Day: |
004 |
Date: |
Tuesday, 6 May 1986 |
Start: |
|
Finish: |
|
Daily
AT Miles: |
17.6 |
Daily Other Miles |
0.9 (0.3 to spring, 0.3 to spring, 0.3 to
Shelter). |
Total
AT Miles: |
63.4 |
Total All Miles |
67.8 |
Weather: |
Hot, humid and partly cloudy. |
Accommodation: |
|
Nutrition: |
Breakfast: Muesli Lunch: Biscuits and
peanut butter, health bar, scroggin (gorp). Dinner: Macaroni
cheese with added salami, instant pudding. |
Aches: |
Right little toe very sore and two blisters
on right foot. |
Animals Seen: |
Two deer, a marmot, chipmunks,
grasshoppers. |
People Seen: |
Two day hikers, five motorists. |
Pictures: |
Here |
GPS Track: |
|
Journal: |
Got up at 6:15am when it was light enough
to see. Woke up a lot during night again, particularly with aching
feet and also when a large plane flew over very low. After
breakfast set out at 7:55am feeling refreshed. I made good time to
Rocky Knob Shelter where I replenished my water after a long
downhill scramble to a spring. The steep and long descent from Blue
Mt (4025ft) to Unicoi Gap (2949ft) really punished my toes which
were sore for the rest of the day. It was very hazy but still good
views and pleasant walking. The day really began to warm up around
midday and I was sweating profusely and drinking lots. So much for
boiling all drinking water (as recommended), though I decided to
limit myself to one or two untreated springs per day. I stopped for
lunch on top of Tray Mt (4430ft) where it was quite hot. My soaking
wet shirt dried in 30 minutes after I took it off. It grew even
hotter in the early afternoon and I became very tired. My pace
seemed a little better but 20+ miles seemed unlikely. The Trail,
though good, was always up or down and, with campsites with water
further between, I was unsure where I’d get to. I stopped around
4pm to replenish my depleted water supply at another (long way down)
spring. I pushed on and reached Addis Gap at 5pm. The Shelter and
spring were down the road 0.3 miles, and the next camp and water
were uncertain. I decided to go for an early night. I reached the
Shelter, which even had a table, at 5:25pm, washed in the stream,
collected firewood and had an early dinner followed by a letter to
Syntec (my former employer). The day was very tiring and the feet
are a worry, But I’m still sure I can get through. I’ve been
spending 15 minutes treating my feet morning and night and I think
it is helping. It’s hard to imagine that I will be doing this for
another four months. The days are ticking by slowly but things will
improve as muscles develop and my pack lightens. Still carrying too
much food. |
|
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)
|