Amicalola Falls

We made it to the AT starting point yesterday. After a steak dinner complemented by a gorgeous sunset with our friends from Atlanta who kindly drove us up here, we retired to our room for the last bit of prep.

But, as we'll learn many times over in the coming months, the best laid plans will go astray. There was no water in the room. Due to a burst 16 inch main water pipe, the entire lodge was without water and it wasn't going to be fixed until this afternoon.  Rather than start with the hiccup of no water and having to forage along the trail, we decided to stay a second night. It was a great decision. We spent the day hiking some of the side trails and the first part of the approach trail including the 600 step staircase next to Amicalola Falls. 

The day was also a chance to just relax after the hectic past month of packing and getting everything organized for putting our lives on hold while we hike the trail. Tomorrow, we'll start for real, hiking the rest of the approach trail to the official start of the Appalachian Trail at Springer Mountain and will spend our first night in the woods a few miles beyond. It'll be another trial by fire. The forecast calls for 100 percent chance of rain.