Day: 090
Date: Thursday, 31 July 1986
Daily AT Miles: 22.6
Daily Other Miles: 0.2 (shelter)
Total AT Miles: 1768.8
Total All Miles: 1820.2
Weather: Mild, overcast, some rain.
Nutrition:
Breakfast: Muesli, health drink.
Lunch: Biscuits and peanut butter, health bar.
Dinner: Biscuits and peanut butter, instant pudding, Snickers Bar.
Aches: None bad.
Animals Seen: Squirrels.
People Seen: 4 AT Thru-hikers, 3 AT Hikers (by sections).
Journal:
Got up at 5:30am after a good night’s sleep (cool weather) and left at 7:201m. It hadn’t rained overnight, but did for a while shortly after I started walking. The first miles seemed to be short again, but who’s complaining. I passed “Boater Bill” and caught Larry (who’d apparently walked past me while I was packing) who was talking to a southbound (by sections) AT Hiker. The country was again pretty, mossy woodland, and I was in good spirits for some reason. I guess I knew I was going to make it to North Woodstock OK. The ascent of Mount Moosilauke (4800’) followed, but it wasn’t as bad as feared though a bit endless and rocky in parts. The summit was above the tree-line and, if it hadn’t been cloudy, would have provided good views. Nevertheless, it was enjoyable up there in the fog. The descent was tiring and interminable. For a long stretch it followed an attractive cascade and, in many places, steps had been attached to the slippery rock surfaces. I reached Beaver Brook Shelter at the base and stopped there for lunch at 2pm. After an hour for lunch, I crossed NH 112 in Kinsman Notch and began the steep ascent of Mount Wolf. The going was slow along the crest with many rocky and boggy bits, and some relocated trail. It took longer than I thought it would to eventually reach Eliza Brooks Shelter. I arrived there at 6:50pm and found it already filled up with four AT Thru-hikers. I decided to pitch a tent then tried to light a fire with damp wood but was unsuccessful, so resorted to biscuits and peanut butter. Went to bed at 8:40pm.
Appalachian Trail - Day 089
Day: 089
Date: Wednesday, 30 July 1986
Daily AT Miles: 23.6
Daily Other Miles: 0.9 (0.3 shelter, 0.6 restaurant).
Total AT Miles: 1746.2
Total All Miles: 1797.4
Weather: Mild, overcast, fog and drizzle.
Nutrition:
Breakfast: Muesli, health drink.
Lunch: Cake and ice-cream, cookies.
Dinner: Noodles and sauce, instant pudding.
Aches: None real bad.
Animals Seen: 3 snakes.
People Seen: 1 overnight hiker, some others.
Journal:
Got up at 5:30am after a good night’s sleep. It had stopped raining. I packed up and left at 7am, saying goodbye to the others who I’ll probably meet again in the White Mountains. Everything was extremely wet and rain was forecast. Fortunately, the Trail was easy and not overgrown. A lot of it was on roads and woods roads and I made good time – I suspect the miles were short. I climbed to the top of Smarts Mountain without a break. It was very steep near the top and the Trail was extremely wet. It was alpine-like at the top and quite cool and windy. Fog prevented any views. I descended down the difficult rocky and wet Trail and then had some more road-walking before the ascent of Mount Cube. Another wet difficult ascent but, at least this time, I got occasional views through the blowing clouds – they were spectacular. The descent was especially difficult and dangerous in the wet conditions. I slipped and fell twice but suffered no damage. I reached NH 25A at about 2pm and walked the ¼ mile to a small restaurant for lunch. Unfortunately, pancakes were off at noon and they’d run out of apple pie, so I settled for two plates of cake and ice-cream and six big fresh cookies. The manageress was very nice. I left at 3:10pm to walk the remaining 7½ miles I’d planned. More very wet Trail and hence feet. Progress was a bit slower but at least more level. It was through old forest, reclaimed farmland and past weekenders. I stopped with three miles to go to find there’d been a relocation. The distance was supposed to be the same but, of course, the new Trail was slow and I didn’t reach NH 25C till 6:40pm. I crossed it, and then a stream, and found a good campsite on the other side amongst the pines. I decided to try a fire despite everything being wet and was successful. I set everything up as quickly as possible because of the forecast rain but, fortunately, it held off and it was a pleasant though hurried evening. I went to bed at 8:50pm.
