Welcome to the AppalachianTrailCafe.net!
Take a moment and register and then join the conversation

myog backpack ? 80-85 L

    This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse this site, you are agreeing to our Cookie Policy.

    • I'll be in Cheaha this weekend. Friday and Saturday. The AHTS is having a meet and greet. Covered dish meal on Saturday. Ghost/camping stories around the campfire, I presume on Saturday. The AlaRuck is for the 14th and 15th. So I don't know exactly what will be going on.

      I was thinking of walking a bit on Friday. The AHTS might have a short walk on Saturday.

      I'll mostly be trying out my stove and some other gear. I haven't walked in two months. My sister hasn't felt up to it, and I didn't want to go by myself.

      Might take some AT books to read. Planner, guidebook, etc.
      --
      "What do you mean its sunrise already ?!", me.
    • I camped at a park in I believe Vernon, NY. Sounded like a great deal with Pizza for supper and bakery with fresh stuff in the morning. :thumbup: Only problem was the park had a basketball goal and lights. And yes it was popular. :rolleyes:
      The road to glory cannot be followed with much baggage.
      Richard Ewell, CSA General
    • JimBlue wrote:

      The dispenser is a small plastic thing that came with the 3 rolls of tp. It weighs about 1 ounce. The metal cooker is a quantity measurement, not a weight measure. I burn and peel. I'll be in a state park later this month, not on the AT. Next year, if the guidebook ever gets here, will be the BMT journey.

      I like to wear clean undies. Think of it as a ... problem. My first trip out to sea aboard ship, one of the evaporaters went down. So no showers or clean clothes for 2 months. No, I'm not kidding.

      The Kleenex weighs about 2 ounces, I'm using it to cushion a few items. And I have a pair of warm gloves and a knit cap.
      We were often without showers on a sub because the reactor was priority 1 for water. Until the reserve feed tanks were full nobody else got any water. However, the feedwater going to the steam generators was a comfy 100-105° so I never went without. One of the perks of being a MM and being smarter than the average bear, eh boo boo :D
      If your Doctor is a tree, you're on acid.
    • This isn't my trip report...

      I came back home on Saturday. The 500 foot walk uphill to the restroom multiple times on Friday did me in. I had to rest 5 times from site 119 to the pavillion where the restroom was everytime I made that walk. And the wind lifting a tent peg out of the ground Friday night didn't help. I dealt with not lettnig the cell phone tower blinkblink ! every few seconds not preventing me from sleeping.

      I handled the cold fine. Wind and the cold did me in...

      I definately need more exercise to get my stamina up. I'll post a trip report. I need to find my USB cable for the phone. I took a number of photos. The Ion camera takes videos in mov format. I'll try to find a means to show them or change them to mpeg. Video is views of the area where i camped, leaves, clouds, wind. I didn't talk during them.

      I'm not giivnig up. This is a minor setback. Ghosh darn it, I'm going to get out there and hike.
      --
      "What do you mean its sunrise already ?!", me.
    • JimBlue wrote:

      This isn't my trip report...

      I came back home on Saturday. The 500 foot walk uphill to the restroom multiple times on Friday did me in. I had to rest 5 times from site 119 to the pavillion where the restroom was everytime I made that walk. And the wind lifting a tent peg out of the ground Friday night didn't help. I dealt with not lettnig the cell phone tower blinkblink ! every few seconds not preventing me from sleeping.

      I handled the cold fine. Wind and the cold did me in...

      I definately need more exercise to get my stamina up. I'll post a trip report. I need to find my USB cable for the phone. I took a number of photos. The Ion camera takes videos in mov format. I'll try to find a means to show them or change them to mpeg. Video is views of the area where i camped, leaves, clouds, wind. I didn't talk during them.

      I'm not giivnig up. This is a minor setback. Ghosh darn it, I'm going to get out there and hike.
      Keep walking, even if you have to go alone. You have to be determined and not make excuses.
      Lost in the right direction.
    • I got there about 9:30 in the morning. Evidently they don't track who is in which semi-primitive camp site, although I did see a place for it on the wall behind the cash registers.

      I drove the loop, one-way, but some people ignore that I guess they have good insurance.

      The semi-primitive campsites are numbered 106 through 126. I may have missed some. The pavilian on the CCC tower road is where the restrooms are located.

      I drove down and got number 119. Mistake, I walked down to the store and told them 119 and then walked back up. I did find out my boots aren't designed to handle walking down hill. I also found out I am seriously out of shape. I would say... at a guess, 1000 feet back up to my car and I had a tough time of it. Wheezed part of the way. Most of the way.

