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2017 - Hiking Plans.

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    • WanderingStovie wrote:

      LIhikers wrote:

      WanderingStovie wrote:

      I have about 15 days free to hike and want to finish the C&O between Harpers Ferry & Washington DC, but that is only 60 miles. I suppose I could revisit parts of the AT, C&O, or GAP that I have already seen. Any other suggestions? Winter hike of LHHT?
      There's this vague thought in my mind that there's some trail, in Virginia, across the river from the C+O Canal trail.In a couple of days, on my day off, I'll see if I can find it.
      I guess I will do a very slow hike of the 60 miles of C&O that I have not seen yet.
      Here's what I was thinking of, nps.gov/pohe/index.htm
      I don't know anything more than that.
    • jimmyjam wrote:

      With this break in temperatures I'm getting a bad case of hiking fever. I may have to sneak off for a night on the trail. Anybody else getting the fever?
      I've had an actual fever on and off for two weeks. The joys of having a kid in daycare who brings back germs.
      Dogs are excellent judges of character, this fact goes a long way toward explaining why some people don't like being around them.
    • SarcasmTheElf wrote:

      jimmyjam wrote:

      With this break in temperatures I'm getting a bad case of hiking fever. I may have to sneak off for a night on the trail. Anybody else getting the fever?
      I've had an actual fever on and off for two weeks. The joys of having a kid in daycare who brings back germs.
      Kathy drives a school bus.
      We get every germ known to mankind.
      Hope you feel better soon!
    • Was at a house concert last night. A guy has a tie dyed shirt with an AT logo. He is planning to hike from HF north to Katadin and was giving an open invitation to any friends who wanted to tag along for any part of the trip. I would have some time after my final exams but he unfortunately is leaving one week too early. Alas. As of now I have no plans.
    • odd man out wrote:

      Was at a house concert last night. A guy has a tie dyed shirt with an AT logo. He is planning to hike from HF north to Katadin and was giving an open invitation to any friends who wanted to tag along for any part of the trip. I would have some time after my final exams but he unfortunately is leaving one week too early. Alas. As of now I have no plans.
      Perhaps I will see him in NH and ME in July.
      The road to glory cannot be followed with much baggage.
      Richard Ewell, CSA General
    • odd man out wrote:

      Was at a house concert last night. A guy has a tie dyed shirt with an AT logo. He is planning to hike from HF north to Katadin and was giving an open invitation to any friends who wanted to tag along for any part of the trip. I would have some time after my final exams but he unfortunately is leaving one week too early. Alas. As of now I have no plans.
      Is he going to the Flip Flop Festival?
    • Trillium wrote:

      odd man out wrote:

      Was at a house concert last night. A guy has a tie dyed shirt with an AT logo. He is planning to hike from HF north to Katadin and was giving an open invitation to any friends who wanted to tag along for any part of the trip. I would have some time after my final exams but he unfortunately is leaving one week too early. Alas. As of now I have no plans.
      Is he going to the Flip Flop Festival?
      not sure. He said he was leaving on the 22nd
    • I need some suggestions for N. Georgia trails that are NOT the AT. I'll be home 5 March-4 April. I'm staying in Blue Ridge (when not traveling elsewhere) and along with day hiking I'd like to get out for an overnighter or two here and there. Given that the AT will be swarmed with prospective thrus at that time I really don't want to contend with all that mess.
      Do your duty in all things. You cannot do more, you should never wish to do less. - Robert E. Lee
    • There's a lot of road walking on the BMT around Blue Ridge. If you don't mind driving, consider starting at the Taccoa river swinging bridge at mile 14.7 and hiking south. There's a nice campsite at mile 11.9 (Bryson Gap), and at mile 8.6 (No Name Gap). 1/2 mile further is the Bald, a pretty meadow with campsite.
      Lost in the right direction.
    • Another idea is to drive to springer and hike one of the BMT/AT loops. You'd get to gawk at the beginning thru hikers plus have a peaceful walk.

      After hiking the GA section of the BMT, I spent the night at the campsite on springer. It was fun and refreshing to interact with (mostly) novice hikers. One girl had all her toiletries and clean clothes spread out in the privy. I didn't even brush my teeth that morning. Just threw on rain pants over my pajamas, packed up, peed, and headed out. :)

      (I knew a shower was waiting for me)

      bmta.org/BMT-ATLoops.htm
      Lost in the right direction.
    • TrafficJam wrote:

      Another idea is to drive to springer and hike one of the BMT/AT loops. You'd get to gawk at the beginning thru hikers plus have a peaceful walk.

      After hiking the GA section of the BMT, I spent the night at the campsite on springer. It was fun and refreshing to interact with (mostly) novice hikers. One girl had all her toiletries and clean clothes spread out in the privy. I didn't even brush my teeth that morning. Just threw on rain pants over my pajamas, packed up, peed, and headed out. :)

      (I knew a shower was waiting for me)

      bmta.org/BMT-ATLoops.htm
      That would be a good loop. And you could confuse all the newbie nobos by telling them they're going the wrong way.
      "Dazed and Confused"
      Recycle, re-use, re-purpose
      Plant a tree
      Take a kid hiking
      Make a difference
    • TrafficJam wrote:

      Another idea is to drive to springer and hike one of the BMT/AT loops. You'd get to gawk at the beginning thru hikers plus have a peaceful walk.

