[at-l] News/Request from the GATL

["Ern Grover" <ern@cybertours.com>]

The strange looking post is from the GATL (German Appalachian Trail List) of
which I'm also a member:

Translated: (my German stinks).  This is the substance of this post.  At the
end is a request for transit information from Washington, DC to the AT.
Katrin is asking for assistance.  If you can, post it to me in English, I'll
do my best to translate.  I guess you could also send your response to her
directly.

Ern Grover a.k.a. "Sweeter-Rain"
(207) 490-3500
Chapman Associates (health and life insurance)
26 Webster Street, Springvale, ME  04083
ICQ 922536 / MediaRing 207 3241544
http://www.ticktock.bizhosting.com/hiking.htm

"I was thinking that women should put pictures of missing husbands on beer
cans."




I had a brief stopover in Washington, D.C., spent a day hiking the
Appalachian Trail (day hike) and was at Harper's Ferry for a couple of days.
There I had once seen the hiker station (the headquarters of the ATC). We
were very well received, and there were some good printed materials
available for purchase, many hiking books, T-shirts and hats, fresh pastry
and an assortment of photos of the fortunate ones, but fully exhausted
hikers standing on the various summits.  I also believe that every future
thru-hiker should document (his/her) hike with pictures, thereby he could be
found easier at a later time.  ;-)

One of the two doors led to a waiting room, which I certainly had not seen.
I also saw a mailbox, or so it appeared to be, food parcels, ready to be
sent, which were self-addressed to various (mail drops) post offices.

It seemed to me, that the trail often passes through populated areas (at
least in W. Virginia), which means one can also buy some food provisions
there.

A comprehensive book list should be available from the ATC.

Warm greetings,

Katrin

PS:  No, I've never done a thru-hike before.
PS1:  Does anyone perhaps know of a good train or bus connection from
Washington, D.C. to the AT?

**********************************************

Date: Fri, 25 Jun 1999 19:17:56 +0200
   From: "Katrin Roth" <roth@physik.tu-freiberg.de>
Subject: Re: Thru-Hike

Ich komme gerade von einem kuerzeren Aufenthalt
aus Washington D.C., war auch einige Tage in den
Apalachen wandern (Tagestouren) und war fuer
zwei Tage in Harpers Ferry. Dort habe ich mir einmal
so eine Hiker-Station (wohl der Hauptsitz vom ATC)
angeschaut. Wir wurden sehr herzlich empfangen,
es gab gutes Kartenmaterial zum Kaufen, viele
Wanderbuecher, T-shirts und Muetzen, frisches Gebaeck
und eine Menge Fotos von gluecklichen, aber voellig
erschoepften Wanderern auf den diversen Gipfeln.
Ich glaube auch, dass jeder durchkommende Wanderer
mit Foto dokumentiert wird, damit er spaeter leichter
gefunden werden kann ;-)
Eine zweite Tuer fuehrte zu einem Aufenthaltsraum, den ich mir
allerdings nicht angeschaut habe.
Ich sah auch einen Briefkasten, vermutlich sollte es moeglich
sein, Lebensmittelpakete fuer sich selbst an die verschiedenen
Stationen zu schicken. Es scheint mir, dass der Trail sehr oft
durch bewohntes Gebiet fuehrt (zumindest in West-Virginia),
somit kann man auch Lebensmittel kaufen.
Eine umfangreiche Buecherliste sollte vom ATC zu bekommen
sein.
Freundliche Gruesse
Katrin

PS: Nein, ich habe nicht vor(her), einen Thru-Hike zu machen. (fragmented
sentence)
PS1: Kennt jemand vielleicht gute Zug- oder Busverbindungen
von Washington D.C. zu den Apalachen?



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