We finally have the PTAR FKT team settled here in Dalton, GA for the night, our base of operations for the rest of the week. Both runners enjoyed some great trail today and successes to be remembered.
Rob Youngren blasted through 52mi of the Georgia Pinhoti, hauling from the Simms Mtn Trail outside of Coosa, GA to Snake Creek Gap just on the other side of the mountain from Dalton. Rob had a good company for pacers, as DeWayne Satterfield called me this morning enroute from Huntsville, and I was able to get him linked up with Rob starting about midday and all the way to the day's finish. That was a welcome appearance, as the Vol-State 500k record holder is certainly no stranger to long trails and multi-day events. Eric Fritz was able to get into the pacing mix as well around mid-afternoon, himself fresh off a smoking 6:07 performance at last weekend's Strolling Jim.
Eric Charette officially called an end to his adventure this afternoon after crossing the AL-GA state line, 171.2mi (plus another 2.7mi down to the first trailhead in GA). A victim of bad blisters that will need some healing time. Dink Taylor paced the final miles up and over Flagpole Mtn and down to the state line marker; his wife (Laura) and Joey Butler hiked up to the state line from the GA to welcome him. Eric set the 2d fastest known time for the AL Pinhoti with 175mi in 4 d 5hr 40min. Then he graciously picked up his gear and will now be helping to crew the rest of the adventure.
Start Location: Midpoint of Simms Mtn Trail
Start Mile Marker: 205.5
Start Time: 0549 CDT
Major Waypoints:
High Point (GA) TH (215.5mi), 0811 CDT
Mac White Gap (215.5mi), 1020 CDT
Hammonds Gap (232.9mi), 1241 CDT
E. Armuchee Creek TH (241.6mi), 1610 CDT
Johns Mtn Overlook (248.9mi), 1810 CDT
Pilcher's Pond TH (251.1mi), 1853 CDT
End Location: Snake Creek Gap
End Mile Marker: 257.3
End Time: 2017 CDT
** [Keeping all times central just for use of calculation and record keeping]
Elapsed Time: 110hr, 17min
On Day 6, Rob will push up over the final portions of the eastern Chattahoochee Nat'l Forest, then tackle a 25-mi road section across the valley between Dalton and Cohutta Mtns of the western portion of the Chattahooche NF (47mi). We intend on re-entering the forest on Day 7 with mere 50k to go (such distances might seem a tad trivial after a half-dozen consecutive 50+ mile days!
Check back rest of the week: same Bat Time, same Bat Channel!
Josh Kennedy
Crew Chief
bamapinhotiteam@gmail.com