Sunday February 10, 2019 (beginning at 9:30 am from the Springer Mountain Parking Lot on State Road 42), SHINER AND JUJU begin their attempt to thru hike The Appalachian Trail northbound.
3 years ago (Sunday February 14, 2016 at 10:00 am) SHINER AND JUJU met us at this same spot as we began our attempt to thru hike The Appalachian Trail northbound. It took us 6 months and 4 days to accomplish it, and on August 19 we officially summited Mount Katahdin in Maine.
This year SHINER AND JUJU enjoy the attempt of this epic journey!
With the support of family, we brave the “below-freezing-temperatures” and high winds to hike our way to the summit of Springer Mountain.
SHINER AND JUJU FaceTime other members of their family as they reach the summit to sign the registration book that is located inside the large boulder via a stainless steel drawer.
Other hikers know this iconic plaque and white blaze (with the large registration boulder in the background) as the official beginning for NOBO’s and ending for SOBO’s.
A hiker is either super excited to begin their hike here or super exhausted as they end their hike here.
We catch a quick photo with SHINER AND JUJU before heading back down to the Parking Lot to say our “Good-Byes.”
Family gathers around SHINER AND JUJU as they pack-up and buckle-up for the hike… walk… stroll… climb… trip… slip… fall… run… of a lifetime.
With much laughter and many tears, SHINER AND JUJU say their “Good-Byes” to family and say, “We Are Doing This” to one another as they embark on a life altering… changing… enhancing… and embracing journey.
We look forward to hearing their stories upon their return and to following them along the way via their social media account, phone texts, phone calls and even meeting up with them to hike a section or two of The Appalachian Trail northbound 😊
Until then… we love them… we are proud of them… and we pray for them… we think of them… and we celebrate them as they attempt their thru hike of The Appalachian Trail.
