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Diary Index
Table of Contents for Diary entries
Where we refer to miles in brackets,
we mean miles from the start of the Appalachian Trail.
April 2002
Australia - Saunders Shelter, SW Virginia (464.5 miles)
Total miles Downunda hiked in April: 9.5 miles
May 2002
Saunders Shelter (464.5 miles) to Bearfence Mountain Hut (896.4 miles)
Total miles Downunda hiked in May: 441.4 miles
- 1st May 2002
Whitetop Mountain area.
- 2nd May 2002
Mt Rogers and Grayson Highlands area.
- 3rd May 2002
Raccoon Branch Shelter and Downunda's saving
the wildlife.
- 4th May 2002
Partnership Shelter, the Rolls Royce of all Shelters with home
delivered Pizzas and hot showers.
- 5th May 2002
Who says Hikers go without food? From Donuts,
Ice-cream, Hershey's and Mountain Dew, Downunda's having a private
party!
- 6th May 2002
A fairly non-eventful day. Nothing much exciting.
- 7th May 2002
Downunda finds himself at Chestnut Knob and spots
himself a wild Turkey for the first time.
- 8th May 2002
Today ends at Helvey's Mill with Movin', Crankin',
Birch, Real, and Ogson (TKH
- Just where do these names come from??)
- 9th May 2002
Downunda spots a Lady Slipper!!!! No it's not
footwear, it's an elusive flower.
- 10th May 2002
Certainly no starving happening here today with Pizza's once again on
the menu!
- 11th May 2002
Some lost doggies on the Trail have me worried.
Location: Pearisburg.
- 12th
May 2002
Hanging out in Pearsiburg.
- 13th
May 2002
Heavy rain, wind and storms. Downunda's water
containers spring leaks.
- 14th
May 2002
A freezing cold day with strong winds.
- 15th
May 2002
A long day ends with a stubbie, wine and chocolate
courtesy of some day hikers.
- 16th
May 2002
A quiet day on the Trail with most heading back to Damascus for
Trail Days, an annual hiker gathering.
- 17th
May 2002
Taking it easy at the Four Pines Hostel.
- 18th
May 2002
Downunda has some dodgy food left in the hikers box!
Spectacular scenery today at McAfee Knob & Tinkers Cliffs.
- 19th May
2002
Today is not Downunda's best day.
- 20th
May 2002
Downunda trashes the Sweetwater filter once and for
all!
- 21st
May 2002
Milkshakes & Cheeseburgers on the AT?? LOL
- 22nd
May 2002
Indulging in wild strawberries. Destination: Marble
Spring.
- 23rd
May 2002
Stocking up on food weighs Downunda down!
- 24th
May 2002
Downunda experiences some Trail Magic!
- 25th
May 2002
Having a coldie on the trail after a hard day hiking!
- 26th
May 2002
The flies are worse than Downunda .. or is that Downunder?
- 27th
May 2002
Downunda weighs in at 63kg !! Location: Waynesboro.
- 28th
May 2002
No hiking day today. Just kicking back at Waynesboro.
- 29th
May 2002
Some Deer join Downunda for dinner.
- 30th
May 2002
A sad ending for a poor baby Deer.
- 31st
May 2002
Downunda spots his first Bear..a cub!
June 2002
Bearfence Mountain Hut (896.4 miles) to Culver's Gap (1303.3)
Total miles Downunda hiked in June: 406.9
July 2002
Culver's Gap (1303.3) to NH 25A New Hampshire (1760.5)
Total miles Downunda hiked in July: 457.2
- 1st
July 2002
Downunda hits the Trail again.
- 2nd
July 2002
More injuries see Downunda struggling.
- 3rd
July 2002
Some Trail Magic .. this time with a young blond!
- 4th
July 2002
A lazy day in Vernon (by himself, not with the blond LOL).
- 5th
July 2002
Wild Raspberries make a scrumptious free smorgasbord.
- 6th
July 2002
More Trail Magic see's Downunda's eyes bigger than his belly.
- 7th
July 2002
Bear Mountain Bridge presents some spectacular scenery.
- 8th
July 2002
Downunda's tent is like a Crime Scene with blood splats all on the
sides!! Location: Hemlock Springs.
- 9th July 2002
A quick stop over at Ben & Jerry's.
- 10th July 2002
Wiley Shelter, NY
- 11th July 2002
Downunda enters Connecticut and cheers himself up with some more
Ben & Jerry's. I am thinking by now they should be sponsoring his
hike!
- 12th July 2002
Downunda walks along side the Housatonic River. Believe it or not,
no Ice-Cream today.
- 13th July 2002
Wild Raspberries on the Menu today. I am very jealous coz they are
my fav fruit and I would be like a kid in a lolly shop amongst wild
raspberries.
- 14th July 2002
Downunda spots a deer tick burrowed in his forearm.
- 15th July 2002
Entering Massachusetts today and Downunda is hanging to get to
Dalton. (TKH thinks Ben & Jerry's might be there)
- 16th July 2002
Upper Goose Pond finds Downunda having a paddle. LOL
- 17th
July 2002
A bumpy ride along the Trail.
