Giving myself a little time

So originally I planned to get up to the Springer Mountain area today and start my hike tomorrow.  That plan has somewhat changed. I've postponed leaving until I can finish the website that goes long with my study.  It is very important to the study and I just can't leave it behind. This also helps me because I have more final planning to take care of for the trip, mainly my mail drops and food preparation.

How am I handling the food situation?
Well for one I'm purchasing most of my food in towns as a resupply. However there are times when getting into a town or having the necessary staples available is an issue on the trail as well. That's when mail drops become important.  Someone back home has to take the responsibility to send food from time to time to a general delivery address at the post offices along the trail.

What kinds of foods will I carry?
Well the usual healthy stuff isn't always an option.  Getting fresh fruits and veggies in town is great and probably will even be craved. I can possibly even carry enough for a day or two once I leave town.  Bringing anything that will spoil is a bad idea.  Canned goods are just too heavy. So what's left? Peanut butter, Nutella, dried goods, ramen noodles, stuffing mixes, potatoes... lots of carb heavy foods.  The general rule of thumb has been to carry 2 pounds of food per day.  That can get heavy since most foods may contain water.  I've elected to use freezer bag meals, home made versions anyway.  Put a package of stuffing, onion soup mix and butter buds into a zip lock freezer bag, then boil some water and add it to the freezer bag.  The bag does not melt as it can handle the heat.  This makes for a quick no mess dinner that can be spiced up or changed according to tastes.  I can add foil packed chicken, tuna, salmon, dried beef, or anything else easy to carry out.  The bulk of the dinner, the stuffing, can be anything that is instant or quick cooking too like egg noddles, minute rice, instant potatoes, and couscous.  I also like some powered soups.  For breakfast, instant oatmeal, grits or cold cereal with powdered milk.  Snacks throughout the day include trail mix, nuts, dried fruits snacks, snickers, protein bars, pop-tarts, crackers and peanut butter, sliced pepperoni, and hard cheeses (wrapped in vinegar treated cheese cloth).

Water is very frequent on the trail right now but may be harder to find in the summer.  I'll carry only what I need for the day for now. Once the summer hits I may bring an extra bottle.  I'm going to filtering my water using cheese cloth and a bandanna. Then I'll put chlorine drops to kill anything lurking within.

Well I need to back to planning and my website.  I post again just before I leave, probably March 5th.

Preparing for My Trip and Study

As most of my friends know I have been tying my thesis in with my hike. So far I have successfully been able to do that by selecting a good topic related to my degree program. My study on pack weight will hopefully bring new data to the domain of backpack weight limitations. If not anything, I'll be able to identify the reasons hikers quit early on the AT and possibly discover new trends.

Most people who hike the trail try to be very prepared and bring as much as they want to carry. I for one will bring what I need and hope that I didn't forget anything.  The pleasurables for this trip will be at a minimum. I took care of some final gear and clothing issues this week... hoping that I'll stay warm and dry.

I recently took off for NJ to see the folks and drop of some of the gear Mom wants to send me because she's itching to do her part. Of course I had to go over all the gear with her and tag everything since I don't expect her to know the difference between a sleeping bag liner and a bivy. Anyway, she'll be ready when I need something. Support system #1 - CHECK

When I get back from the north preparing my survey announcements, I'll be going over more detailed information on the mail drops with Mary.  These drops will provide food that I will not be able to get in towns on the trail. They will even supplement some consumable items such as ziplock bags, handy wipes and   anything else I may need along the way.  Support system #2 - CHECK

Preparations for the study:

After leaving NJ I headed up to Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Vermont to enlist the help of local businesses in announcing my survey to hikers that come through their doors.  It was a nice couple days... in the freezing cold! (Hey I live in Florida now... 26 is REALLY cold.) All the people I spoke to seemed really interested in what I'm doing and all decided to lend a hand somehow.  Great!

Even better... I was contacted by Mike, the owner of Travel Country in Altamonte Springs, FL and he is one board with sponsoring my study.  I'm very excited over this.

