Byron's Thru-hike 2017 Atlanta, Georgia

Woke up at 5:30 this morning, still working on this blogger thing. Technology is not my forte!
After lunch in Dahlonega my wife, father and sister will be driving me up to the trailhead on  Springer Mountain for my sendoff.  My father has been assiduously studying the maps to the trailhead, printing out screenshots, and has us traveling up the dirt service roads to where I'll be dropped off. Captain, oh my Captain! My wife, a safety professional, has been very supportive  and insisted I have a great phone charger in case I get lost in the woods (or mauled by a bear and dumped into a ravine.) Not too worried about that. I have a compass for location and an umbrella to flap at attacking beasts.

I have also learned that my brother, Bruce, and family; a family friend Connie; and my brother-in-law and family are planning to meet us in Dahlonega. I feel blessed.

Looking forward to nice walk in the woods. Supposed to be overcast today. I'll walk .09 up to the top of Springer Mountain to the official southern terminus starting point and retrace my steps eight miles  to Hawk Mountain Shelter. There are shelters, lean-to's usually within a ten to twenty mile walk. It'll be either lean-to or tent. Probably tent tonight since I'll be arriving around six and all 12 sleeping spots could be filled. I noticed in my AT guidebook that most shelters fit six to eight.