Last Thursday, November 21st, Kathy and I had the pleasure of hearing former State Representative Mark Meadows describe his 1,000 plus mile hike along the southern half of the Appalachian Trail from Springer Mountain, Georgia to Maryland. As Appalachian Trail hiking wannabes, we listened intently to his 90 minute presentation and thoroughly enjoyed his witticisms about the trail, as well as his photographs. While I have personally trekked along on small segments of the trail near Blacksburg, Virginia and Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, the lure of the entire trail is enticing to both of us.
For those not familiar with the Appalachian Trail, it was first established in 1937 and extends 2,176 miles from Georgia to Maine. It is one of the nation’s pre-eminent scenic hiking trails and is one of the cornerstones of the National Trails System.
Mr. Meadows relayed very useful information on his preparation techniques, variable weather conditions, the extent of elevation change encountered – the equivalent of climbing Mt. Everest 18 times along the entire route, useful suggestions, and the unexpected surprises/joys he found along his trek. Kudos to Mr. Meadows for accomplishing the first half of this epic journey and best wishes to him as he tackles the northern half in 2014.
Thank you for sharing your memories with all of us in attendance!