June 18, 2005 - Blue Mountain Shelter to Whitely Gap Shelter
I slept well despite being sore. I was up before 6a.m. and ate 3 hardboiled eggs and coffee along with a little Debbie
for breakfast. I hiked an easy 7.1 miles to Low Gap shelter where I took a long break. I hiked an old road to here
from years gone by. There was a lot of stone work on the old road and I stopped and looked at them. After a good
break at the shelter I continued to Whitely Gap Shelter. This shelter is over a mile off the trail and had a fair decent
also down to it. I love the isolation of this shelter and stay at it every time I go through here. It has the nicest spring
too which is said to be the head waters of the Chattahoochee River. There are 11 people here at the shelter site
tonight. Many are in tents so the shelter will not be too full. On top of the ridge before coming down to the shelter
there is a most beautiful ridge walk which looks down into a beautiful gorge. I will try to go to Blood Mountain
tomorrow. It is thundering like hell tonight, but it did not rain much. This shelter used to be on the trail before it was
relocated when the Russell Scenic Highway was built in the 60’s.
June 19, 2005 -Whitely Gap Shelter to Woods Hole Shelter
I was up at 6:00 a.m. as were the rest of the shelter guests. I left an hour later and hiked up very pretty terrain at
overlooks past Testnatee Gap, Wildcat Mountain. Cowrock Mountain was really pretty with great views too. This
section between Whitely Gap Shelter and Blood Mountain is very scenic. I arrived at Neel’s Gap and many people
were at the touristy area. Cars parked everywhere. I went into the outfitters and most things sold were for the vehicle
traffic. They had a backpacking area, but carried no parts for my frame pack. I bought an apple and ate it and
pushed my way out of the place. There must have been 150 people here when I came through. This must be a
weekend day! [Sunday] I rigged my pack to get me by for another 30 miles and left. I hiked up the 1400 feet up to
Blood Mountain. The trail had been relocated since I had been here before and didn’t go directly past the water
source for the mountain so I missed it. The new climb went over a much more rugged terrain than it used to. The
trail will not have to be maintained as much now because it is on solid rock. It was very steep. I decided not to stay at
a favorite area for me because 50 people were on top of Blood. I did not stay long and hiked off. On the way down
from Blood Mountain I met a former 2000 miler and his wife. I continued to the water source on the other side. This
area had also been relocated but the water source was a lot bigger than before. It was pretty through this area and I
continued to the side trail to Woods Hole Shelter. I picked up water on the way to the shelter and when arriving
decided that this was a nice place to stay. At 6 p.m. I am alone here still. I went to hang up my food bag and hung up
on cables was a very nice carabineer. I knew the person who got it stuck must have been sick. I am like Yogi Bear. I
am smarter than the average hiker. It was hanging by a nylon rope and 20 feet in the air. I thought for a minute and
the light came on. I found a long thin stick and duct taped some toilet paper on the end. I then lit the toilet paper and
set the nylon rope on fire, after about 3 seconds I had a $20.00 carabineer in my hands! It is clouding up a little and
may rain a little.
June 20, 2005 - Woods Hole Shelter to Gooch Mountain Shelter
I ended up here alone at the shelter and got a great night sleep. I had a little fire in the evening here. I left the
shelter after getting up at 5:30 a.m. A mouse and a bear woke me up in the night. I never saw the bear but the
mouse was in the shelter. I finished drinking some booze I bought in Helen. My soreness from the fall is getting
better but my little finger is swollen a lot. It will take several months to heal up. I got some great views heading into
Woody Gap. I met three trail maintainers today on the trail and I thanked them for their help. I got to Woody Gap
before 11:00 a.m. and went and visited my favorite little spring near here. I camped at the spring in 1981. I got my
picture of the picnic table where all of us played the guitar in 1981. This place hasn’t changed in 25 years and I am
happy for that. After leaving Woody Gap it was an easy hike for the first hour. I got to the old shelter site near the
road at Gooch Mt. I then knew a new shelter must be in the area. I continued to hike and got to that shelter and it is
a very nice place. There are nice tent platforms and a pretty trail which leads to the outhouse. This shelter is a
double decker with a picnic table inside too. A post and beam beauty. At 3:20 it started to thunder a lot and soon
after people started to come into the area. I am looking at the last page of my data book. The end is near now.
