What a great thread. It sounds like you're doing really well, Dave!
I thought I might share with you some thoughts from the bottom of the World. Here, we "tramp" - that implies walking in the wilderness (the bush) typically multi-day trips, carrying food and clothing, but typically not tents (we have huts). My first 4 day tramp was when I was 10, and I've been heading into the hills pretty consistently since. I'm not a climber or alpinist, but it is nice to get above the tree line. My longest outing (Trekking) was in Nepal a few years ago - we were in the hills for over a month, staying mostly in tea houses. It was a life changing experience.
I'm only vaguely familiar with Georgia and North Carolina, but I have ridden a motorbike through that country - even in May, a lot of it was terribly cold, stark but beautiful (I was rather taken by the dog woods in flower). There is really not that much difference between what you need for a day trip or longer (other than changes of clothes etc).
For photography, I like to have my hands free and a camera in easy reach. In Nepal, I had a Lowe Pro bag slung over my head and shoulder, with the bag attached to my waist strap - it came off and on with my pack, didn't bang about and I could get at it easily. In those days, I carried an FM2, mid-range zoom and 180mm f/2, and lots of film! It was an easy arrangement. These days, I try to emulate that set up - the Lowe Pro is long gone. I like to have a tripod, so I bought three Novoflex hiking sticks and a tripod head. That way, I can unscrew the handles from the hiking sticks (one is strapped to the side of my pack), and I have an effective tripod - lightweight and easy to set up.
For gear, I take the SL and zooms (last walk I took the 90-280 - heavy, but I wanted the reach - and the 24-90). For my next walk (in January), I'm considering the 16-35 zoom and the 75 Summicron-SL. I doubt I'll take the X1D II ... I won't take a charger - just a couple of spare batteries. I may use my phone as a remote.
I use either an 80 litre or 40 litre pack (depending on the length of the walk). Both are proper back packs, with internal harnesses which spread the load across the hips - they're locally made -
MacPac Torre and
a Cactus 40 litre. I cannot stress enough that your pack needs to fit you well and be comfortable all day. There's a huge difference between a pack that fits and one that doesn't.
Next (or perhaps more) important is your feet. Much will depend on where you're walking, whether you continue to use running shoes or tramping boots. The choice really comes down to ankle support. If you're walking on uneven ground, then proper leather ankle books with Vibram soles are really good. On formed tracks, shoes are fine - I use
Salomon XA-Pro shoes. They are like a running shoe, but they have a stiff sole and breathable fabric tops. Fit is the key, and woollen socks - nothing else will suffice. Just a tip - if you have to cross a river or stream, don't take your boots or shoes off. I often see visitors taking their shoes off and walking across rivers here - they stumble about, cutting and bruising their sensitive feet. You have boots for walking into rivers and streams - do so with pride, then sit on the bank, squeeze out your socks and warm your feet in the sun, watching people flounder about!
Hurt your feet, you're in trouble.
I never venture into the wild without a rudimentary first aid kit (anti-histamines, chocolate, a silver blanket, chocolate, paracetamol, chocolate, sunblock, plasters, bandage, choc ... etc), and if I'm going way off track, I take my Spot (with fresh batteries). I always take a sun hat and a woollen beanie and a rain jacket (I have an Arcteryx). For clothing - shorts (no matter how cold - you lose very little heat from your legs, but if there are sandflies, I wear merino long johns under my shorts - it's a local thing - sandflies are vicious), wool socks, merino top, merino jersey, down puffer jacket (small, weighs nothing and will save you if you get cold), and rain jacket. If I'm straying far, a change of clothes (underwear, socks, merino shirt, change of shorts or longs and jersey) in a plastic bag - if you get wet, you must have a dry change of clothes available to avoid hypothermia. There's nothin like
merino - hot or cold, wet or dry, it's a miracle fabric.
For water, in Nepal I used to carry two 1 litre water bottles - one I was drinking from, the other recently filled and with water treatment in it - I'd switch them. For treatment, like anywhere, we also have giardiasis in our streams. I take a 2 litre Hydrapak bladder in my backpack, with the hose threaded through to my right shoulder. With 2 litres, I don't need to refill. But if I do, I take silver tablets - chlorine is ineffective against many waterborne bugs; iodine works well, but tastes bad and really isn't good for you. Most outdoor shops should have silver based water treatment tablets - they're very effective and largely taste free, but they are expensive ...
Take the road less traveled, smile to everyone you meet (say Kia Ora - it will confuse them), and take photographs and memories, leaving only footprints!