Off to the Mid-Atlantic states... Met with a couple business owners today, including The Doyle in Duncannon, PA.  They host over a 1200 hikers in a season. They were so helpful that I could probably never thank them enough. Vickey there even gave me some tips to look out for on the trail.  What a great place!  I'll be seeing them again in a couple months.

Tomorrow off the meet some more businesses and try to stir up more support, then back to Florida for final preparations. The very last thing will be my website for the survey, which is already under construction. http://hikersurvey.com



Itinerary:

Once in a while I get asked what my itinerary looks like. So it's now posted here.  Anyone who wants to join me for a few days is more than welcome. :)

Date	AT Mile	Stop and Notes	State and Section
1-Mar	8.1	Hawk Mtn Shelter	Georgia
2-Mar	21.1	Suches - Woody Gap
3-Mar	31.7	Neels Gap
4-Mar	43.2	Low Gap
5-Mar	58.6	Tray Mtn
6-Mar	69.6	Hiawassee
7-Mar		ZERO DAY
8-Mar	81.4	Muskrat Creek	North Carolina
9-Mar	93.9	Carter Gap
10-Mar	109.8	Franklin, NC
11-Mar	125.6	Cold Spring
12-Mar	137.1	Nantahala O. C.
13-Mar	153.1	Brown Fork Gap
14-Mar	165.8	Fontana Dam - Get Permit GSM	Smoky Mtns
15-Mar	179.6	Russell Field
16-Mar	194.3	Silers Bald
17-Mar	206.8	Gatlinburg, TN
18-Mar		ZERO DAY
19-Mar	222.4	Tri Corner Knob
20-Mar	237.2	Davenport Gap
21-Mar	247.7	Painted Branch or Groundhog Creek Sh	NC-TN Border
22-Mar	255.9	Roaring Forks
23-Mar	273.9	Hot Springs, NC
24-Mar		ZERO DAY
25-Mar	293.5	Little Laurel
26-Mar	306.2	Flint Mtn
27-Mar	325.1	Bald Mtn
28-Mar	342.0	Erwin, TN
29-Mar	354.1	Deep Gap
30-Mar	368.2	Clyde Smith - Grassy Ridge
31-Mar	382.7	Overmountain Shelter
1-Apr	391.9	Roan Mtn, NC
2-Apr	410.3	Moreland Gap	Tenn
3-Apr	425.0	Hampton, TN
4-Apr	448.4	Double Springs
5-Apr	466.9	Damascus, VA	VA - Southwest
6-Apr		ZERO DAY
7-Apr	482.7	Lost Mtn
8-Apr	494.9	Thomas Knob	Grayson Highlands
9-Apr	514.0	Grayson Highlands, Hurricane Mtn Campground
10-Apr	530.6	Partnership
11-Apr	542.2	Atkins, VA
12-Apr	565.2	Chestnut Knob
13-Apr	589.2	Helveys Mill
14-Apr	613.2	Wapiti
15-Apr	629.8	Pearisburg, VA	VA - Central
16-Apr		ZERO DAY
17-Apr	653.0	Bailey Gap
18-Apr	680.0	Niday
19-Apr	703.7	Johns Spring
20-Apr	722.5	Daleville, VA - Roanoke
21-Apr	741.0	Bobblets Gap
22-Apr	754.5	Bryant Ridge
23-Apr	764.7	Thunder Hill
24-Apr	777.1	Matts Creek
25-Apr	799.3	Brown Mtn Creek
26-Apr	817.4	Montebello, VA
27-Apr	835.5	Maupin Field
28-Apr	856.3	Waynesboro, VA - YMCA camping	VA - Shenandoah
29-Apr	863.3	Calf Mtn
30-Apr	883.7	Loft Mtn - EAT
1-May	897.7	Hightop Hut
2-May	918.1	Big Meadows
3-May	932.5	Byrd's Nest Hut #3 - Stop Skyland EAT
4-May	950.0	Gravel Springs Hut / Matthews Arm Campground
5-May	963.4	Front Royal, VA - Jim & Molly Denton Sh
6-May	987.0	Rod Hollow	VA - N / WV / MD
7-May	1004.8	BlackBurn Trail Center / David Lesser - donation
