Knotts AT FKT

[Dan Knotts Binde]

If everything works out in the future, and if I'm still wanting to push myself.
I've thought about Aiming for a sub 50 day AT self support FKT.

There are tons of small things I could have done differently to shave a half day here and a half day there...
I was not fully recovered from training before I started. My sleep was not up to par nor were my feet. I was in the High Sierras kicking steps in my Asics shoes. Everyone else was rolling crampons. Tons and Tons of things... Heck I slept 1-2 hours, 2 miles to the summit of Katahdin.

[matthew.d.kirk]

If you have any questions,,,I'm on fb, might check here every once and awhile.

Thanks for checking in. Congratulations on your hike! I'm honestly amazed that you're already pondering another go. Since you are, I have some friendly advice for something to add to your checklist of things to do differently next time around, followed by a question.

First the advice: consider a more timely and thorough documentation strategy. Daily mileage/destinations are (mostly) provided in your short summary, but not in FB posts. By delaying FB posts and/or referencing time only in elapsed format (dd:hh:mm), you can be more up front, transparent and safe.

Another problem with documentation via FB, or other social media sites (like instagram): they automatically wipe metadata (i.e. timestamps, GPS) from photos/vids. Maybe a good thing while on the trail. But afterwards, it's not very useful for verification. Pro tip: Picasa, YouTube and other sites don't do this.

Lastly, the question(s): how much and what did you eat to keep up your BMI so well? I base this question solely off of looking at your photos. I practically starved (admittedly from a flawed fueling strategy); Anish didn't fair that much better. It doesn't appear you lost much weight. I'd love to learn the trick.

On that note, if you have time expound on your approach to gear/resupply/sleeping/etc., it would go a long way in promoting the authenticity of your hike.

[ScareBear]

In other words, you don't physically resemble somebody who just set the unsupported FKT...???

And, please be as transparent as possible regarding your tracking v. your trip reports and photos. It shouldn't be difficult to provide multiple points of verification, especially for your huge mile day(s).

Congrats on an awesome hike.

[Just Bill]

Thanks for updating everyone Rambler. Soooo many emotions thru the extreme last 2 weeks. If you have any questions,,,I'm on fb, might check here every once and awhile.

Dan-
Congrats on a sweet hike. I put my thoughts on the FKT itself in post #47 so no need to rehash them.

Two quickies-
Sounds like you're in the middle of a calendar year triple crown?- super impressive and a higher priority at the moment I'm sure. Rest up and stay focused for that.

This time may indeed fall before the season is done- so to be blunt- no point in running this through the ringer at this time. I personally haven't dug into your hike anymore at this time for that reason.

So...
Sounds like you're busy- keep hiking that's more important than this stuff. Those opportunities are precious and fleeting.

Regardless if your time falls or not- it's worth shoring up your claim and verifying your time. If nothing else it's an amazing accomplishment you should get credit for.
And if you do go again (which verified or not on this one you're qualified to do)- getting this hike dialed in and verified will leave you with a solid reputation in the FKT world overall.
I know many long distance hikers could give two craps about how non-hikers and cyberhiking deskjockeys think about them- so if you're rolling onto the next one and don't care- no biggie. Happy trails.

Joey Camps had about the toughest introduction to FKT's I can imagine. He also posted a better time but didn't pull an FKT. Sucked at the time but he's a bigger badass than ever as a result.
I called him out. And then I helped him on his PCT attempt and maybe on his next one. So did other folks.

I like Joey because he just showed up and figured he'd find out what he could do. He didn't know **** about FKT's. So he did just show up and it turned out he really could do something special.
However it didn't negate the special efforts that came before him, or the guidelines those folks put in place. It took a bit but Joey understood it- guessing you will too.

You said it yerself- we had a cheater- so now folks are skeptical.
I called you out- when and if you're ready- I'll help you out too.
Fair is fair and you didn't put up enough to call it good.
Nothing personal- it's a serious claim and takes serious documentation.


I meant to reach out to you on FB but you popped in here first; so here we are.

https://www.facebook.com/lyingonthetrailjb

That's me. My email is [email protected]

Go hike and get that calendar triple. More importantly keep on flowing down the trail.

Sometimes speed hiking is more about timing than just going fast. The timing is bad right now but when and if you're interested; folks are willing to help clean this hike up.

Walk in peace-

Just Bill

[MuddyWaters]

Awesome hike.
A calendar yr triple C is like....unimagineable to me.

[Dan Knotts Binde]

Thanks for checking in. Congratulations on your hike! I'm honestly amazed that you're already pondering another go. Since you are, I have some friendly advice for something to add to your checklist of things to do differently next time around, followed by a question.

On that note, if you have time expound on your approach to gear/resupply/sleeping/etc., it would go a long way in promoting the authenticity of your hike.

Thank you appreciate it, I really set out to push the record that would possibly hold for a decade +. Definitely,would be more interested if I had some sponsors. Pondering rolling the AT again will always be there. Since I'm thinking one the the 2 cats rolling the AT will beat my record. Haven't met Concrete or the dude that has the supported for the PCT, but they have a very good chance of beating my record especially going later in the season. With working to get back to a family reunion and working in the Calendar Triple it just wasn't in the cards to start middle of August.
I've adapted and learned lots in the FKT world. My style of hiking didn't change much, besides getting very little sleep. I will be rolling the Arizona self support next summer and find it very doable if I don't get injured. That will be for training for Alaska. Haha, Double Magic stated he's not waiting for my ass when we get up north. So that's why the AZT is on my mind.

Would love to run thru any questions you had on how it happened. Shoot me an email anytime, Peter has it
Always got time for you Boss.

