2

3/20/2010 2:16:13 PM

The Art Loeb's awesome. Loved that trail.

3/20/2010 3:48:02 PM

I dont know much about the rest of the trail but I highly recommend checking out the Shenandoah area. Went up to McAfee's Knob today and it was pretty awesome.



[Edited on March 20, 2010 at 9:54 PM. Reason : .]

3/20/2010 9:48:17 PM

Quote :

"Don't forget you're gonna have to hike in and out of towns to the post offices to pick up your supply packages of food, etc... after hiking 20 miles, the last thing you may want to do is a 4 mile round trip into a post office... so take that into consideration."

We always hitched a ride into town. In a lot of towns, the locals know about the trail and will pick up hikers. You can make your own decision about hitching. If you feel sketched out about a ride, just say "oh I forgot my camera I need to go back!" You're right about mail drops being a pain (especially if you get into town on a Saturday). I only used mail drops for the occasional care package and mailing ahead my down coat for later.

Most people re supplied at the grocery store. IMO mail drops are only worth it if you have some kind of dietary restriction

3/21/2010 12:24:10 PM

I always hitched into town. No real problems there.

As far as maildrops, I had 21 on my first thru-hike. Never again! There's no reason to maildrop food to 99% of the towns on the trail (Fontana Dam, NOC, and maybe Monson being the exceptions). That said, I'd still use a bounce box for maps and whatnot, and probably get mail (bills, cards, etc) sent about once a month from home. You're more than likely going to be switching out some gear on either end of the trail in any case.

Here's a post about how to send a maildrop to any post office in the US.

http://sourcetosea.net/how-to-send-a-maildrop-for-resupply/

3/21/2010 9:08:14 PM

AT Slideshow tonight at Great Outdoor Provision Co, Cameron Village. 7pm!

http://sourcetosea.net/upcoming-appalachian-trail-slideshows-2/

3/23/2010 4:27:21 PM

How many people came to the other ones? How many you expecting for this one?

3/23/2010 4:31:46 PM

35+ for all of them except Greensboro. Hard to say about this one until people get there, but I'd expect at least that many. Good times.

3/23/2010 4:34:57 PM

ill be there. any other tdub people that show up introduce yourself....black pants and a silver shirt is what im wearing.

3/23/2010 5:12:14 PM

Disco Hiker. I dig it

3/23/2010 5:22:34 PM

what is your trail name, johnny?

3/23/2010 6:13:31 PM

Johnny Swank

for reals

3/23/2010 9:53:28 PM

Good presentation! I'm sorry I missed most of it. Did you seriously hike the trail in sandals?! I didn't know that was even an option, lol. I may have to rethink my footwear since I do flip flops even in winter.

3/24/2010 1:26:44 PM

Quote :

"Did you seriously hike the trail in sandals?! I didn't know that was even an option, lol."

i don't know about Johnny Swank, but i did the andes in chile and lapland in sweden with the same pair of chaco wraps...if it's warm enough, i wouldn't trade them for anything, even if my dirty sweaty feet DID smell pretty awful at the end of each day

3/24/2010 2:37:07 PM

Oh man...this opens so many doors for me. LOL

3/24/2010 3:52:47 PM

You going with Governor Sanford?

3/24/2010 4:06:15 PM

Yeah, I hiked the whole thing in Chacos. I was testing out a new sole for them. Went through 2 pairs in 2100+ miles.

They're a bit brisk when it's snowing though.

3/25/2010 8:28:54 AM

^ you've got me beat...not that you can tell it's me, but this is the "worst" i've hiked in wearing chacos...at least once we got out of the water and off the glaciers, my feet would warm up pretty quickly



[Edited on March 25, 2010 at 8:45 AM. Reason : pic]

3/25/2010 8:44:12 AM

^where is that?

and speaking of chacos, would the z/1 or z/2 be better? i like the idea of the toe loop for more security, but you can't really wear socks unless they're toe socks. i do have some of those for my 5fingers but they're not thick. we'll be backpacking the summer so thick socks aren't really a concern, but for future use...? i'm having trouble finding the pro ones too.

