[almog]

I see now. I wonder if what Florida police took as 10 miles a day was in Florida or on the A.T. It probably makes for a big difference as the Florida Trail is much flatter and the terrain should be easier though I'm not sure the middle of the summer is the best time to hike it, and the heat + humidity could have slowed him down in different ways.

As to the A.T. — I think it's not just the grade that is to account for the low mileage but also that the season is not as narrow as on the PCT/CDT.