A few houghts after 350 miles...

[RedneckRye]

I just got home 2 days ago after doing the 350 miles from the Amicalola visitor center up to Erwin, TN. 28 days total with 3 zeros. I then spent most of a week at Janet's lending a hand, then 2 days at Street Gap doing some magic. That whole time I didn't look at this, or any other internet site related to the AT. It was amazingly refreshing. Here are a couple of things I noticed about the "real" hiking world versus the "internet" hiking world.....

1. Out in the woods, I didn't run into anyone who really irritated me with their negative attitudes.
2. No one ranted and raved about dogs or cell phones, and I saw more than several of both.
3. No lectures on how you have to treat your water this way, or that way, or no way at all.
4. I saw no one that was ultra light or using a hammock.
5. I didn't hear a thing about politics at all. Religeon - thats another story.
6. Most everyone was excited, happy and upbeat (except when they were tired, cold and sore).
7. Lots of folks did complain about their maildrops and pre-trip planning and seemed to wish they had done a bit less of both.
8. No one tried to bait everyone else with assinine comments and questions. Folks are a bit politer when they are sitting at the same shelter.
9. Neel's gap is an amazing site after a few days in the mountains, even if the weather was nice all the way from Amicalola.
10. Scanning thru almost 12,000 posts here on Whiteblaze after a month of not looking makes me feel good and wish that all of you could have been out there hiking for the last month as well. Maybe not all at the same time, on the same section, but you get the idea.

[attroll]

How true this is. We all need to get out more.

[Gray Blazer]

Now, that's what I'm talking about. You don't have to be a thrubie to enjoy this website or the AT. Redneck, sorry I missed you AT Black Bald. ATROLL, nice job with the Rite(s) Of Spring. Looking At the photos and reading posts like this is the closest I can get to the AT at this moment.

[HIKER7s]

I just got home 2 days ago after doing the 350 miles from the Amicalola visitor center up to Erwin, TN. 28 days total with 3 zeros. I then spent most of a week at Janet's lending a hand, then 2 days at Street Gap doing some magic.

RedneckRye,

That is really what it is all about isnt it? This website, any other website is secondary when you stack it against each other. The want is to be out there all the time.



Unfortunately, most of us cant afford to be out there ALL the time. SO there are thing like this website, meant to keep that fire burning by joining us in a community. The goofyness that sometimes arises in some threads here isnt unlike other what all other sites like this incur and its a very tolerable level.

Are you continuing your hike?

[JojoSmiley]

Amen. Thats how I felt after our short 40 mile hike to Neels Gap last month.

[JLB]

I just got home 2 days ago after doing the 350 miles from the Amicalola visitor center up to Erwin, TN. 28 days total with 3 zeros. I then spent most of a week at Janet's lending a hand, then 2 days at Street Gap doing some magic. That whole time I didn't look at this, or any other internet site related to the AT. It was amazingly refreshing. Here are a couple of things I noticed about the "real" hiking world versus the "internet" hiking world.....

1. Out in the woods, I didn't run into anyone who really irritated me with their negative attitudes.
2. No one ranted and raved about dogs or cell phones, and I saw more than several of both.
3. No lectures on how you have to treat your water this way, or that way, or no way at all.
4. I saw no one that was ultra light or using a hammock.
5. I didn't hear a thing about politics at all. Religeon - thats another story.
6. Most everyone was excited, happy and upbeat (except when they were tired, cold and sore).
7. Lots of folks did complain about their maildrops and pre-trip planning and seemed to wish they had done a bit less of both.
8. No one tried to bait everyone else with assinine comments and questions. Folks are a bit politer when they are sitting at the same shelter.
9. Neel's gap is an amazing site after a few days in the mountains, even if the weather was nice all the way from Amicalola.
10. Scanning thru almost 12,000 posts here on Whiteblaze after a month of not looking makes me feel good and wish that all of you could have been out there hiking for the last month as well. Maybe not all at the same time, on the same section, but you get the idea.

Neel's Gap is like a dying man, crawling the desert (as he still is getting his "legs"), and finding ice cream.

I mailed home so much stuff from there, bought a one man Hubba, some Crocs, and waited out a two day rainstorm with my son, watching chessy movies which were suddenly fantastic, and getting clean.

His grandparents picked him up at that point, to take him to summer camp, and the next leg just wasn't the same without his witty conversation. A 10 year old can think up some pretty entertaining stuff.

[Sly]

Welcome back to the rat race. Commence complaining!

[RedneckRye]

Welcome back to the rat race. Commence complaining!

No rat race for me, just a bunch of 20+ mile days. I fly out to SanDiego Next week to start the PCT.

