I am devastated. Stuck in Altanta

[katyk]

I have planned this trip for 6 months. It was my 50th birthday present. I mailed my pack a week ago so I wouldn't have to deal with baggage and lost luggage. It should have arrived this past Friday but the tracking shows that it only left OKC and that's it. So here I am in a hotel room that is eating my money up with no luggage and the mail isn't delivered until 6pm so even if by some miracle it arrives tomorrow I still can't get to Springer to hike and will have to spend more money to stay another night. I am in tears and at a lost on what to do. My ticket isn't open ended so I'm not sure if I can get back with out spending more money. If I don't hike now I won't be able to do it for another year due to my husband's health. I had to move Heaven and earth in order just to get here. I needed to rant but also tell anyone reading this DON'T MAIL YOUR PACK TO ATLANTA!!!!!! This is just heart breaking

[Secondmouse]

wait, you did this because you didn't want to deal with baggage? you could have carried it on.

what did you think you were going to do with it on the trail, have it portered to the next stop?..

[Greenlight]

Get some crap gear in a hiker box and slack pack back to Springer to pick up your belated gear, Katy! Be an adventurous soul and don't sit there in the motel! Move! You can leave instructions for the Post Office to forward your pack to another Post Office. Think creatively and hike.

[katyk]

It was too big to carry on and I have had luggage lost more times than I care to remember. It was suppose to be at the hotel two days before I got there. AND no I wasn't going to have it "portered" I'm not a moron. I was going to have it here and take a shuttle to the trail head. And did you miss the part where I am devastated? Snarky comments are not needed

[katyk]

I don't mind crap gear - anything would be great. This is however my first big hike. So where would I shuttle to? I am really game for anything. I am new to this so any helpful info would be great!!! However the post offices here suck so not sure I would receive my pack even by the end of the trail. Doesn't matter though I am game for adventure!! Thank you I will start trying to make plans.

[bigcranky]

Well, crap, that's awful and I'm sorry it happened to you. Do you have a tracking number? Can you at least tell that it's actually still in transit?

Ignore the total d*ck comment above. Some people have no empathy for others.

[4shot]

wait, you did this because you didn't want to deal with baggage? you could have carried it on.

what did you think you were going to do with it on the trail, have it portered to the next stop?..

I hate dealing with carry on. So although I have hiked in places that required flights, I don't carryon. I do not think it is unreasonable to expect luggage to show up at the same airport at the same time as the passenger. and 99%+ of the time, it does. Is it not unreasonable to have a little empathy here?

I have known several hikers to have acquired Lyme's disease on the AT. With your logic, should all hikers therefore bypass or skip any trail that has ticks?

[Greenlight]

Arrgh, you should have carried your AWOL guide with you. Did you mail the package general delivery? I hope you did. Can you have it forwarded to Amicalola? Someone at Springer should be willing to slack you up the trail even a few miles so that you can get some hiking in while you're waiting. If you mailed the package UPS ground, you aren't going to see an update between OKC and Atlanta, because the truck is on the road, either moving or sleeping. It'll probably be there tomorrow, but crap! I'd still be like you, itching to get started. Make a couple of contingencies. Let us know how you're doing. I want to follow your journal, now! And breathe. Breathe. It's going to get there. You're going to be fine.

P.S. You could slack the approach trail! Then hitch back to the actual AT trailhead.

[saltysack]

Rei rents gear in hotlanta.....or try hiker hostel they might have extra gear left behind. You don't need much gear to shelter hop...assuming the thrus have cleared out...Not to add insult to injury...this is why I ship mine a week in advance and confirm its arrival before heading out....make the best of it!


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[katyk]

I have tracked it but it is still in transit. File a report I'm and am trying trying to find a way to a Walmart for some things and pick up other stuff as I go. I will be locating shuttle tomorrow and see what I can do. I am going to hike some way or another

[katyk]

I tried to do that but as a newbie I trusted too much. Oh well live and learn

[katyk]

I mailed it USPS priority but not express according to the post office. I am on Wordpress journaling. I will get to the trail tomorrow. I have my AWOL guide for Georgia. I'm looking at it now

[aztarheel]

Happy belated birthday and congrats on making this trip a reality!

Thanks for the warning on shipping packs to GA, your misfortune might help someone else considering the same thing to avoid a future headache.

Don't stress too much, you should be able to track it tonight/tomorrow, it will get their soon enough. On the bright side, starting mid week out of Amicalola/Springer may provide a more pleasant (aka less crowded) introduction to your hike. And if this is the worst thing that happens over the next 5 months then you've got it made!

[katyk]

My journal is myhikeoutofmadness.wordpress.com. I'm going to get up early and call REI then a shuttle. This will work some how

[Greenlight]

That's the spirit that's gonna carry you to Maine.

My journal is myhikeoutofmadness.wordpress.com. I'm going to get up early and call REI then a shuttle. This will work some how

[saltysack]

Is this a short section hike?


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[egilbe]

Welcome to the hiking world. You will learn to take events like this in stride and carry on. Someday you will laugh as much as I am at the snarky comments. Don't let it get you down. This is a small problem, not the end of the world.

[4shot]

Welcome to the hiking world. You will learn to take events like this in stride and carry on. This is a small problem, not the end of the world.

good advice here. Hiking for long distances will certainly teach you to expect the unexpected...and deal with it. as you are doing.

[MuddyWaters]

It will likely show up

I would not use USPS for something like that precisely because their "tracking" is really only delivery confirmation, regardless of what they call it.

Ive sent and received a lot by USPS. Everything showed up......eventually. Even when mail delivery person delivered to wrong address and caused delay.

[katyk]

This is only a section hike. My husband's health isn't good and it took me sometime to arrange this. I am heading to Walmart tonight or tomorrow morning and get somethings and then take a shuttle to the trail head. I and back to being excited and appreciate the advice and encouragement I hope to be back again when things with my husband get work out (hopefully)