Editor’s note: This is a reprint (with Jim’s permission) of an email from Jim Heaney sent during his “through-hike” of the Appalachian Trail.
I’m writing from the offices of www.alleyoop.com. My HS/college buddy John is fast and furious getting his Pro Basketball Prospectus, 2003 edition, ready, but still picked well enough to be in a position to win his office pool tonight. (That’s the Sports Illustrated office pool. Tough competition—not like Morris’s pool, in which it looks like I’m going to finish 21st out of 22.) All I can say is: Rock… Chalk… Jay… Hawk… Kay… Uuuuuuuu!
The hike starts tomorrow, with thunderstorms predicted; guess I’ll have to get used to that. The prehike encountered a little snag, when I abandoned my 1.2 mile hike through Old Town Alexandria and hailed a cab to the Amtrak station. The, um, spring melt makes the, um, river crossing especially dangerous this time of year, and you know, all the uneven sidewalk and cobblestones… best not to risk it.
The train ride was uneventful. One thing I realized, about two hours into the trip, is that Charlottesville is about 12 hours from Atlanta by train—and about two months on foot. There’s the possibility that this is my next email update; I’ll certainly look around in the interim for a public library or an internet kiosk in the meantime, but don’t be surprised if you don’t hear from me until June.
Shout out to Mark from the REI backpacking class, who started north from Amicalola on the first day of spring. Mark, let me know where you are when you get this…
I’ll be back in touch.…
Jim