      Placed a tarp after clearing the area under where I was going to place it of rocks and tree pieces. Set my tent up. Wind was calm to about 5 mph. A few ravens flew over to a nearby tree apparenly to see if I had any food out where they could get it. Blew up the air mattress with a small inflate motor I had brought.

      A few leaves were blowing about here and there.

      As I sat there, about 10:00 AM, I heard a tractor coming down the road. It was pulling a trailer. On the trailer was a machine. A leaf blower. He was blowing leaves off the one-way road and the wind was blowing more leaves onto the road behind him. He waved and I waved.

      I got out my MSR Whisperlite stove and heated some water. Ate a nice meal of MH chili mac with beef.

      Had to go to the restroom. My body rebelled most of the way up the approximately 500 feet. Walking back down to my tent was easy. Car camping, I probably should have taken a porta-potty of some sort, depends...

      The sky was clear of thick clouds, mostly high thin ones. A few contrails. All slowly moving southeast as the cool front approached.

      The fresh air was great.

      Around 2 PM other campers started showing up. Another group around 5-7 PM. Snice they came in after dark, a pickup truck of park employees came by and accepted payment.

      I had received two placards when I paid. One on dash of my car and one on a clip under thr campsite number.

      Wood campsite numbers for those sites with no electricity. Metal boxes, electricity. I got one without.

      After taking about 25 photos, I noticed my cell phone was low on battery so I hookedit up to my InstaBoost and recharged it.

      After sunset around 4:30 PM, I heated water again. I used my headlamp to check my cooking and pour hot water into the MH Beef stew single serve pouches. Spilled some water on my left hand, but it wasn't hot enough to leave a mark or turn my skin red. I was lucky.

      I put my sleeping bag on top of the air mattress, and put a blanket on top of that. I slept warm. I only took off my socks. Leaving on cotton boxers, cotton jeans, a polyester long sleeve shirt, and a hiking shirt. Put on Thinsulate gloves and a knit cap.

      Throughout the night a cell phone tower aircraft warning lights blinked every few seconds. At first I thought it was a campfire left burning in spite of the wind and they should have put it out. Then I realized it was warning lights. They didn't keep me awake, but did wake me up a few times.

      I woke just before dawn. I noticed a number of cars, pickups, and SUVs leaving.

      My cell phone finally conencted. It was 31F in Delta, AL. About 1200 feet below me. I had forgotten a digital thermometer at home, so I don't know what the temperature was at the campsite.

      I decided to leave Saturday morning after the wind had lifted out a 12 inch long tent peg during the night. I was dealing with the cold. But the 7 trips uphill to the restroom, and feeling like I physically wasn't going to make it, decided it for me. I needed to exercise more before being out in the woods.

      Some of the decidious trees still had their orange and red leaves. Most had shed them.

      I saw a squirrel at another campsite, but couldn't get a photo before he noticed me and left.

      By 7 AM, most of the people in the semi-primitive campsites had left. I decided to leave to. Not to join the maddening crowd, but I just felt defeated. I hadn't felt that way on a camping trip in many years.

      I knew I would go back there. I had miles to go before I slept.

      The panaroma is out from semi-primitive #120. The other three photos are of the pavillian and its interior. I have other photos, but haven't dug out my camera yet.
      --
      "What do you mean its sunrise already ?!", me.
    • JimBlue your trip isn't a "defeat", it's a learning experience. We all learn something when we get out and camp or hike, even if things don't go as planned.

      You weren't around when I tried to solo hike for the first time. I went to the Foothills Trail and was so scared to camp alone that I hitchhiked back to my car and slept in the car all night. That was definitely a learning and growing experience.
      Lost in the right direction.
    • TrafficJam wrote:

      JimBlue your trip isn't a "defeat", it's a learning experience. We all learn something when we get out and camp or hike, even if things don't go as planned.

      You weren't around when I tried to solo hike for the first time. I went to the Foothills Trail and was so scared to camp alone that I hitchhiked back to my car and slept in the car all night. That was definitely a learning and growing experience.
      I remember my first solo excursion, didn't sleep a wink, and had sugar plum serial killers dance through my head all night long, couldn't wait to break camp next morning...things that go bump in the night and all.
    • socks wrote:

      TrafficJam wrote:

      JimBlue your trip isn't a "defeat", it's a learning experience. We all learn something when we get out and camp or hike, even if things don't go as planned.

