Andy Niekamp

Program Title:
5,500 Miles On A 2,200 Mile Trail- Lessons Learned From  An Appalachian Trail Long Distance Hiker.

Description:
A Program about the Appalachian Trail which includes history, photos, lessons learned and helpful information about AT long distance hiking from someone who has hiked 5,500 miles on the Appalachian Trail.

Biography:
Since 1994 Andy “Captain Blue” Niekamp has hiked 5,500 miles on the Appalachian Trail (AT), a continuous footpath that runs through fourteen states from Spring Mountain in Georgia to Mount Katahdin in Maine. He has been awarded two “2,000 miler” certificates by the Appalachian Trail Conservancy which is conferred on hikers who have completed the Conservancy. Andy first became interested in backpacking in Boy Scouts, took his first solo hike on the AT in 1989, and since then has hiked the trail in sections end-to-end two and a half times.
His average hike on the trail is 10-15 miles per day, but he has walked up to 26 miles in one day. In the last few years he has averaged 500-600 miles per section and his longest hike was 840 miles in 1998. He finds each successive end-to-end hike gets easier and more enjoyable and his favorite areas of the trail are the southern Appalachians, New Hampshire, and Maine. Most of Andy’s AT hiking is solo, but occasionally he has friends join him for short sections and he has met many interesting people along the way.
Almost all of his hiking has been in the summer months, when the long periods of sunlight make it easier to hike more miles. Bears, moose, deer, bobcats and rattlesnakes are some of the wildlife he has encountered on his AT adventures and he really enjoys seeing azaleas, rhododendron and mountain laurel in bloom. A bird called the Veery whose song sounds like a bird whistling down a tube is his favorite AT animal. Cold Weather, rain, hail, lightning, wind, heat  and drought condititons are no stranger to Andy.
At night he sleeps in shelters along the AT if they are not crowded or in a one-person tent he carries. About once a week he hitchhikes into town to re-supply on his food take a shower and wash his clothes.
Andy says “the physical and mental demands of long distance hiking are a great way to recharge one’s internal batteries and get a fresh look on life.” Long distance hiking is the closest thing Andy has found to a “Fountain of Youth.” Andy is greatful to his employer, Electronic Data Systems, where he is a systems analyst, for letting him take extended time off work for hiking.
Andy Stays in shape when not hiking long distance by taking many walks and hikes in and around Dayton. He also enjoys camping and caving. Currently he serves as chairman of the Rockcastle Karst conservancy which owns the Great Saltpetre Cave and is a member and past officer of the caving organization, Dayton Underground Grotto.