Day: |
033 |
Date: |
Wednesday, 4 June 1986 |
Start: |
|
Finish: |
|
Daily
AT Miles: |
15.8 |
Daily Other Miles |
5.5 (2.5 Hospice, 3.0 shopping) |
Total
AT Miles: |
612.4 |
Total All Miles |
634.5 |
Weather: |
Warm, humid, mostly sunny. |
Accommodation: |
|
Nutrition: |
Breakfast: Muesli, Quik. Lunch:
Cheeseburger, fries, milkshake. Dinner: Pizza, salad, ice-cream. |
Aches: |
Feet very tired and sore. |
Animals Seen: |
Two deer, chipmunks, dogs. |
People Seen: |
Six day hikers, many others. |
Pictures: |
Here |
GPS Track: |
|
Journal: |
Got up at 6:10am and managed to get away by
7:20am. On the map it looked like that, after a climb, the walking
should be easy. However, despite the fact that my feet felt better
and I could stride out and the Trail was fairly easy, progress
seemed to be slow. It was, however, very pretty with lots of
flowers, rocky bits, and occasional views. I fell heavily at one
point, when a rock I stepped on moved, but my pack absorbed most of
the impact and, after lying there for a minute wondering what damage
was done, I got up to find none apart from a sore arm. Stu had
headed off earlier at a fast pace and I didn’t expect to see him
until Pearisburg. The Trail climbed up steeply to an escarpment
where it wended its way through thigh-high undergrowth. It seemed
that miles were longer than indicated in the guide. The Trail came
out onto a ledge overlooking the valley in which Pearisburg
lay. Stu was there having a rest. He too was finding the miles
long. The Trail began to descend and I made a short detour to
Angels Rest, a lookout over Pearisburg. There I found the local
Methodist retired men’s group and accompanied them for the remainder
for the descent. There were about seven of them. They told me that
a couple had been murdered at Wapiti II Shelter a few years
ago! The descent was slower than I expected and I didn’t get to the
Pearisburg Post Office until after 3:00pm to find the running shoes
Fran was supposed to have sent me hadn’t arrived. My feet were very
tired and I hurried out to the Catholic Hospice for AT hikers, 1½
miles out of town, had a shower, then quickly walked back into
town. I saw a small shop which sold KangaRoos running shoes, so
mailed my boots back to Marj, then went and bought a pair – they
were so good, the high school track team wore them according to the
sales lady. After checking both the supermarket and laundromat were
open late, I went to the Dairy Queen and had a very late lunch
before shopping and washing. On the way back to the Hospice, I
stopped at the Pizza Hut for dinner, but found myself very
full. Nevertheless, I bought a pint of ice-cream and ½ gallon of
orange juice for later on my weary way home carrying washing and
groceries and shoes and valuables. Back at the Hospice I met
brother and sister AT hikers, Charlie and Tricia, and spent until
midnight repacking groceries, chatting, trying to ring Mark and Fran
Binning and eating before going to bed. |
|
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)
|