Will Shuttle Drivers Deliver Food?

[Chair-man]

My thru hike attempt won't be until 2016 and I'll be 62 years old so I figure if I'm going to have any real shot at making it I'm going to have to make the most efficient use of my time. Limiting the number of days spent in towns would be one way. If I could just get basic food and fuel delivered to me at the trail that would be great. I guess you would call that a supported hike. I might even call upon the whiteblaze community to help. I would pay for the assistance. So, my questions is, do shuttle drivers carry basic supplies or will they get them for you? Maybe someone should start a business - resupply services.
One other thing I thought about as far as getting a ride into town. I hear some places deliver pizza to the trail. So, why not call for a pizza and then ask the driver for a ride back into town. Just offer to tip well. Has anyone tried this?

[MuddyWaters]

There are shuttle services you can mail your drop to them, and then they will bring it to you.
Kind of pricey compared to a free hitch into town, then back to the trail.

But you wont want more trail food when your a 5 min car ride from AYCE buffet.

Met an older fellow once that thought his best way to make it was not to come off the trail. So he tried carrying 2-3 weeks of food.
He was off the trail at Woody Gap looking to lighten his 45 lb pack. That was his 2nd time off the trail, and he hadnt made it past Woody gap.

[HikerMom58]

I like that idea a lot! I think it could work for a lot of hikers especially through the sections of the trail where it is hard to resupply.

See, I've already thought of this, too. You could have a bunch of White blaze friends lined up along the trail to help you out. Bring water, fuel, food.... whatever, so you can keep hiking. But then, when you do need a ride for resupply laundry etc... they could help you out with that as well.

What a brilliant idea! :)

If I did it, I wouldn't charge much at all... it would be FUN! Cell phone coverage would be necessary so that time isn't wasted on either end.

[4eyedbuzzard]

Not recommending this one way or the other, just throwing it out there http://warrendoyle.com/2015Exp.html

[HikerMom58]

Not recommending this one way or the other, just throwing it out there http://warrendoyle.com/2015Exp.html

In my mind, this is different. This would be more like not going into towns as often or trying to hitch hike into a town. It would help with keeping that pack weight down somewhat, especially coming out of a town like Daleville. There's no good resupply for days, sometimes water is scarce as well.

If you want to do the AT "hard core" than forget it. But, not everyone wants hard core.

Warren Doyle's thing is more of a constant support system, isn't it? That's about as far from hard core as you can get.... I would hate that for myself.

[Chair-man]

There are shuttle services you can mail your drop to them, and then they will bring it to you.
Kind of pricey compared to a free hitch into town, then back to the trail.

But you wont want more trail food when your a 5 min car ride from AYCE buffet.

Seems to me hitching is a real hit or miss thing. I could be 5 minutes or it could be 5 hours and 5 minutes.

[kayak karl]

Seems to me hitching is a real hit or miss thing. I could be 5 minutes or it could be 5 hours and 5 minutes.
waiting for your shuttle driver with your supplies. it could be 5 minutes or it could be 5 hours and 5 minutes.:D

are you expecting them to front their money for supplies? then how do you plan to pay?

[4eyedbuzzard]

In my mind, this is different. This would be more like not going into towns as often or trying to hitch hike into a town. It would help with keeping that pack weight down somewhat, especially coming out of a town like Daleville. There's no good resupply for days, sometimes water is scarce as well.

If you want to do the AT "hard core" than forget it. But, not everyone wants hard core.

Warren Doyle's thing is more of a constant support system, isn't it? That's about as far from hard core as you can get.... I would hate that for myself.I have no plans to thru-hike - tried once years ago and being on the trail THAT long just isn't enjoyable for me. But if I ever were to try to thru-hike again, there is no way I could resist a hostel or motel stay, town meals to make up the calorie deficit, shower, laundry, etc at any opportunity I could. That said, I doubt I would like slackpacking the AT for 140 days straight as part of an organized regimented group like WD's either.

[HikerMom58]

I have no plans to thru-hike - tried once years ago and being on the trail THAT long just isn't enjoyable for me. But if I ever were to try to thru-hike again, there is no way I could resist a hostel or motel stay, town meals to make up the calorie deficit, shower, laundry, etc at any opportunity I could. That said, I doubt I would like slackpacking the AT for 140 days straight as part of an organized regimented group like WD's either.

Yeah, we are on the same page! I wouldn't want to thru-hike it either... no way! If I even tried to think about doing it,I would hate to slackpack it. I would hike it the same way you describe.. hittin up all the towns etc.. I could. :>)

[Chair-man]

Not recommending this one way or the other, just throwing it out there http://warrendoyle.com/2015Exp.html

Interesting, but being stuck with the same group for months isn't for me.