[Edited on March 25, 2010 at 9:19 AM. Reason : ]

3/25/2010 9:18:03 AM

Quote :

"where is that?"

somewhere in lapland, sweden (near abisko)...that's the middle of the summer, about 3am

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lapland_%28Sweden%29
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abisko

Quote :

"and speaking of chacos, would the z/1 or z/2 be better? i like the idea of the toe loop for more security, but you can't really wear socks unless they're toe socks. i do have some of those for my 5fingers but they're not thick. we'll be backpacking the summer so thick socks aren't really a concern, but for future use...? i'm having trouble finding the pro ones too."

i hated the z/2 and i don't know many people who really like them...i have the z/1, which i much prefer (the toe loops gets on my nerves something fierce)...i can't imagine wearing socks with chacos, even if it's cold (that's what shoes are for ), but obviously people do and are happy doing it

[Edited on March 25, 2010 at 9:26 AM. Reason : .]

3/25/2010 9:21:02 AM

true. i shouldn't buy them based on potential sock usage, since that's not the default and i have perfectly good boots. i like the idea of the security of the toe loop but i'm worried it would rub. i dunno...

any ideas on where to find the PRO ones? they're 7oz lighter and self cleaning, according to the chaco lady. REI has some labeled pro but they have the unaweep sole. unaweep is unaweep.

3/25/2010 9:37:05 AM

Quote :

"true. i shouldn't buy them based on potential sock usage, since that's not the default and i have perfectly good boots. i like the idea of the security of the toe loop but i'm worried it would rub. i dunno..."

i think it just depends on your feet...heck, after a few weeks, i had a callous on my pinkie toes where they rubbed...it wasn't uncomfortable, really, but those toe loops were pretty uncomfortable to me

what do you mean by security? if they're adjusted properly, i don't think you have to worry about them coming loose or anything (mine never have, anyway)...my only recommendation for chacos is the err on the side of having a slightly large sole so that your toes are protected from rocks and such in case you trip or catch a root or something

Quote :

"any ideas on where to find the PRO ones? they're 7oz lighter and self cleaning, according to the chaco lady. REI has some labeled pro but they have the unaweep sole. unaweep is unaweep."

i assume you're looking for the sticky-sole, polyester (instead of nylon) shoes? any reason in particular that you're looking for them? the traditional vibram soles are definitely a bit on the heavy side, but that sticky material doesn't hold up nearly as well and won't last nearly as long...i don't know anything about polyester vs nylon, but unless you're specifically using them for water activities (which you may be), i'm not a fan of them

in any case, REI seems to have them listed on their site...i tried on a pair of z/1's a few months back in the cary store, but i haven't looked since then

3/25/2010 9:53:47 AM

^ what he said. Those Pro soles are awesome and sticky, but'll wear out way faster. I didn't see where they were 7 oz lighter either.

That said, next time around I'd probably hike in running shoes. I love my chacos, but them things are HEAVY!

3/25/2010 9:59:09 AM

Quote :

"I didn't see where they were 7 oz lighter either."

hmmm...REI's site actually has the PRO pair at 1oz HEAVIER and it's for a smaller size

PRO, weight based on size 9: 31oz (http://www.rei.com/product/797402)
regular, weight based on size 10: 30oz (http://www.rei.com/product/733942)

don't know how accurate that is, though

3/25/2010 10:04:10 AM

^the pro ones on REI aren't actually the pro if you look at the soles. they fucked up there.

i got this from the chaco lady yesterday. i emailed b/c i couldn't find pictures or a good description of the differences b/w the two.

Quote :

"Thank you for contacting us. The Pro is a very aggressive outsole, it is best for rugged heavy hiking and climbing. Very anti-slip works great on wet rocks, root filled trails, and steep climbs. This is a marking sole so it will leave marks behind. The Unaweep soles, is more an everyday casual outsole it is non-marking. It is best for light hikes, and everyday wear. It has a angled well-spaced lug soles so it does hold a lot of debris, If you are using your sandals for hiking only, I recommend the Pro soles. For anything else by far the Unaweep soles. The Pro soles are about 7 ounces lighter then the Unaweep soles. "

[Edited on March 25, 2010 at 10:06 AM. Reason : ]

3/25/2010 10:05:54 AM

*shrug*

3/25/2010 10:08:05 AM

Quote :

"That said, next time around I'd probably hike in running shoes"

Unless its winter, this is the only way i will hike....running shoes, imho are the best for hiking...They wear out quickly on the AT with so much walking, especially up in ME, NH and PA qith all the rocks and what not. I used running shoes at first, but they wore out, then i switched to low top merrells. The Vibram sole held up sooo well.