8-May	1016.6	Harper's Ferry
9-May		ZERO DAY
10-May	1027.7	Gathland SP/Gapland Rd/Crampton Gap
11-May	1048.4	Ensign Cowall
12-May	1065.3	Antietam	Penn
13-May	1078.7	Quary Gap
14-May	1096.0	Pine Grove Furnace SP / Iron Masters Mansion
15-May	1115.2	Boiling Springs
16-May	1140.9	Duncannon,PA
17-May		ZERO DAY
18-May	1152.1	Peters Mtn
19-May	1170.1	Rausch Gap
20-May	1187.6	The 501
21-May	1211.3	Port Clinton
22-May	1233.9	Allentown Hiking Club
23-May	1251.6	Palmerton, PA
24-May	1267.4	Leroy A Smith
25-May	1287.6	Delaware Water Gap - Donation
26-May	1298.1	Mohican Outdoor Center	NJ/NY/CT
27-May		ZERO DAY
28-May	1319.0	Gren Anderson
29-May	1337.3	Jim Murray Property / Pochunk Mtn - Donation?
30-May	1350.9	Vernon, NJ
31-May	1368.0	Wildcat
1-Jun	1387.6	William Brien Mem / DETOUR LP to Lichen Tr ADD 6 MILES
2-Jun	1394.0	Bear Mtn
3-Jun		ZERO DAY
4-Jun		ZERO DAY
5-Jun	1422.9	RPH
6-Jun	1439.7	Telephone Pioneers / AT RR Station - Trip to NY?
7-Jun	1460.9	Mt Algo / Bulls Bridge or Kent, CT
8-Jun	1480.6	Sharon Mtn Campsite
9-Jun	1493.9	Salisbury, CT
10-Jun	1508.0	Hemlock	Mass
11-Jun	1524.4	Montery, MA
12-Jun	1543.5	Upper Goose Pond - Donation or WFS
13-Jun		ZERO DAY
14-Jun	1561.1	Kay Wood
15-Jun	1581.3	Mt Graylock
16-Jun	1594.5	Seth Warner - North Adams Resupply	VT
17-Jun	1616.1	Goddard Sh
18-Jun	1635.4	Stratton Pond - Fee?
19-Jun	1646.1	Bromley - Manchester
20-Jun	1662.6	Big Branch
21-Jun	1685.3	Gov Clement
22-Jun	1705.9	Stony Brook
23-Jun	1727.4	Thistle Hill
24-Jun	1743.5	Velvet Rocks / Hanover	NH
25-Jun	1758.7	Trapper John
26-Jun	1765.4	Fire Warden Cabin & Tower / Hexacuba
27-Jun	1785.3	Glencliff, NH
28-Jun		ZERO DAY
29-Jun	1793.3	Beaver Brook
30-Jun	1802.3	Eliza Brook sh	White Mountains
1-Jul	1813.7	Liberty Springs camp - N. Woodstock Resupply
2-Jul	1821.4	Garfield
3-Jul	1835.9	Ethan Pond / Bartlett, NH
4-Jul	1849.9	Lake of the Clouds / Bartlett, NH - Work for Stay or pay
5-Jul	1864.8	Osgood - Resupply Pinkham Notch
6-Jul	1877.9	Imp
7-Jul	1885.9	Gorham, NH - Hiker's Paradise
8-Jul		ZERO DAY
9-Jul	1897.7	Gentian Pond
10-Jul	1907.3	Full Goose Sh	Maine
11-Jul	1919.3	Baldpate Lean-to
12-Jul	1937.4	Andover, ME
13-Jul	1954.4	Sabbath Day Pond Lean-to / Little Swift River
14-Jul	1963.8	Rangeley, ME
15-Jul	1974.5	Poplar Ridge Lean-to
16-Jul	1988.7	Crocker Cirque - Detour Sugarloaf MT / Stratton
17-Jul	2001.1	Horns Pond Lean-to
18-Jul	2019.0	West Carry Pond Lean-to
19-Jul	2038.7	Pleasant Pond Lean-to / Caratunk, ME
20-Jul	2051.8	Moxie Bald Lean-to
21-Jul	2069.7	Monson, ME - Lake Shore House
22-Jul		ZERO DAY
23-Jul		ZERO DAY
24-Jul	2088.8	Cloud Pond Lean-to	100 Mile
25-Jul	2105.6	Carl A Newhall Lean-to	Wilderness
26-Jul	2124.5	Cooper Brook Falls Lean-to
27-Jul	2146.0	Wadleigh Stream Lean-to
28-Jul	2169.1	Abol Bridge
29-Jul	2179.0	The Birches - Sign up at Abol Bridge
30-Jul	2184.2	Katahdin Mtn