[Dan Knotts Binde]

Rolling back that 76 Mile day... Day 19-21

Bearly made it to Rockfish Gap Information Center Waynesboro VA (862mi) 4:30-8 ish pm.
McCormick Gap (865.6mi) slept an hour ish 10-11pm ish
Took another nap at Jarman Gap (870.6mi) Left around 4am
Stopped at Loft Mountain Campstore (890mi)
Stopped n slept at Hightop Hut Shelter (904mi)@ 2pm-4pm ish
Forgot my shirt hanging in the shelter. Pouring rain, blasting my music thru my earbuds, came over a hill thinking/planning where I'd have another shirt sent to, Ran into a Black bear sow and cub. Roughly 5 feet away, she walked a lil bit at me and hopped on her back legs. Yelled and jumped high in the air and kept rolling. Cub was probably only a week old.
Got Spring water at Pocosin Cabin (913.6mi)
Posted a FB Live video on Little Stony Man. (933.5mi)
Took long break with another hiker at Pinnacle Picnic Grounds (936.5mi) Getting Dark
Don't think I took any naps Rolling to Elkwallow Wayside. (950.6mi) Posted up at 3 am.

[matthew.d.kirk]

Would love to run thru any questions you had on how it happened. Shoot me an email anytime, Peter has it
Always got time for you Boss.

Dan, I'm sorry for any confusion, let me clarify: by documentation, I didn't mean a private email exchange. I'm no boss, don't want to be one either My advice was/is to shore up your claim publicly, whether on some forum, or even FB (just remember it's limitations as a tabloid without timestamps). If I were you, I'd start with:
1. Fixing the broken link on your FB page to whatever GPS/spot files you have.
2. Uploading photos from your phone to a public folder on Google photos (metadata intact)
3. Elaborating more on your nutrition, resupply, gear and other daily details in your trip report.

[chknfngrs]

Hmmm. If he's going to hike what he's saying he's going to hike this year there won't be quick resolution to this matter for sure. He's got bigger fish to fry.

[Violent Green]

With any luck we'll have a resolution to this matter in about a month's time. In other words, String Bean will make this conversation irrelevant if he stays healthy.

[chknfngrs]

The String Bean for sure is moving fast. Lest we forget Joey Camps is forthcoming as well

[pbakwin]

It occurs to me we could "crowd source" some of this verification stuff. Does anyone have any photos of Knotts during his hike (May 25 - July 20)? If those could be provided with the original metadata, that would be very helpful. If taken on a phone with location services active metadata includes both date/time & location. We need the original file - not off FB or Instagram, which strip the metadata. If you have & are willing to share please contact me (can you PM here?)

[One Half]

Even if Knotts' "record" only stands for a short time, being able to claim that he "held it" would be incredible. So with that in mind, I hope that his claim is as thoroughly investigated as all other claims have been/will be.

[Dan Knotts Binde]

3. Elaborating more on your nutrition, resupply, gear


3. I ate cliff bars, dehydrated turkey burger/hamburger and instant rice for 10 resupplies... Going 120-150 miles per resupply......
OH I drank lots of coffee....Lots of Coffee! ! ! Towns I ate whatever, didn't plan exactly what I needed ahead of time. Thought about it the day into town....Not rocket science, but would of saved a bit of time....Like I said, There's lots of places to cut time.

~NOC

~standing bear

~hotsprings

~Kincora

~Damascus

~ 4 pines

~daleville

~waynesboro

~bears den

~ice cream shop 1 gal challenge

~Duncannon

~delaware water gap

~bear mountain inn

~salisbury

~dalton

~norwich

~White mountain Lodge

~Caratunk


Gear:'''

Pack Walmart $20
Sleeping system Walmart $5 black friday fleece blanket... Shall i say it has christmas designs on it.
frogg toggs and helium 2
Sol bivy
glide
Black diamond headlamp revolt
asics shoes 9ish pairs
Adidas Briefs which i also found in a hiker box,,,Just kidding.
darn tough socks
Giardia pills
toothbrush toothpaste
tylenol
sleeping pad Thermarest fold up I got out of a hiker box to have 2 pads in the Sierras this year., this time I'm serious.
Massive 4 port usb plug in
Droid Turbo 2

thats about it

[Rmcpeak]

3. Elaborating more on your nutrition, resupply, gear


3. I ate cliff bars, dehydrated turkey burger/hamburger and instant rice for 10 resupplies... Going 120-150 miles per resupply......
OH I drank lots of coffee....Lots of Coffee! ! ! Towns I ate whatever, didn't plan exactly what I needed ahead of time. Thought about it the day into town....Not rocket science, but would of saved a bit of time....Like I said, There's lots of places to cut time.

~NOC

~standing bear

~hotsprings

~Kincora

~Damascus

~ 4 pines

~daleville

~waynesboro

~bears den

~ice cream shop 1 gal challenge

~Duncannon

~delaware water gap

~bear mountain inn

~salisbury

~dalton

~norwich

~White mountain Lodge

~Caratunk


Gear:'''

Pack Walmart $20
Sleeping system Walmart $5 black friday fleece blanket... Shall i say it has christmas designs on it.
frogg toggs and helium 2
Sol bivy
glide
Black diamond headlamp revolt
asics shoes 9ish pairs
Adidas Briefs which i also found in a hiker box,,,Just kidding.
darn tough socks
Giardia pills
toothbrush toothpaste
tylenol
sleeping pad Thermarest fold up I got out of a hiker box to have 2 pads in the Sierras this year., this time I'm serious.
Massive 4 port usb plug in
Droid Turbo 2

thats about it

Great list! Thanks!

[thompsoniac]

I was 29 during my SOBO record.