Crowds

Got a pretty late start this morning, didn't get out of Springer shelter until 9. Got up at 7, but with my inherent laziness and my unfamiliarity with the setup, took a couple of hours. Couple that with my complete lack of anything resembling a shape, and I didn't make my destination of Gooch mountain. I did, however, have basically a guided tour while walking with Paul, a weekend hiker who was pretty much a North Georgia encyclopedia. Of particular use was his resupply plans for his future thru-hike, which I am shamelessly going to steal. The plans, not the supplies. Paul also talked me into lunch at Long Falls, which I would have skipped to my detriment. When I arrived at Hawk shelter (8.1 miles), there was a complete clan of Maineites, an EMT/ski patroller from Vermont, a 72 year old former LTC who had walked the width of Europe and the length of South America, an outdoors writer who had just retired, and a complete jackass who had almost completed a section hike.  I also learned there was no water between here and Gooch, so I decided to stay here with the interesting  Throughout the day more people have shown up, and there are 19 tents plus the shelter. Lot of people. Saw a bunch of Ranger School students, also. Who are right now engaged in a firefight just over the mountain. Didn't count on that keeping me awake. Great, now I'm going to have flashbacks. Tomorrow I am going to Gooch, and maybe farther depending on how I feel and the water situation. Hiking the Approach trail was dumb. 

Shameless selfie at Long Falls