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  1. #1

    Default How BlackBird became legend

    Warning: Ultra lighters read and view with caution.

    Well, and future hikers reading this can learn from my "mistakes". After running very low on food going into Hiawassee, I always carried extra food, and 90% of the time had a loaf of bread hanging from my pack. Due to a handful of things in Erwin, TN, my eyes were 100x larger than my backbone, and I was rushed and bought a ton of food. Okay, so I estimate 50-60lbs easily.

    I had help putting my pack on so I could get to the shelter where I took 2 zero-days to eat food. It was quite awesome, and I ate well. The zero days were not planned, but required. I never let my eyes get bigger than my backbone after this, but did always carry a solid amount of food.



    The red bag is stuffed with foods/snacks. A yellow bag inside the pack was stuffed with meals, and I had to hang the leftovers. Pack (thankfully) held up to this load just fine. And noticed I wasn't even paying attention to weight when buying food (Two Pound loaf of bread). I also always had a 2lb Peanut Butter jar on the pole, as I made a holder for it and could replace as needed.

    I ate pretty well for quite sometime. Toast on the trail is amazing, and I hope a few people remember this, the story or the $120 walmart receipt that I carried the entire way and have in the scrapbook... I learned a lesson that day, but stand by carrying plenty of food. Just not, crazy amounts...

  2. #2
    Registered User d.o.c's Avatar
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    08-24-2009
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    Default

    thats silly

  3. #3
    Registered User
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    09-29-2008
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    That is the real danger of Wal Marts. I still do it when under the influence of munchies. When I bike the trail around Lake Okeechobee (120 miles) there are two towns with Wally's. I come out with two bags of groceries and a box of fried chicken and a loaf of bread. Then I look at my bike. Then I look at my panniers. Then I find the closest place to start eating.
    The trouble I have with campfires are the folks that carry a bottle in one hand and a Bible in the other.
    You never know which one is talking.

  4. #4
    Registered User
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    06-24-2009
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    Stephens City, Va
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    what a great story, thanks for sharing. I loved it.

  5. #5

    Default Blackbird Lives!

    Blackbird, your alive!?!?!?! A legend, maybe.

  6. #6
    Registered User
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    04-08-2011
    Location
    Jacksonville, Florida
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    37
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    Default

    Haha, nice pack. I bet those zero days were not optional with THAT much food strapped to your back.

  7. #7

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by blackbird04217 View Post
    Warning: Ultra lighters read and view with caution.

    Well, and future hikers reading this can learn from my "mistakes". After running very low on food going into Hiawassee, I always carried extra food, and 90% of the time had a loaf of bread hanging from my pack. Due to a handful of things in Erwin, TN, my eyes were 100x larger than my backbone, and I was rushed and bought a ton of food. Okay, so I estimate 50-60lbs easily.

    I had help putting my pack on so I could get to the shelter where I took 2 zero-days to eat food. It was quite awesome, and I ate well. The zero days were not planned, but required. I never let my eyes get bigger than my backbone after this, but did always carry a solid amount of food.



    The red bag is stuffed with foods/snacks. A yellow bag inside the pack was stuffed with meals, and I had to hang the leftovers. Pack (thankfully) held up to this load just fine. And noticed I wasn't even paying attention to weight when buying food (Two Pound loaf of bread). I also always had a 2lb Peanut Butter jar on the pole, as I made a holder for it and could replace as needed.

    I ate pretty well for quite sometime. Toast on the trail is amazing, and I hope a few people remember this, the story or the $120 walmart receipt that I carried the entire way and have in the scrapbook... I learned a lesson that day, but stand by carrying plenty of food. Just not, crazy amounts...
    Thanks for the fotog. I thought I was the only other guy who packs too much food as I posted this fotog for a January 2010, 15 day trip without resupply and my food load was tremendous. The title of the pic is: GRAPHIC WARNING to all ultralighters.



    I had around 35 lbs of food, and the top black bag is my third overflow food bag, the others are inside the pack. You can never have too much food.

  8. #8

    Default

    This was my average load,

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DCK18LR1yaE

    Thanks BluRay! Nice to catchup with you.

    Tipi- yea I've read some of your journals in awe.

  9. #9
    Registered User Chubbs4U's Avatar
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    01-11-2011
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    PA 20 min outside of Philadelphia
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    47
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    Default

    Blackbird I love it...

  10. #10

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    I go ultralight so that if I put 35 pounds of food in my pack, my total pack is only 45 pounds.
    Some knew me as Piper, others as just Diane.
    I hiked the PCT: Mexico to Mt. Shasta, 2008. Santa Barbara to Canada, 2009.

  11. #11
    Registered User
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    09-29-2008
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by blackbird04217 View Post

    You have got to explain that peanut butter pole to me.

    The trouble I have with campfires are the folks that carry a bottle in one hand and a Bible in the other.
    You never know which one is talking.

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