Appalachian Trail Mileage Sheet vs Guide Books

 Back in the day, the trail was frequently relocated.  Guide Books were published maybe once every 5 years, so the ATC would publish trail relocations in the May edition of the Appalachian Trailway News.  The name changed in 2005, so you might find old copies in the library.  Also a mileage fact sheet would be printed annually.  Between these resources you could get a sense of the trail route.

On June 30th, 1974, an "off the road relocation caused some grief today."  The previous day we crossed the Nolichucky River Gap and ate black berries and blue berries along the trail.  

 

I also discovered that I didn't care for Lemon Instant Pudding.  Pudding became a regular dinner items and the instant version just needed powdered milk and water to make.  I already carried powdered milk for my breakfast granola.

Here is a shot of Curley Maple LT a few miles north of the Nolichucky.

 

It has been replaced and I suspect the trash barrel is no longer there because of the LNT movement.

Hypothermia on the Appalachian Trail

 June 28th, Tennessee - North Carolina and 

Hypothermia?

You might expect that for hikers who begin their trek in March, but me? I started in June.

Took me 45 minutes to get my SVEA 123 stove to work.  

"Boy is it cold & wet & windy." Camped about 0.4 mile north of Big Bald.  

Funny, now that I am writing this for 1974 BC (before cellphones and computers) I can look up the neighboring weather of that date.  This station is not on the top of the mountain so 60 degrees F is not too bad.  But drop the temperature 15 degrees (elevation) add exhaustion, plus a wet hiker and you get the picture.

Allen Gap, AT and Ice Cream

 Two days out of Hot Springs, NC.

Probably not coconut ice cream; more like a cone you dig out of a freezer at at gas station.

But at road crossings, if there was a place to get food, more often than not, I would get at least something to drink.  

Hiking daily meant that I thought about food a lot.  Especially items you did not get on the trail, like burgers, and cold drinks.  All the drinks were "room" temperature or if you heated them, hot like cocoa or tea.  (I wasn't a big coffee drinker yet.)

Here is what the gap looks like today, thanks to google maps. 

Hiked from Little Laurel LT to Locust Ridge LT (that was apparently removed in 1982).

AT Memoirs

 I am reading an AT Memoir called "The Unlikely Thru-Hiker" by Derick (Mr. Fabulous) Lugo. AMC Books 2019.  I am about half way through the book and it is pretty good.  To be honest, it is good but not that "fabulous."

It is better than many titles who basically recite their journal entries day by day.  Those can get pretty boring.  And other start a philosophy about life and how the AT made them appreciate the finer things in life....like water, food, companionship, taking a shit in the woods and so on.

But Derick's books is an easy read.  Like I said I am only half way through.

My point about this diversion in recreation geography is that like life, we face the mountains, droughts and other obstacles every day. Some we overcome, and others, well we must accept those.

Long story short, for an EXCELLENT summary of AT Memoirs visit this great site.  Lugo's book is not listed, as others, but it gives you a sense of the impression the AT has on people and aspiring writers, including yours truly.

I have a small library of titles to yet read, but since this one is on loan, I want to wrap it up first.

Here is an AT picture to hold your interest.  It is a post card showing Henderson Court, in Hot Springs, NC that I stayed in 1974 on this date.  $7 for the bed.

Last thing, here is a short list of memoirs reviewed, that will help you prioritize your amazon purchases.

Great Smoky Mountains and Appalachian Trail

 Spent several days in the National Park; the western half was highly eroded and wet and I don't have many fond memories.  The eastern half (well, it might have been the weather) was a lot nicer.

Climbed Clingman's Dome on the 21st and it was shrouded in fog.

 

You see we must have been quite a sight for the tourists. Hiking down from the highest point on the AT, I do remember whistling the Beatle's tune Yellow Submarine and that seemed to pick up the spirits.

At Newfound GAP BS'ed with tourists, probably the first time I had to explain what I was doing to a non-hiker.

The next day we hit Charlies Bunion.  Some great views from the cliffs.

Then on the 23rd of June 1974, we left the Smoky's with a crew of four guys. This is some of the dynamics of hiking the AT.  Everyone may be independent, but the companionship hiking and camping was an important part of the experience.

 I was looking forward to Hot Springs and a chance to buy some more food.  I was running low and hadn't anticipated my food consumption.  ( I recall later I was only 120 pounds when I got off the trail ).

Happy Fathers Day

A break from the AT (trail was shitty in GSMNP anyway), so today I will show videos from model rocket launches.  The first is Estes Tigress with A8-3 Engine.  Returned nicely to the launch pad.