Date: Wednesday, 30 July 1986
Daily AT Miles: 23.6
Daily Other Miles: 0.9 (0.3 shelter, 0.6 restaurant).
Total AT Miles: 1746.2
Total All Miles: 1797.4
Weather: Mild, overcast, fog and drizzle.
Nutrition:
Breakfast: Muesli, health drink.
Lunch: Cake and ice-cream, cookies.
Dinner: Noodles and sauce, instant pudding.
Aches: None real bad.
Animals Seen: 3 snakes.
People Seen: 1 overnight hiker, some others.
Journal:
Got up at 5:30am after a good night’s sleep. It had stopped raining. I packed up and left at 7am, saying goodbye to the others who I’ll probably meet again in the White Mountains. Everything was extremely wet and rain was forecast. Fortunately, the Trail was easy and not overgrown. A lot of it was on roads and woods roads and I made good time – I suspect the miles were short. I climbed to the top of Smarts Mountain without a break. It was very steep near the top and the Trail was extremely wet. It was alpine-like at the top and quite cool and windy. Fog prevented any views. I descended down the difficult rocky and wet Trail and then had some more road-walking before the ascent of Mount Cube. Another wet difficult ascent but, at least this time, I got occasional views through the blowing clouds – they were spectacular. The descent was especially difficult and dangerous in the wet conditions. I slipped and fell twice but suffered no damage. I reached NH 25A at about 2pm and walked the ¼ mile to a small restaurant for lunch. Unfortunately, pancakes were off at noon and they’d run out of apple pie, so I settled for two plates of cake and ice-cream and six big fresh cookies. The manageress was very nice. I left at 3:10pm to walk the remaining 7½ miles I’d planned. More very wet Trail and hence feet. Progress was a bit slower but at least more level. It was through old forest, reclaimed farmland and past weekenders. I stopped with three miles to go to find there’d been a relocation. The distance was supposed to be the same but, of course, the new Trail was slow and I didn’t reach NH 25C till 6:40pm. I crossed it, and then a stream, and found a good campsite on the other side amongst the pines. I decided to try a fire despite everything being wet and was successful. I set everything up as quickly as possible because of the forecast rain but, fortunately, it held off and it was a pleasant though hurried evening. I went to bed at 8:50pm.
Appalachian Trail - Day 088
Day: 088
Date: Tuesday, 29 July 1986
Daily AT Miles: 15.5
Daily Other Miles: 1.2 (0.2 shelter, 0.3 spring, 0.4 mistake, 0.3 shelter)
Total AT Miles: 1722.6
Total All Miles: 1772.9
Weather: Warm, overcast, humid, rain later.
Nutrition:
Breakfast: Muesli, health drink.
Lunch: Biscuits and peanut butter, health bar.
Dinner: Macaroni cheese, instant pudding.
Aches: Left heel sore.
Animals Seen: 3 snakes, chipmunks.
People Seen: 3 AT Thru-hikers, 4 overnight hikers, some others.
Journal:
Had a bad night’s sleep because of indigestion and a monstrous thunderstorm at 2am. Tent didn’t leak. Got up at 6am and left at 7:40am with plans to walk 23 miles. Early progress through conifer forest was slow and I had to make a detour for water from a spring. Rain threatened and was forecast, but it was hot and humid. Once again, I felt enervated and found it hard going. It’s hard to know whether it’s physical or mental. I kept plugging away on the Trail, which was always fairly close to civilization, and passed through a number of boggy areas so my feet became wet again and my left outside heel became quite sore. I began to ponder the merits of stopping early for a restful day in the hope my attitude would improve. I would still be on schedule for North Woodstock for midday Friday as planned. The Trail passed over Moose Mountain which was enshrouded in fog so no views. On the descent, the radio warned that severe thunderstorms were on the way with heavy rain. I decided to push on over the exposed Holts Ledge in the hope of getting to Trapper John’s Shelter before the bad weather hit. I was tired (pack heavy), but kept going and passed over the Ledge where there was a fog-impaired view before descending to the Shelter. In residence was Larry, a friendly AT Thru-hiker, and later arrived two overnight hikers then Ruth and Bob, also AT Thru-hikers. The overnight hikers slept in their tent and the rest of us in the Shelter. I managed to get a fire going and cooked dinner, generally taking my time. At about 6:45pm, it began raining steadily.