      After hiking the GA section of the BMT, I spent the night at the campsite on springer. It was fun and refreshing to interact with (mostly) novice hikers. One girl had all her toiletries and clean clothes spread out in the privy. I didn't even brush my teeth that morning. Just threw on rain pants over my pajamas, packed up, peed, and headed out. :)

      (I knew a shower was waiting for me)

      bmta.org/BMT-ATLoops.htm
      I'll admit, I really want to hike 2-3 weeks with the Nobo crowd at Amicalola. I like hiking around others and think it would be a lot of fun to immerse myself on that chaos.
      Dogs are excellent judges of character, this fact goes a long way toward explaining why some people don't like being around them.
    • SarcasmTheElf wrote:

      TrafficJam wrote:

      Another idea is to drive to springer and hike one of the BMT/AT loops. You'd get to gawk at the beginning thru hikers plus have a peaceful walk.

      After hiking the GA section of the BMT, I spent the night at the campsite on springer. It was fun and refreshing to interact with (mostly) novice hikers. One girl had all her toiletries and clean clothes spread out in the privy. I didn't even brush my teeth that morning. Just threw on rain pants over my pajamas, packed up, peed, and headed out. :)

      (I knew a shower was waiting for me)

      bmta.org/BMT-ATLoops.htm
      I'll admit, I really want to hike 2-3 weeks with the Nobo crowd at Amicalola. I like hiking around others and think it would be a lot of fun to immerse myself on that chaos.
      not me, not even for a minute!
    • SarcasmTheElf wrote:

      TrafficJam wrote:

      Another idea is to drive to springer and hike one of the BMT/AT loops. You'd get to gawk at the beginning thru hikers plus have a peaceful walk.

      After hiking the GA section of the BMT, I spent the night at the campsite on springer. It was fun and refreshing to interact with (mostly) novice hikers. One girl had all her toiletries and clean clothes spread out in the privy. I didn't even brush my teeth that morning. Just threw on rain pants over my pajamas, packed up, peed, and headed out. :)

      (I knew a shower was waiting for me)

      bmta.org/BMT-ATLoops.htm
      I'll admit, I really want to hike 2-3 weeks with the Nobo crowd at Amicalola. I like hiking around others and think it would be a lot of fun to immerse myself on that chaos.
      Considering that myself.
      I may grow old but I'll never grow up.
    • In March 2011 my then 10 year old son and hike from Neal Gap to Dick Creek Gap.

      Although crowded, it was very interesting. Sad seeing some having to get off due to bad blisters. All of the retired guys kept telling my son how lucky he was, and they wished their Dad had taken them on the AT when they were 10.
      The road to glory cannot be followed with much baggage.
      Richard Ewell, CSA General

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

    • Astro wrote:

      In March 2011 my then 10 year old son and hike from Neal Gap to Dick Creek Gap.

      Although crowded, it was very interesting. Sad seeing some having to get off due to bad blisters. All of the retired guys kept telling my son how lucky he was, and they wished their had taken them on the AT when they were 10.
      In 2011 I had my grandsons, 13 & 17 hiking with me for a week thru the rocks of PA. There were a couple guys telling them their Grandma never took them hiking. It was a wonderful time, I got a chance to get to know the boys without a holiday to keep them on their best behavior. Marrying an older guy with grown kids had its perks, grandkids without kids!
    • Astro wrote:

      In March 2011 my then 10 year old son and hike from Neal Gap to Dick Creek Gap.

      Although crowded, it was very interesting. Sad seeing some having to get off due to bad blisters. All of the retired guys kept telling my son how lucky he was, and they wished their had taken them on the AT when they were 10.
      my Dad did! 1967, he hiked us to little rock pond, Vt. I have never forgotten it :thumbsup:
      Cheesecake> Ramen :thumbsup:
    • SarcasmTheElf wrote:

      TrafficJam wrote:

      Another idea is to drive to springer and hike one of the BMT/AT loops. You'd get to gawk at the beginning thru hikers plus have a peaceful walk.

      After hiking the GA section of the BMT, I spent the night at the campsite on springer. It was fun and refreshing to interact with (mostly) novice hikers. One girl had all her toiletries and clean clothes spread out in the privy. I didn't even brush my teeth that morning. Just threw on rain pants over my pajamas, packed up, peed, and headed out. :)

      (I knew a shower was waiting for me)

      bmta.org/BMT-ATLoops.htm
      I'll admit, I really want to hike 2-3 weeks with the Nobo crowd at Amicalola. I like hiking around others and think it would be a lot of fun to immerse myself on that chaos.

