CHAPTER 1
Preparing For the Trail
"Remote for detachment, narrow for chosen company, winding for leisure, lonely for contemplation, it beckons not merely north and south, but upward to the body, mind, and souls of man."
~A.T. sign near Springer Mountain
"You have to have dreams to have dreams come true." ……….In the spring of 1991 I took the first step to make one of my dreams come true………
As an ultrarunner living close to the A.T., I would often meet thru-hikers as I was out on training run. ……….
…………The more I thought about it the more I knew I wanted to run the A.T. Somewhere on that drive a mental decision was made: "I AM going to do it!". Then came the big question, "How?".
For the next six weeks I started to formulate a plan. However, my first major obstacle was to obtain my wife's approval…………
………it dawned on me that I had better talk to Nancy before she heard of my plan from someone else. If this happened, I knew my plans would be doomed. So, on a Sunday night in September I told her there was something I wanted to talk to her about. Her response was "Oh no, what is it you want to do now?" I told her to have a seat and listen to my entire plan before she said anything. I carefully laid out all the details on how I was going to do the Trail in 60 days and how I would keep expenses down. After outlining all the details, she just looked at me in silence. After a few minutes she said, "I know you've talked about the A.T. for a long time and you know I'm not concerned about the cost. My major concern is about the length of time you'll be away from us. I can't believe you would choose to leave your family for that long to achieve your selfish desires." Well, at least she didn't say "NO"! Nancy continued, "You've already made up your mind, and I guess you would do it whether I said yes or no". She probably had a point. But after a few days of further discussion, she grudgingly gave her approval, although she wasn't happy about the whole thing. But I had her permission and that's all I cared about. Full speed ahead………
………..I had to figure out how much distance I could cover each day and where I would spend the nights. The best source for planning is the Appalachian Trail Conference (ATC) headquartered in Harper's Ferry, WV. Jean Cashin, who was in her 20th year of service was most helpful and encouraged me to pursue my goal……. Based on my research, I figured I needed to average 38 miles per day to achieve the goal.
…….Starting the figuring from Springer Mountain, the southern terminus of the A.T., I mapped out where I would be at the end of each 38-mile segment. If there were no facilities nearby, a day may require more or less miles than 38, making up for the deviation the next day. As things turned out, this plan actually projected a 56-day schedule, allowing me to take off a day or two if needed.
The part of the planning that concerned me the most was the physical preparation that would be necessary. I knew how to train for ultras but 2144 continuous miles was quite another thing! All my reading and research did not tell me how to cover that distance in 56 days. My physiology books stated that it takes 48 hours to replenish your glycogen stores after three hours of continuous endurance exercise. (Glycogen is the fuel preferred by the body but is quickly depleted and slowly restored.) I queried exercise physiologists if it was really possible to train for such an event. They all had the same opinion: "NO". I told them I thought you would have to use the first two to three weeks of the event itself to get in shape. They agreed.
I called Warren Doyle, who at that time had thru-hiked eight times, to ask how long it takes for this adaptation to take place. His response was "about 10,000 miles". I said, "No, No. How long does it take each time you start?" He confirmed my thinking by answering that it would take two to three weeks. But he also offered that the single most important thing on the trail was "adaptability". As I thought about it, I knew I too would have to develop this trait in order to succeed.
My spring break at LU was in March of 1991……... I had a four day run planned out that would have us cover 37 miles per day. This seemed like it would be a good dry run of what was to come……..
…..….. The first day took us 13 hours, 23 minutes. This was not good………
………On the second day, we woke to several inches of fresh snow……….
The third day of my trial run was hampered by ever-present nausea. There was little that I could eat and keep down. I also ran out of water and resorted to eating snow. The overwhelming thought was, "If I can't handle four days, how can I handle 56 days?"
My spirits were dropping out of sight. I knew I could not make it to the conclusion of the fourth day (Rockfish Gap), so I plodded on a bit ahead of schedule for the third day to the Tye River. There I hitched a ride to a store, called my wife, and had her come fetch me.
In three days I had covered 122.4 miles, just over 40 miles per day. It was much harder than I had anticipated. I was filled with uncertainty. I knew I would have to make some adjustments in my approach. My confidence was shaken but not shattered…………
…………As the time drew near for me to depart, I became more and more anxious. Earlier, it had seemed like a great adventure, full of fun and excitement. Now, it seemed scary and unattainable……….
…..….I finished my final exams on May 7th and prepared for the trip on Amtrak that night. For me, it was a very solemn occasion. It was so strange. I didn't know how to act. I felt like the challenge ahead of me was more than I was capable of achieving. Other than my wife and son, Brandon, the train station was deserted. Or so I thought. Out from the shadows popped friends and colleagues. I couldn't believe they had come and yet it made me feel even lonelier. It was as if I was leaving forever. Final hugs and kisses were so hard and yet I climbed aboard the train.
A different perspective:
When we all met at the train station to see him off, I noticed a very definite change from his normal personality. He had nothing to say. No excitedly recited details of the trail! I saw a very different side of him that evening. I could see that he was being faced with all the pressure and apprehension of leaving his family and the difficulty of his goal. I could also see the fear of letting us all down who were so sure and confident that he could succeed.
Kendra Fleming
David’s secretary
From the log - May 7 - I feel lonely. Leaving my friends and family, the darkness seems to envelop me making me very small. A sign on a church billboard asked the question, "Are you sure you are headed in the right direction?" That seems so appropriate………
Nancy adds:
David left for Georgia on May 7th. What a big day for him. What a sad day for me. I had the biggest lump in my throat as I waved to him from the train station. I was wondering if he felt as sad as I did at that moment. Would he be all right? What was I to expect for the next two months? Would I be able to handle it? What if he doesn’t succeed? Will he be able to handle such a big disappointment? Questions, questions, questions…
May 8 - Slept very little on the train...Gary and Millie Buffington met me...Beautiful cool day...It seems foolish to think that a person could go over 2000 miles to Mt. Katahdin.…….
From the mailbox:
There are times in our lives when we are drawn uncontrollably to some dangerous source of misery.
~ Suzi T