gonna try the "ultra light" thang

[SGTdirtman]

Im gonna take a shot at this "ultra light" hiking thingy in a few weeks... i dont have time for long hikes so i gotta get the most entertainment out of my short week long trips as i can. So I'm gonna hike the PA to NY border for the second time this year over a week long trip with a poncho, a canteen, and 2 MRE's. No pack.

so if your in the area, theres no doubt you'll know who I am if you see me

[Whistler]

Sounds like a minimalist application of ultralight ideas, and a good challenge. To each his own. Take some photos and let us know how it all turns out.
-Mark

[Just Jeff]

Might wanna have someone else along to take pics and let us know how it went...just in case that's not enough gear...

[hammock engineer]

Hmm 2 MRE's for a week long trip. Your rationing (or hunting) skills are much better than mine.

Good luck.

[SGT Rock]

Actually you are not going ultralight you are going minimalist - there is a difference. Don't kid yourself that your experience will be anything like what an ultralight hike would be like. An ultralighter would bring a lot more gear and make sure it is light, each piece probably 1/4 the weight of the stuff you are planning to carry. But otherwise...

Minimalist hiking has it's place too. For generalities your packing list is OK, I like it all, except your choice of food. Unless you are doing low mileage and foraging for food, two MREs will only get you about 3200 calories total if you eat everything in the, wrapper of both of them. That is for generalities, I would still take more than those three things, you know - knife, fire, light, etc.

[sirbingo]

As always, good advice Sgt. Rock!

[SGTdirtman]

Hmm 2 MRE's for a week long trip. Your rationing (or hunting) skills are much better than mine.

Good luck.

If i took enough food for a week I'd need a pack. Usually I avoid stopping into towns but since there are tons of places to stop for food along the way I'm going to take advantage of them.

[mbroadhe]

If I see ya, I'll give ya an apple and a few pieces of toilet paper. Where's your approximate location for May 26 - 30?

[Programbo]

... i dont have time for long hikes so i gotta get the most entertainment out of my short week long trips as i can.

So high miles is all that amounts to a successful hike?..A week in the mountains is a week in the mountains regardless of the number of miles that pass by..If you want more "entertainment" try stopping and exploring all the historical points of interest you will pass along the way..Enjoy a more varied menu..Instead of going more minimal go more heavy..You may hike fewer miles but enjoy yourself more...I`m constantly amazed that the main concerns of the modern AT hiker is how many miles they can rack up how fast and how light they can get their pack..The actual journey is secondary to those two goals

[Skidsteer]

Instead of going more minimal go more heavy..You may hike fewer miles but enjoy yourself more...

Reading Sgt. Dirtman's posts to date, I'd say that " go more heavy " is " been there, done that " territory for him. Sounds like he wants to try something different. Nothing wrong with that.

[Frosty]

So high miles is all that amounts to a successful hike?..A week in the mountains is a week in the mountains regardless of the number of miles that pass by..If you want more "entertainment" try stopping and exploring all the historical points of interest you will pass along the way..Enjoy a more varied menu..Instead of going more minimal go more heavy..You may hike fewer miles but enjoy yourself more...I`m constantly amazed that the main concerns of the modern AT hiker is how many miles they can rack up how fast and how light they can get their pack..The actual journey is secondary to those two goals

To each his own. Variety being the spice of life, it is okay for people to have a different idea of what constitutes a successful hike.

[SGTdirtman]

So high miles is all that amounts to a successful hike?..A week in the mountains is a week in the mountains regardless of the number of miles that pass by..If you want more "entertainment" try stopping and exploring all the historical points of interest you will pass along the way..Enjoy a more varied menu..Instead of going more minimal go more heavy..You may hike fewer miles but enjoy yourself more...I`m constantly amazed that the main concerns of the modern AT hiker is how many miles they can rack up how fast and how light they can get their pack..The actual journey is secondary to those two goals

whoa you misunderstood my concept completely... I'm not a mileage junky, heck I'm not even a real hiker when I said I dont get enough time thats exactly what I ment. I get a week in the moutains be it 5 miles or 100 miles. I think if anything I'd like to be understood as a guy who doesnt value miles, I value the sense of wilderness and the only way to get there is walk. I'm not trying to do the minimilist thing to hike more miles, I'm doing it so I have more time to explore and be in some strange primitive way a little closer to the wilderness that I love.

[hammock engineer]

Go for it. If you can, leave yourself an out in case something goes wrong. Maybe an emergency meal, matches, or as you said a quick way into a town.

Afterwards, let us know how it goes.

[Tinker]

Im gonna take a shot at this "ultra light" hiking thingy in a few weeks... i dont have time for long hikes so i gotta get the most entertainment out of my short week long trips as i can. So I'm gonna hike the PA to NY border for the second time this year over a week long trip with a poncho, a canteen, and 2 MRE's. No pack.

so if your in the area, theres no doubt you'll know who I am if you see me

Ditch the canteen and carry a Platypus. Save weight. If you can build a fire, carry some mac and cheese and a pot to cook it in. MRE's have way too much water in them. Summer sausage and hard cheeses are good food to carry which can be used in cooking or eaten uncooked (notice I didn't say "raw", since the sausage is precooked and loaded with enough preservatives to embalm you alive if you overdo it.
I've considered doing a weekend with NO food (then reconsidered ).

[Programbo]

Sounds like he wants to try something different. Nothing wrong with that.

How about a "tactical" hike...Hike for a week on the PA trail and avoid being detected by anyone else

[SGTdirtman]

Ditch the canteen and carry a Platypus. Save weight. If you can build a fire, carry some mac and cheese and a pot to cook it in. MRE's have way too much water in them. Summer sausage and hard cheeses are good food to carry which can be used in cooking or eaten uncooked (notice I didn't say "raw", since the sausage is precooked and loaded with enough preservatives to embalm you alive if you overdo it.
I've considered doing a weekend with NO food (then reconsidered ).

I cant carry a platypus on a belt and I dont need more than 1 liter of water. Im not carrying a pot because, well who needs a pot? MRE's have water in them but they are ready to slurp out of the package uncooked. I'm only bringing 2 anyway so no point getting fussy with food. Im not carrying a pack so if it cant fit in my pocket or clip to my belt its not coming.

How about a "tactical" hike...Hike for a week on the PA trail and avoid being detected by anyone else

That'd be no fun unless I can capture other hikers... And everytime I do that the FBI gets envolved.

[Frosty]

That'd be no fun unless I can capture other hikers... And everytime I do that the FBI gets envolved.

Spoilsports!