Date: Tuesday, 29 July 1986
Daily AT Miles: 15.5
Daily Other Miles: 1.2 (0.2 shelter, 0.3 spring, 0.4 mistake, 0.3 shelter)
Total AT Miles: 1722.6
Total All Miles: 1772.9
Weather: Warm, overcast, humid, rain later.
Nutrition:
Breakfast: Muesli, health drink.
Lunch: Biscuits and peanut butter, health bar.
Dinner: Macaroni cheese, instant pudding.
Aches: Left heel sore.
Animals Seen: 3 snakes, chipmunks.
People Seen: 3 AT Thru-hikers, 4 overnight hikers, some others.
Journal:
Had a bad night’s sleep because of indigestion and a monstrous thunderstorm at 2am. Tent didn’t leak. Got up at 6am and left at 7:40am with plans to walk 23 miles. Early progress through conifer forest was slow and I had to make a detour for water from a spring. Rain threatened and was forecast, but it was hot and humid. Once again, I felt enervated and found it hard going. It’s hard to know whether it’s physical or mental. I kept plugging away on the Trail, which was always fairly close to civilization, and passed through a number of boggy areas so my feet became wet again and my left outside heel became quite sore. I began to ponder the merits of stopping early for a restful day in the hope my attitude would improve. I would still be on schedule for North Woodstock for midday Friday as planned. The Trail passed over Moose Mountain which was enshrouded in fog so no views. On the descent, the radio warned that severe thunderstorms were on the way with heavy rain. I decided to push on over the exposed Holts Ledge in the hope of getting to Trapper John’s Shelter before the bad weather hit. I was tired (pack heavy), but kept going and passed over the Ledge where there was a fog-impaired view before descending to the Shelter. In residence was Larry, a friendly AT Thru-hiker, and later arrived two overnight hikers then Ruth and Bob, also AT Thru-hikers. The overnight hikers slept in their tent and the rest of us in the Shelter. I managed to get a fire going and cooked dinner, generally taking my time. At about 6:45pm, it began raining steadily.
Appalachian Trail - Day 087
Day: 087
Date: Monday, 28 July 1986.
Daily AT Miles: 22.7
Daily Other Miles: 1.2 (1.0 in Hanover, 0.2 to Shelter).
Total AT Miles: 1707.1
Total All Miles: 1756.2
Weather: Very warm, cloudy in the morning, sunny in the afternoon, humid.
Nutrition:
Breakfast: Oats.
Lunch: Sub, fudge brownies, ice-cream, chocolate milk.
Dinner: Pizza, ice-cream, orange juice.
Aches: Feet a bit sore.
Animals Seen: Chipmunks.
People Seen: 1 AT Thru-hiker, 4 day hikers, many others.
Journal:
Woke up at 5:30am after a good night’s sleep to hear it raining lightly outside. It was very tempting to roll over and go back to sleep. I got up and packed up using the shelter of my suspended groundsheet, but it had really more or less stopped. I ate the last of my oats for breakfast and set off at 7am through damp undergrowth. The Trail wound around through the wet dripping forest across pastures and through bogs, so it didn’t take long for my feet to become thoroughly saturated. I aimed to walk the 12 miles to West Hartford taking only short breaks and arrived at the general store there at about noon. I bought myself a big lunch. Another Thru-Hiker who had spent last night at Cloudland Shelter (I passed it mid-morning) turned up and we chatted briefly while we sat on the bench outside the store and ate. (He had hitched from Dalton to Killington because he said he had walked that section before.) I left at 1:10pm to walk the remaining ten miles to Hanover, the first town in New Hampshire, where I planned to resupply. The calories I ate for lunch seemed to give me a boost and the time passed fairly quickly as the day became sunny hot and humid. I stopped at Norwich Post Office en route and posted off some used maps. The Trail crossed the pretty Connecticut River where people were swimming and climbed into the pretty college (Dartmouth) town. There were lots of joggers out. I was undecided whether to stop at an Inn in town or keep moving, after buying groceries, to the next Shelter. I also had to ring Peter and John C. I felt that, after the last expensive motel, another Inn was not really justified. Also, if I stayed, I would probably call Barb in the morning – more expense. I walked through town and ½ a mile out the other side before I knew it. There I found a supermarket and did my shopping and then repacked it on a bench in the foyer. By this time it was 6:10pm, and I decided to have dinner, make the calls, and keep moving. I walked back into town – very swanky, full of students and beautiful people, and had a pizza in a shop. I made my calls and arranged to meet Marj (aunt) and Peter (cousin) next Friday night at Cascade Inn in North Woodstock and call John C from Pinkham Notch in a week. I then went to another supermarket, bought some ice-cream for dessert and another quart of orange juice (we’ll see what half a gallon of orange juice does for me tomorrow!), then walked out of town in the gathering dusk at 8:10pm. I arrived at Velvet Rocks Shelter at 8:45pm – almost dark. There was no-one there (it looked like a nice spot). I quickly set up the tent, ate the ice-cream, drank the orange juice, had a wash, hung everything up, and retired at 9:20pm to update my diary and sleep. Not such a bad day.
