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 011

Day:  011
Date:  Tuesday, 13 May 1986
Daily AT Miles:  22.2
Daily Other Miles:  0
Total AT Miles:  193.6
Total All Miles:  203.8
Weather:  Mild, some rain, cloudy, occasional fog.
Nutrition:
  Breakfast:  Muesli, health drink.
  Lunch:  Biscuits and peanut butter, health bar.
  Dinner:  Dehydrated lasagne, instant pudding, scroggin (gorp).
Aches:  Feet sore.
Animals Seen:  Two deer.
People Seen:  Andy, nine overnight hikers, one ranger.

Journal:
Got up at 6:30am and set off at 8am with the intention of trying to walk to Double Springs Gap Shelter, 22 miles away.  It had rained during the night and everything was damp and foggy.  The Trail was rough and alternately climbing and flattening as it went up on to the crest of the Great Smoky Mts.  The vegetation became more luxuriant.  At about noon it began to rain quite hard and did so for an hour.  At first I only put on my pack cover but then felt a little cool and put on my Goretex.  The Trail passed through some lush green meadows dotted with blossoming trees.  I stopped for lunch when the rain stopped near the top Rocky Top (5441ft).  The Trail often followed narrow rocky ridges or passed through groves of rhododendron.  At lunch I decided progress had been too slow, so I tried to maintain a good gait in the afternoon.  The weather gradually cleared allowing some nearby mountains to be seen, but not many.  I passed trails down to Cades Cove where Barb and I had camped at Easter.  I met four young people drying out in Derrick Knob Shelter from earlier rain.  I reached Silers Bald Shelter at 5:40pm – good going – and decided to stock up on water and carry it the two miles to Double Springs Gap Shelter where apparently the springs had almost dried up.  With all water bottles and my water bag filled, it increased my pack weight by 10-15 pounds and it was a hard slog to the Shelter.  I had a wash in my saucepan then, as preparing to light a fire, was visited by a National Parks range with a rifle and spotlight.  He asked to see my permit but seemed satisfied with my explanation.  He and a colleague were hunting wild boar, which were not native to the area.  They had shot seven last night.  I had difficulty lighting my fire, then managed to spill half of the main course while moving the saucepan.  It was a nice spot with some sun breaking through at last.  It was nice to have it all to myself whereas there was likely to be at least six hikers staying at the previous shelter.  Retired at 9:15pm.  Could hear wild boar(s) rooting around very close to the Shelter, but the cage across the front was locked.
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