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 057

Day:  057
Date:  Saturday, 28 June 1986
Daily AT Miles:  10.1
Daily Other Miles:  0.4 (around town)
Total AT Miles:  1111.3
Total All Miles:  1146.7
Weather:  Hot, humid, rain in the morning.
Nutrition:
  Breakfast:  Mars bar, two health bars.
  Lunch:  Sub, ice-cream.
  Dinner:  Pizza, ice-cream.
Aches:  None.
Animals Seen:  Deer.
People Seen:  Trail workers, many others.

Journal:
Got up at 5:30am after a not particularly good night’s sleep – too hot.  It was raining a bit when I got up, but the tree was good protection and nothing was really wet.  I started walking at 6:25am after a breakfast of a Mars Bar.  Surprisingly, I wasn’t as thirsty as I expected.  I decided to head for Thelma Marks Shelter, 5½ miles away, and, if hungry, have breakfast there.  It began raining quite heavily as the Trail crossed some pleasant open fields and country roads before entering the forest and climbing up steadily to another very rocky ridge – the notorious Pennsylvania rocks.  I reached the Thelma Marks Shelter turn-off at 8:30am but, seeing it was ¼ mile away, decided against going down.  Had a couple of health bars instead and a 15 minute break.  The next four miles into Duncannon involved more of the rocky ridge before a rocky descent which, at one point, gave an excellent view over Duncannon and the Susquehanna River.  It looked a bit like Hannibal on the Missouri.  On the last part of the descent I met a crew clearing vegetation from the Trail – much appreciated.  I reached Duncannon at 10am and, after visiting the Post Office, checked into the old but quaint Doyles Hotel ($7.40 per night!).  After a bath, I did my shopping and laundry and mailed cards to Delaware Water Gap Post Office and Clio before picking up a big “sub” for a late lunch.  During the day, Gordon, Paul and Tommy turned up and checked in, as well as Paul’s girlfriend, Kathy, from Washington DC.  I spent the afternoon watching baseball on TV and writing letters and diary.  At 8pm, the five of us went to a nearby pizza joint where we shared two huge pizzas.  Afterwards, I got an ice-cream and returned to the hotel lounge to watch another baseball game.  At 11pm I returned to my room and finished packing my food and then my pack.  It took longer than I expected (as always) and it was nearly 1am before I got to bed.  Slept quite well though.
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