Day 1

Day 1!! An exciting start to an inevitably adventurous trip. We had high expectations for the day and for the most part those expectations were met. On the other hand, we encountered some challenges that we did not foresee. First off we had to get to the drop off point in Fort Gains. We drove around 3 and a half hours from Atlanta to Fort Gains. The entire drive it poured which was unsettling. We didn't want to start our trip off paddling in heavy rain. By somewhat of a miracle the clouds parted and sun burst through just as we arrived at the drop off point. I personally was very releaved. We spent around two hours unloading the truck, packing the kayaks and getting everything we might need in a handy location. We filmed the whole process in hopes of being able to speed up the footage to give an idea about how some of the preparation might have effected our trip. We set off around 2 o'clock, waved goodbye to our parents and said hello to the wilderness. Our day was going to consist of a 13 and a half mile paddle with supposedly no stops along the way. This, of course, did not happen. I am beginning to realize that distractions are going to be our biggest obsticle that will keep us from reaching our paddling goal each day. Today's distractions included 2 huge alligators (one at least 10 ft long if not 12), 2 deers, 4 caught fish and a group of friendly boaters who were kind enough to take a moment and talk to us. As Alex and I continue on this trip it will be interesting to see whether the video we are making will be a documentary about life on the river or if it will be a how to guide showing highschool kids how to survive and thrive while camping down the Chattahoochee. We ate chicken quesadillas for dinner that I cooked (and were pretty dang good if I do say so myself) along with a small striped bass we caught and some carrots. Not a bad meal to start off the trip! With "Day 1" under our belts I'm excited to see what the rest of this trip may hold.