      You weren't around when I tried to solo hike for the first time. I went to the Foothills Trail and was so scared to camp alone that I hitchhiked back to my car and slept in the car all night. That was definitely a learning and growing experience.
      I remember my first solo excursion, didn't sleep a wink, and had sugar plum serial killers dance through my head all night long, couldn't wait to break camp next morning...things that go bump in the night and all.
      To be honest, I still struggle with it at times but it doesn't stop me.
      Lost in the right direction.
    • TrafficJam wrote:

      socks wrote:

      TrafficJam wrote:

      JimBlue your trip isn't a "defeat", it's a learning experience. We all learn something when we get out and camp or hike, even if things don't go as planned.

      You weren't around when I tried to solo hike for the first time. I went to the Foothills Trail and was so scared to camp alone that I hitchhiked back to my car and slept in the car all night. That was definitely a learning and growing experience.
      I remember my first solo excursion, didn't sleep a wink, and had sugar plum serial killers dance through my head all night long, couldn't wait to break camp next morning...things that go bump in the night and all.
      To be honest, I still struggle with it at times but it doesn't stop me.
      Many do I would think...if they're honest. Closing ones eyes and giving it all up ain't for the faint of heart...just gotta let go. I think people eventually just get used to it the more they do it, just like anything else. Most of that crazy thinking is all in our heads, ax wielders are in town where its warm, not sittin' out in the cold woods laying in wait.
    • Astro wrote:

      JimBlue wrote:

      I didn't put the above in trip reports as I felt I hadn't hiked anywhere... walking up to the restroom wasn't hiking.
      But hey at least you got outside and camped some. :)

      Yeah, there is that. The pounding in my chest, when I tried walking uphill, kinda scared me.

      The only group I was concerned with was a group of what sounded like drunks talking about how tough they were about level with the restrooms.

      I've encountered all animals noted to be in those woods, except for bears. And with all the noise from the other campsites, I wasn't too concerned about them. My sister did buy and give me a bell to hand from my backpack or walking poles.

      The other thing that bothered me was sometimes I would stand up and not compensate enough for the slope and fall and roll a few feet. No drop off next to my camp or I would have asked for a different camp site.

      I could deal with the rest of it. I've been colder at higher altitude. 5F at 3000'.
      --
      "What do you mean its sunrise already ?!", me.
    • TrafficJam wrote:

      JimBlue your trip isn't a "defeat", it's a learning experience. We all learn something when we get out and camp or hike, even if things don't go as planned.

      You weren't around when I tried to solo hike for the first time. I went to the Foothills Trail and was so scared to camp alone that I hitchhiked back to my car and slept in the car all night. That was definitely a learning and growing experience.

      One time I went out a day early from the rest of my school chums. I was eating supper and looked up to see a bobcat watching me eat. I yelled, he ran in one direction and I in another. I walked 2 miles to a telephone and called my buddies. They came out and we went back to the campsite. No animal there. But they did find tracks.

      They went home after yelling at me. One of my other buddies came out and we stayed up late talking. The bobcat never showed again.
      --
      "What do you mean its sunrise already ?!", me.
    • I was looking at AT videos last night. I knew some of the hiking would be in tight spots... I wasn't going to bring this up... but heights I don't deal well with. In this video I see the trail is about two feet wide with long dropoffs on both sides. That isn't something I can do. Acrophobia is what I have.

      --
      "What do you mean its sunrise already ?!", me.

      The post was edited 1 time, last by JimBlue ().

    • socks wrote:

      TrafficJam wrote:

      socks wrote:

      TrafficJam wrote:

      JimBlue your trip isn't a "defeat", it's a learning experience. We all learn something when we get out and camp or hike, even if things don't go as planned.

      You weren't around when I tried to solo hike for the first time. I went to the Foothills Trail and was so scared to camp alone that I hitchhiked back to my car and slept in the car all night. That was definitely a learning and growing experience.
      I remember my first solo excursion, didn't sleep a wink, and had sugar plum serial killers dance through my head all night long, couldn't wait to break camp next morning...things that go bump in the night and all.
      To be honest, I still struggle with it at times but it doesn't stop me.
      Many do I would think...if they're honest. Closing ones eyes and giving it all up ain't for the faint of heart...just gotta let go. I think people eventually just get used to it the more they do it, just like anything else. Most of that crazy thinking is all in our heads, ax wielders are in town where its warm, not sittin' out in the cold woods laying in wait.
      I don't have a problem in the woods, in bed at home I lie there and listen to see if a car stopped and someone is trying to break into my vehicles, don't worry about them coming in the house, two dobermans would keep them from leaving, the second house up from us was robbed a couple of years ago, they caught the robbers who told the cops they were going to do my house but they saw the dogs and decided against it.
      I may grow old but I'll never grow up.
    • Drybones wrote:

      socks wrote:

      TrafficJam wrote:

      socks wrote:

      TrafficJam wrote:

      JimBlue your trip isn't a "defeat", it's a learning experience. We all learn something when we get out and camp or hike, even if things don't go as planned.

      You weren't around when I tried to solo hike for the first time. I went to the Foothills Trail and was so scared to camp alone that I hitchhiked back to my car and slept in the car all night. That was definitely a learning and growing experience.
      I remember my first solo excursion, didn't sleep a wink, and had sugar plum serial killers dance through my head all night long, couldn't wait to break camp next morning...things that go bump in the night and all.
      To be honest, I still struggle with it at times but it doesn't stop me.
      Many do I would think...if they're honest. Closing ones eyes and giving it all up ain't for the faint of heart...just gotta let go. I think people eventually just get used to it the more they do it, just like anything else. Most of that crazy thinking is all in our heads, ax wielders are in town where its warm, not sittin' out in the cold woods laying in wait.
      I don't have a problem in the woods, in bed at home I lie there and listen to see if a car stopped and someone is trying to break into my vehicles, don't worry about them coming in the house, two dobermans would keep them from leaving, the second house up from us was robbed a couple of years ago, they caught the robbers who told the cops they were going to do my house but they saw the dogs and decided against it.
      I like the way you think

      ...yeah, C'mon in, have a seat...wants some of my biscuits? 'Click' [front door locks] Grrrrrrrrrrh...huh! nice puppy, nice puppy.
    • I learned as a teen my fear of fire was likely due to the house trailer we lived in catchnig fire when I was 2 years old. I did get past that, and I am able to cook indoors on a stove and outdoors on a wood fire or camp stove.

      I have wondered if an event did it to me on heights. But mom died years ago and so she isn't available for me to ask. My current dad wouldn't have been around for those years as mom divorced and remarried. My first dad died years ago to, so I cannot ask him.

      Is it possible my fear of heights could go away ? I'm almost 70, so it might be very unlikely.
      --
      "What do you mean its sunrise already ?!", me.

      The post was edited 1 time, last by JimBlue ().

    • I bought an oversize ground cloth today along with grommet set with anvil tool. I have a light weight hammer I can use on it. My brother-in-law and I have been talking about getting a large tarp/ground cloth, cutting it to fit the bottom of the tent. And adding grommets. Use the tent pegs to peg down each corner of tarp and tent to keep water away form the bottom of the tent.

      I'll be waiting on other camping items as my sister has pointed out that I should stop buying things she was going to get me for Christmas.

      Oh, while kinda heavy, the plastic ( 18 inches wide) shelf roll add-on for metal storage shelves is great for the bottom inside of the tent in cold weather. It provides just enough insulation my floor didn't feel cold when it got down to 32F in October.
      --
      "What do you mean its sunrise already ?!", me.
    • TrafficJam wrote:

      JimBlue your trip isn't a "defeat", it's a learning experience. We all learn something when we get out and camp or hike, even if things don't go as planned.

      You weren't around when I tried to solo hike for the first time. I went to the Foothills Trail and was so scared to camp alone that I hitchhiked back to my car and slept in the car all night. That was definitely a learning and growing experience.

      I had a buddy who would want to get together and go camping. I don't kow if he would have long distance hiked, although we did talk about it. He died back in 2005. We were both poor, but he was worse off than me. He survived 4 tours in Viet Nam, so he must have dome something correct. I miss the old f*rt.
      --
      "What do you mean its sunrise already ?!", me.
    • Yeah, thats why I'm cutting one to fit under my tent.

      This past October was the first time I ever camped in a tent with a floor, other than a wood floor in a wall tent at summer camp. I rather like it.

      The shelf stuff i was referring to above.

      ConTact brand plastic shelf liner. 06f-18c310-01 Dimples black, 18 inches x 6 feet. I had some next to my sleeping bag and had no problem putting bare feet onto it. No idea if it works well in below freezing temperatures.
      --
      "What do you mean its sunrise already ?!", me.