AT HIKING MOM & DAD

Both Mom and Dad tackled the Appalachian Trail. Mom didn't finish, sadly, and it took a little time after her death for Dad to complete the journey. In 1986 I drove them up to Springer Mountain so they could hike up to the trail head. I almost killed myself driving back down, because I had no idea about winding roads and the speed one could achieve. At one point I drove off the side of the road and I was literally looking straight down the mountain through my right passenger window. How my angels got the car back on the road, I don't know. I took these first few shots as they prepared for their adventure.

Mom at the Forest Service Register on top of Springer Mountain, 18 March 1986.

Some pre-hike shots

One of my favorite pictures. This is Mom relaxing in the Walnut Mountain Shelter in April. It is located in Cocke, Tennessee; 260.6 miles from Springer and 1928.5 til the end of the trail.

Mom hiking on top of Thunderhead Mountain in freezing temperatures, just before sundown. She looks pretty comfortable, though. It is a beautiful sight, all the frost-covered branches, like being caught in a Siberian reindeer herd. 16 April 1986.

A couple of shots when they reached the Tennessee-Virginia line on 19 July 1986.

They had to take a break, but were back on the trail a few years later. Here Mom is taking a cigarette break near Bland, Virginia, 17 April 1989.

Mom pausing for a break on Brushy Mountain looking down at Kimberling Creek Valley, on 20 April 1989. This may be the last picture of her hiking on the trail, as she got very sick and had to come off.

APPALACHIAN TRAIL BUDDIES (1991)

Herewith a picture of a group of motley hikers on the Appalachian Trail at the "Presbyterian Church of the Mountain" hostel at Delaware Water Gap, Pennsylvania on 11 July 1991. Dad only knew them by their hiking nicknames. His was "Gadget Man." He is seated on the floor to the right. The red shirt is identified as "Mainegy Moose" (from Atlanta); blackbeard is "The Monk" (Canada); to Monk's left is "Ringo"; grey shirt and mustache "Gonna Maker".

TROOP 68 ON TRAIL

I never hiked on the Appalachian Trail, and was out of Scouting before my younger brother Paul joined Troop 68, out of the Keystone Methodist Church. My brother earned his Eagle Scout, and probably was a much better hiker/camper than I ever was. The Scoutmaster for Paul was Doc Sammons, and I think my Dad was Assistant Scoutmaster. In August 1982 the boys hit the Appalachian Trail, at least a portion of it. In this picture, captured near Neels Gap in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Georgia, Sammons is in the rear. My Dad anchors the right side of the group, standing next to Paul. What I want to know is how the guy with the light blue shirt was not carrying a pack? Hopefully my brother, upon seeing this, will fill in the names of the other boys.

TIDDS ON TRAIL

My parents were both avid participants in and supporters of Scouting, for both girls and boys. Both were excellent hikers and campers, and they loved to get out on the trails, especially as the kids started leaving the nest. They hiked on the Appalachian Trail, Pacific Trail, in Great Britain, Florida, and other locations. Dad finally achieved one of his bucket list goals, completing the AT, and it remains one of his favorite achievements. Mom did about a third of the trail, before she suffered an illness and had to be helped off. The following pictures are from some stretches in New York, possibly one of their trips up to see friends, Summer of 1990.

Mom relaxing in the newly constructed log shelter called Plumley's Lean-to, 24 August 1990.

Here Mom stands with her walking stick alongside a Beaver Dam, 28 August 1990.

Mom hiking on the Northville Placid Trail, 29 August 1990.

Lest you think I have forgotten about Dad, who was usually taking the pictures, here is a shot of him on the Lewis Mountain Trail, 4 July 1990. The gentleman standing with him is the famous Ed Harvey, who helped popularize thru-hiking on the Appalachian Trail, having done the stretch twice apparently, 1970-1971. He is about 76 in this picture. I'm sure Dad was familiar with his books.

DAD ON APPALACHIAN TRAIL

Herewith a July 1990 photo, unfortunately somewhat poor, of Dad on the Appalachian Trail. He was photographed with three others, probably in West Virginia or southern Pennsylvania.

MOM IN COLORADO

A picture of my mother while she was hiking with my dad in Colorado, but I don't know where here, probably in the mid 1980s.