From Bama to Baxter, day 23: Today I became a hiker

I could have climbed Mount Everest today and enjoyed it because I knew all day that I would finish the Pinhoti Trail this afternoon and thus complete my first trek. For those of you who are uninitiated, the route from Bama to Baxter requires a person to walk along the Pinhoti Trail to where it meets the Benton Mackaye Trail. The route then turns south on the BMT for about 70 miles, where it ends at Springer Mountain. Springer Mountain is also the southern terminus of the Appalachian Trail. However, there is a decision that a B2B hiker must make. Upon reaching Springer Mountain, one can immediately turn around and begin hiking north on the AT or descend the Approach Trail to Amicalola Falls State Park in order to traverse the arch that many people consider the beginning of a true AT hiking experience.

But the real thrill of the day for me will be completing my first hike. Yes, there will be some hills to climb today and yes, it will be a long day. But it will be worth it.

Last night I slept pretty well and was able to wake up to the alarm. Since I knew I had a long day ahead of me, I wanted to be on the road by 6 a.m. All of my morning activities went smoothly, so I was ready to start walking at six. Sarah at Toadshade Hill and Tori at the Adventure Center had warned me that the last stretch of the Pinhoti was largely uphill. I’m very grateful to have received that notice because it prepared me for what ended up being a pretty difficult day. As if hiking a trail wasn’t bad enough, the trail conditions were also challenging. There were a lot of rocks and roots, and several water crossings, but the real problem of the day was the several blowdowns I had to negotiate. Fortunately, on the last bit of climbing I had to do to get to the BMT, the trail mellowed out a bit and the trail conditions improved.

I don’t remember stopping much all day, although I know I had to refill my water bottles about five hours in. There was a lot of water along the road all day. I ate my lunch at that time. I really wanted to get to the end of the PT. My excitement must have fueled me because at 2:03 pm I reached the north end of the Pinhoti trail. I know I stopped there and said a few words of celebration out loud, took a photo, and tried to soak in the moment. I then continued south on the BMT for another mile to a campground where I did all my nightly chores, had dinner, and turned in for an early night. It had been a very long day. But now I’m officially a hiker.

Happy trails. . .

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