[pct-l] Re: American Discovery Trail

[kdpo at gottawalk.com (Ken Powers)]

We plan to leave Delaware on Feb 27, 2005. We plan to take the Southern
Route between Cincinnati, OH and Denver, CO. We have started entering
journal entries at www.trailjournals.com/gottawalkADT . Eventually I will
put our journals and some pictures on our website at www.GottaWalk.com.

I don't know percentages of the different types of trails, but there is a
significant portion on back country roads and a small percentage on paved
highways. After hiking the CDT I learned that hiking roads means everything
from split highways to abandoned jeep roads. There is also a lot of
rail-to-trail, canal paths, and bike trails (mountain bike and road bike).
We have followed a lot of the trail in Utah, Nevada, and California. Some of
the trail on roads in Utah were so remote we didn't see another car all day.
Nevada was much the same, but more trails than roads. A lot of California
and Colorado are on existing trails. In Ohio it follows the Buckeye Trail,
which looks like a lot of back roads. The trail passes thru Washington, DC,
Cincinnati, St Louis, Kansas City, outskirts of Denver, Sacramento,
Berkeley/Oakland and San Francisco. We are wondering where we will stay in
the urban/suburban areas. Marcia points out to me that the the ADT Society
says 1/3 trail, 1/3 back country roads, 1/3 urban trails and open spaces.

I don't see anyone hiking Kokopelli Trail in CO/UT without planting water or
having support. Ditto the area south of Canyonlands in UT and most of NV.
Trying to carry water would mean 2-3 days in several places. The Cottrells
had support from the ADT Society and still carried water in a stroller type
cart.

We are excited about this adventure. Our goal is to hike from Atlantic  to
Pacific - all in one direction and continuously. We feel it can be done
without having to wallow in snowfields in the west.

Ken

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Robert Ellinwood" <rellinwood@worldnet.att.net>
To: "'Ken Powers'" <kdpo@gottawalk.com>; <Slyatpct@aol.com>;
<blisterfree@isp01.net>; <yetifan@yahoo.com>;
<pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net>
Sent: Monday, December 13, 2004 6:36 PM
Subject: American Discovery Trail


Ken,

I realize you're planning on walking the ADT soon.  Some questions:

What's the current percentage on tarred roads, gravel roads, 2 tracks, and
actual trail now?

Do you think a person could actually hike it without previously planted
water caches in Nevada, as you have done?  Back when Bill and Laurie Foot
did it on bicycles, I wondered why they placed the route there.

I understand there is a middle section where it splits into two routes that
join later. Which are you doing?

Finally, is it still true it goes right through the middle of some cities?

Thanks,  Bob


> -----Original Message-----
> From: pct-l-bounces@mailman.backcountry.net [mailto:pct-l-
> bounces@mailman.backcountry.net] On Behalf Of Ken Powers
> Sent: Monday, December 13, 2004 9:08 PM
> To: Slyatpct@aol.com; blisterfree@isp01.net; yetifan@yahoo.com; pct-
> l@mailman.backcountry.net
> Subject: Re: [pct-l] Pacific Northwest Trail
>
> How about the American Discovery Trail (5000 miles)?
> Ken