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SavageLlama
10-30-2005, 22:35
Good profile of a thru-hiker. He's got a funny kilt story near the end..
http://www.cushingdaily.com/cnhi/cushingdaily/features/cnhinsfaith_story_301133728.html (http://www.cushingdaily.com/cnhi/cushingdaily/features/cnhinsfaith_story_301133728.html)


Hiking the Appalachian Trail, he found a new life
By Charlene A. Taiclet
KOKOMO TRIBUNE (KOKOMO, Ind.)
October 28, 2005

Greg Townsend walked more than 2,000 miles through 14 states to "get in touch with his God." Retired after 30 years at Delphi, the Kokomo man embarked on the trip he hoped would provide him answers he so desperately sought. He needed to know for sure if he still wanted to live.

He walked the entire Appalachian Trail.

Through it all, he encountered a few of God's other creatures, nearly drowned and endured lashing rains and winds.

He also found two new friends -- trail buddies "Santa" and "Big Foot," and came home with a trail name of his own -- "Kokomo." But Townsendıs motive for the trip ran deeper than just wanting personal enlightenment.

Three and half years ago, his 22-year-old daughter, Sadie, died unexpectedly in her sleep and Townsend slipped into deep depression.

"It took 2,175 miles and months of spiritual healing on the trail to help me get over this and come to terms with it," Townsend said.

"My daughter was just three weeks from being married and one day she gathered the family around and predicted she would die soon. Nine days later, her prediction came true," he said.

"At times I didn't want to live, but I knew I had to since I have another daughter and grandchildren." Townsend decided to change it all and with the encouragement of two local friends, Ty Lingo and George Winner, began researching and preparing for the momentous walk.

Finally, on April 15 -- just before his 50th birthday -- he set out from Springer Mountain, Ga., with his two Kokomo friends who walked the first day with him.

Five months later, he emerged at Mount Katahdin, Maine, 40 pounds lighter, fully-bearded and "at peace." "The days were both hilarious and grueling," Townsend said. "I wonıt forget one of them." During the first six weeks he was mentally and physically adapted, but later "turned into an animal." "It was raining all the time, I was constantly wet and my feet were blistered. I finally became used to it. The temperatures ranged from the 80s to 90s during the summer." Townsend said he started out with what he thought were essentials -- a 50-pound pack which included a lightweight tent, sleeping bag, water filter, propane stove, trekking poles, utensils and a first aid kit.

"Real quick like, I cut that to 30-35 pounds," he said. "I got rid of the silverware and even my first aid kit. I had too many clothes so I dropped that to a minimum, too." He kept his water filtration device since he replenished his supply along the trail and, at the insistence of his parents, he also carried a cell phone, "even though it didnıt work much of the time except for the voice mail," he said.

"I wear glasses and believe it or not they came through it all. They were stepped on, sat on, whatever," he laughed.

Townsend said he nearly lost his life the first day in the wilderness, when he tried to cross a fast-moving stream.

"It had been raining a couple of days and the stream I needed to cross turned into this raging river. I was by myself and started to cross it," he said.

He was halfway when the current ripped his trekking poles from his hands and he was swept under, his back pack holding him down.

"I finally popped to the top and grabbed a rock. I saw I was about 10-15 feet from the bank so I threw my pack over to it and it stuck. I dove for it and was able to hold on and pull myself out," he said.

"I came to get a grip and get closer to God," he said. "That 5-10 minutes in the river changed me." In June, he finally met up with Santa and Big Foot, who like himself, also were "through" walkers and continued the journey with him. "The trail is in constant use, but many are section or weekend walkers. A lot of fishermen and hunters use it, too," he said.

"They keep the economy going in a lot of the little towns that dot the trail." Despite his new friendships, Townsend said he still spent most his time alone, sometimes not seeing his trail buddies for a week at a time.

He said he slept in his tent 60 to 70 percent of the time. When the weather became too bad he used one of the primitive lean-to shelters the Appalachian Trail Conservancy maintains every 10 to 15 miles.

Occasionally, he spent a few days in a nearby town to regain strength and stock up on food "granola and candy bars, apples, packaged noodle dishes and an occasional can of ravioli or beef stew.

"I had to keep my food light and easy to prepare," he said. "I ate my canned goods first because they were too heavy." Natureıs creatures -- small and large -- were not in short supply.

"Ticks were all over the place and several people on the trail reported cases of Lyme disease," he said.

He also saw six black bears, but it was an encounter with the last two which reminded him of who was really in charge of the wilderness.

"It sounds funny now, but it wasnıt at the time," he said. "I was walking along and about 50 to 100 feet in front of me were these two bears who just stood straight up 10 feet off the ground in front of me." Recalling what he had been told to do in case of a bear encounter he began jumping up and down to scare them off. It didnıt work.

Next he tried jumping up and down while flapping his arms and screaming.

That didn't work, either. "They just looked at me. I finally threw a rock at them and they left. Whew, that was close." Townsend said the hardest and most difficult leg of the trip was the last 85 miles.

"Until then, I was making 20-25 miles a day. When I reached New Hampshire we got the remnants of Hurricane Katrina and the winds were 70 to 80 miles per hour. You could only go about 6, 7 miles a day and it was very discouraging.

"The terrain was rugged and rocky and very steep. It rained every day.

"When we finally reached the top of Mount Katahdin, Katrina was really raging and the only way down was to crawl.

"Even in that, he said, there was still more humor to come.

"There was this young guy and he was wearing kilts. The wind was so stiff it blew his kilts right over his head and we all found out he was 'au natural.

'"I thought many times about why I was out there," Townsend said. "It was definitely a life-changing experience. I prayed and cried and tried to get (his daughterıs death) out of my system.

"I thought to myself, I'm out here for a reason. Iım exactly where Iım supposed to be.

"I also found out, I do want to live."

- - -

tiamalle
10-30-2005, 22:58
This is one of the greatest stories I have heard in a long time.As I read this it was very sad.But It made me so glad to here the out come.This proves thatthere is nothing that GOD can't do.Townsend I'm so glad for you Friend andcongradulations for finishing your thru hike.Your story is very inspiring.

Sly
10-30-2005, 23:27
Good story.

TiaMalle, Kokomo may have a relationship with God, but God didn't do the walking.

tiamalle
10-30-2005, 23:31
Good story.

TiaMalle, Kokomo may have a relationship with God, but God didn't do the walking.
you are exactly right Sly

ed bell
10-31-2005, 00:24
I always enjoy reading about how hiking and getting back to the simple life can help work out life's endless curveballs. I have always been amazed at the healing powers that backpacking/hiking/just being out in nature have on me.

Whistler
10-31-2005, 09:43
As always SavageLlama, thanks for chasing down these stories and sharing them here. This is one of the better write-ups I've seen.
-Mark