[Chair-man]

I like that idea a lot! I think it could work for a lot of hikers especially through the sections of the trail where it is hard to resupply.

See, I've already thought of this, too. You could have a bunch of White blaze friends lined up along the trail to help you out. Bring water, fuel, food.... whatever, so you can keep hiking. But then, when you do need a ride for resupply laundry etc... they could help you out with that as well.

What a brilliant idea! :)

If I did it, I wouldn't charge much at all... it would be FUN! Cell phone coverage would be necessary so that time isn't wasted on either end.

Thanks Hikermom58, when I start my hike in a couple years I'll PM you my cell #;)

[Deer Hunter]

Thanks Hikermom58, when I start my hike in a couple years I'll PM you my cell #;)

I will be glad to help you out, too. Either bring stuff to you or bring you into town.

[HooKooDooKu]

While this might not be indicative of all shuttle companies, A Walk In The Wood (http://www.awalkinthewoods.com/pages/wd_shuttle.htm) (serving the Great Smoky Mountains Area) specifically lists 'Resupplying' as one of their services. While I do not know, I would imagine this works by you shipping them a box of supplies and they deliver it to a trail-head for the rate of a one-way shuttle. Not cheap (compared to thumbing a ride), but for the price of a shuttle, I would at least expect 'on-time' delivery.

[Slo-go'en]

The pizza guy is unlikely to give you a ride for liability reasons, they are on the job and it might not be thier car. Plus there are only one or two places on the whole trail where that can happen anyway. You can't expect a shuttle driver to go shopping for you. Pick you and take you back yes, but shag your stuff, not likely.

The beauty of the AT is that you don't need to think much about resupply. You often don't have to go too far to get it and you come across it often enough. Chances are pretty darn good your gonna wanna go to town anyway, especially in the beginning when it's cold and wet a lot of the time. It's going to happen so you might as well make it the plan.

[Chair-man]

While this might not be indicative of all shuttle companies, A Walk In The Wood (http://www.awalkinthewoods.com/pages/wd_shuttle.htm) (serving the Great Smoky Mountains Area) specifically lists 'Resupplying' as one of their services. While I do not know, I would imagine this works by you shipping them a box of supplies and they deliver it to a trail-head for the rate of a one-way shuttle. Not cheap (compared to thumbing a ride), but for the price of a shuttle, I would at least expect 'on-time' delivery.

Thanks, I Just saved that link.

Also, I'm not trying to eliminate town stops, just cut back on a few here and there. It seems like going into town can be quite exhausting in itself with trips to the grocery store, laundry mat, & restaurants. I can do minimal laundry washing and take showers on the trail with this. (http://www.seatosummit.com/products/display/59) I've done it.

[moldy]

This is a bad idea. One that you will toss out the window almost from the get-go. Your basic plan of improving your odds of completing the entire AT as a thru-hiker by staying on the trail and rarely going into town is faulty thinking. You need to get to town for R&R even more than the twenty somethings. Food and resupply is available every 4 or 5 days along or near the trail for most of the way now and getting to is easy enough. Now lets get out of the woods and go to into town and get an ice cream, find a comfortable place to sit and goof off for an hour, your brain needs the rest.

[CoffeeBager]

You might want to contact Clinker, who is in her 60s and did a thru this past year. She didn't spend much time in towns and really dialed in her mail drops to make the most of her time and stay focused on nutrition that would help her stay on the trail: http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=408516 (http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=408516) . Her gmail address is near the bottom of this entry in case you'd like to contact her to get more information on how she did it: http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=437667

[Starchild]

You would need to call and ask, or go and ask, I have gotten all types of services, including having a shuttle driver take my pack only. People are very accommodating, and what you can't find done at thru hiker rates (or free, money refused), you can always fall back on full retail price.

But I have found when the person has been on the trail for a few days a town stop is very welcome and bypassing a town for a food drop unsatisfying, YMMV.

I was thinking about a delivery service that would slackpack you up the 3000 ft climb out of towns back up in the mountain ridge. It seems far too often that you resupply for a few days and your pack is the heaviest and you have to climb back out of the hole, um town.

[10-K]

Try it.. If you don't like the way it's working just stop.

[HikerMom58]

Thanks Hikermom58, when I start my hike in a couple years I'll PM you my cell #;)

Hey Chair-man no problem... ;) I think ur idea is a good one! :)


This is a bad idea. One that you will toss out the window almost from the get-go. Your basic plan of improving your odds of completing the entire AT as a thru-hiker by staying on the trail and rarely going into town is faulty thinking. You need to get to town for R&R even more than the twenty somethings. Food and resupply is available every 4 or 5 days along or near the trail for most of the way now and getting to is easy enough. Now lets get out of the woods and go to into town and get an ice cream, find a comfortable place to sit and goof off for an hour, your brain needs the rest.


