COLUMBUS, Ind. – A local retired teacher and current Bartholomew Consolidated School Board member is getting closer to adding a new achievement to his illustrious career: Appalachian Trail finisher.
The Appalachian Trail (AT), one of the most sought-after trails in the world for hiking enthusiasts, is a 2,200-mile trail through the Appalachian Mountain range from Springer Mountain in Georgia to Mount Katahdin in Maine. More than three million people hike segments of the trail each year.
Dale started section-hiking the trail in 2013 and has been attacking the terrain every year since except 2020. This year may have been the hardest yet for Nowlin. “This section includes what they call the 10 hardest miles of the Appalachian Trail,” Dale mentioned. The hardest part of the 10 miles is the Mahoosuc Notch, a one-mile stretch where two cliffs caved in on each other, and the gorge is now filled with massive boulders that must be climbed over or under to continue the trail. “That one-mile stretch took us over 3 hours.”
This year, Dale was accompanied by two former students from Columbus, Brian Pierson and Richard Liu. “It was great doing (the trail) with them because we were able to help each other,” said Dale.
Dale’s trek this year was an astounding 135 miles, where he finished hiking the trail in Maine, and began his hike into Maine, the final state on the AT.
Dale credits his wife Isabel for helping him continue his hike into Maine. The trail was getting too tough, and with his two hiking partners heading back to work, he decided to return to New York to re-hike the trail from Connecticut to the Hudson River.
“What are you doing?” asked Isabel during a phone call while Dale was hiking through New York, “You can’t finish the trail in New York.” She came to New York to pick him up and take him back to Maine, where he hiked road-to-road with a lighter pack, with only a few overnight stays on the trail.
This year, Nowlin raised funds for two causes within the Bartholomew Consolidated School Foundation.
The first cause is helping East, North, and CSA-New Tech high school students taking dual-credit courses. These dual-credit courses not only count towards your high school diploma but also to accredited colleges and universities. While some schools offer these courses for free, some come with a small tuition. Dale is raising money to help students who can’t afford to cover the cost of class tuition still be able to take the class and earn the credits.
The other cause is ‘Success in Sight’, a program that helps students who need eyeglasses. The funds will provide visits to optometrists and the purchasing of basic eyeglasses for those needing them. “I know from when I first got glasses that it makes a huge difference to see what’s up on the board or the screen at the front of the room,” mentioned Nowlin.
As of July 12, Dale has raised roughly $4,800 of his $5,000 goal and hopes to surpass that soon. You can still donate by clicking here and typing “Dale on the Trail” as more info under the amount. You can also mail a check to “BCSF, 1200 Central Ave., Columbus, IN 47201” and add ‘Dale on the Trail’ on the memo line.
While Dale hasn’t decided exactly when he will be back on the AT, he plans on finishing within the next year, either next month or in 2025.