And this one is called Dragonite and has been a reliable rocket for over a year.

Finally here is Solo, with a glider.

Today, in 1974

It was my first day in the Smokies and it was hot and sweaty.  Stayed in Russell Field LT. "Saw a buck sitting around the campfire." And "this is what the AT is all about."

 The climb from Fontana was "rough hiking."  Cooked Lipton's Chicken Supreme w/ Wine, alright."

Lipton used to make these freeze dried noodle dishes and they were great for camping.  The freeze dried part probably wasn't popular for regular kitchens, so I guess that is why we don't see it anymore.

Now, I know I am in NC and TN hiking in 1974, but I just got this history of the GATC in the mail and from my quick glance, some great reading ahead.  It is available from Amazon, but buy it direct from the GATC for quick delivery.

16 to 18 June 1974, Wesser, NC and north.

 Man, I was craving food the days before Wesser, NC. Got room in a motel and then the restaurant for cheeseburger and hot blueberry pie with ice cream. "WOW fantastic.'

At this point of the hike, I realized I was only doing 15 miles a day instead of the hoped 20, so I was falling behind in my "schedule."

I spent $25 in Wesser, $13 for meals and lodging and junk food! and another 11 for trail food. (Remember these are 1974 prices when minimum wage was $2.10 hour.)

My mom kept notes of my phone call home:

6/16 about 2:45 pm at Wesser, NC.....Motel tonight, enjoying 'vacation from a vacation".  Not in as good as shape as needed but "getting better." "Says faces possible roughest part of whole trail next couple of days."

17 June

14.6 miles, "not a ballbuster but a knew buster.  Wow!!!  The long ascents were exhausting but the descents hurt like hell; toes are ok, but right knee aches...."

Camped in middle of trail, but right now I cannot find the picture I had, sorry.

18 June

Knee ached off and on.  Washed clothes and bought food ($8.58).  Send postcards to family and friends. Mailed pint container, radio, mechanical pencil to lighten load (most people do this back in Neel GAP, GA.

Here is a shot of me at the Post Office in Fontana Dam.

One of my memories from this day, was my hike down hill to Fontana Village where I heard Tubular Bells from The Exorcist sound track.  Funny how you connect music with events.

2022 IASNR Conference San José, Costa Rica

 Haven't been to this conference for over ten years, so the chance to go back to Costa Rica is appealing.  My last presentation at this conference was:

“Mineral spas to cosmetic surgery: is health tourism sustainable?” 15^th International Symposium on Society and Resource Management, Vienna, Austria, July 2009. 

and the year before

 “Eco-medical tourism in Costa Rica:  is it sustainable?” 14^th International Symposium on Society and Resource Management. Burlington, VT, USA, June 2008.

 

 

2022 IASNR Conference (formerly ISSRM if you search my blog).

San José, Costa Rica

 

(time for me to stock up on Costa Rica coffee, yum yum!)

 

Conference Theme – Sustainable Development in Practice:

Integrating People, Place, and Policy

The tentative schedule is found at this link.

Put this on your calendar and enjoy Costa Rica

Rock Gap LT to Cold Springs LT

 A 17 mile day, setting myself up with a 11 mile day to Wesser, NC.  "Cruising today except for a 4 mile climb of Mt Wayah (over a mile high)(1 photo)."

"New road being constructed about 3 miles north of Rock Gap - lost 5 mins."  This is probably US 64 at Wallace Gap.

June 14th 1974 AT

 Yesterday (in 1974) I crossed into North Carolina at Bly Gap (see the famous tree).  I note in my journal that it was a "fart day, fart, fart, fart, belch, belch, fart..."  You get the point.

Bears are a big problem on the AT today.  Mainly because hikers make it easy to get food.  I didn't have any bear encounters but a mouse in the Smokies chewed into my pack to get my tooth paste.  So play it safe and follow these guidelines from the ATC.

Back to the 14th, I crossed Standing Indian Mountain 

and Albert Mountain. And had fantastic views.

After almost 20 miles of hiking, camped at Rock Gap LT.

You see I am finally wearing shorts (cut-offs).

Sticky Baseballs is cheating

 Let's take a break from the Appalachian Trail and talk about America's favorite pastime.  No, not soccer, but baseball.  Seems pitchers are applying sticky substances to the ball to give them an edge.

Why?  Well "The purpose of the substance is fairly clear: To help pitchers make the baseball curve, dip and hop more than it normally would."

In other words cheat.

June 12th 1974 and 1975, Appalachian Trail

 In Georgia, it was a "ball busting day - crossed Tray Mtn. (no sweat).

