Dave Byrnes' Adventures

Appalachian Trail - 1986
Overview     Map     Diary     Pictures
Day: 111
Date: Thursday, 21 August 1986.
Start:  
Finish:  
Daily AT Miles: 21.9
Daily Other Miles 0
Total AT Miles: 2138.1
Total All Miles 2196.1
Weather: Mild, mostly sunny.
Accommodation:  
Nutrition: Breakfast: Muesli, health drink.
Lunch: ??
Dinner: Hot dogs, baked beans, macaroni cheese, apple pie, chips.
Aches: Left Achilles sore.
Animals Seen: Moose, chipmunks.
People Seen: 1 AT Thru-hiker (southbound), 6 overnight hikers, 4 day hikers, many others.
Pictures: Here
GPS Track:  
Journal: Got up at 5am to what promised to be a beautiful day.  We packed up and left our lovely spot at 6:30am and hiked upstream to a nearby lake.  As we walked around the shore in the early morning sunlight, Jerry spotted a big bull moose out in the middle of the lake which was covered on the surface by a light mist.  It was a beautiful scene and I wished I had the zoom lens.  We took some pictures and walked around the shore on the Trail getting quite close before he heard us and took off.  It seemed a good omen.  We pressed on along the Trail, which was never easy going – always twisting and turning, going up and down small bumps and hills, covered by exposed tree roots and rocks, and occasionally boggy. It was a real test for the legs, ankles and feet.  It passed along the shore of Rainbow Lake for five miles before climbing up on to the Rainbow Ledges.  It was a excellent day and we had good views in all directions.  The crest of Katahdin still had a cover of cloud, however.  The descent from the Ledges to Hurd Brook Lean-To was tortuous.  We had a break before continuing on more tough trail.  We were both wishing it was over.  At about 1:30pm, we reached Abol Bridge Campground and its small store.  We bought a big lunch and sat outside in the sun eating and watching the logging trucks roll by.  We decided to buy some extra food for our last night on the Trail and got some hot dogs, baked beans, chips, cans of drink, fruit pies and cookies.  We left at 2:30pm for the last 7½ miles to our target of Daicey pond Campground.  The Trail was easy at first, following old logging trails and some flat land upstream along thePenobscot River, which was quite wide.  We saw a couple of big rafts with tourists floating downstream.  The Trail then left the river and followed a large stream upstream and became more difficult.  The stream was pretty, with a number of big cascades and flumes and inviting swimming holes on a warm afternoon.  We were both tired and looking forward to getting to the Campground.  The Trail crossed a number of tributaries on testing logs and saplings, but neither of us fell in.  We reached the Campground at 5:30pm on the shores of a beautiful pond with Katahdin in the background (top still cloud-covered).  We paid for a shelter and had a very pleasant evening eating our goodies, chatting with a southbound, by sections, AT Hiker, and reflecting on the trip.  Rain was forecast overnight, clearing tomorrow.  We went to bed at 8:30pm after deciding to go tomorrow, regardless of the weather (Katahdin weather can be very dangerous, even in summer).  Almost as soon as we went to bed, it began raining.  There were mozzies and mice in the shelter.

ADVENTURE LIST

 

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Land's End to John O'Groats
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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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