How is it going?

[nightshade]

Anyone planning on a through hike in 2004?

[dionalaniz]

I leave for my thru-hike in 5 weeks. Yahoooooooooooo! Man, I am so excited and about to pop w/ anticipation!

[chknfngrs]

what will you do if you get a cold?

( I have one right now )

Will you keep on trucking or do you sit out for a bit? Will you dose up on Sudafed and Orange Juice or push on?

[nightshade]

So why start so early? Where in TX are you from?

[Senor Quack]

I'm planning a nobo thru-hike next year (2004), around March or April (naturally )

I don't have all that much backpacking experience, but am very absorbed in it. I'm 23 and have only done a bit of college. I've got pretty bad back pain when sitting and college just isn't working out so well. I was doing full-time and free-lance computer work for 7 years, but quit and I'm delivering pizzas full-time until then, saving up as much money as I can. I get out for 3-day hikes every 2 weeks or so and am planning on getting a lot of winter camping experience in.

I first became set on the idea of a thru-hike by reading Ed Garvey's book and reading the whiteblaze.net forum.

I am going to be using an ultralite Hennessey Hammock a-sym for shelter, a foam pad for cold-weather insulation, in addition to perhaps a thermarest guidelite for added blizzard protection from the cold. I'll probably end up going with a Moonbow Gearskin for a pack and a 1 lb 10 oz Moonlight Lucid 20-deg sleeping bag.

I haven't decided whether I'll just take my Hilleberg Akto 4-season tent for the coldest portions.. Does anyone think the AT during this time will just be too humid for a tent with such relatively little ventilation?

ALSO: I was just given a very nice (but 3 year old) palm pilot organizer. I was going to use the PocketMail email device that transmits messages via any phone, but found they now offer a Palm Pilot version of it! Anyone with any experience with this unit or think that it's silly to bring a palm pilot? It weighs 4 oz and has 30 hours of battery life.. Do you think I'll have enough opportunities at hostels and hotels to plug in the charger every week or two? I really want to bring it because it can hold enormous amounts of reading material and can also play a mean game of scrabble (I can also play scrabble with others with it.)

[Dharma]

I'll be NOBO starting end of February or 1st week in March.

[Matt Pincham]

Hey All,

My girlfriend and I will be NOBO heading in 2004. Starting about late Feb time (don't wanna meet several hundred people on 1st March so will get a headstart). Coming all the way from UK and hiking for Marie Curie Cancer Care. Best of luck all.

Matt & Linz

[MadAussieInLondon]

matt, you got your visa? i'm still trying for mine. us is being very strict issuing 6 month holiday visas currently...

so where is berkshire? i'm in london... berkshire rings a bell.... hmm..

[Firecracker]

Hi all!

I am planning a thru hike in 2004, starting around March 15. Still gathering gear and working out details (I think half the fun is in the planning!) Hope to see some of you out there!

[stranger]

Firecracker...were you on the trail in 95?

[chris]

I've got a couple of things in the works,but they are weather dependent. I may be out on the trail in early May, depending on how the winter is out west.

[Firecracker]

Originally posted by stranger
Firecracker...were you on the trail in 95?

No sorry... I think I was still in high school in '95!

[tdurden04]

BOOYAH, money coming through is ALWAYS a good thing. My money is, well, currently nonexistent. But that won't stop me from a Feb 22nd start date.

[qsilver]

After a solid week of eating like a pig in New Orleans I'll be headed to the trailhead on May 5th, 2004. Constantly working the kinks out of the gear until then. Mostly training at Cumberland Gap national state park.... solid knee busting trails out there....

Good luck to all and take care of your feet/knees....

[StevieRay882]

a suggestion ...... don't woory about your hike and gear till you get out there. Pack about 45 pounds of what you thing you'll need and chuck the rest. People that hike with 28 or less know what there doing and experienced the chucking. Everbody's different, find out for yourself though. My full thermarest never goes, I can deal with a tarp but can't deal with a pack without backbone. You'll figure it out.