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  1. #21
    Registered User ChinMusic's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by max patch View Post
    Joshuasdad, you hiked Blood going SOBO. Its my experience that climbing Blood SOBO is more strenuous that NOBO.
    Going NOBO is no big deal. Going SOBO would get my attention.

    With regards to the regulated stretch: If something about it surprises a hiker, they have not been paying attention and deserve what they get.
    Fear ridges that are depicted as flat lines on a profile map.

  2. #22
    Registered User joshuasdad's Avatar
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    It is the steep descent after a long day which gets my attention (and whack-a-mole's). I thought Blood to Woody SOBO was exceptionally easy: soft, smooth, well-graded dirt trails except for the initial 1300 ft ascent. Got a late start (Easter Sunday), so it was relatively hot, 75 F or so. If I were heading the other way, and carrying a heavy pack, and was new to this hiking thing, I would bomb down Blood Mtn to get to Walasi-Yi to get that Klondike bar before closing. And I would awake the next morning with a knee injury (or worse, if I fell on that descent). Of course, after several hundred miles on the trail I would not do that, but thse NOBOs have 30 miles of AT experience at that point.

  3. #23
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    An unprepared hiker isn't very likely to be helped by even more information being available.

  4. #24

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    Its 5 miles. Sunrise is at 7; sunset at 8. 13 hours of daylite.

    And if someone can't make that kind of mileage then they can always go off trail for 1/4 mile and camp legally.

    This is really a non issue.

  5. #25
    Registered User Moose2001's Avatar
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    There is plenty of info for hikers on this issue or any section on the AT. What ever happened to being self sufficent, engaging the brain and being responsible for one's self?
    GA - NJ 2001; GA - ME 2003; GA - ME 2005; GA - ME 2007; PCT 2006

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  6. #26

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    Quote Originally Posted by joshua's dad View Post
    It is the steep descent after a long day which gets my attention (and whack-a-mole's). I thought Blood to Woody SOBO was exceptionally easy: soft, smooth, well-graded dirt trails except for the initial 1300 ft ascent. Got a late start (Easter Sunday), so it was relatively hot, 75 F or so. If I were heading the other way, and carrying a heavy pack, and was new to this hiking thing, I would bomb down Blood Mtn to get to Walasi-Yi to get that Klondike bar before closing. And I would awake the next morning with a knee injury (or worse, if I fell on that descent). Of course, after several hundred miles on the trail I would not do that, but these NOBLEs have 30 miles of AT experience at that point.
    JD,I know that your comments were born out of concern for hikers only,and like AWOL's guide book it would be helpful to have the next three stops laid out.But for me ,I don't follow or think about man made geographical lines(state lines)when hiking,and bears don't either,they don't care that the sign says "The Line is Here".I think more along the terms of peaks,valleys,upland,piedmont.When hiking the trails a little adversity is a character builder IMO.But hey,I hear what your saying....I would like it to revert back to this.No more signs,no more books,no more town folks dirty looks,no more shelters,and no more feeds,all we need is the Mountains,sky and the trees.Have a great hike,wishing you well.

  7. #27
    Registered User joshuasdad's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by max patch View Post
    Its 5 miles. Sunrise is at 7; sunset at 8. 13 hours of daylite.

    And if someone can't make that kind of mileage then they can always go off trail for 1/4 mile and camp legally.

    This is really a non issue.
    It is actually 7+ from Lance Creek. You cannot camp in Jerrard (a fact that was hand written onto the provided maps), and exclusion zone appears to be more than a quarter mile from trail. You can stealth camp, though likely not too comfortably in the rolling hills between Lance Creek and Jerrard, which would be the smart thing to do for the low mileage folks (IF they knew of this possibility).

    Maybe a nonissue for most, but with proper information. Plus, engaging the brain when tired on Blood would entail setting up camp which...oh, can't do that... 5-7 miles may be easy for us, but perhaps not for the 70 plus seniors, and the 70 lb packers.

  8. #28
    Registered User joshuasdad's Avatar
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    Rocketsocks +1. Get rid of those signs, and no need for handholding these new NOBOs. They can unpack their camp chair, axe, trowel, cot, etc and get along just fine until they get to Neels and get properly instructed...