Date: Monday, 28 July 1986.
Daily AT Miles: 22.7
Daily Other Miles: 1.2 (1.0 in Hanover, 0.2 to Shelter).
Total AT Miles: 1707.1
Total All Miles: 1756.2
Weather: Very warm, cloudy in the morning, sunny in the afternoon, humid.
Nutrition:
Breakfast: Oats.
Lunch: Sub, fudge brownies, ice-cream, chocolate milk.
Dinner: Pizza, ice-cream, orange juice.
Aches: Feet a bit sore.
Animals Seen: Chipmunks.
People Seen: 1 AT Thru-hiker, 4 day hikers, many others.
Journal:
Woke up at 5:30am after a good night’s sleep to hear it raining lightly outside. It was very tempting to roll over and go back to sleep. I got up and packed up using the shelter of my suspended groundsheet, but it had really more or less stopped. I ate the last of my oats for breakfast and set off at 7am through damp undergrowth. The Trail wound around through the wet dripping forest across pastures and through bogs, so it didn’t take long for my feet to become thoroughly saturated. I aimed to walk the 12 miles to West Hartford taking only short breaks and arrived at the general store there at about noon. I bought myself a big lunch. Another Thru-Hiker who had spent last night at Cloudland Shelter (I passed it mid-morning) turned up and we chatted briefly while we sat on the bench outside the store and ate. (He had hitched from Dalton to Killington because he said he had walked that section before.) I left at 1:10pm to walk the remaining ten miles to Hanover, the first town in New Hampshire, where I planned to resupply. The calories I ate for lunch seemed to give me a boost and the time passed fairly quickly as the day became sunny hot and humid. I stopped at Norwich Post Office en route and posted off some used maps. The Trail crossed the pretty Connecticut River where people were swimming and climbed into the pretty college (Dartmouth) town. There were lots of joggers out. I was undecided whether to stop at an Inn in town or keep moving, after buying groceries, to the next Shelter. I also had to ring Peter and John C. I felt that, after the last expensive motel, another Inn was not really justified. Also, if I stayed, I would probably call Barb in the morning – more expense. I walked through town and ½ a mile out the other side before I knew it. There I found a supermarket and did my shopping and then repacked it on a bench in the foyer. By this time it was 6:10pm, and I decided to have dinner, make the calls, and keep moving. I walked back into town – very swanky, full of students and beautiful people, and had a pizza in a shop. I made my calls and arranged to meet Marj (aunt) and Peter (cousin) next Friday night at Cascade Inn in North Woodstock and call John C from Pinkham Notch in a week. I then went to another supermarket, bought some ice-cream for dessert and another quart of orange juice (we’ll see what half a gallon of orange juice does for me tomorrow!), then walked out of town in the gathering dusk at 8:10pm. I arrived at Velvet Rocks Shelter at 8:45pm – almost dark. There was no-one there (it looked like a nice spot). I quickly set up the tent, ate the ice-cream, drank the orange juice, had a wash, hung everything up, and retired at 9:20pm to update my diary and sleep. Not such a bad day.
