Blind man to thru-hike with talking GPS and no dog.

[dessertrat]

Listen to the interview. It sounds like he is hoping for help in the difficult spots.

If he is going to take 8 months to do it, it will be pretty lonely out there on the trail at certain points. He will either have to start way ahead of most people, or the thrus will have all gone by him by the time he gets near the end. I have spent three days on the trail in Maine without seeing anyone.

[Tin Man]

If he is going to take 8 months to do it, it will be pretty lonely out there on the trail at certain points. He will either have to start way ahead of most people, or the thrus will have all gone by him by the time he gets near the end. I have spent three days on the trail in Maine without seeing anyone.

He says he is starting March 1 and thinks it will take 6-8 months. If it looks like he will be closer to 8 months, he will need to flip-flop for weather reasons and could get some assistance from SOBOs. It is hard to say who he will meet along the way and what kind of special magic he may receive. Positive reinforcement and advice is the best medicine here.

[Marta]

I, too, think he will have real problems. I think that the more elaborate a plan you have worked out before the hike, the more you have to adjust/change/solve as you go along. He'll have more challenges than most. He is showing remarkable resourcefulness in preparing, and will certainly have a lot of people rooting for him and wanting to help him out.

Will he be able to figure things out on the fly? My mind boggles at the challenges he faces. Not just the terrain, but how will he get water from marginal sources? How can he manage a stove without getting burned? IT sounds as if he has been hiking Will he persist when it would be so much easier to quit?

Only time will tell.

I wish him well.

And if he's in the 80% who go home early, the blindness may not even be a factor in his decision.

[ChinMusic]

From the interview it is good he is willing to accept assistance over diff areas (which are all over the place), and assistance in general. From the interview he says he has the ability to "tell if it's daylight" but that is about the limit of his vision. That tells me his vision will be of no help in foot placement or for ascertaining danger.

I think it is wonderful that folks want to push the envelope, but I cannot see him possibly averaging the 9 miles per day it takes to complete the thru in 8 months. I would consider the trek from Springer to Neels to be a monumental feet.

[Appalachian Tater]

Good luck to him. I think he will have real problems-- it's not a matter of feeling around on the rocks to know where to put your foot next-- it's being able to see 10 feet ahead so you know that where you put your foot next will actually lead to another place to put your foot?

I know the man has been blind since birth, but I'm trying to picture descending the steep talus slope from chairback mountain, or whitecap, without being able to see. That scares the crap out of me.

Not to mention that the trail can change if a tree falls down.

This is what I worry about for him, too. Image Mount Madison with your eyes closed even without any wind. Could you get up even Mt. Albert blindfolded? Mahoosuc Notch? Very short people have to just drop or slide in a lot of places. It's not a matter of being tough and persistant but a matter of it just being possible or not possible. I can't rock climb like a lot of people can, no matter how much I want to. Everyone has limits at some point.

Since he is now saying that he is willing to accept help, he can certainly make it, but he probably still doesn't realize how much help he will need if his only experience is in the Shenandoah National Park.

[MOWGLI]

It's not a matter of being tough and persistant but a matter of it just being possible or not possible.

Aren't you glad that others didn't define for you what was possible or impossible?

[Whistler]

I met Mike this summer in the Shenandoahs. Very cool guy. I was surprised by how well he got around. He's certainly done his research, and I know he'll give it an honest effort.

-Mark

[Appalachian Tater]

Aren't you glad that others didn't define for you what was possible or impossible?

Yes. I think he'll make it with some help. It would be possible for him to make it with no direct guidance on the trail, but he would be hiking in the snow at some point and he would have to be even luckier than most to avoid injury.

And none of us could have made it without help.

[rickb]

He will define things for himself.

The difference in his stated approach is that it is objectively dangerous. And not only in the tough sections.

I hope that his confidence in GPS is well founded, because it appears he is depending its precsion at least as much as on his own strengths.

[MOWGLI]

The difference in his stated approach is that it is objectively dangerous. And not only in the tough sections.

