The black flies were not that bad in 2014. I did not wear a head net but used Lemon Eucalyptus as a natural repellent. Best of luck and enjoy the solitude)
I wish you all the BEST also. Namaste.Originally Posted by firesign
You sound like a self-actualizing individual. When we seek specific qualities, like solitude and peace, perception and perspective play significant roles in experiencing these qualities. You considered perception and perspective when choosing to hike SOBO. You perceived with a SOBO itinerary it would lead to solitude and peace. It sounds like it served you well.
Equally as substantial, by considering YOUR ROLE YOUR APPROACH YOUR MINDSET YOUR CONSCIOUSNESS in having other perceptions YOU have the ability to change those perceptions too. It's up to you IF you want those perceptions though. Consider, might it be a GREAT TOOL to have knowing we can always change limiting perspectives to more empowering ones concerning anything?
Did the grinch steal your Christmas?Firesign, did you know before your AT thru-hike the AT is NOT a continuous Appalachian Mountain Range high elevation above treeline or open ridge line hike?
You said, "you sent sunglasses home" and "I never thought that I would be in the trees as much as I was." Before stepping onto the AT did you know you were doing a LD hike/trail that it is often defined as the "long green tunnel?" If so, what did you think that phrase meant? In my honest respectful opinion if vegetation doesn't appeal to your sense of how a LD hike should be characterized than you should have considered LD hiking somewhere else other than hiking the length of the entire AT.
Since you found the "southern part quite repetitive" and "quite bland" possibly having adopted that perception ON TRAIL AS YOU HIKED COULD YOU have mitigated that perception BY YOU CHANGING rather than expecting the trail to change or be the same as you so desired incorporating more off trail activities and overall experiences into your thru-hike? For example, the southeast is rich in U.S. history and significant historical sites, has great opps for a short city visits like Washington DC from Harpers Ferry, renting a canoe or kayak on several waterways, taking in a music festival/venue, taking up photography or writing to a greater extent, actively learning about the natural history of the trail and various regional cultures, embracing a greater depth of awareness of the wide biodiversity and geology that COULD be appreciated on a AT thru-hike, etc. What I'm getting at is a LD hike is MUCH MORE than just hiking and "the trail." What we experience is a reflection of OURSELVES!
Well, it did rain. You know that though if you were in Atl.
God Bless you, thank you for your kind words.
Just remember this is in the SF forum folks.
Caveat-I did not hike the southern sections SOBO but have hiked sections during SOBO season, so I will address the beauty part.
In the fall, SOBOs experience fall foliage. This can be quite pretty but IMO New England has the south beat. Along those lines, SOBO's are likely to hike some portion after the leaves have dropped. This negates the green tunnel effect and allows for much greater opportunity to see the backbone of the mountains as well as increasing valley views.
There is natural beauty throughout all of the states along the AT. It's like food. While you might not care for a particular food item, a specific food well prepared and of outstanding quality is still a delicacy. There are a variety of natural features, forest types, and plants different from the northern sections. If you move beyond just looking at the mountains, you will find beauty throughout the trail.
"Sleepy alligator in the noonday sun
Sleepin by the river just like he usually done
Call for his whisky
He can call for his tea
Call all he wanta but he can't call me..."
Robert Hunter & Ron McKernan
Whiteblaze.net User Agreement.
Curious to read that, as the southern part of the trail has the most remote stretches of all without any road crossings whatsoever ... in the GSMNP.
Scenic-wise, that would be like saying which of your children you love the most. They aren't the same, but they both are sure scenic.
[I]ye shall not pollute the land wherein ye are: ... Defile not therefore the land which ye shall inhabit....[/I]. Numbers 35
[url]www.MeetUp.com/NashvilleBackpacker[/url]
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I can't help but wonder if the reason you hear the northern end of the trail is more scenic & remote due to the time of year, fewer number of hikers and where those hikers are mentally in their hike as well as memories fading over time. I certainly was very glad to get back into the mountains of Virginia and happier even to be among fewer people the further into Virginia I hiked. Certainly pockets of the AT stand out in beauty but I don't feel that the either the north or south has an edge. Wanting to finish? No. Wanting to be with friends & family again? Yes. I heard a lot of my fellow Yankees say they felt people in the south are nicer than those in the north. I think the truth of the matter is people are just as nice in the north. The difference is cultural and "southern hospitality" is largely responsible for that impression. As a Yankee that was a cultural difference I really enjoyed. I feel that we're more "guarded" here in the north.
Nicely said.
Its kinda like Jerry Garcia said "Our band is like licorice. Not everybody likes licorice, but those that do REALLY like licorice".
I agree that you can and should find beauty through all parts of the AT instead of expecting the AT to meet YOUR expectations and wishes.
What about the 100 mile wilderness? Im not counting the logging road that runs through the wilderness.
Thee Smokies is the most visited national park in the country. I hardly consider that the most remote section of the trail. Clingmans Dome and Newfound Gap....??? So many day hikers and tourists....
