Hi everyone.  I am off to a good start.  I have been averaging about 8 miles per day.  This is about half the distance that I will be traveling on an average day.  Average day to finish the trail is 15 miles.  I have been just getting my hiking legs.  So far so good - no aches, pains, sprains, blisters, pulled muscles or sore joints or back.  Those people who are taking off fast are a little sore.  Today, Saturday, March 24 I am having a zero day ( meaning no miles hiked).  A zero day is when you go into a town get a room, hot shower, a couple hot meals, contact home, and re-supply with a week's worth of food.  Starting next week I will average 12 miles per day, and then the following week I will start averaging 15 miles per day.  I've met a lot of nice people on the trail.  Everyone gets a trail name, either given to you, chosen by one's self, or  a combination of both.  My trail name is "sit a bit" ( walk a bit then sit a bit and take a rest).  I've been hiking with a group of people who all started on the same day at Springer Mountain and we are keeping the same pace (even though we  are primarily separated during the day and hiking at our own pace).  I"m hiking with "Kokopelle" who is 61 and from South Carolina, "Crispy" and "Candyman" who are a father and son hiking pair - Crispy is in his early to mid fifties and is semi retired and from FLA, and Candyman is a 25 year old police officer from Dayton, OH.  Some others in our little pack in include "Atlas" who is in his later thirties and from North Carolina, "Fastback" who is from Arkansas and is in his mid twenties and his hiking partner "Brightflower" who is a 58 year old woman from Colorado.  There have been other people I've hiked with during the week who were just out for a few days vacation, a very nice family Chris, Rachel, and their son Clayton from Florida, A cool couple Scott, Taylor, and their dog Jake from Alabama,  and "Redbeard" who comes out for a couple of weeks every year, he is from St. Pete (cool cat). The first 2 days were in the eighties, the last two days were pouting rain.  It has been a BLAST.  I am still having problems uploading pic's from my phone to the blog.  Candyman is going to try to fix that for me.  I can't download the pics from my camera to this computer; I tried to go to the library and do it there but they were closed (on a Saturday, go figure).  As soon as I can I will upload pics. FYI, if you want to comment, you must register to this blog as a follower, others just read and enjoy.  I am off to eat AYCE (all you can eat buffet).  You wouldn't believe how hungry you get.

Check out this blog of a father and son team I've connected with atwarriors.blogspot.com

I've had a great 1st day. Started at springer around 10:30 and made camp at hawk mtn. Others are here too

Ok, I've set up a blog.  I make no promises, this is newfound territory.  I think that I will try to text message daily for quick updates.  We'll see how it goes.  I am go to leave on Saturday, March 17.   I may be jumping off the trail for work near Gatlinburg TN or Hot Springs NC.  If work is no more, I'm thruhiking to Maine.