      Drybones wrote:

      SarcasmTheElf wrote:

      TrafficJam wrote:

      Another idea is to drive to springer and hike one of the BMT/AT loops. You'd get to gawk at the beginning thru hikers plus have a peaceful walk.

      After hiking the GA section of the BMT, I spent the night at the campsite on springer. It was fun and refreshing to interact with (mostly) novice hikers. One girl had all her toiletries and clean clothes spread out in the privy. I didn't even brush my teeth that morning. Just threw on rain pants over my pajamas, packed up, peed, and headed out. :)

      (I knew a shower was waiting for me)

      bmta.org/BMT-ATLoops.htm
      I'll admit, I really want to hike 2-3 weeks with the Nobo crowd at Amicalola. I like hiking around others and think it would be a lot of fun to immerse myself on that chaos.
      Considering that myself.
      Glad I am not the only one! TJDingo has the PF bad in the left foot. Almost a year to the day that I got mine in my right foot. So, she is kinda out of commission. She can hike a couple of miles, but then back into the iso boot....

      Anyway....my thoughts are to head down the last week of this month, first week of March and do some hiking with the NOBO's and some...TrailMagic! TJD can run the truck to different gaps/crossings, and we can camp together at night. I would be like....MobileMagic on the trail, spreading good cheer(moi? IKR?) and sticky buns(wait...that didn't sound right...) to the NOBO's..

      I'm thinking maybe hot chai, chili mac and some goodies if it is freezing and a couple of coolers and some pulled pork, burgers and chips if it isn't...we've got bins of car camping gear, pop up pavilions for sporting events/races, coolers out the wazoo, folding tables, etc...not to mention an actual meat locker at the butcher that is full to the brim and needing emptying...

      So, am I crazy? Does it sound like a good time to anyone but us?
    • LIhikers wrote:

      Hiking with the NOBO bubble is an interesting idea.
      It's not something I ever would have thought of.
      I doubt I'd like hiking/camping with a crowd as we go to the woods to get away from commotion.
      As my spring hikes get further and further south, I've had the opportunity to hike with different NOBO bubbles.

      Mid-March hikes in VA introduced me to the early starters. These were folks that were putting in big miles each day and left me in their dust.

      Last year's early April hike in TN put me square in a large group that had left Springer around March 1st. It was an interesting dynamic when my buddy and I would pull into a shelter. I wouldn't call it snobbery or elitism, but the thru-hikers became more friendly when they found out that we weren't just a pair of weekend warriors and had been at this goal for over 10 years. All of a sudden, we became a resource of trail knowledge. And conversely, we were able to learn about the miles between Winding Stair Gap and Dennis Cove Road.

      This year's hike in TN (Sams Gap - Dennis Cove) will be in mid-March, so I'll be meeting NOBO's who started in February - potentially this week.

      I'd prefer not camping with a crowd but I do like talking to folks at the end of the day and learning more about their background and reasons for hiking the AT.
      Trudgin' along the AT since 2003. Completed Sections: Springer Mountain to Clingmans Dome and Max Patch NC to Gorham NH

      "The days I keep my gratitude higher than my expectations...those are pretty good days." Ray Wylie Hubbard
    • ScareBear wrote:

      Glad I am not the only one! TJDingo has the PF bad in the left foot. Almost a year to the day that I got mine in my right foot. So, she is kinda out of commission. She can hike a couple of miles, but then back into the iso boot....
      Anyway....my thoughts are to head down the last week of this month, first week of March and do some hiking with the NOBO's and some...TrailMagic! TJD can run the truck to different gaps/crossings, and we can camp together at night. I would be like....MobileMagic on the trail, spreading good cheer(moi? IKR?) and sticky buns(wait...that didn't sound right...) to the NOBO's..

      I'm thinking maybe hot chai, chili mac and some goodies if it is freezing and a couple of coolers and some pulled pork, burgers and chips if it isn't...we've got bins of car camping gear, pop up pavilions for sporting events/races, coolers out the wazoo, folding tables, etc...not to mention an actual meat locker at the butcher that is full to the brim and needing emptying...

      So, am I crazy? Does it sound like a good time to anyone but us? the hiking sounds great. with vehicle support you can carry less weight and eat better at night. the downside is having to camp at predetermined gaps rather than mountaintops or any place ya want, but given your circumstances that can't be helped.
      the hiking sounds great. with vehicle support you'll carry less weight and eat better. the downside is having to camp at predetermined gaps rather than whenever and wherever ya want, but given your circumstances thats what ya gotta do.

      at 3 forks (mile 4 or so) there are fantastic campsites next to noontootla creek down the forest service road which i highly recommend. these are not where the AT crosses the FS rd (although there is camping there).

      since you asked, i don't get the fascination with feeding supposedly self sufficient hikers on a 6 month vacation. i kinda think trail feeds (not magic!) if done should be done by kids as kind of a life lesson. but it you want to feed hikers on vacation, if you ever set up on st. pete beach and pass out margaritas i'll gladly take one. :)
      2,000 miler