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 015

Day:  015
Date:  Saturday, 17 May 1986
Daily AT Miles:  12.5
Daily Other Miles:  0
Total AT Miles:  270.0
Total All Miles:  280.5
Weather:  Fine and sunny.  Hot in the afternoon.
Nutrition:
  Breakfast:  Porridge, pop tarts.
  Lunch:  Soup, hamburger steak.
  Dinner:  Fish platter, ice-cream sundae.
Aches:
Animals Seen:
People Seen:  Lots in town.

Journal:
Got up at 6am with the other occupants of the Shelter after a not particularly restful night and, after good-byes and last photos with the Greenville crew, left at 7:40am on a beautiful morning after a wet night.  My pack was light and I made good time on what was mostly a descent.  Hot Springs was 12.5 miles away and I thought it would be good to get there before the Post Office closed, check for mail (not expecting any), and sign the hiker register there.  The Trail passed some of the best blossoms yet – azalea and laurel (?) – reds, oranges, yellows, blues, mauves, whites – could it be the rain.  The Trail was washed bare of all loose soil and leaves by the torrents of yesterday and last night.  With about three miles to go I got a flapping feeling against my right foot and, to my horror, discovered the upper had two-thirds separated from the sole of the boot.  I continued walking for a while but decided that was making it worse.  I changed to my backup worn Brooks running shoes which I used around camp.  I got to the PO at 11:55am.  No mail. Signed the register and asked about a cobbler.  None.  Went to the hardware store across the street in the small town.  They sold me a glue that other hikers apparently had used.  Hope it works.  I decided to get Marj to send new boots to Damascus – nine days and 180 miles away.  I went to the only motel in town and, after checking they had TV, booked in.  After a shower I went down to the “greasy spoon” café for lunch.  It was getting hot.  Quintessential America – hot, ceiling fan, proprietor and local nattering at front table, occasional clattering from the kitchen as meal prepared, fly buzzing, train slowly crossing road outside, cars queued up to cross – fantastic.  After lunch I bought groceries including chips and four litres of Coke for my motel room.  On the way back to the motel, I checked out the town laundry for soap and met another AT Thru-Hiker, Murray, who said he would leave some soap for me.  I returned to the laundry and washed practically everything I had with me, wearing only my waterproof trousers.  On the way back to the motel, I bought ice-cream, M&Ms, and chocolate milk – over-ambitious.  Spent the afternoon packing food, eating ice-cream and watching the Celtics (my adopted team) beat the Bucks and other sport – relaxing, but not as much time as I would have liked.  TheGreenville crew, having finished their weekend hike, were in town and called to go for dinner at 7pm at the other café in town.  Mark, an AT Thru-Hiker I had met in the Smoky’s who had just arrived in town, came too.  It was a pleasant couple of hours, but I’m over-eating.  I called Marj, returned to the motel and wrote a letter to Barb.  Crummy TV programs.  Accidentally spilt a large amount of Coke on the carpet and spent 30 minutes trying to clean it up – could have done without that!  I began mending my boot at 11pm and it took 90 minutes.  I packed up and went to bed at 12:40am.  I didn’t sleep well on a very full stomach.  I didn’t drink much of the second two-litre bottle of Coke.  Hope boot is OK.
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