Memorable Automobiles from The Past:
For today:
After deciding to TRY Backpacking, we left Standing Indian Camp Ground and headed for our home base
in Belmont. WE laughed and read the Best Seller, “A Walk In The Woods”. We read
and planned. We knew very little about the AT other than it existed. So we
quickly learned some facts:
Over 2000 hikers start each year, less than a
1/4th finish because it is a tough hike.
Over/Under a few Interstates and railroads.
Many hikers eat a ½ gallon of ice cream at Pine Grove
Furnace State Park in Pennsylvania. That is the ½ way point of the trail.
There are ‘shelters’ spaced along the trail,
but most hikers still carry a tent.
The hiker will traverse the entire Smoky Mountains
National Park going over ‘Rocky Top’ and Cling man’s Dome the highest point on
the AT.
The trail goes thru the Shenandoah’s where many
miles you look down on that beautiful Shenandoah Valley.
People travel from all over the world to Thru Hike the
trail. We have met people from South Africa, Germany, Sweden, Canada and
Arkansas.
I believe these were newly weds.
Many Students (HS & College Grads) use the
time between schools or school and jobs to hike the trail. Many Nurses hike the
trail.
This young Grandma was a solo hiker.
Many young girls hike alone, church groups together,
Doctors, Pastors and laborers. WE actually met one lady who was hiking with NO
SUPPLIES, trusting God to supply them. We told her we had left some food at the
last shelter, she smiled and said ‘God is Good.’
You are safer on the trail than 99% of the
cities in the USA.
If you hike with a dog it cannot go with the owner thru
the Great Smoky Mts, unless the owner is blind.
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9 comments:
I just loved that - very interesting!
Very interesting. That woman was very brave to hike that trail alone. I know God watched out for her though. Nice that you left food for others.
Heres a little fun fact you may already know. Do you know why hikers wear tan clothing?? Its a mosquito repellant.
Nite
Lisa
How interesting! I'm sure there's a reason, but I'm sad about that dog rule.
PS - Do you know if it anyone has made a video of the AT's entirety ... for those of us spectators?
I think it would hace to take a lot of courage to hike with no supplies, but you were a blessing to leave some food behind. I know it would be more to haul along with taking enough food for the whole hike. Good thing it goes through places where you can restock. It would also be nice to stop and get a rest in a real bed and get s shower too. Love hearing about your hike and all the interesting people you've met.
Wow about the dog rule but I can see that. I think it would get a little crowded with animals and people both on the trail at the same time and can you imagine carrying the supplies a dog would need like extra water, food, etc? Then there would be those that wouldn't clean up after their dogs lol.
That girl hiking with no supplies had tremendous faith and I bet she was never for want.
The lady I mentioned before who would be hiking the trail for 3 weeks with a friend did mention she wondered how shelters would be now in the midst of the pandemic.
I will send Sherry and you the link to my new blog tonight.
Betty
Jack, this was so informative besides motivational...' if ' I were still a youngster, like the grandma hiker, I'd certainly have given it a go. I also cannot forget to applaud you and Sherry for your fortitude. Were you and Sherry still in your 20somethings when you first started walking. God bless you and your strength. So sweet of you to leave food for others.
loven'hugs from up north. It's sprinkling again.
I was once lost on Mount Snowdon in Wales when mountaineering. It was getting rather dark and it started to rain. I thought at the time that this was the end of me. After hours of shivering in the cold rain and nearing death I heard voices shouting, “Victor … Victor … are you out there? It’s the Red Cross!” I had to shout back at the top of my voice so they could hear me, “I’ve already donated at the office!” Honestly, why do these people come out to collect money on mountains in such bad weather instead of rescuing lost people like myself?
God bless.
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