Questions, questions, and more questions

While getting ready for my trip up the Appalachian Trail I spend more and more time answering questions that the average person has about the trail, gear, and what to expect. Of course some of the inquiries lead to surprise answers to my friends and family. There are a great many things they would never expect.

To the average person the Appalachian Trail is a hiking trail that they have heard of, but never really thought about. So when I tell someone the trail is 2184 miles this year their eyes usually get as big as saucers. Then the basic questions come: “Where does it start? Where does it end? How long does it take?”

For the uninitiated, the Appalachian Trail runs from Springer Mountain, Georgia to Mount Katahdin in Baxter State Park, Maine. It is a long distance hiking trail that runs through several towns in 14 different states. The states are Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. The Appalachian Trail on average takes hikers six months to complete. Not all hikers that start the trail however get to complete their journey. Usually only half make it to the half-way point in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. Even less make it to the end at Mt. Katahdin. Roughly a quarter of the starting hikers make it the distance.

The next question I usually get is: “Are you hiking with someone or going alone?” This is a loaded question. I’m starting alone… meaning I’m not taking anyone I know with me. Once I get to shelter and make camp I will meet other hikers. This may be common for me as I plan to start on March 1^st. The 1^st of any month in the season (March through May) is a common day to start the trail for many hikers. I expect I will meet more than my share of hikers, so I will never be alone. It is this communal experience that some hikers go for on the trail, others just wish to enjoy the solitude. I’m easy to get along with and love making new friends so this should be an interesting experience.

The most frequent questions usually concern safety on the trail... from bears and unsavory people. I get asked very often if I’m bringing a weapon on the trail. My answer… “nothing more than a two and half inch pocket knife.” Why not a gun? It’s too heavy and unnecessary. Bears, black bears to be more specific, generally are pretty docile unless you are too close to momma and her cubs. As with any animal that is capable of tearing your face off, the general rule of thumb is to give it a wide birth. Shooting at it will accomplish nothing more than scaring other hikers. As far as unsavory people on the trail… well if “unsavory” is determined by odor then I will be one of those unsavory people. Thru-hikers are one with each other and wish to do no harm to anyone or anything, but rather enjoy their peaceful sojourn in the wilderness.

Food gets hung from a tree. Anything that has flavor or wonderful aromas may need to be kept away from the hikers while they sleep. Having food nearby at night does invite a problem with black bears and other critters. Hanging food in a bear bag helps prevent such encounters. Not all hikers abide by this rule as they have other experiences that tell them otherwise, but you won’t catch me camped out next to them.

Another question: What do you carry with you?
Backpack, tent, sleeping bag (or in my case a down quilt), sleeping pad, cooking system, water filtration system, spare set of clothes, toiletries, food and water. What else do I need? I’m sure you’re thinking “that’s another loaded question!” You’re right. I haven’t a clue since I’ve never done this before. But in 25 days I will find out.