A.T. Prep 2023

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This is a journal of my three section hikes on the Appalachian Trail in 2023. It is written not so much for other hikers, but for friends and other sane people who do not get off to walking for months and months, up and down, mountain to mountain, thru rain and snow, heat and cold, sleeping on the ground, pooping in the woods, eating the same food day after day, seldom if ever wearing clean clothes—all with 30-40 lbs on their backs.

It is early March 2023 and I am packing and repacking my backpack in preparation for my first section hike across Pennsylvania and Maryland. I have problems with my pack—my body groans when I load it up—but in its defense, I admit the problem may be my old bones.

My walk-a-way weight will not be good news. I know this from experience because no matter how economical my brain may plan, invariably too much stuff finds its way into my pack. I have constructed countless spreadsheets with every item weighed to the ounce, and still, I cannot restrain myself from adding another thingy to my pack. I might post an inventory later, but not now; it will be in flux up to the minute my feet hit the trail.

I will be 84 when I take my next step on the A.T. One might ask, why are you embarking on this hike at your age? My answer: I live with two people and five animals—all female. What else do you need to know?

To be serious, I started something 20 years ago—in my 60’s—and ever since then I’ve had the itch to go back. Simple as that. I may be a slow hiker, but I’m a great procrastinator!

This will be my third time on the A.T. In 2004 and 2005 I hiked 1/2 the trail in two 500+ mile section hikes or 1,095 total miles. I thought I would go back the following year and finish the trail, but life has a way of derailing our dreams. Nevertheless, my earlier A.T. hikes were two of the most exciting and satisfying adventures of my life and the dream never died. And so, here I am, a couple of decades later, embarking on the first of three section hikes, totaling 1,099 miles. My pit boss, Annice thinks I’m loony, but she’s very supportive—and can’t wait to get me out of the house.

This hike is disjointed, and I will skip around up and down the trail to fill in the gaps. My first hike will start in Wind Gap PA where I will hike south thru Pennsylvania and Maryland to Harpers Ferry WVA or 255 miles.

Next, I will skip down to Damascus VA, and hike south to Springer Mountain GA, the southern terminus of the Appalachian Trail and the spot where most people start their hikes. That section is 471 miles.

Lastly, I will head north and pick up where I left off in New Hampshire. The last leg from Mt. Moosilauke NH to Mt. Katahdin Maine is 373 miles and that stretch is the toughest part of the Appalachian Trail.

One may wonder why I am not starting in Georgia at the Southern terminus and proceeding north from section to section instead of whipsawing back and forth.

I am not starting on Springer Mountain, because at this time of year that part of the trail is jam-packed with hikers. Shelters and campsites will be overcrowded, and an old slow-hiker like me might be in the way. I will stay clear and let others have it. But we slow-walking old-timers have one advantage—time. We do not have to be anywhere and we are not racing the calendar.

Long-distance hikers are lucky to have a supportive partner at home, sending food and other supplies to help manage a months-long hike. I definitely have that. Annice was my quartermaster for my first two A.T. hikes. Still is. She shops, cooks, vacuum-seals my food, pre-packs my meds in easy-to-get-to containers, and helps me with planning my hikes—and critiques my every decision. Just kidding; I could not do this without her support.

I did not prepare my body for my first two hikes on the A.T., but to get ready for this hike, I have been walking for months. At first, I just walked. Later I added a day pack and now I’m walking with the fully loaded backpack I am taking on this hike. But there is one problem with working out in Sarasota FL where we live…there are no hills to climb. Well, to be fair, there is one little hill. It is a very short, but steep hill located in The Celery Fields, a popular spot for runners, dog walkers, and bird-watchers. I go there 5 or 6 times a week to climb that little hill with my pack—over and over.

And speaking of hills, just know that the Appalachian Trail is not a walk. It is a climb–up and down, up and down for 2,200 miles. Climbing hills should be part of every hiker’s “get ready” plan. I was unprepared for my other two hikes, and both times it took about 3 weeks to walk myself into shape. This time, without serious hills to help me get ready, and because I’m 20 years older, I fear I will need even longer to walk into shape.

Annice will track my progress, manage my inventory, and forward food and other provisions to coincide with my pace and location. On my first two hikes, we lived in Pennsylvania, and she sent my packages from the Regional Post Office in Valley Forge. She was there so often, the employees followed my hikes. “Where is he now,” they would ask her. Yesterday she returned from the grocery store with new food for me to sample. This is her hike as much as my hike. She’s the pit boss, I’m just the driver.

FYI my trail name is bearmeat. I got it on my first A.T. hike.

How to gauge the time required for this hike? On my first hike, I was a rookie, my pack was grossly overloaded, and I was in pitiful shape. I swapped my boots once and changed my backpack twice. It was a difficult and expensive learning experience.

On my second hike, a year and a half later, I was a tad more knowledgeable, and in a little better shape. Still, I climbed out of Harpers Ferry on September 26, 2005, with my pack once again overloaded. But I finished that hike with the same boots and backpack I started with.

Today I am 20 years older and still not in shape for this walk. And for a backpack, I chose my old Gregory Robson, a cavernous relic, and a heavy beast to boot. Heavy as it is, it is simply the most comfortable pack I own. I shaved a few pounds by substituting a tarp for my heavier free-standing tent. That leaves me a little more exposed to weather and creepy crawly critters. It is what it is.