Thanks for your input. Some interesting and valid points here.
In my travels, I concur with what has been a stereotype for decades: Northerners, on the average, are not as friendly, polite, cordial, as southern people. Even my 16 yr old son noticed this on a school trip . He was startled by the bruskness of people in hotel, museum, and food service industry by comparison to home.
Northerners are always in a hurry, Southerners take their time and don't care if they ever get anywhere.
Funny story of when work sent me to ashville to look at some new equipment they were thinking of purchasing. Standing in the airport on the way back and my co-worker was bouncing around, all jittery and everyone else was so sedate and relaxed. The contrast was amazing.
What one takes away from a hike is based more on the individual than the trail. If one feels bored it is because the hiker failed to appreciate something that could be appreciated. The individual let themselves be bored. It is NOT the trail! It is NOT sections of a trail! If a hiker wants a remote hike it is up to the hiker to pick a trail or trail section or a route that it is more remote. It is NOT the trail's fault. It is the hiker's fault! If a hiker allows for a trail experience that is not in line with their desires it is the hiker's fault! If a hiker wants a more remote/less crowded experience in GSMNP they might not pick the most hiked trail in GSMNP to hike - the AT OR to hike it when it is less used(week day, night, late fall, winter, EARLY spring, etc)? There are oodles of routes through GSMNP that include only some or even NONE of the AT that reconnect with the AT at both the northern and southern places where the AT enter GSMNP. If one does not want to experience throngs of tourists at Newfound Gap or Clingmans Dome then it is up to the hiker to NOT visit those places at time of peak usage. For example, visiting Newfound Gap and Clingmans Dome can be arranged for sunrise or sunset visits, a winter visit(breathtaking!), or hiking through at night stopping there during a clear summer sky. I have visited both these places under all these scenarios based on what I wanted to experience. It was up TO ME TO CHANGE MY PERSPECTIVE NOT THE TRAIL TO CHANGE TO MY DESIRES.
Ahh, OUILA! Amen.
I used to think that until I, a "Yankee", moved to Georgia and lived there for several years. I'm not saying that southerners turned out to be horrible people. What I am saying is that the whole southern hospitality schtick was very superficial and easy to see through after a few months.
I used to think that until I, a "Yankee", moved to Georgia and lived there for several years. I'm not saying that southerners turned out to be horrible people. What I am saying is that the whole southern hospitality schtick was very superficial and easy to see through after a few months.
[QUOTE=capehiker;2029019]I used to think that until I, a "Yankee", moved to Georgia and lived there for several years. I'm not saying that southerners turned out to be horrible people. What I am saying is that the whole southern hospitality schtick was very superficial and easy to see through after a few months.[/QUOTE
When you sit down at the lowest waffle house down south, or walk into a hotel or store, a lowly paid employee greets you with a smile. asks how you are doing today, introduces themselves, and asks what they can do for you. Its just how things are done. Its not like they care.
So, I'm originally from New England and I love my home country but after my thru hike in'76, I made up my mind to move down to the Southern Appalachians. I've never left and I have no regrets. This region has one of the greatest concentrations of biodiversity in North America (maybe the greatest depending on where you draw your boundaries) and a geological history that is both complex and directly connected to the biodiversity of the region. Because it doesn't have a timberline, the SA's don't usually get the oohs and aahs that the Whites and Maine get (though the high elevation balds run a close second), but if you're willing to slow down and look a little closer, what you'll discover is absolutely magical - more than 2000 species of flowering plants, 2000+ species of fungi, 200+ species of breeding birds, 30 species of salamanders - I could go on an on but the point is, is that these mountains harbor infinite discoveries around every corner. The combination of high, year-round rainfall, mild temperatures and the absence of a glacial period, make these mountains a living wonder for anyone willing to look more closely. But that, of course, is the rub isn't it? Most thru hikers look at the trail at the landscape level (partly because they just don't have time to examine every wildflower or lichen they encounter and partly because they don't know how to do anything else) not at the micro level. This might be where so many of the complaints about hiking in the "green tunnel" come from and our obsession with vistas and landmarks (mind you, I love a big view as much as the next guy). So that's it - these mountains have a vertical relief of better than 5000 feet, are soaked in rain and fog, ancienter than the dinosaurs, covered over every inch in green plants and fungi and harbor people who are slow talking, reserved, and kind - and I wouldn't trade for anything.
Quod gratis asseritur, gratis negatur.
To follow an old Aesop Fable, "people tend to be what you expect them to be" where ever you may go.
I hate to break it to you but the 100 mile wilderness is a bit of an illusion. The logging road you are probably thinking of is Jo-Mary road which is very active with all sorts of people. In fact two summers ago there was logging less than a mile from where the AT crosses Jo-Mary. Have a look at the HMW in Google Earth and you'll see the AT is just a narrow corridor with human activity on either side.
I suspect that harsher winters in the North can explain the cultural difference. Looming winter conditions instill a sense of urgency.
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