Deep creek Camping, leads to At Hiking

Ok, calm down Ive bout got the chicken cooked, I said to my to rambunctious kids,who werent finished playing yet. The old man had found a nice yard chair under a high Carolina Pine, and was now smoking his cares away! Tabby my usual lazy girl got her and her dads plate,{already a good helper at 8} and went to sit down beside him. Kris and I ate on the picnic table studying the trail maps off Deep Creek. The Newest and our Favorite, camping spot in the Great Smoky Mountains. I had a new camera, in my 30s, energy, and I was determined to visit ALL the waterfalls at DEEP CREEK before we packed up tomorrow.
So it somewhat became our norm. Girl child stayed at the campsite with dad Dan Garner, that evening, and kinda cleaned up, but had a wonderful unforgettable bonding experience...watching a mother Hoot Owl far up in the Pine tree above there camp site. She was taking care of and teaching to fly 2 chicks. They sat very quietly and had this experience I only wish I had been there for.

But I, and the every growing salty son of mine went looking for the last waterfall on the camp brochure. The one to the left of the road that got the least amount of visitors! And while we walked we talked, because I discovered long ago to get them to talk to youANY time you could. What we had been doing all day is riding a round inflated truck tire down the side of this mountain creek. IT HAD TO BE the MOST fun ive every had.. the only problem was when the ride was over, you had to get out and walk about 2 miles STRAIGHT uphill beside the creek to the spot where you could get in again. Once, standing in line Kris saw "backpackers" skipping right over our mountain creek but turning left or right onto a well marked trail. That trail it turned out to be, The Great APPALACHIAN TRIAL!! The one that runs from Georgia to Maine. Well thats what we found ourselves talking about as we were looking for that last waterfall. (By then in the dark) Reading trail maps, finding out about that trail, where it was accessible from, and on and on, I got a great pic of the waterfall under the stars! But that trail was on our minds.we stumbled our way outa the foresta with two small flashlights, got to hear the owl asAndtaAory by the campfire and went to bed. But IAA lay awake thinking about Appalachian Trail Hiking with my hiking buddy.


When we got home a trip to the library was called for. I read several journals, which lead me to buy a few. Lots of people had been killed on The AT, especially where Kris wanted to do it. This would take a few years and alot more knowledge

The first book I read was " A Womans Journey". by Cindy Ross  I was truly inspired by this one womans account of her two-part 2,100 mile hike. She not only is an excellent spokeswoman for the close-knit group of trail family, but also an excellent artist. I was extremely interested to find out that the section of trail my beloved son wanted to take was full of BLACK BEARS!! and had to have the cabins reserved in advance because of this fact. All the cabins along this portion of the trail had chain link fencing across the front specifically for this threat. Most other parts of the trail you could just pitch your small backpackers tent under the stars and hope to be bothered by the occasional skunk, or maybe bobcat. But BEARS! Now Kris. But TheAnd heres where thee
 s GAreat Smoky Mountains held a sort of magic for me. We had visited every campground, done the entire Blue Ridge Parkway (which ends in the Great Smokies), and I had grown up camping. Later on in their childhood I even invested in the typical 1970 model VW camp mobile, Micro-bus. So I got over my fear of Bears as I swallowed each book on The AT.

I read "A Walk In The Woods" by Bill Bryson, which is absolutely hilarious. And convinced me that an overweight, not so fit, overworked mother of two COULD travel at least a 50 mile stretch of beautiful scenery with her son in her own back yard. Then there were countless books on trail foods, and easy ways to reduce packaging. And the ever friendly tip of freezing Gatorade "my sons favorite at the time" rolling it up in the sleeping bag, and having cold Gatorade for, believe it or not 4 days! "There Are Mountains To Climb" an inspirational journal by Jean Deeds, an exceptional book that inspirited me to start looking at external frame packs. Then I bought my first trail guide while visiting Roan Mt. with my mother. She had no idea what I was up to. Just looked at me sorta strange. See, trail guides tell you what to expect from what section to the next. They give you topographical maps so you can visualize the terrain, which I was beginning to be able to do. I devoured it. We began to camp around Roan Mt. Later as my son got a girlfriend (mother of two of my three beautiful granddaughters) we took them camping on Roan. I read "The Best Of The Appalachian Trail Day Hikes", and began to mark them off as we did them,"The Appalachian Trail Backpacker" by Victoria and Frank Logue an invaluable book about tents, tarps, boots ,clothing, food, eating utensils, backpacks, rain gear, hiking sticks, this book is a collection of the best gear for the trip. It is absolutely the best guide I found! AND ALL BUT Bill Brysons book comes in paperback. Something you want to consider when packing for a trip. Because believe you me WEIGHT COUNTS.Actually none of those books went with us when we did our hike. They are just a few that got me started.