Today is the day! Following traditional Zulick protocol my Dad and I woke up with the intention of packing the truck and leaving by 11 am. At about 4:45 pm we finally saddled up and managed to hit the road right into DC rush hour. I’m writing this first post while sitting in the car, and with traffic it should be about 12 hours (not including sleep) till we arrive at a family friends house in Georgia where beer, fishing, and R&R await.
The last week has been spent wrapping up all my loose ends at home and visiting folks before my 6 month adventure begins. I’ll likely spend some time tomorrow dialing in my pack and getting all the final touches in place before my official start on the trail, I’ll try to post my food and gear in a picture or video along with my final pack weight if I get the chance.
Grants Intents Hiking 
We’re all rootin’ for ya! And… you left Meghan in the dust after all, eh? 👣 Hoping for better weather! We love you! Uncle Toonie, Cousin Ethan and Aunt Pottie. 👍🏻💕
LikeLike
I heard from grant this morning. He endured a heavy rain last but no tent leaks and remained dry. He said he needs a bit more towel to dry the inside condensation in the future. Tents get wet just from your breath at night. I am debugging his garmin explorer device so he can successfully send “I’m OK” and other instant preset messages soon. His map is functioning fine if you go to the link he posted in his first entry. GRANT isnt going to get lonely, everyone wants to talk, share their stories, lighten their packs of unwatnted supplies, find their perfect hiking buddy that is their pace and personailty, and there are over 30 thru hikers starting each of the last few days- Young and old men and women, solos and groups, all having a different motive and story.
LikeLike
Grant stayed at Hawk Mtn, GA last night at elevation 3,166 feet.
LikeLike
Our overnight at Black Creek Gap helped us shake out our camp setup and timing. We were thirsty and short on water when we arrived. It was a steep climb to get to the water source, and Grants water filter system worked just as he designed to refill our stock. After setting up our tents around 8pm, we noticed many hikers were already asleep. We made a quick pasta dinner in the dark at a table near the shelter. Grant decided one of the hikers sleeping in the shelter should have a trail name “kazoo” because of his loud and hilarious snoring. Grants bear container, at 2.2 lbs heavy, was subject of much discussion as to if it was really needed versus a hanging bear bag. The container is simply placed on the ground He knew it was required in several segments, so he took it. It was hard to accept carrying it, but it made access and storage of food at night simple, as we discovered when we went to hang my food, toothpaste, and dirty dishes in a bear bag after dark. Lesson: get to and make camp at least 1.5 – 2 hrs before dark.
LikeLike
Amazing progress! You make us proud!
LikeLike