"Also, I'm not trying to eliminate town stops, just cut back on a few here and there." These are Chair-mans own words, moldy.
You must have missed them! So now ur post isn't as relevant to this thread. OH SNAP! It's good logic tho. :D

Moving right along- Here's the deal. When you are NOBO out of Daleville, there's not many resupply options until Waynesboro. (134 miles) Hitching is the only way to get to a resupply place. Buchanan is 5 miles away downhill. Not a lot of traffic will be passing by. Big Island is 5.6. Glascow is 5.9 Again, not a lot of traffic passing by. Not good resupply places at all. Buena Vista is 9.3 miles away. Resupply is better. BV has decent lodging as well. After that there's the Dutch Haus B&B I'm tellin you that's it!

When I saw Chair-man's post, I was on it... it makes a lot of sense to me. In this part of VA, (the state with the most AT miles in it) it would be nice to have a service like Chair-man is proposing ... no joke.

A lot of thru- hikers slackpack through here, out of Daleville, to minimize that long section of trail with no good resupply options.

[Airman]

You got the money, they got the time.

[HikerMom58]

You got the money, they got the time.

That's where I don't think it's a great idea. ^ We don't need another "business person" in here to make a living off of hikers. Not that I think there's anything wrong with that, I just think it's not always necessary up and down the AT corridor.

There's a guy in Daleville, I know. His name is Homer Witcher. He's awesome. He does shuttles etc... but he's not in it for the money. All his shuttles are 10 bucks per person. I like that!! He's super nice too!

I wouldn't mind doing that myself.

Delivery shuttle services is a good idea as is food/water stash services. If you live in the right place & ur not trying to make money on it...I think it's a great idea.

[4eyedbuzzard]

That's where I don't think it's a great idea. ^ We don't need another "business person" in here to make a living off of hikers. Not that I think there's anything wrong with that, I just think it's not always necessary up and down the AT corridor.

There's a guy in Daleville, I know. His name is Homer Witcher. He's awesome. He does shuttles etc... but he's not in it for the money. All his shuttles are 10 bucks per person. I like that!! He's super nice too!

I wouldn't mind doing that myself.

Delivery shuttle services is a good idea as is food/water stash services. If you live in the right place & ur not trying to make money on it...I think it's a great idea.Catering to hikers, especially thru-hikers during the season, has become a small industry in many trail towns. If hikers have a need and are willing to pay for goods and services, what's the harm? Like anywhere else you might go on vacation, when you need something, you generally have to pay for it.

[Malto]

This is a bad idea. One that you will toss out the window almost from the get-go. Your basic plan of improving your odds of completing the entire AT as a thru-hiker by staying on the trail and rarely going into town is faulty thinking. You need to get to town for R&R even more than the twenty somethings. Food and resupply is available every 4 or 5 days along or near the trail for most of the way now and getting to is easy enough. Now lets get out of the woods and go to into town and get an ice cream, find a comfortable place to sit and goof off for an hour, your brain needs the rest.

I agree with moldy. This is great in theory but I doubt many would be able to pull it off successfully. Do not underestimate the power of a shower, meal and/or a change of scenery to improve your mental health. This is even more important is mentally challenging times. I even referred to one of my zeros as a "mental health break". This can even be as short as a couple of hours for a single meal.

[HikerMom58]

Catering to hikers, especially thru-hikers during the season, has become a small industry in many trail towns. If hikers have a need and are willing to pay for goods and services, what's the harm? Like anywhere else you might go on vacation, when you need something, you generally have to pay for it.

I know that! I'm not saying it should be done free of charge, just not another money making idea for everyone. Another thing is, I wouldn't advertize the service in the book... just word of mouth.

It's a great idea, especially after you've relaxed and had your mental health days in Daleville. You are just looking hard at the next big stop... SNP!! :D There you can dine in the land of blackberry milkshakes! :p

[ChuckT]

Not very realistic IMHO a break in town is warranted because hiking can become a grind. Value yourself and earn a day in town to wash up and stuff.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Tapatalk

[kayak karl]

I know that! I'm not saying it should be done free of charge, just not another money making idea for everyone. Another thing is, I wouldn't advertize the service in the book... just word of mouth.

