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Team sets out on Maine-to-Georgia hike. Lots of people daydream about putting reality on hold and striking out on the trail, but what's it really like? Date published: 9/9/2006 By KIM BAER T'S A JOURNEY most people only dream about. But David Wilcox and Mike Ferguson are making it happen. Two weeks ago, the two 18-year-olds began hiking the Appalachian Trail. They'll have local children "following" them all the way. Dawn Renee Wilcox, David's mother, is the science coordinator for Spotsylvania schools. She's made lesson plans based on the young men's journey. The hikers will send updates on weather, animals and trail life to the children. They've already hiked Maine's 100-mile wilderness. The end zone: Springer Mountain in Georgia. They expect to finish the 2,174-mile trek by spring. The challenges are many. Alpine-like conditions are common in the Northern mountains. They expect to get snowed in often in Pennsylvania. Cold, wind and rain will be the biggest enemies in the Mid-Atlantic and Southern states. They'll encounter black bear, bobcats and vagrants. Of them all, vagrants are considered the biggest threat. A family friend showed the teens how to use pepper spray. Then there's the sheer stamina required to continue hiking, day after day, with heavy packs. Theirs weighed 42 pounds, including food and water. They carried bivy tents, which fit one person. They'll trade those for two-man tents when they reach New Hampshire. The extra room will hold in body heat. After two weeks on the trail, they've seen moose, reddish-brown squirrels and snakes. The moose are really loud, and the ground echoes when they run. The friends will walk 180 miles before the next mail drop. Their summation of the trail so far: roots, rocks and mud. Tradition requires hikers to come up with trail names. Wilcox's trail name is "E/ipse." It's a bit of a boast. Most hikers can't keep up with him, he said. He often has to pause to wait for others. Ferguson is Little Engine, for the Little Engine that could. They'll both need all the ego and determination they can get. Only 20 percent of those who attempt to hike the whole trail succeed, according to appalachi The team has the required skills. Ferguson, who's from Maryland, and Wilcox met at Camp Olmsted, a summer camp in New York. That has taught young campers outdoors skills for years. They have the support crew.
Date published: 9/9/2006
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