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  1. #21
    Registered User
    Join Date
    11-23-2010
    Location
    Statesboro, GA
    Age
    36
    Posts
    22

    Default

    Hi,

    I'm Nick. No trail name exactly. I figure that'll sort it's self out.

    I'm from GA. I'll be graduating from Georgia Southern in May. I figure I could go NOBO starting in may but that would defeat the whole purpose of doing the trail anyways. I'm looking at this like a vacation. I'm fed up with due dates and time limits any ways, so no reason to rush.

    So I'm starting June 10th and then taking a week off sometime mid august for a friend's wedding. But I'll be back! I'm going southbound originally just because of the time constraints with graduation, but the more I read about it the more it fits my personality. Also I'd rather follow fall than walk with spring. I've always been a cold weather camper.

    I have some experience doing ultralite backpacking from boy scouts. I've done a couple hundred milers at Philmont, and countless weekend trips all around the southeast.

  2. #22
    Registered User Rock Lobster's Avatar
    Join Date
    10-10-2008
    Location
    Westmont, IL
    Age
    41
    Posts
    61

    Default

    Hi, I'm Bill, AKA Rock Lobstah from Chicago. I've hiked two long stretches of 1100 and 1000 miles in 2008 and this summer, respectively (including Shenandoah twice - it's one of the highlights of the trail). Because I hit the Whites in mid-October, the weather was dangerously bad, so the only stretch of trail I haven't done is from Monson to Franconia notch in NH.

    I'm planning on starting from Katahdin again next summer and hiking south until I finish, and then possibly further. I teach, so I don't have to be back until late August. I figured it would be more fun to hike south with the Sobo crowd and finish with new friends than to hike north at the wrong time of year and be alone most of the time. I love the trail community and look forward to rejoining it for a while! Haven't decided when to start yet, but probably around mid to late June.

  3. #23

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Derek81pci View Post
    The official registry gets a little crowded with all the people heading north and so few of us, so, I thought I'd make an unofficial thread for us to keep in touch and maybe get to know some of you before we see each other on the trail in 2013! Just going with the basic stuff for myself but add whatever you'd like about yourself. Also, I'd like to ask why you chose to go SOBO versus the masses.

    I'll start I guess!

    Trail name: Shimp (just a nickname I've had forever stemming from 1 really, really bad haircut I got as a kid).
    From: I live in Columbus, Ohio currently but I'm from South Carolina.

    I'm 30 now and finally have a great job that will permit me to take the 6 months off.

    I'll be bringing a water-color set and sketch pad to help with zero days and other times of boredom / inspiration.

    Chose SOBO solely for the challenge of it. Some of the hardest hiking right off the bat. Being in pretty remote places where you HAVE to plan properly and try to get yourself into the routine of hiking life. Less people, I've never had a huge group of friends, but I do have several amazing very close friends. I've never seen the need for quantity.
    Hi everyone.

    Trailname: Cozy
    From: central Florida
    Age: 48

    I will be doing a flip flop. I plan to start Springer in mid/late April, head home for a week/10 days, then jump back on the trail in Maine and head southbound.

    I chose a a flip-flop for a few reasons, #4 and #6 being most important to me:

    1) Start with other people but not with mass crowds
    2) Avoid having to carry much heavier Winter gear
    3) Avoid the heat of the midatlantic states during the summer months
    4) Tackle the hardest part of the trail (NH, ME) in the middle of the hike when my physical condition is at its optimal instead at the end when you're worn out or the beginning when you don't have trail legs yet. Following a training schedule before the hike and completing the stretch from Springer to Harpers Ferry will put me in optimal physical condition and best prepare me to tackle the hardest part of the trail in NH/ME.
    5) Gain more solitude from Maine to Harpers than I did from Springer to Harper's
    6) Be a part of two incredible groups: NOBO's, then SOBO's, and then bump into NOBO's again as I head south.
    7) Avoid the pressure of having to get to Kataldin
    8) Enjoy the New England states after the flip and a week of rest at home instead of pushing hard and focusing on Kataldin, Kataldin, Kataldin and missing things along the way

    I look forward to enjoying God's great creation and experiencing a closer walk with God in my personal life.

    I look forward to meeting you all on the trail.


    -Cozy

    "I will lift up my eyes to the mountains;
    From where shall my help come?
    My help comes from the LORD,
    Who made heaven and earth."
    -Psalm 121:1-2

  4. #24

    Default

    Cool thread guys... I look forward to meeting some of you as you go through Daleville, VA. ^ Cozy^ I like ur post. Great Bible verse as well.

  5. #25
    Registered User ifusaidplease's Avatar
    Join Date
    10-22-2012
    Location
    jacksonville, north carolina
    Age
    33
    Posts
    6

    Default

    Trail Name:none
    From: Dayton Ohio
    Start date: mid July (dont get out of the Military til early july)

    Id rather go south bound for a few reasons
    1)Smaller crowd
    2)If you can make it through the tough part first thats some solid motivation
    3)Hiking to my new home

  6. #26

    Default

    Trail Name: Moosky (moo - ski). Nick name from college and work. I guess it's a russian variation of my chinese first name.

