First, since I will spend one night in Amicalola Falls State Park before I make my trek to the AT trailhead, I needed a campsite. So, $28 later and with only an ADA campsite left, I reserved the campsite. Don't know how that is going to play out since it is a handicap site, but I guess I'll talk to them at the park when I get there this weekend.
Second, Great Smoky Mountains National Park requires a Thru-Hiker permit for the back country. Fortunately, you can get it up to 30 days in advance. Everything I read said prior to leaving to start the trail, get your permit so you're ready when you get there. $20 later, I have my AT Thru-Hiker permit for Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Shenandoah is different than GSMNP in that when I arrive at the park entrance, there is a station where I will fill out a backcountry permit. GSMNP gives you eight days to get through the park, but I'm not sure of Shenandoah's time limit. I believe they want you to estimate when you will leave the park, though. I don't think it will be too difficult. If worse comes to worse, I'll just stop and talk to a Park Ranger to figure it out.
I bought a bunch of food yesterday for my first leg of the trail before I resupply. I decided it would be easiest to get food now--more than I needed--to determine about how much food I'm going to eat as I hike. This way I'll have more than enough to start with and I can pare down my load as I hike and figure out what I'm going to consume daily.
The next step is getting everything out of my pack, reorganizing it, taking pictures of it, then repacking. I have to do some pondering on the hammock tent. It doesn't seem to want to fit as easily as I would like it to, so I'm going to see if I can find a different way to pack it. Ideally, I'd like to strap it on the outside of the pack with my sleeping pad. It may take me a little while to figure that out, but I should have time.
The last thing I have to do is finish what I'm calling my PIM (a Navy term - Plan of Intended Movement). Essentially a rough estimate of where I'm going to be on a daily basis. While I know I will deviate from it (won't have a choice), I'd at least like to do it to have an idea of resupply points. I'm not as worried about them in the south as I am the north, so I'd like to get an idea on paper and in my mind. Remember, a plan is nothing more than an initial point from which to deviate.
Guess I need to get back to the grind.
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