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Frank Scaffido grew up in Alexandria, graduated from George Washington High School in 1966 and spent two tours (8 years) in the U.S. Navy on diesel and nuclear submarines. If the time he spent being confined in subs gave him a desire for fresh air and open space, he will get all he needs of both during the next 6 months. On August 9th, Frank will begin a 2,160 mile hiking odyssey which will take him from the mountains in Maine through the mid-Atlantic states and on to northern Georgia.
Hiking the Appalachian Trail has captured Scaffido's imagination for a number of years, but for the last 18 months, it has almost become an obsession. He has read books, searched the Internet, charted temperature and elevations on the Trail, bought the best equipment and consulted with hikers who have completed the marathon walk. He has prepared himself physically and mentally and planned his gear and provisions down to the ounce, selecting only items which are absolutely essential for the trip.
Frank, who lives in Orlando, Florida, retired from the U.S Postal Service in April of this year. He will begin his journey on August 6, leaving Orlando by train for Bangor, Maine, then on to Mount Katahdin at Butler State Park, Maine for the beginning of the hike. He hopes to average about 12 miles per day with 13 layovers in towns along the way. He has prepared packages to replenish food and supplies which his wife Kim will mail to the layover points as he approaches each one. In addition to the six months it will take to complete the trip, Scaffido estimates that he has spent more than 1200 hours and about $6,000.00 preparing for the trek.
Frank will be reporting in at least once every two weeks and this column will relay his progress on the Trail as well as some of his experiences along the way. Jack Frost will be nipping at his heels as Frank heads south through New England during September and October. Many Appalachian Trail hikers choose to start from Georgia and in the spring and walk north. "You either have to deal with the bugs and insects going north in the spring, or the colder weather going south in the fall", Frank says; "I chose to deal with the colder weather". If all goes as planned, he should be in the Northern Virginia area for a rest and recuperation break some time around the 10th of November. Best of luck Frank!
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(Editor's Note: This is the first in a series of articles which will appear about every two weeks over the next 6 months. Frank Scaffido and Mike Faber were classmates at George Washington High School and have stayed in close touch over the years. Mike and his wife Sharon live in Vienna, Va. Mike's email address is MikeFaber@aol.com).
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CONGRATULATIONS FRANK!!
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APPALACHIAN TRAIL FACTS
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The Appalachian Trail is a 2,158-mile footpath extending along the Appalachian Mountain Range, from Springer Mt. in northern Georgia to Mt. Katahdin in north central Maine.� The trail passes through 14 states, eight national forests, six national parks, and 60 state and local parks.
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Total elevation gain of the entire AT is 471,151 feet or 3,000 feet per day.� It is like climbing Mount Everest 16 times!
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The average backpack weighs 45 lbs.
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Average cost to complete the AT is $3,200 or about $1.50 per day.
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Average weight loss is about 20 lbs.
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Of the 1,200 hikers who start each year, an average of about 200 will complete the entire trail, a dropout rate of 84 percent.
Source: �Long Distance Hiking� by retired Harvard physicist Roland Mueser
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