In the summer of 2008 I spent 115 days hiking 1,960 miles from Springer Mtn., Georgia to Rangeley, Maine. Unfortunately I did not keep a proper journal the entire way. This is an attempt to remember everything before it’s lost to senility.
State borders on the AT are huge milestones (which also explains why all 550 miles of Virginia is so loathed). So when I approached my first state border, Georgia-North Carolina, I was really pumped. Uphill from the border mark was a small rock outcropping from which I took my notebook and wrote a good-bye letter to Georgia, without making a copy or taking a picture to remember, and left it in the register.
A few days later at a hostel, I received an email from Gentjack with a picture of the letter. Take a read:
Then a year later I got an email from Georgia! Really I know!
It has been a year since you were last here, and I have seen many hikers again on their journey..
My mountains are green and lush this year and teh wildflwoers are enjoying all the rain.
Hope this email finds you well and happy..
Thank you for your gracious message.
