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  1. #21
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    How far apart are things?

    hmm ...well

    Along an arbitrary spacelike path P, the proper distance is given in tensor syntax by the line integral
    ,
    where




    or that's what Einstein said. Hope that helps.

  2. #22
    Registered User ChuckT's Avatar
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    The answer to the ultimate question is 4-t-2.
    Miles to go before I sleep. R. Frost

  3. #23

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    I saw an electric receptacle in a shelter somewhere in North Georgia, I don't remember which now.

    BUT, there were not wires connected.

  4. #24
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    Re: guidebooks. Either of them works well. I have used both and like them for different reasons.

    Re: how far apart... The guidebook will list specific mileage to lots of things on the trail: road crossings, water sources, shelters, campsites, etc. It will also tell you what is near each road crossing (restaurants, grocery stores, hostels).

    Re: budget places to stay. There are hiker hostels along the trail that don't cost much, usually less than $20 per night for a bed and a shower. I'd want to do that once a week or so just for the shower and some laundry oh yeah, and the recharging.

    Re: charging your phone. I have done this while eating lunch at a fast food joint. I have seen hikers charging outside grocery stores while they repack their purchased food.
    Ken B
    'Big Cranky'
    Our Long Trail journal

  5. #25
    Registered User Venchka's Avatar
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    Pay attention to the list of links on the home page. Everything you need to know about the AT is listed in those links.
    Re-supply schedule.

    http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/content.php/221

    Towns you walk through on your proposed list:
    Hot Springs, NC. Fabulous re-supply, sleep well, get clean & recharged (you & gear), good grub, US Post office, library, Bluff Mounatin Outfitters for gear and food.
    Damascus, VA. Same as Hot Springs I'm sure.
    Towns/villages near the trail:
    Elk Park, NC. Turn right on US 19E after descending from Roan Mountain. Elk Park is 1-2 miles along the highway. A small village with convenience stores, cafes, a bakery. Probably charging.
    Erwin, TN. I know Erwin is close & many folks go there for a hostel, re-supply, etc. I don't know how close as I've never been there. I'm sure others will fill in the blanks.
    Beyond Damascus, VA is a blank spot in my experience. Do some homework.
    Have fun.

    Wayne
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  6. #26

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    Quote Originally Posted by Mikenet7482 View Post
    Here's another big one....

    How far apart is the power? I'm assuming it's only in towns, I'm not expecting outlets on the trail of course :P

    But how does that work? If your in a town where would you go to charge a device like a smart phone? Im worried many towns wont have locations where you can say, I'm hiking and need to charge my smart phone. Might sound silly to some, but would it be like walking into a convieniant store and saying "hey I want to charge my phone, is that okay?"
    First, leave the phone off, if possible remove battery, and it lasts a looonnng time.

    There are many places to charge, always ask. Dont assume a store will mind if you STEAL their electricty while you sit on the sudewalk in front or such. Some DO, they usually arent hiker friendly if so.

    Laundromats are a good place to sit and charge. People assume you are washing even if you arent . but while there , might as well.

  7. #27
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    Quote Originally Posted by Wyoming View Post
    How far apart are things?

    hmm ...well

    Along an arbitrary spacelike path P, the proper distance is given in tensor syntax by the line integral
    ,
    where




    or that's what Einstein said. Hope that helps.
    Haha Wyoming, guess I had that one coming :P


    Venchka
    Pay attention to the list of links on the home page. Everything you need to know about the AT is listed in those links.
    Re-supply schedule.

    http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/content.php/221

    Towns you walk through on your proposed list:
    Hot Springs, NC. Fabulous re-supply, sleep well, get clean & recharged (you & gear), good grub, US Post office, library, Bluff Mounatin Outfitters for gear and food.
    Damascus, VA. Same as Hot Springs I'm sure.
    Towns/villages near the trail:
    Elk Park, NC. Turn right on US 19E after descending from Roan Mountain. Elk Park is 1-2 miles along the highway. A small village with convenience stores, cafes, a bakery. Probably charging.
    Erwin, TN. I know Erwin is close & many folks go there for a hostel, re-supply, etc. I don't know how close as I've never been there. I'm sure others will fill in the blanks.
    Beyond Damascus, VA is a blank spot in my experience. Do some homework.
    Have fun.

    Wayne
    Thanks man, I also found this to modify my heavy list that was in my first forum....

    http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/show...311#post132311


    I have all the parts copied to a text document for easy access. This is some light backbacking, I'll probably deviate from it a little and end up a bit heavier than that, but I'll make sure I bring a reasonable amount of weight. Some of the lightweight stuff is ridicuously expensive though, I saw an ultralight sleeping bag for 800 dollars, that's insane. That'll be one of my next forums, some reconmindations on sleeping equipment.

    Next thing I get will be one of the guides recomended here though, maybe two different ones so I can see which one I like better.

