth beneath my boots ain't letting go anytime soon!
I can't wait to get my plate as I will be displaying it proudly on my car. This is an awesome way to support the A.T. and I am honored to be a part of it.
Eric Olson
Woodstock, Georgia
Be Part of the Story by Telling Us Yours
Be part of the story by telling us yours
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Other Ways To Get Involved
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We’re looking for people to champion the Trail by serving as a spokesperson for our cause in your community.
- First, make sure you’ve sent in your Georgia A.T. license plate application.
- Then, send e-mail ljoyner@appalachiantrail.org with a story you have about the A.T. and what it means to you. Consider including: What makes the A.T. in Georgia special? Why are you among the first 500 to apply for a special A.T. license plate?
We’ll include these stories below and may include them as part of a news release on our project in your community.
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Find us on Facebook: Become a fan & invite friends
ATC's Web site: Find answers to frequently asked questions about the A.T. license plate
Bulletin Board Poster: Print, snip and post
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Or, feel free to be an anonymous superhero by simply sending in your application, and know how much we appreciate what you’ve contributed to our progress and our story.
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