    From: China, MA, NY, CT, take your pick, I'm having an identity crisis

    Start Date: early-mid July

    Why SOBO: my visa expires in Feb 2014, and my job won't release me until July. Therefore SOBO is the only option for me. But I kind of like the idea of going through ME and NH first. The Whites look majestic!

  7. #27
    Registered User Cameron Keener's Avatar
    Join Date
    11-07-2012
    Location
    Boone, North Carolina
    Posts
    1

    Default

    Hi! I'm Cameron, 19, living in Boone, NC.

    No trail name as of yet; I'll let the trail itself sort that one out.

    Plan to start early/mid-June.

    Why SoBo: I like the idea of walking towards home and not having to rush to summit Katahdin. I'm up for the challenge of starting with the difficult sections; I figure knocking those out will be perfect motivation to keep walking. Perhaps most of all, I'm looking forward to walking with autumn and enjoying the solitude.

  8. #28
    Registered User
    Join Date
    11-11-2012
    Location
    Birmingham, AL
    Age
    31
    Posts
    1

    Default

    I know I'm planning to do this in 2014, but I wanted to chime in.

    No trail name yet, I'd like to get mine during my thru-hike
    From: Birmingham, Alabama
    Start date: (hopefully) June 1, 2014

    I want to go SOBO because I like the idea of hiking towards home. I want to be able to meet up with my parents at Springer Mountain. Also, I am graduating in May of that year, and moving out of my apartment at the end of that month. Then, I'll start PT school January 2015. So with that timeline, it makes the most sense to go SOBO.

    My father is going to do the 100 mile wilderness with me and, for his planning purposes, knowing an exact date to take off work is the best option. I don't want to have to potentially rush or wait around to meet up with him either.

    I'm very excited and am in the planning stage--getting gear I'm missing, physical training, and working on my budget/saving.

  9. #29
    Registered User
    Join Date
    04-25-2011
    Location
    North Central PA
    Posts
    214

    Default 2013 Southbounders unite

    Hi I'm Kyle. I'm not actually thru hiking the entire trail but I'm heading out with the SBers. I'm a special ed teacher in PA so I have the summers off. I decided to try to hike the trail over the course of two summers so Ill be out with you all hopefully for three months and will jut see how far I get. I do a lot of hiking and backpacking but haven't had the chance to do any extended trips like this. I will be driving from PA to Bangor in a rental car probably around June 10th or so. I'm open to sharing the ride with anyone that lives near the route and wants to chip in.

  10. #30
    Registered User
    Join Date
    10-07-2012
    Location
    Ohio
    Age
    57
    Posts
    47
    Journal Entries
    1

    Default

    Hi,
    In the Dayton area. When are you planning your hike?

  11. #31
    Registered User Seabird's Avatar
    Join Date
    12-03-2012
    Location
    Raleigh, NC
    Age
    33
    Posts
    14

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    Hi! I'll be hiking SOBO either this summer or next, depending on how preparations/work/planning for what to do after I return work out.
    No trail name yet, but one will stick eventually.
    I've wanted to hike the AT for years, but it's been taking up more of my mental space in the last year or so due to a number of changes in my life...
    I want to hike south mostly to avoid crowds (I've always been happier alone than with lots of people), but also because I have family in Maine who can help me prepare some and get to the trail, and because I don't want to feel rushed to get to Katahdin before it closes for the winter, and because I certainly wouldn't mind getting the hardest part out of the way first while starting the trail in a wonderfully inspiring place!

    I might have lots of questions about gear and such, because although I did some backpacking in high school I'm starting to realize that most of my gear from then is based on the advice of my experienced-but-old-fashioned dad... I've got an external frame pack (Kelty Trekker 3900 ST) but am now ambivalent about it being heavy even though I like the way it distributes weight.

  12. #32

    Default

    im heading north from pawling in june, i look forward to meeting you all.

  13. #33
    Registered User SawnieRobertson's Avatar
    Join Date
    09-15-2002
    Location
    Sugar Grove, Virginia
    Age
    90
    Posts
    1,356
    Journal Entries
    1

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    [QUOTE=Sugarfoot;1307287]I'm going to "register" here as well as on the main thread, since I'll be flip-flopping. I can't leave GA until the end of April and don't want to hike the mid-Atlantic in the heat of summer. I've done that before and I am capable of learning from my mistakes. So I plan to jump up to Katahdin from Harpers Ferry, giving me an excuse to take the train. So --] Sugarfoot, you and I are sooooo on the same page. If necessary, I will do acrobatics to be able to enjoy (not endure) the trail. Starting early March from Springer; leaving trail for knee injection June 26; leaping forward to Katahdin a week or so later. Only thing is that I may leap only to Glencliff then continue north followed by dropping back down to Glencliff to hike south to wherever I was on June 24. However it goes, it will be beautiful, comparatively bug free, and not too hot.
    You never know just what you can do until you realize you absolutely have to do it.
    --Salaun

