Anywho, I'm nervous about making the first post. I've never posted post No. 1 before.
So I'll first write up the day, and then drop some tidbits.
I've just returned from the downtown Frederick post office, where I lugged in a huge Yeungling box full of town clothes, toiletries and electronics chargers. Apparently you're not allowed to send alcohol boxes through the mail. We got me sorted out, though.
My bounce box will be waiting for me in Boiling Springs, Pa., which will be 100 miles from my starting point in Harper's Ferry, so I should be getting there in like 10 days. The PO is on the trail. I figure I'll be ready to shave and deodor myself by then and have a bit of a look around. As I wrote to my gramps this morning, it'll be my first thing to look forward to :)
- Response-to-section-hike-idea of the day: "What made you want to do that?"
- Things to make one think: Whiteblaze.net contributors recommend packing two extra pairs of socks, one extra pair of underwear and like one shirt/pants outfit. I have like five pairs of socks [and four pairs of liners], three shirts, two pants and five underwears. I may be back at a PO sooner than I thought with a package bound for home.
- Fear and Loathing on the AT: Whiteblaze also has an article on how to fend off lightning [!].
Sample:
AVOID: Avoid water. Avoid all metallic objects. Avoid the high ground. Avoid solitary tall trees. Avoid close contact with others - spread out 15-20 ft. apart. Avoid contact with dissimilar objects (water & land; boat & land; rock & ground; tree & ground). Avoid open spaces.
SEEK:Seek clumps of shrubs or trees of uniform height. Seek ditches, trenches or the low ground. Seek a low, crouching position with feet together with hands on ears to minimize acoujstic shock from thunder.
The article goes on to say this, under a section headlined "Medical treatment and symptoms":
"Treat the apparently dead first."
The trip starts tomorrow. It's blue and white-hot outside right now, but weather.com predicts isolated T-storms tonight. The journey to Maine begins!
-jh
Say whaaaaaaaaaaaat? Are you still working for the newspaper? Is this a continuous trail you're on? I'm almost inspired to do a similar trek on bike and meet you somewhere, just for coffee, and then turn around and go home.
ReplyDeleteNo more newspaper. Just reading now. I will be checking back I guess in September to see about that, but no harm no foul.
ReplyDeleteThe Appalachian Trail starts on Springer Mountain, Georgia and ends on Katadhin, Maine, passing through more than a dozen states and going more than 2,000 miles. I'm just doing the top half [section hike as opposed to thru hike] this summer. The bottom half will come later.
I will always, always be packing coffee. Belee dat.
Exciting, Jeremy! So glad you'll be updating us. Are you taking a Blackberry with you or what?
ReplyDeleteHa! No crackberry. Only public computers for this guy. So we'll see how much updating I can manage.
ReplyDeleteDude, keep me posted on your progress. If you happen into the NJ/PA or the NY AT sections that I can access on a weekend, I may join you. I section hiked all of those in High School.
ReplyDeleteMy cousin did the entire trail three years ago. Give me a shout when you can. Be safe.