Springer is almost in sight. Long live the Appalachian and the Rowmin Goat. I am Going For It. There are lots of
people on the trail this time of year. Florida is a good area to get out of this time of year and many of them hike up in
the cooler mountains. The shelter ended up being very full on a rainy night.
I slept well despite being sore. I was up before 6a.m. and ate 3 hardboiled eggs and coffee along with a little Debbie
for breakfast. I hiked an easy 7.1 miles to Low Gap shelter where I took a long break. I hiked an old road to here
from years gone by. There was a lot of stone work on the old road and I stopped and looked at them. After a good
break at the shelter I continued to Whitely Gap Shelter. This shelter is over a mile off the trail and had a fair decent
also down to it. I love the isolation of this shelter and stay at it every time I go through here. It has the nicest spring
too which is said to be the head waters of the Chattahoochee River. There are 11 people here at the shelter site
tonight. Many are in tents so the shelter will not be too full. On top of the ridge before coming down to the shelter
there is a most beautiful ridge walk which looks down into a beautiful gorge. I will try to go to Blood Mountain
tomorrow. It is thundering like hell tonight, but it did not rain much. This shelter used to be on the trail before it was
relocated when the Russell Scenic Highway was built in the 60’s.
June 19, 2005 -Whitely Gap Shelter to Woods Hole Shelter
I was up at 6:00 a.m. as were the rest of the shelter guests. I left an hour later and hiked up very pretty terrain at
overlooks past Testnatee Gap, Wildcat Mountain. Cowrock Mountain was really pretty with great views too. This
section between Whitely Gap Shelter and Blood Mountain is very scenic. I arrived at Neel’s Gap and many people
were at the touristy area. Cars parked everywhere. I went into the outfitters and most things sold were for the vehicle
traffic. They had a backpacking area, but carried no parts for my frame pack. I bought an apple and ate it and
pushed my way out of the place. There must have been 150 people here when I came through. This must be a
weekend day! [Sunday] I rigged my pack to get me by for another 30 miles and left. I hiked up the 1400 feet up to
Blood Mountain. The trail had been relocated since I had been here before and didn’t go directly past the water
source for the mountain so I missed it. The new climb went over a much more rugged terrain than it used to. The
trail will not have to be maintained as much now because it is on solid rock. It was very steep. I decided not to stay at
a favorite area for me because 50 people were on top of Blood. I did not stay long and hiked off. On the way down
from Blood Mountain I met a former 2000 miler and his wife. I continued to the water source on the other side. This
area had also been relocated but the water source was a lot bigger than before. It was pretty through this area and I
continued to the side trail to Woods Hole Shelter. I picked up water on the way to the shelter and when arriving
decided that this was a nice place to stay. At 6 p.m. I am alone here still. I went to hang up my food bag and hung up
on cables was a very nice carabineer. I knew the person who got it stuck must have been sick. I am like Yogi Bear. I
am smarter than the average hiker. It was hanging by a nylon rope and 20 feet in the air. I thought for a minute and
the light came on. I found a long thin stick and duct taped some toilet paper on the end. I then lit the toilet paper and
set the nylon rope on fire, after about 3 seconds I had a $20.00 carabineer in my hands! It is clouding up a little and
may rain a little.
June 20, 2005 - Woods Hole Shelter to Gooch Mountain Shelter
I ended up here alone at the shelter and got a great night sleep. I had a little fire in the evening here. I left the
shelter after getting up at 5:30 a.m. A mouse and a bear woke me up in the night. I never saw the bear but the
mouse was in the shelter. I finished drinking some booze I bought in Helen. My soreness from the fall is getting
better but my little finger is swollen a lot. It will take several months to heal up. I got some great views heading into
Woody Gap. I met three trail maintainers today on the trail and I thanked them for their help. I got to Woody Gap
before 11:00 a.m. and went and visited my favorite little spring near here. I camped at the spring in 1981. I got my
picture of the picnic table where all of us played the guitar in 1981. This place hasn’t changed in 25 years and I am
happy for that. After leaving Woody Gap it was an easy hike for the first hour. I got to the old shelter site near the
road at Gooch Mt. I then knew a new shelter must be in the area. I continued to hike and got to that shelter and it is
a very nice place. There are nice tent platforms and a pretty trail which leads to the outhouse. This shelter is a
double decker with a picnic table inside too. A post and beam beauty. At 3:20 it started to thunder a lot and soon
after people started to come into the area. I am looking at the last page of my data book. The end is near now.