Appalachian Trail - Day 086
Day: 086
Date: Sunday, 27 July 1986
Daily AT Miles: 17.9
Daily Other Miles: 0.4 (motel)
Total AT Miles: 1684.4
Total All Miles: 1732.3
Weather: Warm, humid, some rain, overcast.
Nutrition:
Breakfast: Orange juice, oats, omelette, chips, sausages.
Lunch: None.
Dinner: Biscuits and peanut butter, oats.
Aches: None bad.
Animals Seen: None.
People Seen: 1 overnight hiker, many others.
Journal:
Got up at 9am after a good sleep and went and had a big breakfast before paying the bill and leaving at 10:50am. It wasn’t raining, but looked ominous. I had tried to ring John C twice without luck. I was going to try for about 20 miles and do without lunch since my last biscuits would be required for dinner as all wood would be too wet for a cooked dinner. The spirits were low as I left the comfortable indoors for the rough life. I still seemed to be very tired and felt the need of a day off but must keep moving to meet Peter. The Trail was very boggy and the undergrowth wet as I made my way around Kent Pond and, after a mile, I found the Inn I should have found last night. Too bad. There was some road-walking before a solid and wet climb up over a ridge and down the other side. In places, the Trail was flooded by the adjacent creeks. I divided the day into three six-mile sections and just plodded along trying not to think where I’d rather be, or about the weeks still to go. There were some very tough climbs and very wet trails (rivers) through the pretty and wet forest. At about 6pm it began raining very heavily and it looked like I would be setting up camp in the rain. There were no Shelters within range. The Trail had been re-routed so an expected spring wasn’t on the Trail. I only had a bottle and a bit of water. I reached the summit of Dana Hill and decided to stop at 6:40pm. Fortunately, the rain had all but stopped as I set up camp. I decided to get into bed and eat my dinner of biscuits and peanut butter and oats. I ate it while listening to some excellent church choral music (it was Sunday) on my Walkman. Lights out at 9pm. Not a great day. Maybe tomorrow will be better.
Date: Sunday, 27 July 1986
Daily AT Miles: 17.9
Daily Other Miles: 0.4 (motel)
Total AT Miles: 1684.4
Total All Miles: 1732.3
Weather: Warm, humid, some rain, overcast.
Nutrition:
Breakfast: Orange juice, oats, omelette, chips, sausages.
Lunch: None.
Dinner: Biscuits and peanut butter, oats.
Aches: None bad.
Animals Seen: None.
People Seen: 1 overnight hiker, many others.
Journal:
Got up at 9am after a good sleep and went and had a big breakfast before paying the bill and leaving at 10:50am. It wasn’t raining, but looked ominous. I had tried to ring John C twice without luck. I was going to try for about 20 miles and do without lunch since my last biscuits would be required for dinner as all wood would be too wet for a cooked dinner. The spirits were low as I left the comfortable indoors for the rough life. I still seemed to be very tired and felt the need of a day off but must keep moving to meet Peter. The Trail was very boggy and the undergrowth wet as I made my way around Kent Pond and, after a mile, I found the Inn I should have found last night. Too bad. There was some road-walking before a solid and wet climb up over a ridge and down the other side. In places, the Trail was flooded by the adjacent creeks. I divided the day into three six-mile sections and just plodded along trying not to think where I’d rather be, or about the weeks still to go. There were some very tough climbs and very wet trails (rivers) through the pretty and wet forest. At about 6pm it began raining very heavily and it looked like I would be setting up camp in the rain. There were no Shelters within range. The Trail had been re-routed so an expected spring wasn’t on the Trail. I only had a bottle and a bit of water. I reached the summit of Dana Hill and decided to stop at 6:40pm. Fortunately, the rain had all but stopped as I set up camp. I decided to get into bed and eat my dinner of biscuits and peanut butter and oats. I ate it while listening to some excellent church choral music (it was Sunday) on my Walkman. Lights out at 9pm. Not a great day. Maybe tomorrow will be better.
Appalachian Trail - Day 085
Day: 085
Date: Saturday, 26 July 1986
Daily AT Miles: 21.4
Daily Other Miles: 0.4 (to Killington Peak)
Total AT Miles: 1666.5
Total All Miles: 1714.0
Weather: Very warm, humid, overcast, rain late.
