2011 Thru-hikers?

[FleetPotatoes]

Hey all,
I did the AT (March-June NOBO) last spring and I'm giving the FT a try this January. The dream was to do the PCT but the FT fits much better with my available time and budget.
Wondering if anyone else was planning on starting in January, 20-30+ mile days? I'm not looking for a hiking partner, but it would be neat to have folks around to leapfrog with.
My tentative plan is to start late December/early January going NOBO.

Also, if anyone wanted to chuck advice at me it would be most welcome.

[mweinstone]

are you starting at the bouy?

[K.B.]

Potatoes,

Chuck Norris and Tigger's group are hiking the FT again starting in January. They love company. I met them in California in 2008, great people. You can find them on Trailjournals.com (Florida Trail 2011).

Happy hiking,

John L.

[FleetPotatoes]

mweinstone: I'm not too familiar with the trail yet, not sure what the bouy is. I was planning on starting at Big Cypress, for no particular reason except I'm in the habit of walking north.

John, thanks for the heads-up! Looks like those two really get around.

[speaker]

I'm toying with the idea of the FT. I just flip flopped the AT in 2010 (nobo, then sobo). The grand idea I'm having is to do the FT Jan-March, then jump to AT for March-May for trail days in damascus, and then who knows what. But thats all the wonderful ideas in my head, who knows what the real world is like

[lilricky]

The buoy he's talking about is the one marking the southernmost point in the continental US in Key West. Not the official starting point however.

[mistiaggie]

We're starting NOBO in two-ish weeks. Hiked the AT last year NOBO--with Speaker up there for a bit!

[FleetPotatoes]

Great! Glad to see there'll be some company out in the swamp. It looks like I may have a ride from NC to Orlando a little before New Years, but I'm still not sure exactly when my feet hit the sand.

[FleetPotatoes]

Well, in defiance of my earlier plans, I'll be starting this weekend in Pensacola and heading south. I figure one way is about as good as the other and I was able to get a ride to Pensacola. At least this way I'll be sure to meet all the NOBO's, if only briefly.

So stoked to (almost) finally be walking! This is going to be a good year.

[mmais68569]

I will be doing a section hike starting 1/24 from Lake City to Rodman Dam area.

Mike

[mistiaggie]

Fleet Potatoes, did you finish? We went north but never met a southbounding FT hiker other than Plugger.

[gopher]

Be prepared for 8 inches of water day after day. Additionally mosquitoes are a cloud to be pushed aside before each step. This is why Seminoles wear those puffy shirts.