New Yorker Starts at Springer

"5 million steps and counting down" is the title of the profile written by Matt Sartwell in the White Plains (NY) Journal News from the lower Hudson River Valley (or northern reaches of the New York City suburbs, depending on your point of view) in its 2 April 2007 issue.

The profile is of local resident Dave Maggiotto who has just set off on a thru-hike attempt. The article has quotes from him, from his mother, and from "Rush Williamson, a volunteer with the Appalachian Trail Conservatory [sic!] who lives in the Washington, D.C., suburbs." [Williamson broke a leg while hiking last year, but is getting back on the Trail next year in another attempt; but the article didn't make clear why he is the chosen commentator.]

Anyway, Maggiotto has had hiking experience but only decided to take on the AT back in January. (January!) Though he lives in the area he didn't know where Harriman State Park even was back when he tlaked with the reporter on 26 March.

Interestingly, for one of these 'local resident goes on a hike' articles, there is an itemized list of the gear he's taking in his 40 pound (without food) pack. You don't often see those lists.

Oh, yes, the web site for his hiking journal: http://onthetrail.lohudblogs.com/