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Hiking Plans 2018

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    • Three months out and the planning is in full swing. Smoking Sox and occasional guest section hiker Sheep's Head will fly down from Boston to Charlotte then rent a car to get over to Standing Bear Hostel. Tortoise daughter will drive over from Raleigh and meet me at Sams Gap and then drive us down to Hot Springs. After a shuttle down to Standing Bear, we all meet up and start the hike.

      Tortoise daughter finishes in Hot Springs and drives home. The remaining trio finishes at Sams Gap then drives back down to Standing Bear to retrieve the rental car. Prolly do a post-hike celebration in Asheville before splitting up the next morning to head for home.

      That will leave us ~131 miles from Winding Stair Gap to the north side of the Smokies. It would be nice to take around 10 days to finish that piece in one section hike.
      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
    • Just had the surgery today and it was a success and the doc says I had less damage to my knee cap than he thought. Getting my pain meds picked up now, so I don't hold me responsible for anything I type for the next couple of days. gif.014.gif gif.014.gif gif.014.gif
      "Dazed and Confused"
      Recycle, re-use, re-purpose
      Plant a tree
      Take a kid hiking
      Make a difference
    • jimmyjam wrote:

      LIhikers wrote:

      glad to hear things went well, now it's time to follow doctors orders for a happy and health rehab
      feeling not bad at all. I can hobble around the house without my crutches and I am enjoying catching up the Viking tv series.
      glad that went well for ya, I remember taking pain meds after a surgery and thinking, this hurts like hell...but I just don’t care, ie;no pain...go figure. :thumbup:
    • After my rotator cuff surgery my arm felt like flubber or something. I kept it in the sling because in the back of my mind I thought it might fall off. I don't know if that was meds taking over or not, but in the end it healed fine. :)
      The road to glory cannot be followed with much baggage.
      Richard Ewell, CSA General
    • Astro wrote:

      Plan is Glenncliff, NH to Kahtadin this summer. Key is successful resolution of plantar fasciitis.
      So things are looking up for doing the final 398 miles this summer. :thumbup:
      Been walking a few miles everyday (6 on one day last week). Over the next few months need to ramp up with pack weight, and climbing mountains with roots and rocks. Want to start second week of June, worst case first of July.

      Keys goals for 2018 are to keep stretching (and sleeping with the Strassburg sock) and drinking more water, eat less, walk a lot more, and listen to more Jimmy Buffet. I figure if I can do that, everything else will work out. :thumbup:
      The road to glory cannot be followed with much baggage.
      Richard Ewell, CSA General
    • 2018 is going to be unique for me. I'm at a crossroads in my life and could go to the mountains later in the year to live or my path could take me anywhere depending on a certain someone I'm hanging out with. The statement I heard myself say was that we can go anywhere in the whole world. I'm ready for a second adventure but unsure what it will entail. I'm excited nevertheless.
      Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory.
      Dr. Seuss Cof123
    • Rasty wrote:

      2018 is going to be unique for me. I'm at a crossroads in my life and could go to the mountains later in the year to live or my path could take me anywhere depending on a certain someone I'm hanging out with. The statement I heard myself say was that we can go anywhere in the whole world. I'm ready for a second adventure but unsure what it will entail. I'm excited nevertheless.
      There was a couple of middle aged guys that owned a company installing management systems in manufacturing companies, I had used them in several companies I had worked for, last time I used them one of the guys showed up and I asked where his partner was....said he sold his share of the company, got a young girls friend, bought a sail boat, and headed to the Caribbean never to be seen again.
      I may grow old but I'll never grow up.
    • Rasty wrote:

      2018 is going to be unique for me. I'm at a crossroads in my life and could go to the mountains later in the year to live or my path could take me anywhere depending on a certain someone I'm hanging out with. The statement I heard myself say was that we can go anywhere in the whole world. I'm ready for a second adventure but unsure what it will entail. I'm excited nevertheless.
      Glad that working out for ya, oh to have choices again.
    • jimmyjam wrote:

