Bad DNA, AT Thruhiker 1994

BadDNA's Appalachian Trail thru hike as a photo essay. This is Paul Vail's 1994 Appalachian Trail thru-hike. I hiked the A.T. as a northbounder, known by my trail name as Bad DNA. Yes, I was the guy with the Virginia License tag on the back of my pack, a nickname I had earned at Virginia Tech back in 1985. I started the thruhike at Springer Mountain, Georgia in April, and climbed Katahdin in October, '94. In the meantime, 'DNA had the good fortune to cross paths with dozens of other 94 thru hikers and other trail folk. Long distance thru hiking is not just in my blood, but my DNA (cheesey, right?). Dry socks and cool breezes, everyone.

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Appalachian Trough
Appalachian Trough 		Clingmans Dome
Clingmans Dome 		Acid Rain, Bark Borers or what?
Acid Rain, Bark Borers or what? 		Tricorner Knob Shelter, April 26
Tricorner Knob Shelter, April 26 		Pink Ladyslipper
Pink Ladyslipper 		Itiniary
Itiniary
More Balds
More Balds 		Bookworm
Bookworm 		When it's not dry, it's wet
When it's not dry, it's wet 		Hot Springs, May 1
Hot Springs, May 1 		Trillium, the trail pup, May 2
Trillium, the trail pup, May 2 		Seuss and Trillium
Seuss and Trillium
The view from Bald was...
The view from Bald was... 		Looking down toward Erwin, TN
Looking down toward Erwin, TN 		Another view of Erwin
Another view of Erwin 		AT south of Erwin
AT south of Erwin 		Azalea in bloom, May 5
Azalea in bloom, May 5 		Nolichucky River wth Yeti and Fox
Nolichucky River wth Yeti and Fox
Off to Beauty Spot, May 6
Off to Beauty Spot, May 6 		Grey day on Beauty Spot
Grey day on Beauty Spot 		Out of Clyde Smith and up Roan
Out of Clyde Smith and up Roan 		On Roan Mtn
On Roan Mtn 		Dying evergreens
Dying evergreens 		Rime ice at the top of Roan
Rime ice at the top of Roan
Remnents of a homestead
Remnents of a homestead 		Rime ice in the beard
Rime ice in the beard 		Carver's Gap
Carver's Gap 		Leaving Carver's Gap
Leaving Carver's Gap 		Grassy Ridge
Grassy Ridge 		More rime ice
More rime ice
Grassy Ridge
Grassy Ridge 		And then, it's sunny
And then, it's sunny 		Trillium and Spring Beauties
Trillium and Spring Beauties 		The valley into Overmountain Shelter
The valley into Overmountain Shelter 		Looking south into NC
Looking south into NC 		The Overmountain Barn
The Overmountain Barn
May 9
May 9 		road crossing
road crossing 		Cows on trail
Cows on trail 		Moreland Gap, May 10
Moreland Gap, May 10 		Firetower lookout, May 11
Firetower lookout, May 11 		Hikers in TN firetower
Hikers in TN firetower
Lots of little Ups and Downs
Lots of little Ups and Downs 		Azalea in bloom
Azalea in bloom 		Old shed, May 11
Old shed, May 11 		Trail stile
Trail stile 		Pieps on the Trail
Pieps on the Trail 		Bloomin' Rhod
Bloomin' Rhod
Stream crossing
Stream crossing 		Laural Falls
Laural Falls 		Upper Laural Creek Falls
Upper Laural Creek Falls 		Watauga Lake, May 11
Watauga Lake, May 11 		Nick Grindstaff Monument
Nick Grindstaff Monument 		Sunset on the Damascus Highway
Sunset on the Damascus Highway
AT Map, Sw VA to NoVA
AT Map, Sw VA to NoVA 		Entering Virginia, May 13
Entering Virginia, May 13 		Entering Damascus
Entering Damascus 		Trail Days Tent City
Trail Days Tent City 		Twinkie Eating Contest
Twinkie Eating Contest 		On your marks, get set,
On your marks, get set,
Breeze makes a bold move
Breeze makes a bold move 		Jack's finishing up
Jack's finishing up 		Quincy's by sunset
Quincy's by sunset 		The Place, May 14
The Place, May 14 		Trail Days town festival
Trail Days town festival 		Start of the Trail Days parade
Start of the Trail Days parade
Shriners Clowns on parade
Shriners Clowns on parade 		Attitude Adjustment
Attitude Adjustment 		buzzcut
buzzcut 		Blazed!
Blazed! 		Dinner and a Show
Dinner and a Show 		Appalachian Trail pickin' and grinnin'
Appalachian Trail pickin' and grinnin'
Trail Court in session
Trail Court in session 		Blaze craze
Blaze craze 		Foot check in The Place
Foot check in The Place 		Sunday talent contest
Sunday talent contest 		Creeper Trail bridge in Damascus
Creeper Trail bridge in Damascus 		Creeper Trail, looking north
Creeper Trail, looking north
Saunders Shelter, May 16
Saunders Shelter, May 16 		Virginia Creeper Trail
Virginia Creeper Trail 		Off the Creeper
Off the Creeper 		Buzzard Rock, May 17
Buzzard Rock, May 17 		Buzzard above
Buzzard above 		View SW from Buzzard's Rock
View SW from Buzzard's Rock
Further up Buzzard's Rock
Further up Buzzard's Rock 		White Top, looking NE
White Top, looking NE 		Va 600
Va 600 		Trail up past Mt. Rogers junction
Trail up past Mt. Rogers junction 		Thomas Knob privy
Thomas Knob privy 		Thomas Knob Shelter
Thomas Knob Shelter