It's a great idea, especially after you've relaxed and had your mental health days in Daleville. You are just looking hard at the next big stop... SNP!! :D There you can dine in the land of blackberry milkshakes! :p why NOT a money making idea for everyone??? and why " We don't need another "business person" in here to make a living off of hikers"
if they have money in their pockets and want to spend it TAKE IT!
i agree with Moldy

[HikerMom58]

why NOT a money making idea for everyone??? and why " We don't need another "business person" in here to make a living off of hikers"
if they have money in their pockets and want to spend it TAKE IT!
i agree with Moldy

Nah!! I wouldn't feel comfortable doing that at all.

Here's why- when my daughter and I hike the trail, we might have the money in our pockets but we aren't "rich" by any stretch of the imagination. So, if you put yourself in most other hikers shoes, that's probably the case with them as well. If you can do something for hikers that you would appreciate, yourself... Why not?

Let me make this abundantly clear as well, I don't begrudge anyone that would want to provide services for AT hikers to make a living for themselves. I don't mind paying someone for their services when I'm hiking. I'm grateful they are there.

If you can just try to understand where my head is.. I've thought about this very idea, myself. Soo... this appeals to me.

I think I may have come on too strong when I said, We don't need another "business person" in here to make a living off of hikers". Sorry about that. That's just not what I envisioned. :D

I still think that moldy and others are reading too much into "skipping towns". I don't read it that way at all. I could be wrong & it wouldn't be the first time! :>)

[Slo-go'en]

I still think that moldy and others are reading too much into "skipping towns". I don't read it that way at all. I could be wrong & it wouldn't be the first time! :>)

It depends on what one means by "skipping town". If you mean not going into town all together, that makes resupply less frequent. If you mean "skipping an overnight town stop", that is easier to do.

There are pleanty of places where you can get in and out of town for food and still do a reasonable milage day. You just have to plan ahead a little to be close to town the night before. It's also often easier to hitch out of town in the afternoon. In the morning everyone is in a rush to get to work or drop the kids off at school and less likely to stop.

When I did PA, my partner at the time and I ate lunch at a resturant or supermarket almost everyday through the whole state! That was one of the things which made that section tollerable :)

[max patch]

My thru hike attempt won't be until 2016 and I'll be 62 years old so I figure if I'm going to have any real shot at making it I'm going to have to make the most efficient use of my time. Limiting the number of days spent in towns would be one way.

I disagree with the premise that you need to make a drastic change in the way you hike the trail just because of your age. I thru'd at 35 and intend to thru at 60 and plan no changes in the frequency of town stops. Nor changing the method of getting there by hiring shuttles. If I'm wrong and it turns out that age has slowed me down then I'll just flip up to K from DWG and complete the hike that way.

[HikerMom58]

It depends on what one means by "skipping town". If you mean not going into town all together, that makes resupply less frequent. If you mean "skipping an overnight town stop", that is easier to do.

There are pleanty of places where you can get in and out of town for food and still do a reasonable milage day. You just have to plan ahead a little to be close to town the night before. It's also often easier to hitch out of town in the afternoon. In the morning everyone is in a rush to get to work or drop the kids off at school and less likely to stop.

When I did PA, my partner at the time and I ate lunch at a resturant or supermarket almost everyday through the whole state! That was one of the things which made that section tollerable :)


I love the PA hike for that very reason.. it seems you are not far from civilization much at all. :) PA has to have something good to offer to make up for all the ROCKS! :D It has great lil towns that you walk right through.

Parts of SW/Central VA are very rural! I'm reading the "skipping" towns" piece as not wanting to bother with going into all the "towns", i mentioned in my previous post. There's a lot of hitching involved in trying to get to towns that don't even have good resupply options.

Like I said before, a lot of thru-hikers stay in Daleville & pay for slackpacking as far up the trail as they can get so they won't have to worry as much about getting into a town without a good resupply & it helps lighten the pack when you do start hiking again. I've passed Homer on the BRP with a van load of hikers up as far as Thunder Hill Shelter... that's 42.2 trail miles out of Daleville, NOBO, before they put their packs back on & start hiking again.

I do it all the time for my friends as well.

I read, that's the whole reason for this idea. Like I said, I could be wrong about that...

[Furlough]

Cell phone coverage would be necessary so that time isn't wasted on either end.

How is cell phone coverage down your way? Say from Buena Vista to Daleville? I'm starting to think through the logistics for a section hike from rock fish gap down toward your neck of the woods.

I like your idea, kind of an on call bounce box, sort of.

