[at-l] AT in record time (story)

[Carla & Dave Hicks]

That just doesn't sound right.

Albeit the total change in coordinates N&S is greater, I'm sure the total 
change in coordinates E&W is too much to make in that timeframe. ;-) }}

chainsaw

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <rockdancer97 at comcast.net>
To: <at-l at backcountry.net>
Sent: Saturday, November 21, 2009 9:28 AM
Subject: [at-l] AT in record time (story)


A cute story from the Greene County Daily World, 
http://gcdailyworld.com. --RockDancer

I hiked the Appalachian Trail in record time
Posted Friday, November 20, 2009, at 11:32 AM

The Appalachian Trail is a formidable challenge to hikers but I did it. It 
extends a rugged 2,178 miles north to south from Mount Katahdin in Maine to 
Springer Mountain in Georgia. The concept of a great trail from Maine to 
Georgia was given birth in 1921 by Benton MacKaye and it grew with several 
surrogate parents over the next 20 years to its current length.

I decided to hike the trail. I laid out my plan and carried it through to the 
end. Records show that fewer than 20 percent of the hikers complete the entire 
trail in one season. I did it. Most hikers begin in Georgia in the early 
spring when the weather permits and end in Maine in later summer or early 
fall. It usually takes five to seven months.

I made the decision to trek the trail when we were visiting our daughter and 
son-in-law who lived in Bristol, Tenn., at the time. We visited a site along 
the trail near where they lived and the fancy of trekking the trail struck me 
and nagged at me like your tongue plays with a broken tooth. The idea kept 
coming back to me like a belch from a bad onion. It would not release me.

My wife pleaded, "But you don't know anything about hiking and you don't have 
the right kind of equipment. Outrageous? Besides that you are too old."

"Ha," I rejoindered, "The oldest hiker to complete the trail was 84 years old. 
So there. Are you saying he was too old?"

"But," she said, "How are you going to carry all of the food you need, plus a 
tent, plus medical supplies, plus bedding, plus water and all of the other 
things?"

"Well, you will have to mail food to post offices on the way or I will just 
have to go into the small towns and buy things as they are needed."

"What if you get there after closing time on Friday and those places aren't 
open until Monday morning?"

"What are the chances of that? Most places are open on Saturday until late and 
then may be closed on Sunday."

"Do you realize the kinds of critters that plague hikers -- bears, mice, 
mosquitoes, ticks and Lyme Disease and black flies and snakes?"

"What do you mean?"

"Worry wart!"

"What are you going to do when it rains really hard up on top of those 
mountains? It can rain for days at a time. So how are you going to walk and 
carry your stuff and stay dry?"

"Well I am taking a slicker and I will be carrying a tent."

"How are you going to take a bath? Have you thought about that? Are there 
showers or aroma spas along the trail?"

"I do not know. I am still going."

And I did. I trekked the trail with no major problems and as soon as I got to 
the end I turned around and hiked right back. The truth is I hiked the 
Appalachian Trail from east to west. It took me nearly three ... minutes.

Larry Vandeventer grew up north of Calvertville on a farm and graduated from 
Worthington High School. He lives in Plainfield and can be reached at 
Goosecrick at aol.com or (317) 839-7656. Write him at 6860 Sunrise Drive, 
Plainfield, Ind., 46168. He has written five books.
******************************************************************************
Arthur Gaudet
Lowell, MA
Rockdancer97 at comcast.net
"The vessel with the pestle has the brew that is true."
_______________________________________________
at-l mailing list
at-l at backcountry.net
http://mailman.backcountry.net/mailman/listinfo/at-l