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.