Great Eastern Trail to the West of the Appalachian Trail

Rome, Georgia's 'Rome News-Tribune' of 1 May 2007 has a story that runs somewhat to the west of the Appalachian Trail. It is by Andrea Freygang and is titled "Hiker blazes a new trail: Woman plans to walk all the way from Florida to New York."

The story is about Sue "Hammock Hanger" Turner who has been hiking northward on the Great Eastern Trail since 2 April on the 1,800 mile trail.

"'I'm a long-distance hiker, and I volunteered to be the first person to ever walk this,' said Turner, who has walked nearly 3,000 miles on other trails. 'I enjoy being out there — I find it peaceful'."

The story says, further, that

"the inspiration for the Great Eastern Trail started with the late Earl Shaffer, the first person to walk the Appalachian Trail. Shaffer said hikers needed a trail further to the west."

The trail, sponsored by the American Hiking Society, still has numerous roadwalks, as did the early A.T. And she's got an online trail journal.