Trekking Macon: Cole joins Daystar!

Daystar, Mom, and Cole - Christmas 2011

Hello there! Cole here, Macon’s 20 year old sister. After a whirlwind of finishing my sophomore year at Sewanee, I am ready to start my summer and join Macon on the A.T. Like Macon, or should I say “Daystar,” I fell in love with the hiking world during Trailblazers at Kanuga Conference Center in Hendersonville, NC. Since then, I have hiked the Art Loeb Trail in Pisgah National Forest, kayaked around Coastal Georgia, snow-shoed the Continental Divide in Colorado, along with a hand full of smaller adventures. Lately, I feel like I’ve neglected my love for the outdoors, as I’ve been wrapped up in college life. BUT I am so stoked to get back outside for a new journey. I can’t wait to be a part of all the trail stories I’ve been hearing and finally meet all of Daystar’s friends with these crazy trail names.

In preparation for the trail, my dad and I hit up Rock/Creek, our local outing store in Chattanooga for the last few things on the gear list. I’m still missing a couple of essentials – fuel for my stove, camp shoes (crocs), food (kind of important?) to name a few, but my mom and I will make a last Wal-Mart run before it’s time to leave. We will embark for Virginia on Thursday and will stay the night in the Woods Hole Hostel – where Daystar just stayed. My mom and I were a little envious after checking out the website. Friday, after we pick up Daystar and the gang, we’ll make our way to Damascus for the celebration of Trail Days and Sunday, one week from today, I’ll begin the hike. I will be with Macon for a month, and then head on to be a summer camp counselor. I am working for Camp ABC, a branch of the Fresh Air Fund in NYC. My camp is in Fishkill, NY – about 500 miles from where I start the trail. [Ed. note: calculations are not correct. We're not sure where Cole will be after one month on the trail, but we're pretty sure she'll need to take a bus or train to Fishkill, NY.]There’s a possibility I’ll make it to camp smelly and sweaty – right off the A.T. If not, I’ll call a cab or have a friend pick me up. Whatever happens, it’s all part of the journey.