Georgia to Maine - - Please join me from start (4/1) to finish (8/10) - 132 days!!!!!

Bethlehem, NH
I have completed my thru-hike of the AT from Georgia to Maine; I started 4/1 and completed 8/10/10. I decided to do this thru-hike in memory of my brother Michael and in turn decided to turn it into a fundraiser. All money raised went to the Adaptive Sports Partners of the North Country which gives year-round opportunities in sports and recreation to people with physical or developmental disabilities. My wife Pam and I got involved with this program because it allows us to help people with disabilities enjoy the outdoors like we do and my brother Michael did. Michael was born mentally challenged, and he loved to visit us in the North Country of NH and go hiking. He also loved the outdoors and did many other sports. So, to help others do this and other outdoor activities is a TRIBUTE to him, and an HONOR to us. Many of you have helped me along my journey and donated (follow donation link) directly to a secure website. All donations have gone and WILL CONTINUE to go to ASPNC – nonprofit org to help assist others to hike, ski, kayak, snow shoe..etc… Thank you all in advance for your kindness & generosity, Dave & Pam Smith

Sunday, April 18, 2010

Saturday 4/17

Ponytail Dave has made it to the Davenport Gap Shelter for the night. 235.1 miles to date and 1,943.2 more to go. This is the only shelter left on the trail in the Smokies that still has a bear fence around it. Keep bears out, Keep hikers in! In the smokies it is mandatory that you must stay in a shelter unless they are full. Then you must tent right next to the shelter. Back awhile ago they used to have bear cages on all the shelters. They have solved most of the problems w/the pesky bears now. Hikers and tourists have been more careful about leaving traces of food...etc in the woods. The awareness of LEAVE NO TRACE is getting better. We should all be aware of this. LEAVE NO TRACE!!! Leave it as you found it and carry out your trash! This goes not just only in the Smokies but EVERYWHERE!

Tonight he is only w/Landfill at the shelter, the others he had been hiking with are either ahead a bit or behind a bit. They will catch up probably in Hot Springs. Dave plans on taking a 0 day and resting, catching up on phone calls, journals, laundry, getting a good night sleep(thinking he will probably get a room to himself for one night and get some privacy) and he really hopes that the place he stays has a bathtub so he can just soak. Calgon take me away. One of his sisters has offered to pay for him to get a massage in Hot Springs which is know for their mineral baths. Hope he takes her up on it. Sounds like he could use it.

Bye,

Pam
Posted by Dave Smith (Smitty) at 4/18/2010

4 comments:

  1. Anonymous30/4/10

    It sounds like he could really use a 0 day.
    Hope he really got one!
    -Tiffany M. And Jasmine B., From Mrs. Carbonneau's class.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous30/4/10

    I like the part where there is that awarness for the bears and that you need to take everything out that you brought in. I think that it was nice for his sister to pay for him to get a massage. That must feel nice if you cant bathe daily.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous30/4/10

    Yea, he deserves a break, and thank goodness for the help from his sister. good thing he survived the bears (:

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous30/4/10

    He totaly should take that massage!!! Great that he has so much support behind him.

    This is Kaylee and Tasha from LHS :)

    ReplyDelete

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