Appalachian Trail

[BlueHaze 0]

I am starting from Georgia in March/February next year. If you have any interest please let me know. Should be completed by October at the latest.

[BillyVance 34]

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I am starting from Georgia in March/February next year. If you have any interest please let me know. Should be completed by October at the latest.

Cool! Good luck!

Oh by the way, there is a movement to try and get the Pinhoti Trail connected to the southern end of the Appalachian Trail, extending it by about 300 more miles and the southernmost end will be in Alabama, which is where the Appalachian mountain range actually ends in.

I have no idea what the timetable on this movement is or whether it will be successful. Here's a Wikipedia page: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinhoti_National_Recreation_Trail

But hey, the original AT is tough enough, what's another 300 fucking miles, eh?

"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban

[-Scatter- 0]

Actually, that would perversely make it easier. One big reason that literally half the people who start it are off in a week is the Georgia section is really, really tough. Ass-kickingly tough, even if you do know what you're doing.

Good luck!

[BlueHaze 0]

Thanks for the motivation.

[Amazon 7]

After you get done with the training hike....perhaps you might want to try this one.

http://www.fs.fed.us/pct/

The Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) is the jewel in the crown of America’s scenic trails, spanning 2,650 miles from Mexico to Canada through three western states. It reveals the beauty of the desert, unfolds the glaciated expanses of the Sierra Nevada, and provides commanding vistas of volcanic peaks and glaciers in the Cascade Range.

[BillyVance 34]

Sounds awesome, but how come I've never heard of that one? Or is it as famous in the west as the AT is in the east?

"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban

[Amazon 7]

It was created over a number of years.... parts up here were called the Cascade Crest once upon a time.

Much of it is very high and its a long way away from the eastern population centers.

In earlier days when I was in far better shape I did various segments over a period of years.

I have all of WA and OR as well as the mountainous regions of CA... It is well worth doing. But I have to add you really have to do this area up here.. both ways... because the views are just that awesume in each direction

[DFWAJG 4]

Before you do anything, read Bill Bryson's book A Walk In The Woods. It will have you howling about the AT.

[adventurechick 0]

I want to do it in 2-3 years.... so if you feel like doing it again... let me know1

PMS #449 TPM #80 Muff Brother #3860
SCR #14705 Dirty Sanchez #233

[BlueHaze 0]

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I want to do it in 2-3 years.... so if you feel like doing it again... let me know1

I am only going to do it once. Might do the trail that Amazon recommended next.

[Snowwhite 0]

Some of the best times of my life. Some of the toughest. My feet still hurt.

skydiveTaylorville.org
freefallbeth@yahoo.com

[aardvarkeater 0]

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I want to do it in 2-3 years.... so if you feel like doing it again... let me know1

I am only going to do it once. Might do the trail that Amazon recommended next.

Or if you want to go real crazy, do the whole Great Western Loop.

Muff Brother #4026
Loco Zapatos Rodriguez
SCR #14793

[PhreeZone 20]

There is always the Shore to Shore trail too if the Loop isn't enough for you.

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[skybytch 273]

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Might do the trail that Amazon recommended next.

I'm walking the Oregon section of the trail that Amazon recommended with flyangel2. We're starting June 20th, ending July 24th. If anybody cares, I've started a trail journal here; There's a few prep entries up now, will be a few more before we go, and I will be trying to update it at each resupply when we're on the trail (approx once a week).

Good luck on your AT hike! That one's on my life list, too; wish I could join you.

[rickmontgomery 0]

I was ga2me in 1985. It really is a great trip but has gotten quite crowded. In 1985 about 300 people attempted with a little less than 10% of us finishing. In 1986 National Geographic did a cover story about the AT and thru hikers and the numbers started increasing. Now as many as 4000 attempt it every year. An old girlfriend of mine hiked it a few years ago and was in a pack of folks for the first 2 months.

Good Luck

[Amazon 7]

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I was ga2me in 1985. It really is a great trip but has gotten quite crowded. In 1985 about 300 people attempted with a little less than 10% of us finishing. In 1986 National Geographic did a cover story about the AT and thru hikers and the numbers started increasing. Now as many as 4000 attempt it every year. An old girlfriend of mine hiked it a few years ago and was in a pack of folks for the first 2 months.

GOD I hate that.... freakin crowds when you are trying to have a quality wilderness experience makes you yearn for days gone by when you could do an entire segment and never see another human being.

Their idea of quality wilderness and mine are vastly divergent.

[SpeedRacer 1]

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I was ga2me in 1985. It really is a great trip but has gotten quite crowded. In 1985 about 300 people attempted with a little less than 10% of us finishing. In 1986 National Geographic did a cover story about the AT and thru hikers and the numbers started increasing. Now as many as 4000 attempt it every year. An old girlfriend of mine hiked it a few years ago and was in a pack of folks for the first 2 months.

Good Luck

HERE'S a question for people:

Why does it seem that a larger PERCENTAGE of people complete the trail now than previously?

It used to be only 10% would finish, & now it's something like 25% finish. Why is that?

Speed Racer
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[BillyVance 34]

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I was ga2me in 1985. It really is a great trip but has gotten quite crowded. In 1985 about 300 people attempted with a little less than 10% of us finishing. In 1986 National Geographic did a cover story about the AT and thru hikers and the numbers started increasing. Now as many as 4000 attempt it every year. An old girlfriend of mine hiked it a few years ago and was in a pack of folks for the first 2 months.

Good Luck

HERE'S a question for people:

Why does it seem that a larger PERCENTAGE of people complete the trail now than previously?

It used to be only 10% would finish, & now it's something like 25% finish. Why is that?

They drew on past experiences of hikers and got better prepared?

"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban

[Shotgun 1]

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Before you do anything, read Bill Bryson's book A Walk In The Woods. It will have you howling about the AT.

I was thinking the same thing. A Walk in the Woods

I've only done short day hikes on the AT, but it's a beautiful trail, and it would be pretty cool to hike the whole thing. (Don't think I could ever do it though!)

[aardvarkeater 0]

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I was ga2me in 1985. It really is a great trip but has gotten quite crowded. In 1985 about 300 people attempted with a little less than 10% of us finishing. In 1986 National Geographic did a cover story about the AT and thru hikers and the numbers started increasing. Now as many as 4000 attempt it every year. An old girlfriend of mine hiked it a few years ago and was in a pack of folks for the first 2 months.

Good Luck

HERE'S a question for people:

Why does it seem that a larger PERCENTAGE of people complete the trail now than previously?

It used to be only 10% would finish, & now it's something like 25% finish. Why is that?

They drew on past experiences of hikers and got better prepared?

Exactly. There are now tons of books that basically take you step by step on how to prepare for the trail. They tell you where to have drop boxes, when to resupply, and when to switch out gear. Plus gear has become much more advanced and lighter weight. Some of those crazy ultralighters can have a base weight of 5-6lbs. That makes it much easier to get through the tough parts.

Muff Brother #4026
Loco Zapatos Rodriguez
SCR #14793

[BillyVance 34]

I'm not a hiker but I have hiked the NJ portion of the AT as part of a larger expedition, but one of my favorite books is about a blind hiker who with his dog, successfully hiked the AT from end to end. It's called "Blind Courage" by Bill Irwin. He is the first one to do it.

"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban