Dave Byrnes' Adventures

Appalachian Trail - 1986
Overview     Map     Diary     Pictures
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
(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)

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