Nutrition:
Breakfast: Muesli
Lunch: Biscuits and peanut butter, health bar.
Dinner: Soup, veal, ice-cream.
Aches: None bad.
Animals Seen: Small snake, chipmunks.
People Seen: 2 overnight hikers, 8 day hikers, many others.
Journal:
Got up at 5:30am after a bad night because of mozzies and heat. Felt tired straight away – already warm. Set off at 7am for a relatively short day which, however, incorporated Killington Peak (4250’). I decided to aim for Killington for lunch (there’s supposed to be a cafeteria on top), which meant a relatively short morning. However, the bad night’s sleep seemed to have pushed me over the edge into “over-trained” and, even with a light pack, I struggled all morning. It was foggy, so no views, but the higher altitude forest was pretty and “fairy-tale”. There was a “blue blaze” (side-trail) 0.2 miles very steep trail to the summit from the AT. I reached there at 1:30pm and struggled up the climb only to find the whole resort closed – presumably because of the fog and wind. I walked back down to the AT and Cooper Lodge where I met two girl day-hikers and a guy, Todd, who had started hiking the AT two days before me, but had finished at Harpers Ferry and was now doing a few of the northern sections. I had passed him at Rainbow Springs. He had travelled with Lisa for six weeks, and others, and could fill me in on how they were going. He said he would probably see me in the White Mountains and maybe Katahdin (northern end of the AT), from where he might be able to give me a lift to Boston. We chatted over lunch after which, at 2:30pm, I set off down the mountain. I planned to stop at the Inn on the Long Trail for the night and arrived there, very tired, at 4:40pm. Unfortunately, they didn’t provide evening meals so I decided to walk another two miles to another Inn. I was very tired and not pleased to lose the Trail in rough terrain at one point, costing me 15 minutes, and then to be hit by torrential rain just before reaching the road where the Inn was supposed to be. The Guide Book details were confusing and I got saturated before going into an expensive-looking motel where I took a room despite the $40 price tag. I ate a lot of peanuts in the bar before having a nice dinner. I rang my cousin, Peter, to say I was thinking of putting back my meeting with them in the White Mountains by one day. I had decided that, if the mountains or Trail got worse, I would have to work very hard to reach Franconia Notch on time. Better to give myself the rest, even if it means a day later at Katahdin. I watched TV and rinsed out my clothes. Running short of food and, given likely wet conditions tomorrow, I decided to sleep in and have a late breakfast (no early breakfasts at the motel) before heading off for a long afternoon. Turned off the TV at 12:15am.
Date: Saturday, 26 July 1986
Daily AT Miles: 21.4
Daily Other Miles: 0.4 (to Killington Peak)
Total AT Miles: 1666.5
Total All Miles: 1714.0
Weather: Very warm, humid, overcast, rain late.
Nutrition:
Breakfast: Muesli
Lunch: Biscuits and peanut butter, health bar.
Dinner: Soup, veal, ice-cream.
Aches: None bad.
Animals Seen: Small snake, chipmunks.
People Seen: 2 overnight hikers, 8 day hikers, many others.
Journal:
Got up at 5:30am after a bad night because of mozzies and heat. Felt tired straight away – already warm. Set off at 7am for a relatively short day which, however, incorporated Killington Peak (4250’). I decided to aim for Killington for lunch (there’s supposed to be a cafeteria on top), which meant a relatively short morning. However, the bad night’s sleep seemed to have pushed me over the edge into “over-trained” and, even with a light pack, I struggled all morning. It was foggy, so no views, but the higher altitude forest was pretty and “fairy-tale”. There was a “blue blaze” (side-trail) 0.2 miles very steep trail to the summit from the AT. I reached there at 1:30pm and struggled up the climb only to find the whole resort closed – presumably because of the fog and wind. I walked back down to the AT and Cooper Lodge where I met two girl day-hikers and a guy, Todd, who had started hiking the AT two days before me, but had finished at Harpers Ferry and was now doing a few of the northern sections. I had passed him at Rainbow Springs. He had travelled with Lisa for six weeks, and others, and could fill me in on how they were going. He said he would probably see me in the White Mountains and maybe Katahdin (northern end of the AT), from where he might be able to give me a lift to Boston. We chatted over lunch after which, at 2:30pm, I set off down the mountain. I planned to stop at the Inn on the Long Trail for the night and arrived there, very tired, at 4:40pm. Unfortunately, they didn’t provide evening meals so I decided to walk another two miles to another Inn. I was very tired and not pleased to lose the Trail in rough terrain at one point, costing me 15 minutes, and then to be hit by torrential rain just before reaching the road where the Inn was supposed to be. The Guide Book details were confusing and I got saturated before going into an expensive-looking motel where I took a room despite the $40 price tag. I ate a lot of peanuts in the bar before having a nice dinner. I rang my cousin, Peter, to say I was thinking of putting back my meeting with them in the White Mountains by one day. I had decided that, if the mountains or Trail got worse, I would have to work very hard to reach Franconia Notch on time. Better to give myself the rest, even if it means a day later at Katahdin. I watched TV and rinsed out my clothes. Running short of food and, given likely wet conditions tomorrow, I decided to sleep in and have a late breakfast (no early breakfasts at the motel) before heading off for a long afternoon. Turned off the TV at 12:15am.
