Day: |
035 |
Date: |
Friday, 6 June 1986 |
Start: |
|
Finish: |
|
Daily
AT Miles: |
30.4 |
Daily Other Miles |
0 |
Total
AT Miles: |
661.9 |
Total All Miles |
685.5 |
Weather: |
Hot, very humid, rain in the morning,
partly cloudy. |
Accommodation: |
|
Nutrition: |
Breakfast: Muesli, health drink Lunch:
Biscuits and peanut butter, health bar. Dinner: Biscuits and
peanut butter, instant pudding. |
Aches: |
Both feet, very tired. |
Animals Seen: |
Two snakes, two tortoises, deer, turkey,
chipmunks. |
People Seen: |
Two AT Thru-hikers (one southbound) |
Pictures: |
Here |
GPS Track: |
|
Journal: |
Got up at 6:00am and away by
7:10am. Spending less time treating feet. Stu a bit slower to
start. I wanted to see how far I could get so that I would have a
chance of reaching Troutville on Sunday lunchtime and so have ½ a
day off. The weather was steamy and by the time I had climbed to
Bailey Gap Shelter I was absolutely soaked. From there, what looked
level on the map was, but required constant boulder scrambling which
was very tedious. After the boulders I met Sonny Daze, a southbound
Thru-Hiker, who I chatted to for a while. He explained some
confusing trail marking up ahead. There followed a steep descent
then and even longer steep ascent up to Big Pond Shelter in the
rain. It was extremely humid and there were lots of bugs out biting
me on the ankles. Although my shoes were not giving me blisters,
the right one kept coming off and both kept swallowing my socks
which was very annoying when the Trail was tough enough
anyway. After Big Pond Shelter, there was another long descent, a
stretch through farmland and along a road, then a tough climb up to
a ridge. I met another black snake on the ridge as I struggled
along trying to get the miles in. Progress was slow along the ridge
in the late afternoon sun. It was very rocky in most parts, but
enabled good views down to the right. I reached the turn-off to
Sarver’s Cabin (0.3 miles steeply down) after 24 miles and, although
tired, decided to press on. I eventually reached Niday Shelter at
8:50pm in the late evening gloom to find Jack, from NY, already in
bed. I hurriedly washed and ate cold by candlelight before getting
into bed at 10:30pm. There were a lot of bugs in the shelter and my
feet were sore so I didn’t have a very good night. A
new ThermaRest mattress would be nice (the present one has a
puncture). My first, and maybe last, 30+ mile day. |
|
ADVENTURE LIST
Round Ireland
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Hume & Hovell Walking Track
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Via Alpina
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Australian Alps Walking
Track (2011)
Land's End to John O'Groats
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Round Oz Bike Record Attempt
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Round Oz Bike Record Attempt
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Round Oz Bike Record Attempt
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Australia Tip to Top MTB
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Adelaide to Darwin MTB
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Sydney to Melbourne MTB
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Three Peaks Race
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Appalachian Trail
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Alpine Track
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|