- 18th
July 2002
Zero day in Dalton.
- 19th
July 2002
Climbing Mt Greylock at 3491 feet it's the highest point in MA.
- 20th
July 2002
Wearing sopping wet clothes again today :-(
- 21st
July 2002
Energy levels are low and Downunda's legs just don't want to move
today.
- 22nd
July 2002
Downunda's still a little sluggish.
- 23rd
July 2002
In Manchester and it's open house with some friendly (and very
trusting) townspeople.
- 24th
July 2002
Hitching a ride back on the Trail proves difficult today.
- 25th
July 2002
Downunda catches a Trail Angel in the act.
- 26th
July 2002
Downunda gets a little tipsy and decides he'd better bunk at the
pub for the night.
- 27th
July 2002
The amount of Hiker's are dwindling lately.
- 28th
July 2002
Some nice Trail magic today but Downunda's not feeling too crash
hot!
- 29th
July 2002
Downunda ends up at the local Hospital for some precautionary
blood tests for Lyme Disease..
- 30th
July 2002
90 degree temperatures and steep climbing. Downunda slips up and
discovers he's been hiking South instead of North!
- 31st
July 2002
Another hot day and tough climbing. Downunda discovers he's passed
some 60,000 odd "white blazes" that mark the Appalachian
Trail.
August 2002
NH 25A New Hampshire (1760.5) to Katahdin (2168.1)
Total miles Downunda hiked in August:
- 1st
August 2002
Downunda spots a Moose! The Mozzies are on the attack again.
- 2nd
August 2002
Downunda starts climbing Mt. Moosilauke and is rewarded with a
magnificent view.
- 3rd
August 2002
Downunda's trip into town brings the relieving news that Downunda
doesn't have Lyme Disease and he is rewarded with a Ben & Jerry's
in town. Some teenagers do a great deed for Downunda today.
- 4th
August 2002
Today Downunda climbs Mt. Lafayette and receives some more
magnificent views. Seems the hard hiking has it's rewards.
- 5th
August 2002
The Old Phart entertains the hikers!
- 6th
August 2002
Location: Webster Cliffs. Just a few days ago and Downunda was
hiking in 90 degree Temperatures. Today sees freezing conditions, rain
and wind at 50mile/hr.
- 7th
August 2002
Zero day sees the gang sit in wait for the weather to clear.
- 8th
August 2002
Downunda experiences life on the trail the five star way!
- 9th
August 2002
Another tough day hiking.
- 10th
August 2002
It seems Downunda is performing his ritual of rewarding himself with a
stop at Ben & Jerry's.
- 11th
August 2002
Zero day in Gorham and another treat at Ben & Jerry's
- 12th
August 2002
Leaving Gorham proves difficult carrying a large heavy pack.
- 13th
August 2002
Downunda crosses into the final state of his hike, Maine.
- 14th
August 2002
Hiking thru the famous Mahoosuc Notch today
- 15th
August 2002
Downunda compensates for hiking three days without Ben & Jerry's
so today visits them twice!
- 16th
August 2002
The terrain smooths out but still sees steep mountains. Surprise
surprise another trip to Ben & Jerry's! Who would of guessed?
- 17th
August 2002
Downunda runs into some old friends and another reward of B&J!
- 18th
August 2002
Easy hiking and pleasant scenery for Downunda today. Downunda
tries some "dropping" spotting just to be different
for a change.
- 19th
August 2002
Temperatures are cool and hikers are scarce.
- 20th
August 2002
A stop off at town for supplies, pizzas, beers and the day just
wouldn't be complete without some Ben & Jerry's.
- 21st
August 2002
Great hiking and terrific scenery.
- 22nd
August 2002
Downunda passes another important milestone ... the 2000 mile
mark!
- 23rd
August 2002
Location: Kennebec River. Quote: "I just wanted a pint of Ben
and Jerry's."
- 24th
August 2002
A fire on the summit.
- 25th
August 2002
Downunda has a tour of town and an assortment of
foods....blueberry pie, pizza and ..? Do I really need to write it!
-
 26th August 2002
Zero day in Monsoon and Downunda is busy organising flights to
return home. Not forgetting B&J were in town!
- 27th August 2002
At Big Wilson Stream and the guys have a relaxing time by the water.
- 28th August 2002
Easy cruising toward Mt Katahdin.
- 29th August 2002
Downunda sees beautiful views of Mt Katahdin in the distance. The
end is near!
- 30th August 2002
An unusual day weather wise but a great day hiking!
- 31st August 2002
Downunda spends the evening under the stars.
- 1st September 2002
Sleeping beside Rainbow Lake, Downunda plans his next few days.
- 2nd September 2002
Rise and Shine at 4:45am (crazy) and Downunda arrives at the
Katahdin Stream Campground, ready to summit Mt Katahdin in the
morning.
- 3rd September 2002
VICTORY .. Mt Katahdin at last!
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