Day: |
001 |
Date: |
Saturday, 3 May 1986 |
Start: |
|
Finish: |
|
Daily
AT Miles: |
7.7 |
Daily Other Miles |
1 (Station to Post Office), 2.3 (Nimblewill
Gap to Springer Mt) |
Total
AT Miles: |
7.7 |
Total All Miles |
11 |
Weather: |
Warm, sunny. |
Accommodation: |
|
Nutrition: |
Breakfast: Eggs, chips and sausages (on
train). Lunch: Biscuits, peanut butter, date roll. Dinner:
Mexican rice, instant pudding. |
Aches: |
Both little toes chafing. Lower back and
hips sore at start. |
Animals Seen: |
Squirrels. |
People Seen: |
Approx. 25. |
Pictures: |
Here |
GPS Track: |
|
Journal: |
The train arrived late in Gainesville at
8:50am. I walked from the Station to the Post Office after asking
directions. I decided on the train to send back to Boston my wool
trousers, gloves, hat, groundsheet, air pillow and some tent
pegs. At the Post Office I bought a padded mail bag and some
postcards. Wrote one card to Barb and mailed off the gear. I then
rang for a taxi to take me to Nimblewill Gap, the closest you can
get by road to Springer Mt, the start of the Trail. The taxi driver
didn’t know the way, but we got instructions over the radio, which
neither of us understood very well. We then met another taxi driver
returning from taking another hiker up to Nimblewill Gap. I swapped
to his taxi. We arrived at Nimblewill Gap at 11:30am and I changed
into shorts and boots. Set off at 11:40am and reached Springer Peak
(3782ft), the start of the Trail, at 12:45pm after a solid
climb. It was mostly sparse woodland with new spring growth and
undergrowth. Poison Ivy? I don’t know what it looks like, but know
I would be wise to avoid it. I stopped at the top for
lunch. Opened my bag to find the tubes of peanut butter had their
bottoms broken and the margarine container was open. Great! There
was peanut butter and margarine over everything. I cleaned up
slowly and took an hour over lunch in a pleasant spot. Lots of
hikers about and Army helicopters zooming around. I descended from
Springer Mt on the Trail which crossed several streams and passed
through some leafy glades. At one point I encountered two soldiers
in camouflage on exercise. Ascended the slopes of Hawk Mt and
caught Mike from Long Island, New York, who the taxi driver had
dropped off before me. I pressed on to Hawk Mt Shelter, arriving at
about 5:30pm. Washed my self and socks in the stream and lit a
cooking fire as Mike and Don and another Mike, a pair I had seen a
couple of times on the Trail during the day, arrived. I cooked
dinner as the sun set. It got cold. Went to bed last at
9:30am. Fairly despondent during the first seven miles. Too much
weight, steep hills, etc. Decided stove must go. Will send back
soon, but did empty fuel along way. Felt better thereafter. |
|
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
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Land's End to John O'Groats
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|