[Sly]

No rat race for me, just a bunch of 20+ mile days. I fly out to SanDiego Next week to start the PCT.

Oh sure, rub it in!

[A-Train]

I just got home 2 days ago after doing the 350 miles from the Amicalola visitor center up to Erwin, TN. 28 days total with 3 zeros. I then spent most of a week at Janet's lending a hand, then 2 days at Street Gap doing some magic. That whole time I didn't look at this, or any other internet site related to the AT. It was amazingly refreshing. Here are a couple of things I noticed about the "real" hiking world versus the "internet" hiking world.....

1. Out in the woods, I didn't run into anyone who really irritated me with their negative attitudes.
2. No one ranted and raved about dogs or cell phones, and I saw more than several of both.
3. No lectures on how you have to treat your water this way, or that way, or no way at all.
4. I saw no one that was ultra light or using a hammock.
5. I didn't hear a thing about politics at all. Religeon - thats another story.
6. Most everyone was excited, happy and upbeat (except when they were tired, cold and sore).
7. Lots of folks did complain about their maildrops and pre-trip planning and seemed to wish they had done a bit less of both.
8. No one tried to bait everyone else with assinine comments and questions. Folks are a bit politer when they are sitting at the same shelter.
9. Neel's gap is an amazing site after a few days in the mountains, even if the weather was nice all the way from Amicalola.
10. Scanning thru almost 12,000 posts here on Whiteblaze after a month of not looking makes me feel good and wish that all of you could have been out there hiking for the last month as well. Maybe not all at the same time, on the same section, but you get the idea.

You're making me feel bad. My pre-hike training has been watching old movies and eating ice cream. See ya out there.

[HIKER7s]

No rat race for me, just a bunch of 20+ mile days. I fly out to SanDiego Next week to start the PCT.

OUCH! That hurts. Envy you though. Love to do the Whitney Portal again

[Peaks]

Hiking certainly mellow out many people. HYOH.

Things like hammocks, I suspect they are a vocal minority.

Maildrops: Ask most thru-hikers and they will tell you that if they were to hike the trail again, they would use fewer maildrops. This statement has been posted before on Whiteblaze. It's one of those things that everyone needs to learn for themselves.

[Cuppa Joe]

Redneck,

Good luck on your PCT journey. I do want a complete report since we will be doing it in '08. Sorry I won't be seeing you at the "mothership" Trail Magic this year!!

Take Care

[astrogirl]

You aren't kidding. No one out there seems to get nutty about cell phones or dogs and both are present.

If you had done your hike a little later, you would have seen one ultralighter -- me! I'm starting at Wesser and hiking to Erwin in a couple of weeks. I usually see one or two other ultralighters on my longer annual hikes.

[kyhipo]

just enjoy yourself!be a nice compliment to hike on both theAT then the Pct,I just love the sequoia tree trail its like 4miles something like that of huge trees,many cool things,ky

[Mags]

If you had done your hike a little later, you would have seen one ultralighter -- me! I'm starting at Wesser and hiking to Erwin in a couple of weeks. I usually see one or two other ultralighters on my longer annual hikes.

Ultralight is less common on the AT, more common on the western trails (esp. the PCT). You have the Jardine influence for sure, but many of the lightweight gear companies are western base and the adventure racer/ultra contingent is also well represented here. There is some overlapping with "fringe" thru-hikers in the sense of larger miles and desire for lighter equipment.

In any case, have a blast on the PCT. I think you'll love it...

[Mr. Obvious]

I wish i could do 350 at a time.. I'm young.. doing 70 or so later this summer in Jersey.. I bring my dog with me hiking every time. Couldn't do it without him. I'm pretty new to the AT, (from Indiana) .. so i'm un-aware of the negative energy towards dogs on the AT, i sumise it's based on bad dog owners,and bad annoying violent disruptive dogs..? .. Cell phones?.. Well, not a big fan. Hiking for me is time to get away from them... And to spend time with Ler, my dog.

Called into work yesterday and hiked the red river gorge, only 10 miles.
Cheers to your hike.. Cheers to more in the future..

Mr. Obvious......

[SGT Rock]

Congratulations on a great hike!

What a great way to put the Internet community of hikers into perspective versus the real world of hiking. It is too easy to get wrapped up in what goes on here or other sites as the trail community and forget what makes us hike is not being able to talk about it on the Internet, but to be able to get out and enjoy the trail and the people who hike it.

Good luck on the PCT!

[mrc237]

You're so fight RR. Its all about the walking not the talking!------EZ

[mrc237]

Thats right not fight