In 1986, a few days after running the Boston Marathon, and following a year of touring the US and Canada in a campervan, I set off by train to realise a dream to walk the Appalachian Trail. I first heard about the Trail from the American wife of a work colleague in Melbourne a few years earlier and had since read widely about the trail. The Trail follows the crest of the Appalachian Mountains for more than 2,200 miles along the eastern side of the US. Starting in mid-spring, I followed the trail northwards from Springer Mountain in Georgia to its northern terminus at Mount Katahdin in Maine, finishing in the late summer. It remains one of the most meaningful experiences of my life, fostering an ambition for more such experiences and inspiring me to retire from work early enough follow through on that ambition. In 1986, only about 80 people each year completed the whole trail, but during that year National Geographic did a feature article on the Trail and its popularity increased dramatically.

Appalachian Trail - Day 003

Day:  003
Date:  Monday, 5 May 1986
Daily AT Miles:  17.4
Daily Other Miles:  0.2 (to find spring)
Total AT Miles:   45.8
Total All Miles:  49.3
Weather:  Hot and sunny.
Nutrition:
  Breakfast:  Two muffins, orange juice and Coke.
  Lunch:  Two eggs, biscuits and peanut butter, date bar, scroggin (gorp).
  Dinner:  Soup, dehydrated beef teriyaki, instant pudding.
Aches:  Top and little toe on right foot sore.  Lower back chafed.
Animals Seen:  Rabbit, grasshoppers
People Seen:  Shopkeeper, six hikers, hunter, two motorists.

Journal:
Got up at 6:15am, packed and left at 7:35am, saying goodbye to Dave and Jean.  Climbed Blood Mt and met two hikers in the Shelter, one of whom was doing a walkathon to raise money for charity.  Terrific views on a lovely morning.  I then descended to Neels Gap and went into the Walasiyi Inn where I bought muffins and orange juice for breakfast, as well as some groceries.  The manager kindly supplied a box and packed my stove, bottle, etc., for mailing back to Marj in Boston.  I repacked the groceries, had a Coke, and left at 10:45am, having been there for 90 minutes.  I headed north on what had become a hot day and shortly after met a hunter on the Trail.  It always makes me a bit nervous to know they are about.  The Trail followed a ridge, ascending and descending peaks en route.  I was feeling tired, sweating a lot, and the little toe on my right foot was sore.  I descended into Tesnatee Gap on a rock in a shaded glen at 1:10pm.  I moved on at 2:00pm and immediately encountered a tough climb.  My pack seemed heavier than before sending the stuff back to Boston and dumping the flour.  My toe was hurting badly on the descents, but the views were good and I was enjoying the day.  By mid-afternoon, the toe wasn’t hurting so badly, but the bridge of the same foot was.  I was very tired and drinking lots.  The Trail was relatively easy going, but I was not moving fast.  I had been heading for Rocky Knob Shelter, but realised I was going to be late.  At 5:20pm on the descent from Horsetrough Mt, I found a small waterfall from a pipe under the fire-trail and decided to stop for the night.  I had a freezing but refreshing shower under the waterfall and washed socks and jocks.  While preparing dinner and washing, I even managed to listen to National Public Radio news on my Sony Walkman.  It was a lovely sport with views across the mountains.  I slept on the road and didn’t use a tent.

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