RUNNING SHOES FTW!!

You could always go barefoot I've heard of people doing that, but i just dont see how they possibly could in some parts. Their feet are a might bit tougher than mine i guess.

[Edited on March 25, 2010 at 2:40 PM. Reason : d]

3/25/2010 2:37:40 PM

I'm on my 5th or 6th pair of Merrell Chameleons. They are very well built shoes and I have nothing but good things to say about them. I do like all that cushioning you get with running shoes though.

[Edited on March 25, 2010 at 2:42 PM. Reason : l]

3/25/2010 2:41:33 PM

Yeah, i bet those soles are good and pretty much have the same benefits as running shoes. Never tried them myself. I like running shoes for their weight, comfort, breathability and ability to dry so quickly...running shoes and dress socks is my combo for cool to hot temps.

3/25/2010 2:46:50 PM

women's dress socks would NEVER hold up to hiking any distance. they barely hold up for 2+ trips from the car to the door.

3/25/2010 3:08:52 PM

yeah...dunno about womens, but mens work just fine. I mean, they wont last the whole AT, but show me a sock, worn all the time that will.

[Edited on March 25, 2010 at 5:27 PM. Reason : by fine, i mean awesome]

3/25/2010 5:26:12 PM

LOL ... my women's dress socks held up longer than my shoes!!! My running shoes wore out at about 250 miles but I had the same pairs of socks for the whole 500. I'm sure if I could smell them better I would've replaced them out of disgust though

3/25/2010 5:40:29 PM

just realized ... you might be thinking of the socks that are more like hose, not the ones I used which were thicker.

3/25/2010 6:26:50 PM

Barefoot seems awful...I can't imagine how many things you'd step on, much less how bad the feet would stink.

I think I'm doing my July 1 week hike in the Smokies, it seems like a good starter area with lots of side trails.

3/26/2010 4:28:38 PM

no i was thinking socks. i don't own or wear anything resembling hose.

3/26/2010 4:47:17 PM

Meatstick - you ahead and get your shelter reservations for the Smokies if you're planning on going up there the week of the 4th. It'll be a damn zoo up there.

3/27/2010 3:55:06 PM

Oh man, shelter reservations? Blarg...and yuck.

3/27/2010 8:22:28 PM

How many miles do you want to go. I can look up some mileages to, but off the top of my head, maybe think about Hot Springs to Damascus, or somewhere about 80 miles N of Damascus and heading back there. No reservations needed, and you'd hit the Grayson Highlands which are cool as hell.

3/27/2010 10:42:54 PM

this may seem fairly obvious to some people, but i'm worried about it...

about 3 weeks ago i had to stop running b/c of increasing pain on the side of my foot (inside of left one). i held off going to the doc and looked up all kinds of possible injuries, but none of the common ones i came across described pain in the same area. after 5 days i finally went to urgent care b/c it was friday, ortho couldn't see me til monday, copay was the same. they did an xray and turns out i have an extra bone in my foot. not a spur, not a piece of broken-off bone, and extra bone. it's called an accessory navicular bone. doc said lots of ppl have extra bones in their ankles/feet & wrists but most never cause a problem. this bone is aggravating fibrous tissue that has formed around it.

i was on crutches for a week & celebrex, and i've been wearing backpacking boots or my super supportive/motion control trail running shoes since then. i still have some pain walking around the house barefoot or in shoes w/o arch support, but it's mild.

i am going to hike some of the AT this summer regardless. this is a bucket list kind of thing that i want to do before i have kids, which will probably be in the next couple of years. this could be our last summer. i'm scared to go to the ortho b/c i don't want him to tell me i can't go...BUT there is the possibility that he thinks we should remove it, which takes about 8 wks of recovery.

somebody tell me what i should do. ignore it and do what i want? go to the ortho?

[Edited on March 28, 2010 at 10:08 AM. Reason : ]

3/28/2010 10:07:19 AM

Just a heads up that I'll be down in Charlotte tonight doing my AT slideshow. It'll be at the Great Outdoor Provision Company, 7pm.

