Day: |
013 |
Date: |
Thursday, 15 May 1986 |
Start: |
|
Finish: |
|
Daily
AT Miles: |
20.4 |
Daily Other Miles |
0.3 (returning to better campsite) |
Total
AT Miles: |
239.5 |
Total All Miles |
250.0 |
Weather: |
Foggy at first then mostly sunny and warm. |
Accommodation: |
|
Nutrition: |
Breakfast: Muesli, health drink. Lunch:
Biscuits and peanut butter, health bar. Dinner: Macaroni cheese,
instant pudding. |
Aches: |
Feet sore from long descent. |
Animals Seen: |
|
People Seen: |
Two AT Thru-Hikers, four overnight hikers,
two day hikers, one ranger, six others. |
Pictures: |
Here |
GPS Track: |
|
Journal: |
Got up at 6:30am on a quiet and dull foggy
morning and packed as quietly as possible so as not to disturb the
others. Most were up by the time I left at 7:50am. The Trail was
damp but I soon emerged from the fog and began to get good views
from the graded trail which was mostly descending. The lower I got
the warmer and sunnier it became. There were good views when the
Trail wound around precipices. I met a National Parks ranger who
gave me a hard time about not having a permit initially, but
softened later. I reached Davenport Gap, the northern limit of The
Great Smoky Mountains National Park, at about 2:30pm and crossed
into National Forests land. I spent many moments of the day
imagining where Barb was in her flight and and wondering if she was
excited or depressed. By my reckoning she would arrive
in Sydney about 5pm, my time, and in Melbourne at 9pm. These
thoughts, the realisation of how far I had to go despite my big
miles, and leaving the Smoky’s for less spectacular country made me
a little depressed and despondent, but none-the-less resolved. I
decided to get to the town of Hot Springs at Saturday lunchtime and
stay in a motel that night for a break. Should be good – if the
motel’s open. There was a particularly hard slog uphill from
Davenport Gap (1975ft) until I reached a pleasant campsite on
Painter Branch Creek. I walked about 300 yards past it looking for
a second site before returning to camp. Stopped at 5pm which was
good and gave me time to potter around and boil water for tomorrow,
though the creek was probably OK. Slept in my tent (20% chance of
rain). Went to bed at 9:15pm. Barb should be in Melbourne. |
|
ADVENTURE LIST
Round Ireland
(2016)
Hume & Hovell Walking Track
(2013)
Via Alpina
(2012)
Australian Alps Walking
Track (2011)
Land's End to John O'Groats
(2010)
Round Oz Bike Record Attempt
(2009)
Round Oz Bike Record Attempt
(2008)
Round Oz Bike Record Attempt
(2007)
Australia Tip to Top MTB
(2006)
Adelaide to Darwin MTB
(2005)
Sydney to Melbourne MTB
(2004)
Three Peaks Race
(2004)
Appalachian Trail
(1986)
Alpine Track
(1983)
|