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 004

Day:  004
Date:  Tuesday, 6 May 1986
Daily AT Miles:  17.6
Daily Other Miles:  0.9 (0.3 to spring, 0.3 to spring, 0.3 to Shelter).
Total AT Miles:  63.4
Total All Miles:  67.8
Weather:  Hot, humid and partly cloudy.
Nutrition:
  Breakfast:  Muesli
  Lunch:  Biscuits and peanut butter, health bar, scroggin (gorp).
  Dinner:  Macaroni cheese with added salami, instant pudding.
Aches:  Right little toe very sore and two blisters on right foot.
Animals Seen:  Two deer, a marmot, chipmunks, grasshoppers.
People Seen:  Two day hikers, five motorists.

Journal:
Got up at 6:15am when it was light enough to see.  Woke up a lot during night again, particularly with aching feet and also when a large plane flew over very low.  After breakfast set out at 7:55am feeling refreshed.  I made good time to Rocky Knob Shelter where I replenished my water after a long downhill scramble to a spring.  The steep and long descent from Blue Mt (4025ft) to Unicoi Gap (2949ft) really punished my toes which were sore for the rest of the day.  It was very hazy but still good views and pleasant walking. The day really began to warm up around midday and I was sweating profusely and drinking lots.  So much for boiling all drinking water (as recommended), though I decided to limit myself to one or two untreated springs per day.  I stopped for lunch on top of Tray Mt (4430ft) where it was quite hot.  My soaking wet shirt dried in 30 minutes after I took it off.  It grew even hotter in the early afternoon and I became very tired.  My pace seemed a little better but 20+ miles seemed unlikely.  The Trail, though good, was always up or down and, with campsites with water further between, I was unsure where I’d get to.  I stopped around 4pm to replenish my depleted water supply at another (long way down) spring.  I pushed on and reached Addis Gap at 5pm.  The Shelter and spring were down the road 0.3 miles, and the next camp and water were uncertain.  I decided to go for an early night.  I reached the Shelter, which even had a table, at 5:25pm, washed in the stream, collected firewood and had an early dinner followed by a letter to Syntec (my former employer).  The day was very tiring and the feet are a worry, But I’m still sure I can get through.  I’ve been spending 15 minutes treating my feet morning and night and I think it is helping.  It’s hard to imagine that I will be doing this for another four months.  The days are ticking by slowly but things will improve as muscles develop and my pack lightens.  Still carrying too much food.
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