  14. #34

    Default

    Hi my name is Curry will be doing a SoBo run because of a failed NoBo attempt this past spring gotta switch it up some. I will be starting somewhere in the middle of july cant wait to get back out their i miss the woods alot the corn out here in iowa is driving me insane haha but good luck to everyones preparations and have a Merry Christmas

  15. #35

    Default

    [QUOTE=SawnieRobertson;1370813]
    Quote Originally Posted by Sugarfoot View Post
    I'm going to "register" here as well as on the main thread, since I'll be flip-flopping. I can't leave GA until the end of April and don't want to hike the mid-Atlantic in the heat of summer. I've done that before and I am capable of learning from my mistakes. So I plan to jump up to Katahdin from Harpers Ferry, giving me an excuse to take the train. So --] Sugarfoot, you and I are sooooo on the same page. If necessary, I will do acrobatics to be able to enjoy (not endure) the trail. Starting early March from Springer; leaving trail for knee injection June 26; leaping forward to Katahdin a week or so later. Only thing is that I may leap only to Glencliff then continue north followed by dropping back down to Glencliff to hike south to wherever I was on June 24. However it goes, it will be beautiful, comparatively bug free, and not too hot.
    i like your style sawnie

  16. #36
    Registered User Tree Nerd's Avatar
    Join Date
    12-10-2012
    Location
    Green, Ohio
    Age
    33
    Posts
    352

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    Hey everyone! My name is Luke and I'm from Green, Ohio which is a suburb of Akron, Ohio......I live like 4 minutes from the Akron-Canton Airport. I have been in Lexington, Kentucky for the past four years while attending the University of Kentucky. I will be graduating in May from the Forestry Program.

    Trail Name: Sycamore, because it my favorite tree, Im white, and love being around rivers too haha.

    Start time: June or July, it depends on when I can get out of my lease and weather in Maine.

    Reasons for Thru Hiking:
    1) I love nature and backpacking and have wanted to attempt a thru hike since I read A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson. Since then I have read about 8 books of people thru hiking and it became a life dream of mine.
    2) I have been in a four year relationship that ended not too long ago. We were planning a cross country road trip for when we graduated, I was going to propose to her at Glacier NP then after returning home we were going to move to NC. Since that is no longer happening I have the funds and the time to do the hike. I also need to figure out what I am going to do with my life now.
    3) I have several bad habits I need to stop like smoking
    4) I need to learn patients.
    5) I love adventure and meeting people, I figure this is a good way to do both.

    Reason for hiking SOBO:
    1) I graduate in May and NOBO is out of the question.
    2) I don't like crowds and I feel like I would learn more about myself with less people around.
    3) My dad's family lives in GA and it would be nice to end there and catch up with them.

    Other:
    -I have to leave the trail in September to be in my oldest brothers wedding.

    I look forward to meeting everyone and having a great time! Good luck to everyone during your planning process.
    Transcend the Bull$hit

  17. #37

    Default 2013 Southbounders unite

    Trail name: None yet, I'd prefer to get one on the trail. Lauren
    Date: Mid-June
    From: CT

    I'll be hiking with my boyfriend. We decided to SOBO because we're northerner's & want to "take the road less traveled".

    I'm a pastry chef & will be leaving my job to thru-hike the AT.

    I can't wait! Anyone else feel like they are going to jump out of their skin from excitement, it's insane.

  18. #38
    Registered User Tree Nerd's Avatar
    Join Date
    12-10-2012
    Location
    Green, Ohio
    Age
    33
    Posts
    352

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    Quote Originally Posted by tarantolk View Post

    I can't wait! Anyone else feel like they are going to jump out of their skin from excitement, it's insane.
    haha, I have a case of senioritis that is getting worse and worse by the day!
    Transcend the Bull$hit

  19. #39

    Default

    Trail Name: Rich for now. I was given the name Stix by some thru-hikers I met on a 4 day shakedown trip over Thanksgiving break. The name is special to me for that reason, but I am open to change it as I evolve during my hike.

    Start Date: Haven't booked a spot at Baxter yet but ASAP after graduation on May 21.

    Home: CT, far from the AT section.

    Reason for SOBO: Late start date makes NOBO impossible. All the other advantages are just bonus. I will be keeping a journal I hope to turn into a book one day.

    See you soon,
    Rich/Stix

  20. #40

    Default

    Trail name: TBD
    From: I live in Portland, Oregon but will be in Freedom, Maine in May/June leading an outdoor adventure program


    I have been itching to get on to a new adventure and this is the perfect logistical option for me right now in my life.


    Chose SOBO due to the fact that I will be in Maine and have a great network there (ie: rides, leaving gear, etc.) I am also looking forward to starting in the 100 mile wilderness stretch.

    I am currently flying solo but would love to hike the majority with someone – ping me at [email protected] if you are also heading out mid-July.

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