Springer is almost in sight. Long live the Appalachian and the Rowmin Goat. I am Going For It. There are lots of
people on the trail this time of year. Florida is a good area to get out of this time of year and many of them hike up in
the cooler mountains. The shelter ended up being very full on a rainy night.
Gooch Mountain Shelter
June 21, 2005 - Gooch Mountain Shelter to Stover Creek Shelter
Up early as usual and many other hikers did the same soon thereafter. I walked the blue blaze back to the A.T. and
immediately got naked for the A.T. tradition of hiking this way on the summer solstice. It felt weird but I just had to do
it. I hiked for an hour to Justis Creek where since I was already naked so I jumped in and took a bath. I then heard
Boy Scouts in the area and decided to re-dress as not to offend anyone. Soon after two old ladies came down the
mountain and as I passed them I sure was glad I spared them that! I hiked to Stover Creek Shelter, which used to be
the old Springer Mountain Shelter, and I will stay here for the night. This will be my last shelter before I finish ½ of
this trail and go home. After getting here at the shelter I burned all of my paper and trash around the shelter and
explored around a little. The side trail coming into this shelter is in a rhododendron thicket. It has a nice creek down
from the shelter too with some nice camp sites. After a while a man came by and said he was out for a couple of
weeks. He had no sleeping bag, tent, or stove. He is going to have trouble if he doesn’t stay at shelters. I had grits
and coffee for lunch and gave the man without too much some coffee to take with him and brewed some for he and
me while he was there. He was grateful. I wish I had more to give him but I am almost out of food. As I write I have
found out this is my last piece of paper that I have to write on. It worked out good. I am 2.5 miles from summit of
Springer Mountain. I will probably go to Amicalola State Park tomorrow and call David Willis to come and pick me up.
He is married to my cousin Judy Shanko and said he would pick me up. I had called a week ago and had told him of
my tentative schedule. They live 80 mile away in Calhoun Georgia. I have a smoky fire going here for the bugs are a
bit bothersome. I saw a bear today on the south side of Justis Mountain area. I will surely miss these days on the trail
when I finish! It has been a good ride. Other hikers came in and camped nearby at dark.
June 22, 2005 - Stover Creek to Amicalola State Park
My last day on the trail!!!! I was up early on this last day on the trail. I hiked up to Springer Mountain and when
getting on top I went over to the shelter and took a picture and took a small break. I then had to get it over to the
official first white blaze to celebrate. I drank a shot of whisky to do that and took a picture of myself at the bronze
plaque. I saw no one else at the summit so I could not share the happy moment but it did not matter. I finished ½ the
trail on schedule and was a happy camper!! I hiked off Springer and took the side trail to The Hike Inn. This trail had
water on it and bypassed Frosty Mountain. I stopped by the Inn and was given a tour by the director. This is a nice
place but too expensive for most hikers. It is a shame there is not a place for long distance hikers here on a hikers
budget. I left the Inn after an hour setting around and hiked fast through a very nice graded trail to Amicalola Falls. I
walked over to the top of the falls and stood over them and took off my pack and just reflected for 10 minutes. All
who were around me just disappeared for a few minutes as I thought of the last 1009 miles from Harper’s Ferry West
Virginia where I had been so long ago. I was happy and sad at the same time. I hiked on down to the State park
headquarters and I immediately called Virginia and then David Willis who said it would take him 2 hours to get here. I
stopped by the shelter up behind the visitor’s center and took a picture. I then went to nearby restroom and took a
shower. Yes there is a shower which is not advertised too much near the visitor’s center. Look for it or ask around. I
then bought a soda and fixed some lunch on a picnic table. There were lots of people here in the area and I must
now adjust to a lot of people again. It seems weird that when you hike you get used to being alone and you do miss
the solitude when getting back in the real world. I made it home in three or four days.
