Sleeping alone in the woods is relatively conducive to waking up early. I pack my things and eat my first oatmeal breakfast of the journey. March in the mountains of Georgia is still cold. I start hiking in my insulation layer and soon have to stop to take it off. Rookie mistake. It became commonplace later in the hike to remove all insulation before hiking so you didn't ruin it with sweat. I don't remember much of the hike. I pass Professor T and Charlie (who later gets trail name Two Forks) who had camped a mile or two past the shelter. I also pass biscuit, an older gentleman from Syracuse, NY. I hike 13 miles or so to Gooch Gap Shelter. My journal entry indicates that my knees are already starting to hurt on downhill sections of trail. I speculate about this pains' relation to Lyme disease I had in my knees as a kid, There is a large number of hikers at the shelter tonight. Jenn(One Day), Stride, Tarzan, Dillan (who is now being called kodak or paparazzi), Mathmagicain, a couple from Iowa the husband is being called Seth Rogen to whom he bears a striking resemblance, his wife, can't remember her name, but she is ultimately responsible for my trail name. Seth Rogen builds a fire and we all gather around and chat. Upon coming back from gathering firewood Seth Rogen's wife jokes that I look like Goliath carrying too much firewood. It sticks. Unfortunately. I never really got used to the name. David(my real name) and Goliath(trail name). I always feel pretentious when introducing myself as Goliath. Jenn also gets her trail name, One Day, tonight. A kid named Alex rolls in a bit later looking very exhausted and soaked(it is now raining).
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| Photo Courtesy of One Day (AT 2014) |
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