I walked 3.2 miles to Kroger and the post office and back this morning, and then another 3 miles or so, first to the train station and then around Perimeter Mall. Going there was a total waste. Most everything there is pointless consumer crap that nobody really needs. Maybe the Apple Store is useful; they have Macs. And the restaurants. Gotta eat, you know. But the rest of it can just go to hell.

But I finally did get to ride MARTA and now I have this Breeze Card that still has value on it but I’ll probably never use again. It has an RFID chip in it, so maybe I’ll mess with it when I’m finished with this little adventure. Or I’ll take it to a nice group of hackers I know and let them play with it.

I got lost trying to find REI and the sun was going down so I finally gave up. Hopefully Joy won’t mind stopping there on the way out of town tomorrow. I still need fuel for the Jetboil. Fortunately it’s right on the way. I think. I got lost, remember?

Otherwise the day was pretty uneventful. I should be in bed, but I’m not sure I can sleep, as excited as I am to finally be doing this. I’m pretty sure I’ll sleep like a rock tomorrow night, though.

Matthew and Joy met me for lunch, or brunch, or whatever it is when you eat an omelet with the local hefeweizen at a brew pub in Midtown Atlanta. While there we saw a car drive by with a Ron Paul sign firmly attached to the car door. That was heartening to see and I hope to see more of that in the future. Then, much to my surprise, they took time out of their day to run me to Wal-Mart and REI so I could pick up some last minute things I didn’t have a chance to pick up before I left.

And of course I managed to forget the one thing that I needed and didn’t write on my shopping list because it was so obvious. Fuel for my stove. Doh! Fortunately there’s another REI store 3.8 miles from here. I also have to go to the post office and mail something out, and to Kroger for, uh, groceries. They’re next to each other, 1.6 miles away. I’ll walk there and back tomorrow, but probably catch the bus to REI. Fortunately the bus that goes there passes right by this hotel. I hear that MARTA is anything but rapid.

And this means I’ll be hitting the Trail on Tuesday instead of tomorrow.

I walked up and down the hills of this northeast Atlanta suburb for about 4.1 miles this afternoon and I feel pretty good.

I have to meet up with Matt and Joy for brunch tomorrow, then go out to REI to pick up a few last minute things, and to Publix or Kroger or something for provisions. If I can manage to find a grocery store.

After that, it’s all downhill (and uphill, about 1000 times).

I wore my trail runners on the trip down, and they fit pretty well. That might change, though.

Now, I need sleep.