A local woman is planning to join an exclusive club of people throughout history who have made an epic trek from Georgia to Maine along the mountains of the Eastern United States.
The Appalachian Trail is one of the most difficult grand hikes around the world and thousands of people take to the wilderness annually to attempt (and sometimes succeed) from Springer Mountain in Georgia to Mount Katahdin in Maine.
Among the hikers on this year’s 2,190 mile journey will be Ann Brown Barber (an RHS Class of 1991 grad,) is at the age of 50 is leaving her home in Antioch for her trek north. It’s a hike she’s taking to honor her father who lost a battle in 2021 to cancer.
She said the memory of her father John Wayne Brown – a retired Polk County Water Authority employee – is an inspiration for her to complete the hike this year.
“Before he passed he knew I had been planning this, and loved the idea of me doing this,” she said. “This is for my dad. He was my everything!”
Barber is planning to complete a thru-hike of the trail, starting from Springer Mountain and completing the route in one go on a 2,000+ mile trek north to Mount Katahdin where the mountain trail ends (or begins, depending on which direction you’re going.)
In getting ready for the journey, Barber has been hiking with her husband Steven (pictured above) on the Pinhoti Trail around the area.
Me and my husband love that the Pinhoti Trail (that) comes through Cave Spring,” Barber said. “I have done shakedown hikes on it to test my equipment.”
Testing her equipment and ensuring she can handle the load is just one of many steps she’s taken toward preparing for her Saturday, March 9 departure. But one final one she wants to take before she goes is thanking everyone for their well wishes and support.
She also hopes to show the rest of the crowd on the trail what Polk County is all about: community and friendship wherever one might end up.
“I really want to represent our little town,” Barber said. “I know I’m going on this trip with support from everyone, which will help especially when I’m having harder days on the trail.”
