Mountains Under Foot

From Raleigh, NC to Amicalola Falls State Park, Georgia:

Hard to believe the day we start our trek has arrived already. Between the planning and last minute rush to prepare myself for today’s departure, the weight of all the things happening around me hasn’t had a chance to sink in. I graduated from college yesterday and reflecting on that moment made me realize that, on a day so emotionally overwhelming for my parents, the only thing I kept thinking about, while sitting in my cap and gown, was that I wished things would go faster because I needed to get to the grocery store to grab our first meals. I had been so focused on every last detail that I had not given so much as a second thought to the fact that I will be leaving so many friends, family, and loved ones behind, and so quickly. What’s worse is that some of the people who had become so integral to my daily life will be gone by the time we get back. Plus it’s Mother’s day today! In the history of bad Mother’s Day gifts, leaving for 4-5 months to hike in the woods where I can die from the tiniest of tick bites to the massive jaws of a black bear, has to rank pretty high. It’s like I woke up this morning and said, “Happy Mother’s Day! My gift to you is that you will perpetually worry about me for 4 months straight and best of all you get to spend hundreds of hours of your time being a slave to my blog! You’re welcome, Mom.”

So I haven’t had much of a chance to really process all of the emotions I should be having right now and chances are it will hit me pretty hard sometime on the trail. When it does happen you all will be sure to read the super sensitive posts about my feelings and Madison will tell the tale of how he had to fight off my fetal spooning in the hammock for multiple nights straight. Or if you are reading this and know me at all, you will know that I will let nothing hold me back from having the greatest adventure of my life. I just hope the tunnel vision I have had the past week will ensure that it is a relatively smooth trip.

Happy Trails!

- Hazard & Spoon

*Hello – Hazard’s mom here, I just wanted to let everyone know that Fred and Madison have been safely delivered to Amicalola State Park. They arrived around 12:30pm today and when I spoke to Fred he sounded tired, but anxious to finally hit the trail and begin their adventure. My husband bid them farewell at the trail head, and is driving back home to Raleigh as I type this note. He took a few photos which I hope to have edited and posted to the gallery by later tonight.

As you know I will be taking on the huge responsibility of editing and publishing Fred and Madison’s trail notes and photos to this site and I only hope I can fulfill that duty in a way that will make them both proud… I’m definitely proud of them for having the spirit and ambition to thru-hike the entire Appalachian Trail. I know I will be thinking of them everyday while they’re gone and expectantly checking my email for news and photos from the trail to post and share with you here…

More to follow!

Regards,

K