6 Months and Counting! WooHoo!!!

[Turtle Feet]

For those starting approx. mid-March - which are quite a few of us - we're basically at the 6 month mark.

I'm pretty ready, working on the food thing now. I've got my gear (or have it on order). Haven't made any travel arrangements yet, I'll hold off there for another couple of months at least.

My one last item of question is raingear. I have a jacket (rain pants that don't fit anymore...lol), packcover. I know from experience that this gear doesn't 'really' keep you dry, it's just a matter of degrees of how wet you're going to get. I guess I'm hoping for a raingear miracle... anyone have one?

Where's everyone else in their planning???

TF

[Mountain Wildman]

All set with everything but transportation!!
Not doing the food drop thing, Re-supplying along the way.

[Luddite]

I think my start date is February 24. I haven't bought my rain gear yet but I think I'm going to get a Packa. I'm resupplying along the way.

Still need to get a lot of gear. So far I have my pack, stove and pot, sleeping pad, shelter, trekking poles, footwear, headlamp, and knife.

As far as transportation I think I'm stuck taking a Greyhound. Scared to fly. Then, from Atlanta, a friend of mine can drive me to the trailhead.

ugh 6 months...

[northernstorm]

got all my gear and working on food. also got my itinerary around trail days dialed in as far as other stops along the way. really looking forward to this.

-northern storm

[Forever North]

I still have lots of gear to buy. The pack, boots and sleeping bag and more. Due to not having been hiking in a few years I need all new gear. I should have most if not all of the big money items bought within the next 6 weeks. Campmor is going to love me. I have all of my trail food covered for the trail but, I am still doing research on how to get to Springer Mt???? My wife won't drive on any highways and I am still looking for some point durnning my hike where she can take a grayhound and meet up with me for a few days. It's going to be a long trip without her. The biggest proublm is we'll need a motel that will except a dog (does any one out there have any ideas). The funny thing is I have hiked this trail before yet here I find myself reading everything I can get my hands on and researching every item I am thinking about bringing with me. For me this pre-trail research is part of the fun that is ahead of me next March.

[Wuff]

Forever North- I'm glad I'm not the only one missing a lot of gear. Reading this forum makes me feel way behind. I'm planning on buying the pack last so I can get the best fit depending on the weight of the other stuff.

I've been a bit of a lurker on the forum thus far - I have not yet requested my leave of absence from my office so my time table is not set. If a LOA is not approved, I will have to decide whether to quit and leave my wife as the sole bread-winner. Once all this is resolved, I'll start buying more gear.

[Forever North]

Forever North- I'm glad I'm not the only one missing a lot of gear. Reading this forum makes me feel way behind. I'm planning on buying the pack last so I can get the best fit depending on the weight of the other stuff.

I've been a bit of a lurker on the forum thus far - I have not yet requested my leave of absence from my office so my time table is not set. If a LOA is not approved, I will have to decide whether to quit and leave my wife as the sole bread-winner. Once all this is resolved, I'll start buying more gear.

Boy do I know where you are coming from. However, it was out of the blue over dinner one night just a few weeks ago that my wife looked at me and told me i needed to do another hike. She and I both knew it but it was because of her was the reason why I havn't gone hiking. But that don't make it any easer to go because she told me to go. I too am kissing my job good bye. But for the moment at this time I am having the time of my life just planning for my hike for next March

[Sassafras Lass]

Ha! I was just discussing this with my husband the past few days . . . . Glad to see that everyone's as excited as we are!! We're trying to be at Amicalola March 14th.

I have:

Pack (Osprey Aura 50)
Boots (Keen Targhee II Mid)
Sleeping bag (GoLite Venture 20)
Sleeping pads (Z-lite & Big Agnes Insulated Air Core)
Poles (Black Diamond Ergo)
Nalgene bottle
Knife
Wool socks & liners

Hubby has everything I do, plus we're sharing the camera (Panasonic Lumix DMC-LZ10) and the stove (Heineken can, not yet built)

We're ordering our TarpTent Double Rainbow in a week or 2, and after that our Packas.

We need to lose weight before buying clothing, so that will have to weight until after New Year's, I imagine.

Various other odds and ends still require a bit of research and picking up along the way . . . .

[Turtle Feet]

I think my start date is February 24. I haven't bought my rain gear yet but I think I'm going to get a Packa. I'm resupplying along the way.