Appalachian Trail - Day 084
Day: 084
Date: Friday, 25 July 1986
Daily AT Miles: 25.3
Daily Other Miles: 0.2 (shelter)
Total AT Miles: 1645.1
Total All Miles: 1692.2
Weather: Hot, humid, overcast.
Nutrition:
Breakfast: Muesli, Quik
Lunch: Biscuits and peanut butter.
Dinner: Noodles, instant pudding.
Aches: None bad.
Animals Seen: Chipmunks.
People Seen: 15 day hikers, 8 overnight hikers, some others.
Journal:
Got up at 5:30am and left soon after 7am after spending some time itinerary planning. Figured out that I can probably last until Hanover before buying food if I stay at the Inn at Kent Pond. If so, it mans a lighter pack for the climb over Killington. It was a warm morning made a little bearable by a strong breeze. The Trail was high on a ridge for quite a long time. The vegetation is becoming conifer-dominated at altitude. I was in good spirits (lighter pack) and made good time. The Trail was occasionally rocky and boggy, but soft underfoot is good for the feet. The Trail passed Griffith Lake, an attractive pond, and later the even more attractive Little Rock Pond. In between, it gave excellent views from Baker Peak. Despite some fatigue, I pushed on to a late lunch at the pretty Greenwall Shelter before negotiating the last 4½ miles to Minerva Hinchey Shelter. Rain was forecast and it looked threatening, but held off. Yet another Shelter to myself. I wasted 20 minutes finding the spring (wrong directions in guide book) but, apart from that, washed and had dinner as normal and retired by 9pm. Just 500 miles to go. There’s a few mozzies around.
Date: Friday, 25 July 1986
Daily AT Miles: 25.3
Daily Other Miles: 0.2 (shelter)
Total AT Miles: 1645.1
Total All Miles: 1692.2
Weather: Hot, humid, overcast.
Nutrition:
Breakfast: Muesli, Quik
Lunch: Biscuits and peanut butter.
Dinner: Noodles, instant pudding.
Aches: None bad.
Animals Seen: Chipmunks.
People Seen: 15 day hikers, 8 overnight hikers, some others.
Journal:
Got up at 5:30am and left soon after 7am after spending some time itinerary planning. Figured out that I can probably last until Hanover before buying food if I stay at the Inn at Kent Pond. If so, it mans a lighter pack for the climb over Killington. It was a warm morning made a little bearable by a strong breeze. The Trail was high on a ridge for quite a long time. The vegetation is becoming conifer-dominated at altitude. I was in good spirits (lighter pack) and made good time. The Trail was occasionally rocky and boggy, but soft underfoot is good for the feet. The Trail passed Griffith Lake, an attractive pond, and later the even more attractive Little Rock Pond. In between, it gave excellent views from Baker Peak. Despite some fatigue, I pushed on to a late lunch at the pretty Greenwall Shelter before negotiating the last 4½ miles to Minerva Hinchey Shelter. Rain was forecast and it looked threatening, but held off. Yet another Shelter to myself. I wasted 20 minutes finding the spring (wrong directions in guide book) but, apart from that, washed and had dinner as normal and retired by 9pm. Just 500 miles to go. There’s a few mozzies around.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)