Dave Byrnes

Appalachian Trail - 1986

Overview Map Diary Pictures

Day:	048
Date:	Thursday, 19 June 1986
Start:
Finish:
Daily AT Miles:	9.9
Daily Other Miles	0.5 (to store)
Total AT Miles:	940.1
Total All Miles	969.0
Weather:	Mild, sunny.
Accommodation:
Nutrition:	Breakfast: Muesli, health drink. Lunch: Burgers, fries, apple, watermelon. Dinner: Pork chops, vegetables, ice-cream.
Aches:
Animals Seen:	Deer, grouse, chipmunks, squirrels, Asian donkeys.
People Seen:	No hikers, many others.
Pictures:	Here
GPS Track:
Journal:	Got up at 6am and away at 7:30am. It was hard to develop a sense of urgency on days when I was walking reduced mileages. The Trail wound around a lot and passed through a few properties initially but was still good going for the first 3 miles. But, after that it passed through very overgrown grassy areas which were supposedly tick infested. Much of the grass was head-high and I didn’t enjoy it. The Trail also passed along the perimeter of land owned by the National Zoo and I saw animals which looked like Asian donkeys grazing. The grass was later replaced by nettles before it became more pleasant at higher altitudes. I made good time and the last few miles along country roads into Linden were enjoyable. I arrived at the Post Office at 11:40am (lucky – it closed between 12pm and 1pm) and found a very helpful postmaster who gave me my mail, insisted on ringing motels in Front Royal to check prices (and if they had cable TV) and then drove me the 7 miles to Front Royal in his lunch hour. I checked into the motel, which was a bit dumpish but OK (didn’t have HBO!). I then walked up the street ¼ mile to a supermarket, did my shopping, and collected some lunch at the Burger King on the way back. I spent the afternoon watching TV, reading mail and writing to Barb. I had dinner at a nice restaurant across the street and then relaxed eating, watching TV and reading the paper for the rest of the evening. Went to bed at 12:30am. I couldn’t open the windows, so had to have the noisy air conditioner on most of the time.