It's pouring rain here today. I should throw my rain jacket, pack, and pack cover on and walk around a couple of hours.... I'd probably come home and order a Packa too!

I need some meds shipped to me along the way, so I'm locked into at least 5 or 6 maildrops - I might as well throw some food, ect. in with them. Other than that, I'll be resupplying along the way too. Right now I'm playing with GORP recipes, and some energy bar things. I have a few dehydrated recipes that I know I'll enjoy. If I send a few of each once a month or so I'm pretty sure I won't have a chance to tire of them and I'll be able to save some weight as I go.

TF

[Carbo]

I have all my gear. Just doing some shakedown hikes 2 to 3 days at a time to check things over and to trim some weight off my pack (and me!).

Selecting food has been a problem. So far powdered gravy with stove-top stuffing and foil packed chicken works for a hot meal, but the chicken is heavy being packed with liquid. Jerky seems good and light but expensive. For GORP, a mix of cheerios, nuts, and dried cranberries or rasins - cheap and easy. Planning on the instant mac & cheese next time out. Still have a way to go with food, reading the threads here have helped a lot in preparing!

As far as my job goes... a lay off took care of that. Kinda sucked since I was about a year from retirement and was with the company for 13 yrs. On the bright side I GET TO HIKE!

[mountain squid]

For those of you wondering about transportation to the trail, you might check out the Hiker Hostel (if you haven't already). They usually have a Thru-Hiker Special during the busy season at Springer.

and . Almost there . . .

See you on the trail (next year),
mt squid

[Del Q]

The Nimblewill Nomad website is about as good as it gets. Go Lite Reed pants are a check in the win column for me. See his current rain jacket personal choice. "Rain gear" is as much a cold/windy weather item as it is rain gear.

[Starbuck]

Less than six months now! Collecting gear and saving up money I've got my pack, shelter, bag, footwear, headlamp, most of my clothing, just ordered a new rainjacket, water bladder, bandana, and a few other odds and ends.

Anyone thinking about bringing an umbrella? I'm considering it.

[Luddite]

Anyone thinking about bringing an umbrella? I'm considering it.

Never used one while hiking. Are you still going to bring a rain jacket? I think an umbrella would be nice in the summer when it's too warm for rain gear.

[levidoug]

I have been in touch with them Hiker Hostel and they asked me to wait till Oct to book. Also said maybe a small increase of about $5 but the service I understand is great with transp. and night at Hostel, and other stuff. Looking at 2 nights at Hostel because coming by train and might need time to catch my breath. Not easy to sleep on the train. I am also working food stuff. I will re-supply along the way but have mail drops. Will also do bounce box. Looking to start at about 30-32 lbs. with water and food.

Levi

[Luddite]

I might be staying at the Hiker Hostel too.

Are you riding a train all the way from Oregon? That would be a beautiful ride but, man , thats a long ride. I wish I had the option of taking a train to atlanta. They need to build more rails.

[RichardD]

I thought I had all the gear but having just finished the JMT I was too cold when the nighttime temperature dropped to 20. I am sure it will be close to 20 on many occasions in March and April in Georgia.
I am considering a Winter Nest for my hammock but it's expensive. Possibly a 5 degree bag also.

[hontassquirt]

The biggest proublm is we'll need a motel that will except a dog (does any one out there have any ideas).

i have 3 dogs and foster great danes, so i always use LaQuinta's. They are the only one's i can find that don't have a size limit (rather, weight limit) on dogs.

[Forever North]

Thanks I'll be sure to check into Laquintas

[Forever North]

I thought I had all the gear but having just finished the JMT I was too cold when the nighttime temperature dropped to 20. I am sure it will be close to 20 on many occasions in March and April in Georgia.
I am considering a Winter Nest for my hammock but it's expensive. Possibly a 5 degree bag also.

In my 2005 thru hike somehow I managed in packing my 20 degree bag into storage along with my other things and end up on the trail with my 30 degree bag. I froze pretty good untill I reached Neels Gap where I bought a 100% silk linner. I don't remember freezing after that. Next year I expect to bring a 30 degree bag along a silk linner and two pair of long underware also. One to hike in or sleep in both pair if it gets too bad. I don't mind the weight too much. My pack is always heavy at the start of my hike. I'll trim it down after Roan Mountain or Damascus. I'm trying to stay away from buying two diffrent sleeping bags for this hike it's a lot of money. I did it in 2005 so I am hoping I can do it again in 2011.