Fall SOBO One More Time

[LoneStranger]

Somehow my very busy, super important spouse has managed to keep a window open for me to jump out of for a Fall hike on the Long Trail in Vermont. This hike is another of my white whales, lurking out there, reminding me of past failures.

I've thru hiked the LT in June back in '22 and did about 150 miles of it last June on the Longhos Loop. It is the Fall hike that has eluded me. Two aborted attempts and a few more that never got to the starting line. Time to try again

The daily videos won't be posted from the trail this time. They should start showing up sometime next month after I return. I might post something while I am out there though so keep an eye out for me

[Gambit McCrae]

Have a great time and look forward to watching! You succeed by going no failures in the woods, just stories created.

[chknfngrs]

Nicely said there Gambit!

Have a great time and look forward to watching! You succeed by going no failures in the woods, just stories created.

[jeffmeh]

Have a fantastic trip. The Long Trail is one I would like to do if I am still in good enough shape to take it on when I actually have the time to do so.

[LoneStranger]

Have a great time and look forward to watching! You succeed by going no failures in the woods, just stories created.

I have a long history of trying to hike things that are harder than I can do and going back as many times as I have to until I figure it out. Failing has taught me most of what I know now, though I did steal some from folks on the internet, including here

There have been two attempts to do the Fall LT, plus three more that didn't reach the starting line. In Sept '17 I started with great excitement. Didn't even notice that the next day was 88°f until I got sick from the heat. Like really bad sick. I hid out in a hotel for a few days but the extended forecast continued to be stupid hot so I went home. Then there were years when I didn't go due to last minute issues. One year it was a huge tow/repair bill for the scoot which lost a tire on my final warm up hike, deep in the wilds of Maine. Another year it was early snow falling before I was able to start due to family schedule. I cancelled that hike around 3am on the morning I was supposed to head up to start. Then I tried again a few years ago but my SAD kicked in really bad. That is why I am dosing vitamin D now so my brain doesn't start boiling on trail if it clouds up for a week. I had to come home for safety reasons after about 100 miles because I was too busy being crazy to watch where I was going and the big cliffs were coming up

Since Fall didn't seem to be working I went SOBO in early June of '22 and it went pretty dang well. I had the shelters to myself for the first couple of weeks up north and saw very few people at all. Fifteen hours of daylight, good brain chemicals, no annoying people and lots of pretty bird song is the Easy setting. Now I want to try another play through on a higher difficulty level. Daylight drops from 12:20 at the start to 11:15 by the end. Long range forecast says hot to start followed by days of rain so the weather seems appropriate. I am ready to give it a go!