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SavageLlama
07-06-2004, 10:14
Couple pass midway point on trek; Appalachian Trail hike offers challenge, reward

BY MARY CANROBERT
July 4, 2004
Charlotte Observer (NC) (http://javascript<b></b>:NewWindow(%20'FIISrcDetails','?from=article&ids=clto');void(0);)

Mountain View Animal Hospital veterinarian David Linzey laughed as he recalled some of the people who heard about his 24-year-old stepdaughter, Holly Proctor, who is hiking the Appalachian Trail.
Some people think the hike must be some sort of nice weekend trek that takes a couple of hours, he said.

The Appalachian Trail is more than 2,100 miles long, extending from Georgia's Springer Mountain to Katahdin, a mountain in Maine's Baxter State Park. Hiking the trail takes about six months.

Holly and her boyfriend, 24-year-old Michael Gloden of the Raleigh area, began their hike March 12, Holly's birthday. They've completed more than half of what's known as a thru-hike, meaning they are hiking from one end to the other within a hiking season, which lasts about seven months.

Some people hike only portions of the trail. Others, like Linzey, work on the trail in sections, hoping eventually to connect all the dots and declare it finished. Linzey's covered about 600 miles in 14 years.

Holly and Michael are N.C. State graduates. Holly's degree is in geology; Michael's is in forestry. The two have known each other for years. It was Michael who introduced Holly to serious outdoor activities, such as mountain biking.

Linzey said Holly hadn't been a particularly outdoorsy sort of child, but she went along on camping and hiking trips with Linzey and Holly's mother, Debi Linzey. The Linzeys live in Alexander County.

A couple of years ago, Holly and Michael decided they'd like to hike the trail. With that in mind, they took temporary jobs and began making plans. Before beginning the hike, they quit their jobs, put all their possessions in storage, canceled their auto insurance, and parked their cars at their parents' homes.

They studied maps, decided on stops along the trail and acquired gear and supplies. They participated in no long-distance backpacking training, however, which prompted Linzey to say, "We weren't really sure how all this was going to work out." But it has -- so far.

They've discovered lots, seen lots, and met many people. For one thing, the couple, who both were lean to start with, can't seem to eat enough to maintain their body weight.

They hike about 15 miles per day, but have gone as far as 26. They must carry their food, which needs to be protein and fat-filled as well as lightweight, so they eat things such as peanut butter and cheese.

They restock in towns along the trail. "They are very physically fit," said Linzey. "Almost everybody loses weight." Linzey said Holly and Michael have been hiking with a guy who's lost 40 pounds since starting the trail.

They carry only enough water to drink during the day's hike. Water sources, such as streams and springs, are available at the places they camp. Hikers must purify the water, however, which means carrying a filtration system.

The path has shelters -- three-sided structures with wooden floors, nearby outhouses, and always a water source. Holly and Michael often sleep in their tent because the shelters are usually full.

"There's a constant flow of people heading north," Linzey said. "The trail is a moving community of people." Hikers give each other trail names. Holly and Michael chose their own, however, before heading out. Holly is Tumbleweed, and Michael is Timber.

Each shelter has a trail journal in which hikers record stories, scribble warnings, or leave messages for friends coming behind. Holly and Michael have met lots of people and have hiked much of the trail with another couple.

Holly and Michael have the clothing they're wearing and one change in their backpacks. When the weather shifts, they ship unsuitable clothing home and receive appropriate attire.

The couple began in winter clothes, running into two feet of snow in the Smoky Mountains. Since summer's onset, they've hiked into blistering heat. When it rains, they get wet and keep going.

They've seen the expected animals, including black bears. Normally, bears go the other way when they spy humans, said Linzey, but one became a worry for Holly and Michael when he circled their tent for hours one night in the Shenandoah National Park.

"He was a nuisance bear," said Linzey, "who was used to being fed by tourists." Eventually, he lumbered away.

Holly and Michael carry a tiny digital camera and regularly mail home memory disks, which their parents pop into computers to see pictures the couple took along the trail. One picture was of a copperhead they encountered. Another was of a rattlesnake.

No animal has hurt the couple, but a rock sent Michael to town for stitches. He accidentally fell and landed on the rock's sharp edge, cutting his hand. He and Holly hitchhiked to the nearest town for medical aid.

Hitchhiking is common, said Linzey. The trail passes many towns, and hikers must visit them to restock backpacks, send and receive mail, meet friends and family, and so forth.

Some towns are as many as 10 miles away, miles that hikers don't want to spend walking off the trail, so they hitchhike. Linzey said locals are used to the hikers and give them rides.

Holly and Michael have been fortunate thus far, Linzey pointed out. There's a myriad of reasons why many people don't finish a thru-hike: knee or back problems, serious falls, snake bites, hypothermia, dehydration and gear problems, to name some.

It hasn't been easy, though, especially the first couple of months, which included painful blisters. "Holly says this is by far the hardest thing she's ever done," said Linzey.

The challenge now, however, is not physical. It's mental. The routine of hiking, eating and sleeping on the ground are becoming mundane, "very repetitive," Linzey said.

They must make themselves keep going toward their goal. All northbound hikers must finish their journey by Oct. 15, when Baxter State Park closes. Holly and Michael think they can make it by the end of September.

The rewards continue daily: "always things to see and do, views, waterfalls, people to meet and being outside," said Linzey. And the spoils they'll take with them after the journey are many: self-reliance, knowing how to make do with little, an appreciation for a variety of types of people and never again taking for granted the simple things like beds, hot showers and clean water.

As for the future, Linzey said thru-hikers often return to a favorite place along the trail, such as a town or hostel, and work for a while, which is something Holly and Michael may do.

They're also considering hiking other U.S. trails, including the Midwest's Continental Divide Trail and the Pacific Crest, both of which are longer than the Appalachian Trail.

If you're interested in an adventure like this, spending five to seven months hiking the trail is a cheap way to see a good portion of the United States, meet people from around the world, and experience something rewarding and different. Hikers generally spend $2,000 to $5,000.

Hiking the trail is free, but participants need books and maps, transportation to the trailhead and home from the finish, food, occasional lodging and restaurant meals and proper clothing and equipment. Holly and Michael do not carry a cell phone, but some hikers do.

For more information, visit the Appalachian Trail Conference at www.appalachiantrail.org (http://www.appalachiantrail.org/) or call (304) 535-6331.