Dave Byrnes

Appalachian Trail - 1986

Overview Map Diary Pictures

Day:	053
Date:	Tuesday, 24 June 1986
Start:
Finish:
Daily AT Miles:	24.9
Daily Other Miles	0.6 (shelters)
Total AT Miles:	1024.8
Total All Miles	1058.2
Weather:	Warm, humid, rain in the morning, mostly cloudy.
Accommodation:
Nutrition:	Breakfast: Muesli, health drink. Lunch: Biscuits and peanut butter. Dinner: Noodles, pop tarts.
Aches:	Sore behind right knee.
Animals Seen:	Chipmunks, squirrels, rabbits.
People Seen:	6 AT Thru-hikers, 20 overnight hikers, some others.
Pictures:	Here
GPS Track:
Journal:	Got up at 6am to steady rain and packed up slowly. Chainsaw, who had joined us during the night’s thunderstorm, left in the rain at 7am. I left at 7:30am just as it stopped. The Trail followed a broad ridge which didn’t offer views but was basically easy going, though wet weeds and brambles and some rocky bits made life unpleasant. Paul caught and passed me though I passed him again later. The Trail passed by the Dahlgren Campground for hikers only (free hot showers), but I didn’t stop. I met Melissa there, who was hiking most of the AT. She was with T-Turf when I met them later (they took a short-cut) at the Washington Monument (1827’) which gave good views over the countryside. Chainsaw was also there. I walked steadily for the remainder of the day, stopping for a 2:30pm lunch. The Trail continued to follow a ridge – dropping down to cross roads in passes every so often. My feet weren’t so bad today. I reached Devils Racecourse Shelter at 6:25pm and found 4 AT Thru-hikers already in residence – the Connecticut Connection (3 guys) and Kid Charlemagne. They squeezed up to make room for me. I got a fire going despite damp wood, had dinner, caught up the diary, and got into bed by about 9pm. The boys told me about the “flasher” they had met on the Trail before Harpers Ferry and how the guy had been arrested. I’d heard about it in Harpers ferry too.