Jeff Daniels of Evergreen drew 100 miles closer to his goal of “thru-hiking” the world famous Appalachian Trail during the past week as he crossed from Massachusetts into Vermont.
In a phone interview with The Courant Tuesday afternoon from the Spruce Peak Shelter, about three miles from Manchester Center, Vt., Daniels, age 53, reported that he’d hiked a total of 1,640-1/2 miles of the trail, which stretches from Georgia to Maine. On Tuesday of last week, Daniels had hiked 1,540 miles of the trail, which is commonly called the “AT.”
Daniels began his trip on March 13 in Springer Mountain, Ga. and plans to finish the 2,181-mile hike in mid-September at the trail’s end in Katahdin, Maine.
The Appalachian Trail is arguably the most famous hiking trail in the world. The trail passes through 14 states, including Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine.
During the past week, Daniels crossed into Vermont, where about 100 miles of the trail runs concurrently with Vermont’s famous Long Trail. He also logged a trip to the top of Mt. Greylock, the highest peak in Massachusetts, earlier this week. This week also took him from the Berkshire Mountains of Massachusetts to the Green Mountains of Vermont.
Daniels has passed through a variety of weather conditions during the past week, he said.
“It was hot the first of last week,” Daniels said. “Into the nineties a few times. Then there were a couple of cool nights, where it got down into the fifties. It got into the low seventies yesterday (Monday) and it got into the low eighties today (Tuesday).
“Several days ago, I had to hike four or five miles in a total downpour, and I’ve encountered a lot of water along the trail this week. My gear got soaked, but I eventually got most of it dried out. My feet, socks and boots were the main thing.”
Daniels is also soaking in the scenery and noting the many differences between the New England forests and the woods of Alabama.
“The trees are just beautiful,” he said. “I’ve seen balsam furs as well as a forest of predominately large cherry trees, 20 to 30 inches in diameter.”
He’s also keeping his eyes open for animals that you don’t typically see in Alabama.
“I’m keeping my eyes open for moose,” he said. “I’ve seen tracks and other signs of them on the trail, so I know they’re around. I’m also trying to spot a porcupine. We know they’re around because they’re bad about chewing the wood that the trail shelters are built out of.”
During the coming week, he expects to spend some time in Manchester Center, where he and a few fellow hikers plan to take in a movie, probably the new Harry Potter film, he said. He also plans to visit a hostel, where he can get a “fairly inexpensive” shower and meal. Later, he plans to pass through Killington, Vt. and eventually make his way into New Hampshire.
(Daniels is keeping an online journal of his trip, and it can be read at www.trailjournals.com/moondoggie. Also, look for continuing updates about Daniels’ trip in future editions of The Courant.”)
No comments:
Post a Comment