Family debate

[Duramax22]

Help solve a family argument. If your financial situation allows, is it a waste of time and money to take a half day on Friday and drive 4hr to smokies to backpack say newfound gap to icewater springs to mt leconte and then down another trail over the weekend?? or is it even waste of time to drive down Friday after work and do only leconte Saturday and sunday????

[Night Train]

The answer: Compromise.

[MuddyWaters]

Not at all.
4 hrs is nothing as far as drive time, and unless someone drives a F-350, the gas cost wouldnt be bad either.

[Train Wreck]

If you have the money and time, I'd consider it a worthwhile investment for a weekend. Why is your family mad about this? Would you be skipping out on some other obligation, perceived or real?

[hikerboy57]

are the leaves mulched?

[illabelle]

On some level all of it is a waste of time and money. Earlier this month we spent money for airfare and 250 shuttle miles and a hostel and airport food - just so we could wear ourselves out tramping up and down the hills and bogs of southern Vermont, when we could've stayed home and walked around the neighborhood for a solid week, while spending every night in our own bed, showering every day, and carrying nothing but water. Our neighbors would certainly think we were weird! Anyway, we happily spent the money and the time because we valued the experience.

The further you have to drive, the more important it is to get the most bang-for-your-buck. Or is that miles-on-your-boots? We're fortunate to be in the Knoxville area, with almost half the trail within 2-7 hours drive. If we lived in coastal NC, we'd take advantage of every 3-4 day weekend we could to get in longer sections. I guess to answer your question, I'd do the half-day on Friday to maximize your time on the trail. Or bargain for a full Friday on a different weekend.

On another topic, you do know that you have to have reservations and permits to backpack in the Smokies, right? If not, go to their website and get educated.

[Duramax22]

haha no house duties. she thinks 4hrs is to far for a weekend. I tried reasoning with her that you will be there by 4 on Friday and don't have to leave until 6 on sunday

[Duramax22]

ha yes im aware we go often

[lush242000]

haha no house duties. she thinks 4hrs is to far for a weekend. I tried reasoning with her that you will be there by 4 on Friday and don't have to leave until 6 on sunday

A 4 hr drive too long for a weekend? Hell I have driven 14 hours to hit a football game.


Sent from somewhere.

[Dogwood]

Help solve a family argument. If your financial situation allows, is it a waste of time and money to take a half day on Friday and drive 4hr to smokies to backpack say newfound gap to icewater springs to mt leconte and then down another trail over the weekend?? or is it even waste of time to drive down Friday after work and do only leconte Saturday and sunday????

Depends. Explain family first. Let's just say I may understand.

[The Old Boot]

haha no house duties. she thinks 4hrs is to far for a weekend. I tried reasoning with her that you will be there by 4 on Friday and don't have to leave until 6 on sunday

Heck I drive almost an hour to get to a decent grocery store and 2 to get to the MEC store!

I drove just over 500 miles to go to the Michigan Fall hang - left home Friday morning at 7 AM, pulled in to the campground around 5:30 Friday evening. Camped for 2 nights, went cross border shopping Sunday afternoon and stayed an extra night right near the border, was home late Monday afternoon.

Tell her 4 hours is nothing!!

[Train Wreck]

haha no house duties. she thinks 4hrs is to far for a weekend. I tried reasoning with her that you will be there by 4 on Friday and don't have to leave until 6 on sunday

We've done 1600+ miles of the AT from Springer to Massachusetts in sections of varying lengths. Of that, probably 50% of the trail we've done so far has been on weekend hikes within a 4 hour drive from our home (inclusive of the AT from Hot Springs, NC through all of VA). I didn't think it was too far at the time for a weekend, with the only other option being not hiking at all. I guess it all depends on how badly you want to hike.

[bigcranky]

Yeah, but I like to be home by mid afternoon on Sunday, so I can unpack, spread out the gear to dry, grab a shower and some dinner, and get ready to face the week. Leaving the trail at 6pm for a 4 hour drive home, arriving at 10pm and trying to get ready to go to work in the morning sounds like not much fun. So for me that means I like to have a full three days for a 4 hour drive -- leave Thursday after work, get a room somewhere near the trail (or hike in late), and start early Friday morning.

[MuddyWaters]

Sometimes, you just have to take what you can, when you can get it.
If it makes you happy, thats what matters.

Life isnt about making logical financial decisions. If that were the case, no one would have kids.

[kayak karl]

drove from jersey to NC linville gorge (6hrs one way) for 2 days camping and hiking with the gorge rats, but they had cookies

[lush242000]

drove from jersey to NC linville gorge (6hrs one way) for 2 days camping and hiking with the gorge rats, but they had cookies

Cookies are important.


Sent from somewhere.

[Feral Bill]

My rule of thumb is the travel time does not exceed the play time.

[Spirit Walker]

For years my husband and I were hiking, backpacking or doing trail work at least three weekends a month. Most of the time the drives were between 4 and 7 hours, one way. It was good for the marriage - lots of time together. We'd drive two hours, eat dinner, then drive the rest of the way to the trail. Gas was cheaper then, , but if you can afford it, why not?

[HooKooDooKu]

I regularly drive 5 hours to do 1 and 2 night trips in GSMNP.

For me, the biggest $$ saving thing I started doing was to cut out driving to Smokies on Friday and staying in a hotel. Instead, I get the car 100% packed up on Thursday. Then when I come home from work on Friday, I take a nap. Try to wake up and leave about 1am which will get me to the Smokies about the time most places are openning for breakfast. I pick up a quick breakfast and hit the trial.

I've also left even earlier, eaten breakfast in the car (Poptarts) and started hiking at or before day break.

[Tuckahoe]

Coming onto a forum to get the backing to win a family debate (I am assuming with the wife), that is really bad... tsk tsk

When I was much younger and doing a lot of Civil War reenacting, traveling four hours for an event was pretty common. And most all of the folks I associated with regularly would go as far as 6 hours away from home for a weekend event, and usually leaving after work on Friday evenings and getting home late on Sunday or early Monday morning.

Being in my 20s I never worried about how far I traveled for a weekend trip.

Now that I am older and backpacking has replaced reenacting, I dont try and cram a lot into a weekend trip and with generous leave earned at work I dont try to. I enjoy road trips much more building in travel and recovery days. Things are also a little different with a traveling companion.

Most folks though are not in my situation, and if I were not where I am at now, I wouldnt hesitate one bit to drive far, walk hard and plop my head on my pillow at home early on a Monday morning.