Day 160, 15.8 miles. Deep Gap/SOBO mile 2113.3 to Dick’s Creek Gap/SOBO mile 2129.1 GEORGIA!!

Entered Georgia! Before that, saw a couple amusing signs and, at Bly Gap, the giant twisted oak tree. But I am now in my last state! Woo-hoo!

Mostly in the trees today. Think I got a sunburn. All the leaves are off the trees so there is little shade when the rays shine full force. I did put sunblock on at one point, but it probably wasn’t enough.

Four more hiking days to go, three of them long and/or strenuous. I will slackpack those days though, so that will help. The next time I carry my full pack will be on Springer summit day.

I’m ready to be done. My left foot and ankle are hanging in, but they so obviously need real rest. My right foot hurts too, but that is typical hiker achy feet stuff. Tooth doesn’t hurt anymore, and my cold is almost gone, so that’s good.

Got to Dick’s Creek Gap faster than expected and am waiting for Bill to arrive and take me back to The Green Dragon Hostel. I have red grape juice and ginger ale in the fridge. Love mixing that together – very refreshing. Kind of like a wine spritzer mocktail.

Day 161, 16.7 miles. Dick’s Creek Gap/SOBO mile 2129.1 to Unicoi Gap/SOBO mile 2145.8

Another day mostly in the trees. 5000 feet of elevation gain. Georgia doesn’t believe in switchbacks, but the ascents never felt too bad. Had a nice view at the top of Tray Mountain and another at the top of Rocky Mountain. Bright sunshine through leafless trees meant another day of sunburn in spite of my sunblock.

Met several kind day hikers who wished me well and told me I was “almost there!” Felt nice. I am starting to believe that I am, indeed, almost there.

Made shuttle and hotel reservations for after summiting. Want to stay in a small town (Dahlonega) motel first before heading to Atlanta, where I will stay in a luxury hotel as a treat. I do not want to go straight to Atlanta from the trail because that would be too much of a shock. I am not used to that many people. Had a hard enough time in Gatlinburg going two blocks from my motel to Walgreens for resupply. I don’t look forward to being around that many humans all at once.

Dana, the kind woman I met on top of Albert Mountain, will give me a ride from Dahlonega to Atlanta. Will take her to brunch along the way as a thank you.

Three more hiking days. 52.7 miles to go.

Day 162, 21.4 miles

Unicoi Gap/SOBO mile 2145.8 to Neel Gap/SOBO mile 2167.2

Left the wonderful Green Dragon Hostel this morning at 6:15 am and was hiking by 6:30am. Was in the dark and in moderate rain for thirty minutes while ascending Blue Mountain, but with sunrise came dry skies and the rest of the day was in the clear.

Typical ups and downs with views of mountains through the trees. Had some nice views at Sheep Rock and Green Cliff.

Fuego texted me today and said she and her husband could give me a ride from Springer to Dahlonega, the town I am staying in after I summit, since we are summiting the same day and they are heading that way anyway. Yay!

Texted Ark a Happy Birthday message and discovered he reached Springer yesterday and is now on a train home. I am happy for him. He’s a good guy, and I wish him well.

Currently waiting for my hostel host to pick me up at Neel Gap. Am heading to Above the Clouds tonight. My last AT hostel! I will be there two nights, and then…summit!

My foot is hanging in there. I promised it a good long rest if it can just keep working through the next two days.

TWO MORE HIKING DAYS!! I am currently 31.3 miles from the southern terminus of the Appalachian Trail.

2,167.2 miles down, 31.3 miles to go.

Day 163, 19.1 miles. Neel Gap/SOBO mile 2167.2 to Cooper Gap/SOBO mile 2186.3

Lucky from Above the Clouds Hostel made the other guests (section hikers) and me a nice scrambled eggs-toast-sausage breakfast, then Thor (hostel employee) drove me back to Neel Gap. Tackled Blood Mountain right off the bat, 1342 feet of elevation gain that honestly didn’t feel bad at all considering what I am used to at this point. Some ledgy goodness on the way up with nice views.

Had another 2500 feet of elevation gain scattered through the day, nothing much more than 500 feet at a time, with mountain views through the trees.

Lucky picked me up from Cooper Gap. Meant to Be, a thruhiker I met first at Rambling Roots and then again at The Green Dragon, is here tonight. She is one day behind me hiking-wise.

It is weird sitting here knowing my last day is tomorrow. I don’t want to jinx myself. It is probably better if I just say that I am now 12.2 miles from the finish line.

Day 164, 12.2 miles. Cooper Gap/SOBO mile 2186.3 to Springer Mountain/SOBO mile 2198.5

I’m done! I am now officially an AT thruhiker, Class of 2025. I am sitting on a motel bed right now eating a pint of Ben & Jerry’s with my sore feet elevated. I feel happy, sad, tired, relieved, and all kinds of other things.

Lucky from Above the Clouds started me off right with a good breakfast. He even packed a sandwich for me to eat later for second breakfast. Got dropped off at Cooper Gap where I met Fuego and her husband Bob. They put most of the contents of my pack in their car so I could slackpack.

Fuego and I leapfrogged each other throughout the day. She’s faster on the descents and I’m faster on the ascents.

Had a few typical ups and downs, then one last small bump before one last small descent. After that it was a very gradual few miles up to the parking lot that sits a mile beneath Springer’s summit. Those few miles were quite scenic with plenty of water and rhododendrons.

I reached the parking lot and spoke to Bob, who was waiting for Fuego and wearing a shirt that had her name and the AT symbol on it. So great!

I headed up and was surprised at how rocky this last stretch became. Before I knew it, I was just a couple tenths of a mile from the summit.

I slowed down, trying to figure out how I felt. So many emotions! I did tear up when I reached that final white blaze.

I made it! Had the summit to myself, which I appreciated. Spent a lot of time taking various selfies and videos at both the plaque by that final/first white blaze and the “southern terminus” sign. Sent the photos/videos to relatives and friends. Signed the register. Ate a potato chip I found on the ground, my one last act of hiker-trashdom. Then just sat and admired the view until Fuego arrived with Bob.

More photos all around, then I left the summit so Fuego could have some time there on her own. Texted back and forth with friends/family all the way back down to the parking lot.

Bob and Fuego drove me to Dahlonega, and here I now am having finished the ice cream and moved on to Pringles. I will give myself one more day of eating like a thru-hiker, then I will dial everything back to normal person calories and healthy eating.

Can’t quite believe I finished.

I appreciate everyone who posted their comments of support during this journey. Those comments meant a lot to me. Thank you.

I’m treating myself to a nice hotel with a spa in Atlanta for two days before heading to my cousin’s for Thanksgiving. As John Muir said in a less famous quote, “A sports massage is calling, and I must go.”

Prom Queen signing off. Back to Trish, I guess. At least for now.