    __________________________________________________ ____________________

    A few days ago I bought 3 different AA battery adapters that charge devices like Iphones from regular batteries. These were fairly cheap so Im testing them out right now to see which one is best, because I'm only bringing one of them. One is made by Duracell, one by Rayovac, and the other is by Verbatim, I've never heard of Verbatim but that one was the cheapest and lightest one, so light I can balence it on a finger. I'm testing all these out on an older Iphone I have just in case they do damage. The plan would be this..... If I decide not to stop in a town overnight, I'll just get new AA's each time and charge on the go. I'll probably still bring a battery backup with a high MAH rating, but it would require me to stop to charge it for hours or longer, so it sounds like an overnight stay if I want a full charge on a battery backup with a high MAH rating.

    I'm ditching the idea of the expensive solar charger I was looking at originally, Im thinking it wont be as efficient given the canopy of trees, plus thats the heavier weight option.

    I'm going to post my results on how efficient each one of these AA to Lithium chargers are soon, perhaps here...

    http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/show...ce-Suggestions

  8. #28
    Registered User Venchka's Avatar
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    Sleeping bag:
    Start a bag fund.
    Buy quality ONCE! You will save money in the long run. Sleeping bag or quilt, the best products available will cost more initially, but will last decades if treated carefully and washed when needed. My granddaughter is currently using the first down I bought in 1974.
    Quality bags/quilts:
    Western Mountaineering. I own two and may get a third. Dealers: Bluff Mountain Outfitters in Hot Springs, Mountain Crossings on the AT in Georgia, Great Outdoor Provision Co. with stores across NC, others in TN & VA. A WM dealer can order the bag you want with extra perks at time of purchase like overstuffing the bag or extra footbox stuffing.
    Feathered Friends in Seattle: Quality on par with WM. Numerous bag sizes and fill weights. Only available through Feathered Friends.
    Enlightened Equipment: Quilts.
    Just Bill here at WhiteBlaze: Soon to be offering synthetic quilts.

    I'm confused. What is your latest scheme to recharge your phone? The lightest, cheapest, most effective solution to phone recharging: Turn it off. Don't use it. Recharge in town if/when needed. Done.

    Wayne
    Eddie Valiant: "That lame-brain freeway idea could only be cooked up by a toon."
    https://wayne-ayearwithbigfootandbubba.blogspot.com
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  9. #29
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    Quote Originally Posted by Venchka View Post
    Sleeping bag:
    Start a bag fund.
    Buy quality ONCE! You will save money in the long run. Sleeping bag or quilt, the best products available will cost more initially, but will last decades if treated carefully and washed when needed. My granddaughter is currently using the first down I bought in 1974.
    Quality bags/quilts:
    Western Mountaineering. I own two and may get a third. Dealers: Bluff Mountain Outfitters in Hot Springs, Mountain Crossings on the AT in Georgia, Great Outdoor Provision Co. with stores across NC, others in TN & VA. A WM dealer can order the bag you want with extra perks at time of purchase like overstuffing the bag or extra footbox stuffing.
    Feathered Friends in Seattle: Quality on par with WM. Numerous bag sizes and fill weights. Only available through Feathered Friends.
    Enlightened Equipment: Quilts.
    Just Bill here at WhiteBlaze: Soon to be offering synthetic quilts.

    I'm confused. What is your latest scheme to recharge your phone? The lightest, cheapest, most effective solution to phone recharging: Turn it off. Don't use it. Recharge in town if/when needed. Done.

    Wayne
    I hear you on both parts I really do. I'll have roughly a 300 dollar limit on the sleeping bag unfortunately. I would go higher for sure to get a more expensive one, but it wont be possible for me. Wish I could, id love the better one but the money just isn't there. I'll be able to spend roughly 1500 on everything else between now and next June if I want to leave on my trip with some money as a cushion, (it's been done from what I'm reading) so I have no choice other than to be frugal. Right now I only have my tent, medkit stuff, and some options of recharging. I have some money coming in and hope to get some temp work in the next few months, but money will be tight regardless due to bills mostly. Im determined to make this work but I'll have to be frugal in my shopping.

    I'll follow what your suggesting by keeping the smart phone off most of the time but I'll be using it more than most, didn't want to mention it before but I'll be doing more with it than id imagine most would. Someone will be watching my place and checking it on a daily bases which opens up the oppertunity to document my progress on facebook where I have signal. That's not the primary thing though, this will be my method of taking pictures, I love doing it and this will be my oppertunity to let the photographer come out in me without the extra weight of a camera, which would be just another thing I would have to bring. It'll also be my phone, I wont be calling on it much but my family is persistant in wanting me to call them occasionally. I'll keep the calls short, just a verification that I'm doing well. Other apps at times may be usefull too, these activities go against the grain id imagine but I'm thinking I'll be using the Iphone a good bit so I'm going to try to get away with using it as the power lets me, always leaving enough charge for a phone call. One trick I'm going to use is lowering the brightness of the screen.