How many thru-hikers have friends, family and co-workers who think that their endeavor is "objectively dangerous", and try to talk them out of it? In the almost 5 years I've been a member here, I've seen lots of posts on this issue. I had plenty of folks try and talk me out of my hike because they perceived it to be "dangerous." Lots of sighted people never hit trail because of this perception.

[rickb]

People say crossing the Kennebeck is dangerous and advise against it.

How would you rank the dangers inherent in this man's plan relative to that?

Also, when you commented that his blue tooth cell phone GPS might not get reception in many places (yea, I know he has a satelite GPS too) did he seem surprised, or was than just my way of hearing things?

On a technical level, how close to the actual footpath do you think his GPS will place him? Would he agree with your answer?

He said he was unfamiliar with the mountains in the East. Do you think the straight CCC trails in SNP are in anyway a good proving ground for the kind of adventure this man is about to begin?

[MOWGLI]

Rick:

I'm not going to start comparing fording the Kennebec with this guy's plans. Fact is, there are a lot tougher fords on other trails in this great country. I leave the decision whether to ford or not up to individuals.

If you listened to my interview, you heard what I heard. He was on a phone in Minnesota. I did notice that an ad in the current edition of Backpacker Magazine is promoting new Garmin units that work under a closed canopy. I haven't seen test results, so I am assuming there is truth in advertising taking place.

Regarding your question about how close will he be to the footpath with his GPS? Well, I assume its not a sub-meter unit like a Trimble. You need a special use permit for one of those.

Lets not dabble in assumption though. Lets think about the trail this guy is going to hike, and the community that forms along the trail. This is the Appalachian Trail we're talking about. Do you think he'll be alone all that much? He knows how to use a cane and is an experienced outdoorsman. He won't be solely relying on the GPS. He has other tools at his disposal.

Look, if this was my daughter who is visually impaired, I'd have some issues. But it's not. End of story.

[Tin Man]

The GPS is only going to guide him to the approximate location of the footpath itself. The GPS measurements he is using are approximate and all the GPS units have an error factor - mine is within 22 feet. He will have to rely on his other senses to find and follow the footpath. I would speculate that between his walking stick and feeling along with his feet, he can be pretty accurate at following the sections of the footpath that are primarily dirt. The challenge will be where the path is pure rock and assistance from others would be most helpful. Another thought is in places he may be walking the corridor if he cannot find the footpath itself, but with GPS that could be close enough...except where there is a cliff, of course. Keep in mind he has his walking stick which he probably uses more effectively than we can imagine. Also, we should not underestimate his capabilities of utilizing his other senses for finding his way much more effectively than a sighted person.

[Tin Man]

I did notice that an ad in the current edition of Backpacker Magazine is promoting new Garmin units that work under a closed canopy. I haven't seen test results, so I am assuming there is truth in advertising taking place.

There is recent thread on GPS units. Many report the newer units do indeed work well under the canopy.

[Just a Hiker]

Did someone say that he now thinks he wants help? Just wondering, but with a March 1st departure and an 8 month schedule, he would definately have to flip.

[rickb]

There is recent thread on GPS units. Many report the newer units do indeed work well under the canopy.

I know Del Doc an others put a great deal of effort into the GPS centerline survey of the trail a few years ago.

I am assuming that a continuous stream of waypoints were recorded. Does anyone know how far apart these recording were made? Every couple feet? If so, are those millions of waypoints all included in the data you can download from the ATC?

[MOWGLI]

Did someone say that he now thinks he wants help?

He never said he wouldn't accept help. The journalist was the one who made it seem that way by using the words "solo and unsupported." That was not a quote. That was the reporter's take.

[rickb]

He did make a big point about self-relieance and showcasing the effectiveness of technology, however.

At least that was what I recall.

I understood that as spending significant hours of the day nagavating for himself.

[Just a Hiker]

He never said he wouldn't accept help. The journalist was the one who made it seem that way by using the words "solo and unsupported." That was not a quote. That was the reporter's take.

I see....where can one read this interview? I would volunteer for the job....it aint like I got anything else going on next year....but hiking. We would make a great team.....A blind guy and a crazy ex-Jarhead!

[Tin Man]

Excuse me if it has already been mentioned here, but he could probably just follow the smell.