Camped at Dick's Creek Gap.  Several other campers were near by.  Ralph and I shared dinner.  This night I made tuna helper for 2, and he made pudding.  Tomorrow we swap.

June 12 a year later was the day I finished hiking the AT on US Route 20, east of Lee, Massachusetts.  It must have been Karma, since in 1989, our first apartment in Westfield was on US20, some thirty miles to the east!

Funny, when hitchhiking into Lee, no one wanted to pick me up.  Got a bus ticket there, and rode to NYC then Maryland.  (I can't explain the ticket date of the 11th though).

Blood Mountain, Georgia

 Climbed Blood Mtn. on this date in 1974.  From the journal "no sweat."  Must have been getting in better shape.

 Here is a shot of the hiking crew on that day.  Not sure of the order but I am on the right and it includes Leonard from Arkansas, Kevin (Maryland), Keith (Georgia) and that's Ralph crashed in between.  Here is a portion of the USGS map of the period showing the trail.

And a profile map of the current trail that I got from the GATC. (https://www.georgia-atclub.org/)

Thanks to the volunteers!

9th June 1974

 Today was the day I met Ralph and continued as a hiking partner all the way to Shenandoah National Park in Virginia.  Hike about 13 and a half miles today through an area the army uses to train Rangers.  Lot of bunkers and foxholes.

Today was the day I realized I hadn't packed enough food as I was getting hungry all the time.  We camped at Woody Gap that night.  There was a nice picnic area there and having a table to eat on was a nice benefit.

 

Meeting Ralph was an important part of my AT experience.

8th June 1974 Appalachian Trail

As you can see that I am giving a chronological history of my AT hike.  I don't plan on doing day by day, but these first couple of days were (and are) important to thru-hiker wannabees.

Today was a Saturday, not that  it mattered much.  In fact, Saturdays were only important on town days since you had to get to the Post Office before noon to pick up mail.

Slept in to 8:00 am and didn't start hiking until 10:30 am.  Saw several waterfalls and took a side trail (blue blazed) to somewhere as I "don't know where it went."

Hiked with Dean and Bill and a crew from Michigan with Sharon, Kay, Karen.

Total mileage was 9 miles on the AT.  Stayed at at a campsite north of Hawk Mtn. LT. 

That's me in the white on the right.

The trail used to cross Hawk Mountain (3619 ft), but was relocated around the summit in 1979.

 

June 7th

 The actual first day of hiking the AT was June 7th, 1974.  Wearing long pants was not a smart thing to do, but I was just 18 years old, and while I had lots of experience backpacking, most of my trips were in the Mid-Atlantic States.  It got hot there, but nothing like the south.

 My first night on the trail was under a plastic tarp since the shelter was occupied.  While the approach trail was 8 miles or so, the shelter was 1/2 mile north on the AT.

 

There were other hikers nearby, so in some cases I could get someone to take a photo, although my Olympus 35RC had  a timer to get "selfies."  You need to remember I backpacked the AT in 1974-75 BC (before cell phones).

I hadn't mastered the light meter so many shots are dark.  Also these are all scans from 35mm Slides from the period.  Remember slide projectors?

Bus Trips and June 6th

 We have all had long travel trips.  Like the road trip to Florida from Maryland that took maybe 20 hours straight (by way of Easton, MD).  I couldn't sleep in the car, so I ended up driving most of the time.

Then there was a bus trip that took about 17 hours from Maryland to Georgia.  I had done many trips to NYC by bus, but for the one on June 6th, I wasn't meeting anyone.

From my journal (June 6, 1974)

"...from Baltimore 5:00 pm to Washington 6:00 pm to Greensboro 3:30 am to Asheville 6:30 am long hot trip.  Didn't get enough sleep about 2 hours of halfassed sleep.

7 June Friday

Got to Dahlonega about 11:00 am.  Left for Amicalola Falls at 12:1=05 arriving 1/2 hour later.  It was an extremly hard climb to Springer. About 6 hours.  Boy was I beat!!  The bus trip cost $2.85 from Dahlonega to State Park.  I got really depressed today but am feeling better at 8:30 pm done dinner, an talking with people at the shelter.  They are really friendly.  They are from Maine & Michigan....."

National Trails Day 2021

 Time to get out on the trails this weekend.  It is the annual:

2021 National Trails Day

Saturday, June 5, 2021

https://americanhiking.org/national-trails-day/

For safety, follow CDC guidelines.

Here is a shot from a recent hike on Shatterack Mountain.