Find out by following our adventure as we attempt a 2010 thru-hike:
http://appalachiantrail2010.blogspot.com/
Check out the blog and then the link labeled "official site"
Find out by following our adventure as we attempt a 2010 thru-hike:
http://appalachiantrail2010.blogspot.com/
Check out the blog and then the link labeled "official site"
youll all make it. i know these things. good blog. yup. your makein it. as sure as i never will. youll all summit.
Thanks for the boost of confidence!!! We need more believers like you!
the itinerary listed will go out the window in the first week
The itinerary is not rigid but more of a guideline. It just helps to give me a better idea of my daily mileage possibilities. It's good to have a template when you are trying to meet a deadline.
That's ok with me. Along as it's a job that I enjoy.
That mail drop schedule is totally screwed up. Franklin, but no Fontana?
Good luck! I hope you find the fame you are looking for.
This will be fun to watch as the miles drag on. A thru hike always sounds like a great idea when you're well rested sitting in a warm dry living room with all the comforts and a full belly. Good luck and enjoy your hike!
Wolf's right, he's walked and studied the trail more than 99.99% of people who have set foot the AT.
But he's just messin' with ya too ;)
Starting out knowing everything causes the most disappointment and failure, because the trail has to unravel the knots in you before you can even start.
Starting with a group is a good idea if you lack some of the basic skills -you can all learn together with some psychological support.
But, the group is not your hike.
You have to put on your own frozen shoes of the mornings.
Strength of iron, stay flexible.
Always alone, never alone.
So, I'm assuming that you're starting March 1st?
Gotcha, thanks. (I'm terrible at navigating blogs- figured since one entry said "just over a month from now" on Jan. 29, it meant March 1.)
Good luck. Follow the trail where it leads on it's terms and timing. Keep your schedule as a template, but do not let it dictate your progress. Be flexible, have fun and be happy.
Furlough
Since this is supposed to be like Survivor with filming, I think Emily Ginger will be the first to quit and the whole thing is over before Harper's Ferry. But good luck!
Also, don't forget to get the necessary film permits.
The Lafuma bag is pretty much junk. Not warm under anything under 50 degrees (and this comes from my hubby who uses it) JFYI :)
Hope you can keep your weight below 40 lbs.
And true, itineraries are fairly useless. Hope you can find the time to enjoy the trail.
Survivor is just pretty boys and barbie dolls anymore. it used to be good when they had real people on it
Covetree, a complete documentary would include the famous approach trail. You should start at the Amicalola Falls State Park to really tell the whole story and get a good feeling for the trail.
Lawyer sues the Ivy grad, city girl eats them both for lunch.
I also made an itinerary similar to this when I hiked. I realize detailed planning like that doesn't work for everyone, but it worked for me and it will work for you also. I made small adjustments as I went along and still finished on the day I expected to. It made it satisfying for me to see that I was meeting my daily goals. The biggest thing I noticed in your itinerary which is going to be extremely difficult is going from Jeffers Brook to Speck Pond in only 8 days. This is 126 miles of some of the toughest terrain on the entire trail and includes the Whites, the Mahoosucs, and Mahoosuc Notch. It doesn't matter how long you've been out on the trail, this section will get your attention. It took me 10 days just to get through the Whites and that included one 15 mile day which about killed me. I found Baltimore Jacks article about resupply/time/distance in the "AT Re-Supply Info" on the home page extremely valuable when I was planning. If you have a finite amount of time consider doing longer days and miles elsewhere and give yourself plenty of time in this section. A few adjustments and this should work out for you.
To return this to A.T. related, check out the March 26 event on http://www.satc-hike.org/hikes.html
The city chick will wind up hiring the lawyer to represent her when she sues the Ivy Grad for sexual harassment.
I can actually see that happening!
^^ followed by lawyer being disbarred for violating state board of ethics. Representing someone suing your own family is a no-no.
Lawyers have ethical rules?
Just joking, good luck and say hello as you pass me up.
Bunches of them. And quite strictly enforced. The number of medical malpraticein this country would be 1% of what they are today if the AMA did half as good of a job of taking away medical lisences of incompetant doctors as the state bar associations do for incompetant or unethical lawyers.
By your statistics, 0.6 of you will be successful.Quote:
Of those who attempt this great feat, only 1 in 5 is successful.
Actually, I expect you'll all be successful. It will be an adventure.
Practical question: I assume you're starting out with the warm (0 degree Marmot) sleeping bags? If that's the case, then you seem to be reasonably equipped. Toilet paper?
Have fun.
Well I do indeed wish you guys all the best, but I hope you have realistic expectations.
For example, lose the overly romantic expectations; in that first link one of your party talking about "living entirely off the land like Native Americans did."
Well, OK. :rolleyes:
But the reality is this is not what you're gonna be doing for the next few months. You won't have time to hunt, fish, trap, or farm, and in order to survive, you're gonna have to hitch on a highway into a town every three to five days to find a market so you don't starve. You're gonna be entirtely dependent on town/city folk whi have and use automobiles, even if you don't.
So have a great time. But this "Dances With Wolves", being one with nature thing, I'm not so sure about. There are people every year who swear they'll be "living off the land" etc. during their thru hikes.
Usually, the acorn/toadstool/chipmunk diet gets real tired after the third day but maybe you'll find another way.
Keep your expectations low and your caloric intake high. Barring boredom, injury, and influences from home you might make it.
If you don't, it's not the end of the world. You can section hike the trail and still be able to say you hiked it, if that's your goal.
If, on the other hand, you expect the trail to turn you into a "better you", you'll be disappointed. Without others to correct and direct you (as well as comfort and encourage you - I'm not that cruel :p), you won't change unless it's for the worse.
Reality of what "trail life" is hasn't ever really hit me - I haven't been out on a trail trip for more than two weeks - just when the minor injuries can become problematic.
Looks good to me.
It will be a grand adventure, that's for sure.
As others have said, you probably can't live off the land and still hike daily, but you can live at one with the land. A lot of hikes focus on the next town, on beer and pizza, and lose track of why they are out there. It's good you are approaching it differently.
People here are funny. They will tell you how hard it is to do what you want to do, and why what you want probably won't work, but if they met you on the trail, and you were cold and wet and miserable and talking about quitting, they would be the first to extend a hand and tell you it gets better and to hang in there.