Georgia AT and Roxy, The Hiking Dog

Whew, just finished 20 miles at the start of the AT from Springer Mtn in Georgia. 17 the first day, 3 the second. It was a beautiful land, a true blessing from God. Starting at Springer, Roxy, The Hiking Dog, and I worked our way down over several stream crossings and eventually came to the Three Forks, where three streams meet 4 miles from the start. There was a nice campground here and a parking lot nearby. Working our way back out of the valley, we could see several waterfalls in the distance and eventually crested a hill from which the walking became level for perhaps a mile. This was approximately 7 miles from Springer. We stopped and ate lunch at Hawk Mountain Shelter before descending into and ascending out of Hightower Gap and doing the same at Camp Gap. Roxy started to get tired before the descent into Horse Gap (10 miles from Springer), so we decided to turn around at the rim and head back, aiming for our lunchtime shelter.

I wasn't planning on the sleeping in the shelters as having endured the mice of such places over several hikes in the last few years turned me off to that idea. Not that mice might not be wonderful creatures, just not to me; and I really didn't look forward to a night of having 80 lb Roxy crawling all over me to get at the mice either as she loves to chase little critters in the woods. I can just hear the other shelter-goers now: "hey did you guys here a mous--OOF! I think your dog just stepped on my foot--OOF, make that my face..."

So we planned on sleeping in a tent anyway. Well I planned on it; it was up to Roxy if she wanted to or not. We got back to the shelter and since she seemed to gain some energy, decided to push on towards one of the cascades we saw earlier. We made camp about 5:00, 17 hiking miles from our starting point. After making camp and eating dinner, good ol' Roxy decides she wants to swim in the creek, so I guess she decided against sleeping in the tent. After watching and laughing at her for about 45 min, I'm too tired to stand so I tie her up and conk out for a couple of hours until she wakes me up, wanting of all things, to be taken for a walk. Good owner that I am, I oblige and she is happy and even completely dry 15 mintues later so she got to sleep in the tent after all, Lucky Dog. With only 3 miles to hike the next day, we took our time and enjoyed some of what we missed earlier, taking pictures, some of which are posted here.