Up early as usual and many other hikers did the same soon thereafter. I walked the blue blaze back to the A.T. and
immediately got naked for the A.T. tradition of hiking this way on the summer solstice. It felt weird but I just had to do
it. I hiked for an hour to Justis Creek where since I was already naked so I jumped in and took a bath. I then heard
Boy Scouts in the area and decided to re-dress as not to offend anyone. Soon after two old ladies came down the
mountain and as I passed them I sure was glad I spared them that! I hiked to Stover Creek Shelter, which used to be
the old Springer Mountain Shelter, and I will stay here for the night. This will be my last shelter before I finish ½ of
this trail and go home. After getting here at the shelter I burned all of my paper and trash around the shelter and
explored around a little. The side trail coming into this shelter is in a rhododendron thicket. It has a nice creek down
from the shelter too with some nice camp sites. After a while a man came by and said he was out for a couple of
weeks. He had no sleeping bag, tent, or stove. He is going to have trouble if he doesn’t stay at shelters. I had grits
and coffee for lunch and gave the man without too much some coffee to take with him and brewed some for he and
me while he was there. He was grateful. I wish I had more to give him but I am almost out of food. As I write I have
found out this is my last piece of paper that I have to write on. It worked out good. I am 2.5 miles from summit of
Springer Mountain. I will probably go to Amicalola State Park tomorrow and call David Willis to come and pick me up.
He is married to my cousin Judy Shanko and said he would pick me up. I had called a week ago and had told him of
my tentative schedule. They live 80 mile away in Calhoun Georgia. I have a smoky fire going here for the bugs are a
bit bothersome. I saw a bear today on the south side of Justis Mountain area. I will surely miss these days on the trail
when I finish! It has been a good ride. Other hikers came in and camped nearby at dark.
June 22, 2005 - Stover Creek to Amicalola State Park
My last day on the trail!!!! I was up early on this last day on the trail. I hiked up to Springer Mountain and when
getting on top I went over to the shelter and took a picture and took a small break. I then had to get it over to the
official first white blaze to celebrate. I drank a shot of whisky to do that and took a picture of myself at the bronze
plaque. I saw no one else at the summit so I could not share the happy moment but it did not matter. I finished ½ the
trail on schedule and was a happy camper!! I hiked off Springer and took the side trail to The Hike Inn. This trail had
water on it and bypassed Frosty Mountain. I stopped by the Inn and was given a tour by the director. This is a nice
place but too expensive for most hikers. It is a shame there is not a place for long distance hikers here on a hikers
budget. I left the Inn after an hour setting around and hiked fast through a very nice graded trail to Amicalola Falls. I
walked over to the top of the falls and stood over them and took off my pack and just reflected for 10 minutes. All
who were around me just disappeared for a few minutes as I thought of the last 1009 miles from Harper’s Ferry West
Virginia where I had been so long ago. I was happy and sad at the same time. I hiked on down to the State park
headquarters and I immediately called Virginia and then David Willis who said it would take him 2 hours to get here. I
stopped by the shelter up behind the visitor’s center and took a picture. I then went to nearby restroom and took a
shower. Yes there is a shower which is not advertised too much near the visitor’s center. Look for it or ask around. I
then bought a soda and fixed some lunch on a picnic table. There were lots of people here in the area and I must
now adjust to a lot of people again. It seems weird that when you hike you get used to being alone and you do miss
the solitude when getting back in the real world. I made it home in three or four days.
Springer Mountain Plaque
Epilog: ½ way point
I took the rest of June and Most of July off at home. On July 20-2005 I took the bus back up to Dalton Mass. and will
hike back south to Harper’s Ferry West Virginia.
I wanted to finish the trail next year so I decided to do 555 miles more this year to make it easier in 2006. The fall in
Mass south will be a fun trip too. As for now good bye!!! Rowmin Goat.
I took the rest of June and Most of July off at home. On July 20-2005 I took the bus back up to Dalton Mass. and will
hike back south to Harper’s Ferry West Virginia.
I wanted to finish the trail next year so I decided to do 555 miles more this year to make it easier in 2006. The fall in
Mass south will be a fun trip too. As for now good bye!!! Rowmin Goat.
14