Here's the link with directions and whatnot

http://sourcetosea.net/appalachian-trail-slideshows-this-week/


-Johnny Swank

4/6/2010 11:17:23 AM

Quote :

"somebody tell me what i should do. ignore it and do what i want? go to the ortho? "

You could just go to your doctor. If he/she says that you shouldn't go on the trip then just take it as more of a suggestion then 'doctor's orders'. Why can't you just remove it after the trip if suggested?

4/6/2010 12:21:05 PM

Experiences with Trail Days? My sister is trying to convince me to go.

4/6/2010 7:20:10 PM

Great fun. Things to expect:

-Beards
-drum circles
-good music
-drinking
-drinking games involving frisbees....friz or Bee, you decide
-friendly folks
-church throws a shin dig [dancing]...good way to meet some girls
-talent show
-parade involving water guns

I had a great time. Well worth the trip. Damascus is the win!

4/6/2010 7:44:22 PM

Quote :

"-drinking games involving frisbees....friz or Bee, you decide"

Oh hell yeah! Anything involving frisbee and I am totally there!

4/6/2010 8:14:01 PM

I have a few questions about a thru-hike that I would appreciate some answers to.

What size pack do most folks use, and what size did you use if you make a thru-hike? What was your average pack weight? Any pack recommendations?

What is the best way to get to the trail head in Maine for a southbound hike?

How important would you consider bringing a tent to be?

4/6/2010 8:55:08 PM

pack size - depends on how much stuff you bring. sometimes people think you need an enormous 80L Gregory because it's a thru hike, but remember it's just a series of 3-5 day sections between towns. I used a pretty small pack because I pack light. (I think it was about 3500 cubic in)

Pack weight - subject of much contention Consider your "base weight" which is all your stuff not including food, water, and stove fuel. I'd say most AT hikers have a base weight around 20 lbs. Mine was about 10. Good way to reduce your weight is to focus on the big four - shelter, sleeping bag, backpack itself, and sleeping pad. For example, a foam pad will weigh about 9 oz while a nice inflatable pad is more like 2 lbs. Like everything, you have to decide what's right for you.

Trail head - Millinocket is the nearest town and there is a hostel that will drive you to Katahdin Stream campground but it costs over $50 IIRC. The campground is in the middle of nowhere. There are people out there who will give you a ride for free. Try whiteblaze.net to find someone.

Tent - You have to bring your own shelter. Sometimes the lean-to's are full when you arrive. Especially in Maine some of them are really small. It doesn't have to be a tent though Me and TheBullDoza used a tarp with bug net that weighed about 2 lbs. Most tents are upwards of 4 lbs. If pitched properly, it's better than a tent. It kept us dry in the most torrential downpours I've ever experienced.

4/6/2010 10:05:25 PM

...tarps are awesome!

I am allll about the tarp, but it has its flaws. setting it up can sometimes be a pain. I'd say its preferance...i knew people that loved their hamock shelters...those are nice for when there is no flat ground, or the ground is covered in rocks....Msr has a good single man tent..the hubba?

[Edited on April 6, 2010 at 10:57 PM. Reason : d]

4/6/2010 10:56:32 PM

another disadvantage is that your shoes are outside, exposed to any animal that might want to play with them!!

4/7/2010 7:18:11 AM

in terms of shelter, i'm actually in the process of making my own all-in-one:

- pack cover
- tarp/shelter
- gear hammock
- water/food bag

i got the sil-nylon (ripstop) from joann fabrics on sale for $1.49/yard and i've already cut it, i just need to set up my mom's sewing machine and actually DO the sewing

http://www.tothewoods.net/HomemadeGearPackCoverGearHammock.html
http://www.thepaceofnature.com/?tag=rain-cover

the material they're using looks almost rubberized...they call it sil-nylon, too, but mine's a lot thinner and lighter and is still waterproof

i'll be using reinforced webbing on the corners and regular drawcord instead of bungee cord

[Edited on April 7, 2010 at 8:03 AM. Reason : .]

4/7/2010 7:58:19 AM

+1 on tarps. That's what I used on my thru-hike, and that's the only way we roll for backpacking. We still take a freestanding tent on river trips, as we're setting up on sandbars most of the time.

4/7/2010 3:23:00 PM