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Day: |
112 |
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Date: |
Friday, 22 August 1986. |
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Start: |
|
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Finish: |
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Daily
AT Miles: |
7.2 |
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Daily Other Miles |
5.2 |
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Total
AT Miles: |
2145.3 |
|
Total All Miles |
2208.5 |
|
Weather: |
Warm, cloudy and first, windy. |
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Accommodation: |
|
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Nutrition: |
Breakfast: Muesli, health drink.
Lunch:
Burgers, fries, ice-cream.
Dinner: ? |
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Aches: |
Left Achilles. |
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Animals Seen: |
4 moose. |
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People Seen: |
16 day hikers, many others. |
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Pictures: |
Here |
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GPS Track: |
|
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Journal: |
We got up at 5am after a bad night’s
sleep. Jerry had been tossing and turning most of the night and
shaking the whole shelter. It had rained most of the night but had
now stopped. We set off at 6:20am to walk to Katahdin – our last
day on the Trail. We were both quite excited, though we knew we had
a tough climb in front of us. In the first couple of miles the
clouds started clearing and the scenery was beautiful – lakes,
forests and Katahdin (still cloud-covered). We surprised a cow
moose and calf at very close range, but didn’t have time to get the
camera out, and saw another couple of moose at a distance feeding in
a lake. We reached Katahdin Stream Campground at 7:10am (Barb and I
had camped there before) and began the big, our last, ascent. The
Trail gradually became steeper and steeper, and the rocks became
boulders. We had both decided to take out full packs up, even
though we didn’t need them (we were returning the same way later in
the day), and this made the climbing very tricky in parts. As we
got higher the temperature became cooler and there was a biting
strong wind. We got into the clouds a few times, but they seemed to
be breaking up as we went and we also got some good
views. Eventually, we reached the mountain’s summit plateau and
walked 1˝ miles across its rocky surface gradually, and then more
steeply, up to the summit (5260’). We collected some spring water
en route for a summit toast. It was very cold, though we were only
lightly clad – shorts, T-shirts,Goretex rain jackets. We reached
the fog-covered summit at 10:15am and the Trail was officially
finished. We hung around for a while, toasting each other, eating a
snack and picture-taking, before leaving at 11am. It was too cold
to stay longer but, between breaks in the clouds, we’d got superb
views in all directions, so couldn’t complain. The views continued
throughout our descent above the tree-line – the pack still making
boulder-hopping difficult. Below the tree-line we were becoming
weary and knees and feet were hurting. We wanted to finish. At
1:40pm, we arrived at Katahdin Stream Campground. At the Ranger
Office we found the AT Register and made our final entries. I went
for a quick swim in the absolutely freezing pond – much to the
delight of a number of onlookers – and changed into clean
(relatively) clothes. Jerry asked a guy with a pick-up about a lift
to Millinocket and the guy said he could give us a lift to the main
road, which he did. There, we only waited a few minutes before
getting another lift into Millinocket – right to the door of a motel
(with a stop at the Post Office for Jerry). We checked in at 3:45pm
and spent a relaxing rest of the day eating, watching TV and
talking. Rang Barb and found a bus went from Medway, 11 miles away,
next morning at 9am. Went to bed at 11:15pm. [Next day, I hitched
to Medway and caught two buses back to Boston where I stayed with my
aunt, Marj, until I flew back to Australia a week later.] |
|
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)
|
