HR0697 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0697 LRB096 15062 KXB 30060 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are pleased to congratulate Jake Campbell of Elmhurst on hiking the Appalachian Trail; and

WHEREAS, Jake started his hike on May 10, 2009 and ended on September 18, 2009; the Appalachian Trail is an unbroken and marked trail that goes from Georgia to Maine and is 2178.3 miles long; about 2000 people attempt to hike it every year and a little less than 500 usually complete the trail; and

WHEREAS, He saw 24 bears and was bluff-charged by one; he was hit by 2 storms produced by hurricane systems hitting the northeast and a storm in New Jersey that produced 2 tornadoes within 10 miles of his hike; and

WHEREAS, He averaged 17.5 miles a day; and he set the record for the thru-hiker class of '09 on the Half Gallon Challenge (a half-way mark tradition of eating a half gallon of ice cream) at fifteen minutes and 58 seconds; and

WHEREAS, He saw 44 snakes and caught 9; he also spotted moose, skunk, hawks, vultures, eagles (including bald), turtles, and various other small creatures; and

WHEREAS, He carried 4 pounds of camera equipment the whole way and by the end had ditched his tent and was sleeping on the ground or on top of a self-made bed of tree branches throughout New Hampshire and Maine; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Jake Campbell on his trek and wish him continued success in future adventures; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Jake Campbell as a symbol of our respect and esteem.