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 040

Day:  040
Date:  Wednesday, 11 June 1986
Daily AT Miles:  26.0
Daily Other Miles:  0.2 (to Shelter)
Total AT Miles:  765.9
Total All Miles:  791.5
Weather:  Hot, humid, mostly sunny, thunderstorms later.
Nutrition:
  Breakfast:  Muesli, health drink.
  Lunch:  Biscuits and peanut butter, health bar.
  Dinner:  Biscuits and peanut butter, instant pudding.
Aches:  Blisters on outside of both heels.
Animals Seen:  Squirrels, chipmunks, deer, tortoise.
People Seen:  Six AT Thru-Hikers, some others.

Journal:
Got up at 6:00am and was visited by a deer while having breakfast.  Got away at 7:20am with a long day in prospect.  The day started ominously when, in the first few miles, it passed through deep nettles and over jagged rocks.  Progress was slow and the blisters, which had developed on the outside of my heels over the last couple of days, were sore despite having been pricked last night.  Fortunately, the condition of the Trail improved and speed picked up.  After two hours, I stopped and bandaged both blisters but the pain worsened as I continued the long descent through the James River Wilderness on a nicely graded trail.  The Trail crossed the James River just below a dam and power station and I walked for another 1½ miles on what had become a very hot sunny and humid day before stopping for lunch on top of a big rock by a stream.  My feet were very sore and the pain was depressing me to the point where all I could think of was a day off and finishing the Trail.  After lunch I removed one set of insoles from the shoes, leaving the Sorbothane, and the bandages.  I found that by walking pigeon-toed the pain was less and it gradually diminished through the afternoon.  Morover, the shoes fitted better and didn’t “eat” my socks as much but I could feel the front of my feet absorbing more punishment.  Lunch was followed by two long climbs up to Little Rocky Row and Big Rocky Row which both provided excellent views over the James River valley.  However, the heat and humidity made both ascents extremely sweaty affairs.  Because my feet were less ainful and because I was making good time today, my mood improved as the Trail maintained an easy grade along the crest and side of a ridge through forest.  Not as many flowers, though.  At about 5:30pm, Stu caught me and we then caught AT Thru-Hikers, Alice and Ole, and Barb.  They were also headed for Punchbowl Shelter and told us three other hikers were already there.  We pressed on for the last 3 miles but, with 1½ miles to go, were hit by a heavy thunderstorm and got soaked.  At the Shelter we met AT Thru-Hikers, Florida Boy (Pete), EZ Doesit and OD Doe plus a dog.  Had a good chat with Pete.  The three we had met earlier chose to sleep in their tent (the rain stopped) so the Shelter wasn’t too crowded.  Wet wood so a cold dinner.
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