|
Day: |
052 |
|
Date: |
Monday, 23 June 1986 |
|
Start: |
|
|
Finish: |
|
|
Daily
AT Miles: |
17.4 |
|
Daily Other Miles |
2.5 (0.2 to ATCHQ, 2.0 to store, 0.3 to
shelter) |
|
Total
AT Miles: |
999.9 |
|
Total All Miles |
1032.7 |
|
Weather: |
Hot humid, sunny. |
|
Accommodation: |
|
|
Nutrition: |
Breakfast: Egg and bacon pie, muffins,
burger, ice-cream.
Lunch: Hot dog, beans, ice-cream.
Dinner:
Muesli, muffins. |
|
Aches: |
Sore toes on both feet. |
|
Animals Seen: |
Squirrels, turtles. |
|
People Seen: |
4 AT Thru-hikers, 1 day hiker, many others. |
|
Pictures: |
Here |
|
GPS Track: |
|
|
Journal: |
Got up at 6am after a reasonable sleep on a
hot night. I packed up and was underway by 7:15am. It was already
warm and humid and the day was forecast to be hot. It took me until
9:20am to reach Harpers Ferry and the Appalachian Trail Conference
Headquarters after crossing the Shenandoah River. Goodbye
Virginia. They let me use the office phone to ring Barb, which I
did. Not a great call because neither of us had much news and the
line wasn’t great (I couldn’t shout because of the office
staff). While in the office, I met Chainsaw (so-named because of
his snoring), also northbound, and Jean Cassin (ATC information lady
who remembered me from my previous visit) and a Harpers Ferry
visitor who talked with me for a long time, and a local newspaper
reporter who also talked to me for a while. I then walked a mile to
a cluster of three small groceries where I got my supplies and had a
snack. I wrote cards to Cederholms and Birches and posted them at
the Post Office on my way back. Met George and Karin there, who had
had a good night with the alcoholic tramp. Jean had gone out so I
decided to get some lunch at a nearby café. I returned at 1pm, hung
around for a while and met Paul, another northbound Thru-hiker,
who’d been off for a week in Washington DC. I had my photo taken
for the AT album (Australian flag prominent), said goodbye to Jean
and the other staff, and set off about 1:50pm, about 3 hours later
than intended. It was very hot. The Trail descended through
historic Harpers Ferry and crossed the Potomac on a railway bridge
to Maryland. Goodbye West Virgina. The trail then followed the
Ohio & Chesapeake Canal and the Potomac River for quite some
time. It was flat, and cooler in the shade. I had hoped to do
another 18 miles but my toes hurt for some reason and, after
climbing up onto a ridge in Maryland, I decided 12 miles would be
enough – it was getting late. I caught Chainsaw and we bot decided
to head for Crampton Gap Shelter. He stopped in Gothland State Park
to cook dinner and I went on to the Shelter which was
unoccupied. However, during the next two hours, George and Karin
and their son (joining them for a week) turned up with George
determined to utilise all space in the small Shelter so the snoring
Chainsaw would have to sleep elsewhere. Next, however, Paul turned
up so they found room for him. Then it really was full. Chainsaw
turned up at 8:30pm and good-naturedly agreed to sleep outside, even
though he didn’t have a tent. At about 3am, there was a huge
thunderstorm and torrential rain. Chainsaw didn’t get much
sleep. I felt sorry for the gregarious eccentric old guy. |
|
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)
|