      Got my stitches out and rehab instructions. No hiking for a while, but he said get back on the bike as soon as I can bend my knee enough to pedal comfortably. Let the PT begin!!!
      at least your sewing machine isn’t the old Singer peddle push type...is it? My sister has our grandmothers, things awesome and still works great.
    • Jake Ace wrote:

      jimmyjam wrote:

      Got my stitches out and rehab instructions. No hiking for a while, but he said get back on the bike as soon as I can bend my knee enough to pedal comfortably. Let the PT begin!!!
      at least your sewing machine isn’t the old Singer peddle push type...is it? My sister has our grandmothers, things awesome and still works great.
      Naw it's a cheap plastic Singer. But I do have my grandmother's pedal Singer. I restored the cabinet, the upper pedal guts are gone as she had converted it to an electric.
      "Dazed and Confused"
      Recycle, re-use, re-purpose
      Plant a tree
      Take a kid hiking
      Make a difference
    • jimmyjam wrote:

      Jake Ace wrote:

      jimmyjam wrote:

      Got my stitches out and rehab instructions. No hiking for a while, but he said get back on the bike as soon as I can bend my knee enough to pedal comfortably. Let the PT begin!!!
      at least your sewing machine isn’t the old Singer peddle push type...is it? My sister has our grandmothers, things awesome and still works great.
      Naw it's a cheap plastic Singer. But I do have my grandmother's pedal Singer. I restored the cabinet, the upper pedal guts are gone as she had converted it to an electric.
      I wish me geerage was heated... ;( but for the occasional walk about, winter is really starting to wear on these old bones.
    • Jake Ace wrote:

      jimmyjam wrote:

      Jake Ace wrote:

      jimmyjam wrote:

      Got my stitches out and rehab instructions. No hiking for a while, but he said get back on the bike as soon as I can bend my knee enough to pedal comfortably. Let the PT begin!!!
      at least your sewing machine isn’t the old Singer peddle push type...is it? My sister has our grandmothers, things awesome and still works great.
      Naw it's a cheap plastic Singer. But I do have my grandmother's pedal Singer. I restored the cabinet, the upper pedal guts are gone as she had converted it to an electric.
      I wish me geerage was heated... ;( but for the occasional walk about, winter is really starting to wear on these old bones.
      I got me a remanufactured electric oil filled radiator heater out there. That an the whiskey I keep out there keeps me warm enough to piddle around the gorodge.
      "Dazed and Confused"
      Recycle, re-use, re-purpose
      Plant a tree
      Take a kid hiking
      Make a difference
    • Jake Ace wrote:

      jimmyjam wrote:

      Jake Ace wrote:

      jimmyjam wrote:

      Got my stitches out and rehab instructions. No hiking for a while, but he said get back on the bike as soon as I can bend my knee enough to pedal comfortably. Let the PT begin!!!
      at least your sewing machine isn’t the old Singer peddle push type...is it? My sister has our grandmothers, things awesome and still works great.
      Naw it's a cheap plastic Singer. But I do have my grandmother's pedal Singer. I restored the cabinet, the upper pedal guts are gone as she had converted it to an electric.
      I wish me geerage was heated... ;( but for the occasional walk about, winter is really starting to wear on these old bones.
      I just wish I had a geerage :(
    • Astro wrote:

      I just wish my kids would remember to keep the garage doors shut in the winter (and summer time). My last two houses had detached garages, and there is an advantage to that.
      The wife leaves ours up all the time and it drives me nuts because although I keep it fairly neat I don't like to tempt the hoodlums to see what I got and steal my stuff
      "Dazed and Confused"
      Recycle, re-use, re-purpose
      Plant a tree
      Take a kid hiking
      Make a difference
    • jimmyjam wrote:

      Astro wrote:

      I just wish my kids would remember to keep the garage doors shut in the winter (and summer time). My last two houses had detached garages, and there is an advantage to that.
      The wife leaves ours up all the time and it drives me nuts because although I keep it fairly neat I don't like to tempt the hoodlums to see what I got and steal my stuff
      Yeah, I guess that is a more serious concern (although you can not see our garage doors from the road). :(
      It is knowing that due to their laziness/carelessness they are causing the gas and electric bills to go up that really frustrates me. X(
      Being raised by parents who grew up in the depression gives me a very low tolerance for waste. I would probably go nuts if I worked for the federal government.
      The road to glory cannot be followed with much baggage.
      Richard Ewell, CSA General
    • jimmyjam wrote:

      Astro wrote:

      I just wish my kids would remember to keep the garage doors shut in the winter (and summer time). My last two houses had detached garages, and there is an advantage to that.
      The wife leaves ours up all the time and it drives me nuts because although I keep it fairly neat I don't like to tempt the hoodlums to see what I got and steal my stuff
      At times I wish someone would rob my garage, and take all the crap I don’t need. :D
    • Jake Ace wrote:

      jimmyjam wrote:

      Got my stitches out and rehab instructions. No hiking for a while, but he said get back on the bike as soon as I can bend my knee enough to pedal comfortably. Let the PT begin!!!
      at least your sewing machine isn’t the old Singer peddle push type...is it? My sister has our grandmothers, things awesome and still works great.
      I learned to sew on one of those...drove my mother crazy...pilfered those those sewing machine drawers every day.
      I may grow old but I'll never grow up.
    • Jake Ace wrote:

      jimmyjam wrote:

      Astro wrote:

      I just wish my kids would remember to keep the garage doors shut in the winter (and summer time). My last two houses had detached garages, and there is an advantage to that.
      The wife leaves ours up all the time and it drives me nuts because although I keep it fairly neat I don't like to tempt the hoodlums to see what I got and steal my stuff
      At times I wish someone would rob my garage, and take all the crap I don’t need. :D
      Same here, they'd need a 27' U-haul....and two for my wife's shyt.
      I may grow old but I'll never grow up.
    • jimmyjam wrote:

      The knee is healing and the planning wheels are spinning. My hiking buddy Slingshot and I are scheming to hit the trail in April and tackle the section between Ft. Bastian and Dragons Tooth. gif.014.gif
      Great! Then you can meet up with me in NH in mid-June and we can hike the Whites and ME. :thumbup:
      The road to glory cannot be followed with much baggage.
      Richard Ewell, CSA General
    • Astro wrote:

      jimmyjam wrote:

      The knee is healing and the planning wheels are spinning. My hiking buddy Slingshot and I are scheming to hit the trail in April and tackle the section between Ft. Bastian and Dragons Tooth. gif.014.gif
      Great! Then you can meet up with me in NH in mid-June and we can hike the Whites and ME. :thumbup:
      I don't think I'm going to hit Vermont until July. I wish I could get there in time to hike with you, but I have a conflict.
      "Dazed and Confused"
      Recycle, re-use, re-purpose
      Plant a tree
      Take a kid hiking
      Make a difference
    • jimmyjam wrote:

      Astro wrote:

      jimmyjam wrote:

      The knee is healing and the planning wheels are spinning. My hiking buddy Slingshot and I are scheming to hit the trail in April and tackle the section between Ft. Bastian and Dragons Tooth. gif.014.gif
      Great! Then you can meet up with me in NH in mid-June and we can hike the Whites and ME. :thumbup:
      I don't think I'm going to hit Vermont until July. I wish I could get there in time to hike with you, but I have a conflict.
      Understand, and as slow as I hike, who knows you might catch up to me by August.
      The road to glory cannot be followed with much baggage.
      Richard Ewell, CSA General
    • Astro wrote:

      jimmyjam wrote:

      Astro wrote:

      jimmyjam wrote:

      The knee is healing and the planning wheels are spinning. My hiking buddy Slingshot and I are scheming to hit the trail in April and tackle the section between Ft. Bastian and Dragons Tooth. gif.014.gif
      Great! Then you can meet up with me in NH in mid-June and we can hike the Whites and ME. :thumbup:
      I don't think I'm going to hit Vermont until July. I wish I could get there in time to hike with you, but I have a conflict.
      Understand, and as slow as I hike, who knows you might catch up to me by August.
      I'm planning on doing some slack packing. And I'll be slowing down. Trying to take it easy on these old knees- but the docs tell me they really healthy for my age and having arthritis and considering what I have put them thru.
      "Dazed and Confused"
      Recycle, re-use, re-purpose
      Plant a tree
      Take a kid hiking
      Make a difference
    • jimmyjam wrote:

      Astro wrote:

      jimmyjam wrote:

      Astro wrote:

      jimmyjam wrote:

      The knee is healing and the planning wheels are spinning. My hiking buddy Slingshot and I are scheming to hit the trail in April and tackle the section between Ft. Bastian and Dragons Tooth. gif.014.gif
      Great! Then you can meet up with me in NH in mid-June and we can hike the Whites and ME. :thumbup:
      I don't think I'm going to hit Vermont until July. I wish I could get there in time to hike with you, but I have a conflict.
      Understand, and as slow as I hike, who knows you might catch up to me by August.
      I'm planning on doing some slack packing. And I'll be slowing down. Trying to take it easy on these old knees- but the docs tell me they really healthy for my age and having arthritis and considering what I have put them thru.
      The only time I have slack packed is with friends (HikerMom, Deer Hunter, JimmyJam, CoachLou, and HikerBoy). Considering the tougher terrain of NH and ME, I think I will keep my eyes and ears open for opportunities. Probably a very good investment.
      The road to glory cannot be followed with much baggage.
      Richard Ewell, CSA General
    • We don't have an exact date yet, but we've got our shuttled lined up- my best buddy in Daleville- and we are thinking Nobo with a couple of days of food and a little good bourbon and a couple a cigars. Yep, planning done :D
      "Dazed and Confused"
      Recycle, re-use, re-purpose
      Plant a tree
      Take a kid hiking
      Make a difference
    • Drybones wrote:

      jimmyjam wrote:

      We don't have an exact date yet, but we've got our shuttled lined up- my best buddy in Daleville- and we are thinking Nobo with a couple of days of food and a little good bourbon and a couple a cigars. Yep, planning done :D
      I see only one flaw in this plan...."little".
      We've learned how to use dropboxes for "refueling". :)
      "Dazed and Confused"
      Recycle, re-use, re-purpose
      Plant a tree
      Take a kid hiking
      Make a difference
    • All my plans are up in the air as my employment status is uncertain. My unit is being closed and the nurses may or may not be offered jobs at another facility. Although, if they go by seniority and experience, I won’t have an issue but you never know. Sadly, some of my friends and coworkers are SOL.

      I had vacation approved for March to finish the BMT but that may not be honored.

      It’s been a stressful week but things happen for a reason. If I’m laid off, I might thru hike the BMT. :)
      Lost in the right direction.
    • Bo Peep wrote:

      All my plans are up in the air as my employment status is uncertain. My unit is being closed and the nurses may or may not be offered jobs at another facility. Although, if they go by seniority and experience, I won’t have an issue but you never know. Sadly, some of my friends and coworkers are SOL.

      I had vacation approved for March to finish the BMT but that may not be honored.

      It’s been a stressful week but things happen for a reason. If I’m laid off, I might thru hike the BMT. :)
      Key to successful life is remembering we cannot control the cards we are dealt, but we have control over how we play them. Looks like you are already looking at positive ways to respond to this. Try not to stress about it, and best wishes for how it works out.
      The road to glory cannot be followed with much baggage.
      Richard Ewell, CSA General