Process of Hiking The Appalachian Trail :: Health Nutrition Diet Exercise Essays

Process of Hiking The Appalachian Trail The Appalachian National Scenic Trail, is a footpath in the eastern United States for outdoor enthusiasts, extending about about 2140 miles from Maine to Georgia, along the crest of the Appalachian Mountains. The trail passes through 14 states and is maintained by 34 different trail maintenance organizations. It is the longest marked, continuous footpath in the world, at some points reaching elevations of more than 6000 feet. Wooden signposts and white paint marks on rocks and trees are placed along the trail. Construction of the Appalachian Trail was begun in 1922 near Bear Mountain, New York. By 1937 the footpath, extended from Mount Katahdin, in Maine, to Mount Oglethorpe, in Georgia, and was ready for use. Later, (after 1937) the trail officially ended at Springer Mountain, 10 miles northeast of Mount Oglethorpe. In 1968 the Appalachian Trail became part of the National Park System and was officially renamed the Appalachian National Scenic Trail. To hike the Appalachian Trail, it is suggested to shop around for a good pair of hiking boots, a tent, and a sturdy backpack. Hiking the distance mentioned above obviously requires excellent footwear, and a light pack. Figure in fatigue and you need a comfortable tent to sleep in at night. Good boots are "solid" on the bottom, so that you cant feel rocks or stones through the soles. If you can press in the bottom of the sole with your thumb, the soles are probably too soft to give your foot proper protection. The top of the boot should be stiff to hold the ankle in place and provide it with good support. While it's possible to treat non- waterproof fabric boots with liquid silicone, it generally doesn't waterproof the boot enough to be useful. Stick with leather boots that can be treated with Sno-seal, beeswax solution, or other waterproofing solutions. Feet change over time, as do shoes. Wearing a pair of shoes and/or hiking boots changes the shape of the shoe to fit your foot. Eventually though, the reshaping causes the shoe to rub places on the foot, causing blisters. All boots are made on different "lasts". The last is the "form" the boot is built around at the factory. The size and shape of these lasts, even between identical sizes of boots, can vary greatly. For instance, some boots are built around a European last which is typically narrow in the