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 034

Day:  034
Date:  Thursday, 5 June 1986
Daily AT Miles:  19.1
Daily Other Miles: 1.5
Total AT Miles:  631.5
Total All Miles:  655.1
Weather:  Very warm, humid, partly cloudy.
Nutrition:
  Breakfast:  Muesli, scrambled eggs (6!), orange juice.
  Lunch:  Biscuits and peanut butter, health bar.
  Dinner:  Macaroni cheese, instant pudding.
Aches:  Feet very tired in new shoes.
Animals Seen:  Dogs, black snake, chipmunks, turkey, cow.
People Seen:  Five overnight hikers, many others.

Journal:
Got up at 6:45am after not a particularly good night’s sleep (too warm) and went down and rang Mark Binning from the call phone attached to the excellent Hospice (kitchen, bathroom, large living area and loft sleeping area in an old renovated barn). Fran had sent the shoes First Class after being told they would easily get there and bought New Balance instead of Nike.  Not exactly a success story.  Mark said they would probably make it out to Shenandoah National Park the weekend after next to see me for a picnic which will be good.  I decided to try the Post Office on my way out but otherwise to just trust the redirect I left yesterday.  Stu had bought a dozen eggs so we each gorged ourselves for breakfast.  I had a six-egg scramble preceded by muesli and followed by a quart of orange juice.  After breakfast I called the Post Office who said the shoes hadn’t come in but that the parcel post arrived around 9:15am.  I walked into town, meeting Stu on the way, and at the Post Office a guy offered us a lift back to the Trail.  No news at the Post Office, although they were helpful, so we set off.  The first few miles passed through trashy wasteland and along the highway before then messing around going up and down gullies prior to a long ascent.  The late start and slow progress made it doubtful that the Bailey Gap shelter (24 miles) would be reached.  We didn’t start walking until 9:35am.  Near the top of the first ascent I met a long black snake on the Trail that was in no hurry to get off despite being hit on the head by a rock.  I was travelling slowly in my new shoes and resting plenty.  On the top of the ridge the Trail was mostly flat going through thigh high undergrowth.  It was very warm and muggy and I was drenched in sweat.  I had a late lunch at SymmsGap Meadow which had good views.  I then pressed on going even slower than I thought and after a difficult 1½ mile rocky descent to Pine Swamp Shelter, arriving at 6:45pm, I found Stu there with a fire going and called it a day.  Feet very tired but no blisters from new shoes.  I think they’re half a size too big.  Went to bed at 9:15pm.
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