Day: |
026 |
Date: |
Wednesday, 28 May 1986 |
Start: |
|
Finish: |
|
Daily
AT Miles: |
20.7 |
Daily Other Miles |
0 |
Total
AT Miles: |
489.4 |
Total All Miles |
504.7 |
Weather: |
Some drizzle and fog in the morning, partly
cloudy in the afternoon, mild. |
Accommodation: |
|
Nutrition: |
Breakfast: Muesli, health drink. Lunch:
Biscuits and peanut butter, health bar. Dinner: Spaghetti sauce
and macaroni, instant pudding, health bar. |
Aches: |
Blistered feet including a very bad blister
on my left Achilles. |
Animals Seen: |
Horses. |
People Seen: |
None. |
Pictures: |
Here |
GPS Track: |
|
Journal: |
Got up at 6:15am after a reasonable night’s
sleep but didn’t get away until about 8:15am because of time spent
tending to my feet, particularly a nasty big blister on my left
heel. I’m worried about how the boots will go. It will be
difficult to keep up the miles if my feet are getting progressively
worse. The first three miles involved a steady ascent to Buzzard
Rocks and Whitetop Mt. The top of the mountain was clear of
vegetation and alpine, but cloaked in heavy fog which ruled out
views and made the Trail difficult to follow in parts. After
descending through some wet and muddy forest, I reached Elk Meadow,
a large open saddle which was also heavily fogged in. I was
despairing of getting any views for the day when, about noon near
Wilburn Ridge, the weather began to clear and I got some good views
of alpine scenery with rocky bluffs, some pine-covered areas and, in
the distance, inhabited valleys. There was even a bit of sun here
and there. I stopped for lunch at a craggy bluff
in Grayson Highlands State Park and read my Syntec (economics
magazine produced by my former employer). My feet were sore, but I
decided against dressing them again since I was going through
Vaseline and moleskin too fast. After lunch the Trail left the
alpine meadows and squelched through some forest occasionally coming
out into the open. After a few easy climbs and descents, I arrived
at Old Orchard Shelter at about 5:50pm. There was a bit of dry
firewood there so I decided to light a fire and cook dinner. First
I washed and tended my feet. The left heel looked particularly
nasty and I was worried about how I would walk tomorrow. It was
extremely difficult just moving around camp and I was trying to dry
out the huge blister. Real problems. I was afraid it could get
infected. After a nice dinner, I read Syntec’s Political Outlook
with great interest since I had heard little of the recent
Australian political scene. I went to bed about 9:15pm having seen
no people for the day apart from a pick-up in the fog at Elk
Meadow. My heel was throbbing badly and I wondered if I had damaged
it internally as I lay in bed, but eventually went to sleep. The
valve on my air mattress wasn’t even working at all now. I will get
Mark and Fran to bring me out a new one when I get
to Shenandoah National Park. |
|
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)
|