Special
Report:
I just got off the trail after 4 nights and days hiking
with Iceman. I was
with him between Bennington VT and Danby VT (~60 miles). He looks pretty
skinny and his beard is hideous, but his health is good and his spirits are
high. He got his first glimpse of Mount Washington from Baxter Peak, and
could hardly contain his emotions. Home is in sight.
Tom
Dan has checked in again from someplace called Mount Mama’s store and is currently at Davenport Gap. He is making great time and is approaching the 10% complete mark. He woke up this morning at 7000 ft in the beautiful Smokey Mountains (I didn’t know that had Holiday Inn up that high1). He plans on making it to Hot Springs, buy the Broad River Friday and then laying up for the weekend. His shoulders are starting to feel the burden of the pack and he doesn’t ant to get burnt out at this early point. Spirits are high. Pictures of NC are on the way.
Dan called yesterday from a motel near Fontana Dam, North Carolina. He is still hiking with a bunch of younger fellows, but then again most everybody is younger than Dan – ain’t they! They all bunked up in the motel due to pretty cold weather - 8 degrees F. I could say this is taking it to easy – but hey my thermostat is set at 74. Dan has been making between 12 and 16 miles per day lately and his legs are starting to “feel” it. Only a couple thousand miles to go, so I am sure he will hang in there. While there is not exactly a light at the end of the tunnel, he has made it farther than 50% of all starters (1st week claims the majority of through hikers).
Dan has called in and is currently residing in a local motel in Franklin, North Carolina. It has been raining steadily for 5 days, and he is getting a much needed drying off. Unfortunately Dan parted ways with Pipe-wrench a couple of days ago as Pipe-wrench left the trail for a short sojourn. Maybe they will meet up again. Apparently a black bear entered camp last night for a sniff around. Luckily Dan hasn’t bathed since starting and the bear headed back to woods – post haste. Dan is currently teamed up with 6 “young” fellows and since the black bear’s visit; the entertainment has been hoisting the food up into a tree at night. We expect Dan to hit the trail again tomorrow, also a small set of pictures has arrived from Georgia – they can be viewed in low resolution on the pictures link of the Iceman website.
Dan
has checked in again after an early stop today. He made his committed 10 miles by 12:30 noon and is going to
venture into the local town of Helen for some refreshments.
The
dog mentioned in the Mach 12 report has been safely returned to its owner and
it’s breed is described by Dan as “a big dog”.
Dan
is currently hiking with a fellow that goes by the name of “Pipe-wrench”. As you may have guesed this guy is an
accountant! Go figure.
March 12, 2002
We
have a confirmed location for Dan on March 11th pm. He called Toni from Near Neel’s Gap.
So
far, so good with 30.7 miles under his belt.
In
celebration of his first 3 successful days – Dan visited a local buffet for a
“Dan” sized meal. Not sure this is
the purest’s point of view, but we will let this one slide.
Dan
met a young fellow from Hollis Maine who had lost his dog early in the
hike. Further down the trail Dan
happened across the dog and contacted the young hiker’s mother. The dog is safe in the care of Neel’s Gap
bunkhouse waiting for his master to catch up.
Pictures
are on the way from another hiker that Dan met up with. They will be posted to the site as soon as
possible.