Tuesday, July 6, 2004.
This is the first entry in my log book for my A.T. trip from Harper’s Ferry W. Va. to Springer Mountain Georgia. I will
start this trip around the 15th of July. It has been 23 years since I thru hiked the A.T. from Ga. to Maine in 1981. I
have always wanted to hike parts of the trail again and have decided to “Go for it,” again, in a different direction.
The first trip I didn’t have a trail name but “Go for it,” was written after my name for most of the trip. This trip
however, I have decided to go by the name “Rowmin Goat.” Row is the first three letters of Rowlands, my last name.
Mi is from my first name of Mike, and Goat is from Go Appalachian Trail. Therefore, “Rowmin Goat” is fixed to get it
south for about 1000 miles. My bags are packed and I’m ready to go! Yaw- Hoo! “ROWMIN GOAT”
Monday, July 19, 2004. Harpers Ferry W.V. to David Lesser Shelter
I made it! I drove Frank McClanahans car to Charleston W.Va. on Thursday this week, the 15th, and we stayed at
his place till this morning, the 19th. My sister Richa and her husband Dan, who live in Dayton Ohio, drove to the
Charleston area to see me off. They had taken me to the Appalachian Trail in 1981 when I left at Amicalola State
Park in Georgia. They lived in Tennessee at the time and let me park my car at their house for the summer. It is
always good to see my sister and it seemed fitting to have them here again, 23 years later at the beginning of this
historical trip for me. Richa and Dan and I went out to a Chinese reataurant. I came back from eating and got to visit
Bruce’s house who had just built it on the family homestead which has been in the family for 150 years. Bruce is
Frank’s son and a nephew on the other side of the family. His house is very nice and big and he put in much work
getting it just right. He used stone in the fireplace from the original house which was torn down to build the new one.
We left the Charleston area this day at 6:30 a.m. Frank and his sister, Barbara brought me over here and I got on
the trail at 2:30 p.m. I did not have time to visit the Appalachian Trail Conservancy Center since I needed to get to
the first shelter by dark and I was really out of shape. I walked across the bridge over the Shenandoah River and up
the hill out of Harper’s Ferry. The trail in 1981 didn’t go through Harper’s Ferry like it does now and I found out very
early on this second trip the trail has been relocated countless times over the years. After enjoying the climb up on a
hot day and walking by several Civil War encampments from 140 years ago, I got to David Lesser Memorial Shelter.
8.8 miles for the day and I was wore out. It is 9:09 p.m. and I am super tired. This Shelter is really nice. It is Austrian
Style and has an unattached picnic shelter, front porch and a big swing. Water is .25 miles down, down, down
farther. I took a muscle relaxant for my sore tired bones and am going to bed. Weather is 75-80 degrees, dry with a
good breeze. I got a new M.S.R. fuel bottle with fuel here. Too heavy for someone. I also got a Maryland and North
Va. Trail guide, a new one which has maps in it. I am glad I did not buy one of these.
Tuesday, July 20, 2004. - David Lesser Shelter to .6 miles past Bear’s Den Hostel
This is W.V. Independence Day. I know this because I was born in W. V. I made terrible time today because of being
tired. I made it to a creek past Bear Den Hostel. The hostel was $15.00 and I did not need a shower yet so I skipped
it. I stopped by Blackburn Center in the early morning to get water and was greeted by caretakers. I called my wife
Virginia from the phone on the porch. I met a thru-hiker from Japan named Blue Bird. She wanted to take my picture.
I agreed. She then smiled and said she had never seen a pack that old. She wanted my pack picture! Oh well, it is
old! I met 15 thru-hikers heading north today. I made it into Virginia today. 11.6 miles today. I camped 2 miles north
of Sam Moore Shelter. I just could not make it there. I have 2 blisters on my big toes. Mole skin tomorrow. The
weather is fine but a little hot. The trail in front of me has been taken off the road since I did it in 1981. They have a
right of way in a very difficult area to hike. Up and down, around and around. The area is called the Roller coaster. 7:
45 p.m. My tent is up and I had Mac and cheese and tuna for supper with onions and garlic in it. It was real good. I
hurt all over! Bad! I took a pain pill at 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, July 21, 2004 - .6 miles south of Bear Den Hostel to Rod Hollow Shelter
I walked to Rod Hollow Shelter. It was a hard day of hiking all day with little views on top. Up and down. I left my found
M.S.R. bottle and my little wood stove and a spoon at the last shelter. I decided it was time to drop a little weight. My
blisters did not get any worse. Two other hikers are here. They are thru-hiking and they stink. I hope I wasn’t like
that 23 years ago. I saw only two other people headed in my direction and they are older, with small packs. One was
a former 2000 miler. 5:40 p.m. I washed out some clothes and surprised everyone by just drinking the beautiful clear
water out of the spring. The Potomac Appalachian Trail Conference has conned everyone in believing that the
water is unsafe. I need to rinse out some socks and shorts now. 7:11 p.m. I just ate the worse meal of my life, but I
could not make myself throw it away. I put psylium, [a water soluable fiber] in my Mac and cheese and milk and it
curdled like snot. Two other hikers thought it was gross when I ate it. It did not taste bad but it looked like raw egg
whites. My 2000 miler patch had fallen off of my pack 10 years ago and I am going to sew it back on now. Hikers use
dental floss to sew everything, so I will get some out and try it out.
1