  9. #29
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    first, if the alleged nbob "thrus" are only averaging 6 miles per day, they definitely will not be a "THRU" for long, they will be lucky to make it to Harpers Ferry by October.

    a lot more information should be given??? perhaps he is correct, the AT should be reconfigured with Disney World type "guides", snack bars, water fountains, etc, and why can't the ATC install escalators on those darn hills?? it's too hard!! and there are too many rocks on the trail darn it!!! get those GA appalachian trail work crews out of the Dunkin Donut shops and out on the trail removing all those darn rocks!!

    no trail magic at Jerrard Gap??? I never saw squat from Amicalola Falls to Hiawassee, no church group cookouts, no hamburgers, no ice cold sodas, NOTHING, it wasn't fair!!!!!! BWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!

    the trail was in great shape from Unicoi to Woody???? but that section includes the section you were criticizing at Lance Creek and Jerrard Gap, so which is it?

    why not reroute the trail thru Helen, GA where the hikers can bed down at the Swiss chalets? why not have full time masseusses at the shelters awaiting every "thru" with a relaxing massage, maybe a happy finish??

    it's just not right ! its too hard!!

  10. #30
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    Default Honesty is the best policy....

    Quote Originally Posted by Praha4 View Post
    first, if the alleged nbob "thrus" are only averaging 6 miles per day, they definitely will not be a "THRU" for long, they will be lucky to make it to Harpers Ferry by October.

    a lot more information should be given??? perhaps he is correct, the AT should be reconfigured with Disney World type "guides", snack bars, water fountains, etc, and why can't the ATC install escalators on those darn hills?? it's too hard!! and there are too many rocks on the trail darn it!!! get those GA appalachian trail work crews out of the Dunkin Donut shops and out on the trail removing all those darn rocks!!

    no trail magic at Jerrard Gap??? I never saw squat from Amicalola Falls to Hiawassee, no church group cookouts, no hamburgers, no ice cold sodas, NOTHING, it wasn't fair!!!!!! BWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!

    the trail was in great shape from Unicoi to Woody???? but that section includes the section you were criticizing at Lance Creek and Jerrard Gap, so which is it?

    why not reroute the trail thru Helen, GA where the hikers can bed down at the Swiss chalets? why not have full time masseusses at the shelters awaiting every "thru" with a relaxing massage, maybe a happy finish??

    it's just not right ! its too hard!!
    Hey Praha4, why don't you just quit beating around the bush and tell us how you really feel?
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  11. #31
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    todays hikers don't know what real trail magic is. feeds ain't magic

  12. #32

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    Quote Originally Posted by Buffalo Skipper View Post
    Hey Praha 4, why don't you just quit beating around the bush and tell us how you really feel?
    Nothing like thee ole double entendre

  13. #33
    Registered User ChinMusic's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by joshuasdad View Post
    5-7 miles may be easy for us, but perhaps not for the 70 plus seniors, and the 70 lb packers.
    With a 70# pack they would never even notice the 2# bear can......
    Fear ridges that are depicted as flat lines on a profile map.

  14. #34

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    Quote Originally Posted by Lone Wolf View Post
    todays hikers don't know what real trail magic is. feeds ain't magic
    Yep, true trail magic is when you desperately need help of some kind and it comes out of no where just when you need it the most. Free food is just that - free food and getting that is mostly a matter of good timing.
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  15. #35
    Registered User Capt Nat's Avatar
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    Escalators and massuesses really do sound like great ideas!!!

  16. #36
    Registered User joshuasdad's Avatar
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    Wow...much angst against those NOBOs. And for me, A SECTION HIKER, the trail was great...could not be any better.

  17. #37

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    Quote Originally Posted by joshuasdad View Post
    Wow...much angst against those NOBOs. And for me, A SECTION HIKER, the trail was great...could not be any better.
    Naw,Nary a one of us is any better.

  18. #38

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    Quote Originally Posted by joshuasdad View Post
    Wow...much angst against those NOBOs...
    There's a pretty good reason for that, but I'll leave it at that.

    BTW, I agree with max patch, just go off the trail over 1/4 mile and all is good.

  19. #39
    Registered User joshuasdad's Avatar
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    I guess the regulation does state a quarter mile, the provided map makes the area look bigger than that. Wish I could make it to a trail register...but at my dayjob now...

  20. #40
    Registered User ChinMusic's Avatar
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    I can just see all these newbs wandering a 1/4 mile off the trail to camp. SAR would be VERY busy......
    Last edited by ChinMusic; 04-11-2012 at 11:24.
    Fear ridges that are depicted as flat lines on a profile map.

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