    I'll probably get some heat for that here, I'm not going to let it disconnect me from nature unless it's oriented around the hike. I think a lot of people like to make these trips while doing something new or unconventional. Some try to walk 30 miles a day as a test of endurance to see how fast they can complete a section of the trail, a blind man walked the trail making that a first, so it seems to me many people try to do new or difficult things. This wont be a new thing I'm doing but my trip will be documented using pencil and paper where there isn't signal then updated on facebook so I can keep somewhat of a real time documentation of my journy. I want to express what the people are like, and what the experience is in general, sights, sounds, and the effect it has on me. I'll go periods where I dont do that for days so I can get into my own space for a while, but I'm thinking the updates will be an interesting way to bring my family with me on the trip, but the picture taking in itself will drain energy.

    All this leads me to another question I didn't ask before...........

    __________________________________________________ _______________

    In honesty, how reguarly have people here come across areas where you have a signal for your phone? Every 10 miles, 20 miles, 30 miles, or only in towns? I just need averages, I figure it will vary depending on the section of the trail. My gut tells me I wont have signal most of the time, but I'm not sure how frequently I should expect it.

  10. #30
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mikenet7482 View Post
    In honesty, how reguarly have people here come across areas where you have a signal for your phone? Every 10 miles, 20 miles, 30 miles, or only in towns? I just need averages, I figure it will vary depending on the section of the trail. My gut tells me I wont have signal most of the time, but I'm not sure how frequently I should expect it.
    For the parts of the trail we've done, you can expect to have a signal on average a minimum of 3 or 4 times per day. Some days you won't have a signal at all. Some days you'll have a signal all day long. As you get near civilization, a town, a major highway, or when you get up on a high peak, you have a better chance of getting a signal. Of course if that high peak is far from civilization, you still may have no signal. This is true in the Smokies, and I'm told it's true in Maine.

    On the other hand, if you have AT&T like we do, you can be in downtown Hot Springs or Erwin and get no signal at all.

  11. #31
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    Amen to AT&T's lack of signal more than 100 yards away from the Interstate.
    Text messages let family & friends know that you are ok and use very little battery power. 1 message sent every 24 hours should be fine. Tell everyone before you leave that you aren't monitoring replies to your "I am at Mile 1234. I'm ok." messages.
    Catch up on Facebook when you have the phone plugged in and have Wi-Fi.
    Sleeping bag:
    There are many good $300 max bags. I had my eye on a North Face bag (it was #3 on my short list) for about a year. Retail was $400. I found it one morning online for $300. Bam! Bought it. When it arrived I checked it out thoroughly. It was a decent bag. I'm sure that it would have been a perfectly good bag for 99% of the population. However, it wasn't a Western Mountaineering bag. Laid side by side, the North Face bag just didn't have the features of my WM bag. I returned it. As luck would have it, about a month later I found a WM Alpinlite in Charlotte, NC for a price I could live with. I couldn't be happier.
    Also, there are some decent "first bags" out there that won't cost you $300. The Kelty Cosmic Down 20 is one of those. Save the change to start your GOOD bag fund.

    Wayne
    Eddie Valiant: "That lame-brain freeway idea could only be cooked up by a toon."
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  12. #32
    Registered User Venchka's Avatar
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    ps: Remember paper and pencil? Keeping a log of your trip by hand?

    Wayne
    Eddie Valiant: "That lame-brain freeway idea could only be cooked up by a toon."
    https://wayne-ayearwithbigfootandbubba.blogspot.com
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  13. #33
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    Thanks for the tips so far everyone, they've been helpful. If I think of some more questions on this I'll post them, and check this forum periodically for new post.

  14. #34
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    I am thinking about doing the 2016 NOBO and am planning to get the guide book. I am planning on not getting it until the 2016 book comes out. Question is do you guys know when they release the updated book? I'm not going to buy this current one when it'll be outdated for next year.

  15. #35
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    I don't know when the next edition comes out, just guessing, I'd say after the first of the year. But I wouldn't hesitate to use last year's guide. It's not like they're moving mountains and rivers around. Sure there might be some minor revisions to the trail here and there. The guide we use is a 2013 edition, and our maps are 10 or more years old.

  16. #36
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    Yea, it probably won't matter. But, I am going to want the updates version anyway. It is just a weird thing, that I need to need to have the same year guide book with the year I'm doing the AT.

  17. #37

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    The best water sources are located at or near the shelters they will be streams that you cross but i wouldn't get water their unless i had too.
    Most shelters are 7-10 miles apart but they are some thats father, for the most part they will be nice camping sites between the shelters.
    You will meet people every day in spring and summer especially Thru-Hikers.
    Towns are generally 3-5 days apart in the section you are hiking but in the Mid-Atlantic you can have a town every day.
    but it all depends on your MPD if your a slow hiker, it will take longer to get to a certain spot.

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