I doubt I can walk as fast as I did on my 2005 hike, but I’m using that as a general planning guide anyway. I estimate that walking the three sections combined with traveling between them via public transportation (train, bus, and shuttle) will take 132 days. Laughably slow to my younger trail mates, I’m sure. But they have pistons for legs. Mine are wobbly.

Considering that I am starting in the spring, I have a lot of time to do this. Mt Katahdin will probably be open well into September before the snow shuts it down.

I will post again when I’m on the trail.

bearmeat

My trail angels

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I’m embarrassed to say this is my last entry. I crashed and burned on my first day out. I’m a loser, but the people who rescued me are winners, and here is a copy of my letter to them. They are remarkable people.

To: Delaware Water Gap Fire Department

Borough of Delaware Water Gap

Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

Hi to my Trail Angels:

On March 11, 2023 I started a hike on the Appalachian Trail at Delaware Water Gap. Over the years I’ve hiked 1,095 miles on the AT and my plan was to add PA & MD to my log, ending at Harpers Ferry.

About 4 hours into my hike I experienced severe chest pains and unusual fatigue. I took my pack off and tried to get comfortable, but nothing seemed to help. Eventually another hiker came along and noticed my condition. I told him what had happened and he offered to help me walk down the mountain, but I felt too weak to walk even downhill.

Then he offered to call someone. I rejected that, but he called anyway. A true trail angel. I am sorry to say that in my confused state I did not get his name. I would love to know it.

A remarkably short time later I was surrounded by a swarm of people, including, I believe, DWG local firemen, NPS park rangers, maybe others, and a medic who insisted that I be taken to a hospital. They physically carried me down the mountain on a stretcher, no doubt a heart-thumping, back-breaking effort. I couldn’t believe it.

I was strapped in the stretcher and could not reach my phone, consequently I could not record their names. But a few days later, on my way home, I bumped into one of my trail angels in the NYC Port Authority Bus Terminal and learned that he is with the DWG fire department. I’m sorry to say that I forgot his name before I could find something to save it on. (My 84 year-old brain does not remember anything it learned 5 minutes ago. 50 years ago? No problem.)

I hope you will pass this on to everyone. I would love for all of those people to know that I am forever grateful…and impressed with their dedication and physical effort. Because of them, I’m OK today.

Thanks to all,

Marvin Venable

Will I try again? The dream never dies.

It’s here! 6:40 AM Start

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Temp. 34 degrees, No wind, Light snow last night but melting away.

For me, the first day of a long distance hike is a stomach-churning event. What did I forget? What did I leave behind? Am I walking in the right direction? Why is this backpack so heavy?

On and on my brain cycles through that kind of stuff. Not unlike an athlete at the kickoff, the tipoff, or other challenging events for which we carefully prepare ourselves, but still have last-minute doubts.

I walked out of the hotel this morning onto a thin, melting snow cover—maybe an inch. The trail is about a half-mile from my hotel. Soon my feet will be walking on dirt. It begins.

My Amtrak Journey

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I did not plan to write again until I hit the trail, but what do you do when stuck on a train for 27 hours?

I’ve learned some things about rail travel in general and specifically about traveling from Sarasota to NYC by train. First of all, do not do it! FYI there is no Amtrak station in Sarasota, and so they trek you to the Orlando train station by bus. Their bus. And very convenient—I boarded the Amtrak bus 5 minutes from the house and arrived in Orlando with an hour to spare. I will post a photo of the train station and another photo depicting its rich heritage when I learn how to do that.

If you live on Florida‘s west coast, you might be wondering why I did not skip north for 60 miles and catch the train in Tampa. Well, there is an Amtrak station there, but there was no train in Tampa that day. How do I know this? Because our bus stopped at the Tampa Amtrak station and collected more passengers for Orlando. Is this a permanent arrangement, or temporary? I don’t know.

A sad state for Amtrak…and America. When Annice and I lived in Philadelphia, we always took the Metroliner (pre Acela) to NYC and DC.

I fear we will never enjoy a European or Japanese level of train service in the U.S. The freight trains own most of the tracks and the airlines own most of the politicians. Amtrak is like a stepchild begging for leftovers. OK, enough politics. The pit boss will slap me silly if I go on.

Other Amtrak observations: 1) The noticeable range in speed. The Washington to NYC segment was very fast, but the Orlando to DC segment was significantly slower overall and the train went thru many towns that required slowing down even more. 2) The Food car hours of operation were a mystery and my grilled cheese sandwich was spongy and chewy. 3) Restrooms were often, but not always found to be like a gas station restroom.

For a trip that long, the sleeper car is the way to go. Imagine sitting on an airplane for a whole day. I know now that I will never fly non-stop to New Zealand. And so, my Amtrak experience was not for naught. Do you know how much moola Annice and I will save by not flying non-stop to New Zealand?

I was curious to see the new NYC Amtrak home at Moynihan Hall, but when I came up the ramp from the tracks, the spacious room looked familiar. It should have looked familiar, because we debarked in Penn Station. I found an employee and asked where I could retrieve my luggage. She said, “Across the street in Moynihan Hall.” I am not making this up.

I trekked over to Moynihan Hall and I discovered why we landed in Penn Station. Moynihan Hall is too friggin beautiful to muck up with dirty ole trains. It’s like a modern airport, but more open, more spacious. Very nice. I retrieved my luggage and headed to the next connection.

I chose to make this trip by train, because the NYC train station(s) are only 8 short blocks from the NY Port Authority bus station where I caught a commuter bus to Delaware Water Gap and the Appalachian Trail. I checked into a motel to go over my inventory one last time, before I hit the trail.