From 1999 to 2001 I took time off and decided to do some long distance backpacking a passion I’ve had since childhood. I did 600+ miles on the Appalachian Trail from Delaware Water Gap, PA to Catawba, VA with some side trip added on.
From May 24, 2000 to June 27, 2000 I hiked 400 miles of the International Appalachian Trail < http://www.internationalat.org/Pages/index> from Cape Gaspe, Quebec, Canada to Fort Fairfield, Maine, USA.
September 2001 I backpacked through sections of Bridger-Teton National Park, Grand Teton National Park, Yellowstone National Park and Caribou-Targhee National Forest
Here’s link to my journal John's Ultralight Backpacking Page. Not sure how long link will be available as I changed provider.
Since this is a trucking forum I’ll relate some positive encounters with trucks during one of these adventures. Nothing mind-boggling just seemed today was a good day to do some story telling. So grab a stick and toast a marshmallow or two at the campfire.
During the 2000 hike on the International Appalachian Trail I was passed by hundreds of lumber trucks at road crossings also traveling through the small villages dotting the countryside.
Kerosene smell was ever present when these lumber trucks passed, usually the driver would toot his air horn and we would wave back. A real friendly bunch of people they are, in villages we would meet some of them as they replenished food at local convenience stores. They wanted to hear about our adventure saying they had been following us since Cape Gaspe. Most didn’t speak English and we didn’t speak French so I would use my English to French glossary in an attempt to communicate. There would be a lot of scratching of the heads on both sides trying to figure out how to get our thoughts translated into the proper tongue. We both had a good laugh more than once in our effort to communicate.
When we got to the US & Canadian border it was going to mark the end of seeing most of our newly acquired friends as the route would take us far away from truck traffic. I missed not smelling the kerosene, hearing the horns and trying to talk with them.
From May 24, 2000 to June 27, 2000 I hiked 400 miles of the International Appalachian Trail < http://www.internationalat.org/Pages/index> from Cape Gaspe, Quebec, Canada to Fort Fairfield, Maine, USA.
September 2001 I backpacked through sections of Bridger-Teton National Park, Grand Teton National Park, Yellowstone National Park and Caribou-Targhee National Forest
Here’s link to my journal John's Ultralight Backpacking Page. Not sure how long link will be available as I changed provider.
Since this is a trucking forum I’ll relate some positive encounters with trucks during one of these adventures. Nothing mind-boggling just seemed today was a good day to do some story telling. So grab a stick and toast a marshmallow or two at the campfire.
During the 2000 hike on the International Appalachian Trail I was passed by hundreds of lumber trucks at road crossings also traveling through the small villages dotting the countryside.
Kerosene smell was ever present when these lumber trucks passed, usually the driver would toot his air horn and we would wave back. A real friendly bunch of people they are, in villages we would meet some of them as they replenished food at local convenience stores. They wanted to hear about our adventure saying they had been following us since Cape Gaspe. Most didn’t speak English and we didn’t speak French so I would use my English to French glossary in an attempt to communicate. There would be a lot of scratching of the heads on both sides trying to figure out how to get our thoughts translated into the proper tongue. We both had a good laugh more than once in our effort to communicate.
When we got to the US & Canadian border it was going to mark the end of seeing most of our newly acquired friends as the route would take us far away from truck traffic. I missed not smelling the kerosene, hearing the horns and trying to talk with them.
I'm a wimp. LOL