Furlough

[Kerosene]

I negotiated with Jeff from The Hike Inn to resupply me at Newfound Gap on my October 2011 section hike from Fontana Dam to Max Patch so I could avoid wasting the limited vacation time I had going down into Gatlinburg, or trying to carry another 5+ pounds of food on my aging knees. He initially expressed some reticence that we would hook up at the designated time, but after staying with him the night before I started out he got to the parking lot an hour before I was scheduled to arrive, and I got there 45 minutes beforehand after a very quick walk from Mt. Collins Shelter. Worked like a charm, but it was pricey.

When I get to the 100 Mile Wilderness next year I will likely look to arrange a re-supply near one of the lumber roads.

When I did the Long Trail in August 1979, I had the luxury of burying a food cache near Jonesville that I picked up on Day 9 after starting at the Canadian border.

I tried to string up a food cache in June 2007 to further minimize my carry weight on a short hike from Atkins to Damascus, but I lost all my food to what was probably a raccoon as my bear-bagging didn't work out. That evening at The Stiles, Green Giant generously gave me two of his extra meals from his Damascus re-supply when he learned of my plight!

[Deer Hunter]

How is cell phone coverage down your way? Say from Buena Vista to Daleville? I'm starting to think through the logistics for a section hike from rock fish gap down toward your neck of the woods.

Furlough

Cell service comes and goes. Specifically (north to south), close to where I live it's iffy at the Long Mountain (Rt. 60 crossing) and doesn't really come back until you get to Punchbowl Shelter. It drops out again when you drop down to the James River. It comes back in as you get closer to Apple Orchard Mountain and drops back out as you drop down to Jennings Creek (Rt. 614). Hope that helps some.

[Furlough]

Cell service comes and goes. Specifically (north to south), close to where I live it's iffy at the Long Mountain (Rt. 60 crossing) and doesn't really come back until you get to Punchbowl Shelter. It drops out again when you drop down to the James River. It comes back in as you get closer to Apple Orchard Mountain and drops back out as you drop down to Jennings Creek (Rt. 614). Hope that helps some.

It does indeed. Much appreciated.


...... to the big lake they called Gitche Gumme.

[HikerMom58]

How is cell phone coverage down your way? Say from Buena Vista to Daleville? I'm starting to think through the logistics for a section hike from rock fish gap down toward your neck of the woods.

I like your idea, kind of an on call bounce box, sort of.

Furlough

Yeah, that's pretty much it! :) Thanks DH for jumping in here with the coverage, info. We have had texts go through from the James River Foot Bridge but no calls have ever come through from there. Once you hit the BRP SOBO into Daleville.. the cell phone coverage is good.

I've done food stashes from both North & South of Daleville. :)

DH is my partner in crime! We try to help get these hikers through VA. We work together on this, I give his phone # out and he gives mine out. I get calls from hikers trying to get a hold of DH...if they can't reach him. Sometimes they call me... "Where's Deer Hunter??" LOL!! "I don't know!" "I'm not Deer Hunter's keeper"... LOL. It's fun! :>)

Water can be a real problem around here too, sometimes.

[HikerMom58]

I negotiated with Jeff from The Hike Inn to resupply me at Newfound Gap on my October 2011 section hike from Fontana Dam to Max Patch so I could avoid wasting the limited vacation time I had going down into Gatlinburg, or trying to carry another 5+ pounds of food on my aging knees. He initially expressed some reticence that we would hook up at the designated time, but after staying with him the night before I started out he got to the parking lot an hour before I was scheduled to arrive, and I got there 45 minutes beforehand after a very quick walk from Mt. Collins Shelter. Worked like a charm, but it was pricey.

When I get to the 100 Mile Wilderness next year I will likely look to arrange a re-supply near one of the lumber roads.

When I did the Long Trail in August 1979, I had the luxury of burying a food cache near Jonesville that I picked up on Day 9 after starting at the Canadian border.

I tried to string up a food cache in June 2007 to further minimize my carry weight on a short hike from Atkins to Damascus, but I lost all my food to what was probably a raccoon as my bear-bagging didn't work out. That evening at The Stiles, Green Giant generously gave me two of his extra meals from his Damascus re-supply when he learned of my plight!


Aww... that's too bad Kerosene. That's disappointing to loose ur food like that. Green Giant is the BEST!

I put my food stash in a giant white bucket with a really secure fitting lid. I have to wrestle it, to get it off. So far so good. :>)

[lemon b]

Another difference between thru hiking in the 70's & 80's Shuttle Drivers ? No such thing back in the day.

[Deer Hunter]

It does indeed. Much appreciated.


...... to the big lake they called Gitche Gumme.

Ahhh...you like my signature song I see. :)

[Deer Hunter]

Yeah, that's pretty much it! :) Thanks DH for jumping in here with the coverage, info. We have had texts go through from the James River Foot Bridge but no calls have ever come through from there. Once you hit the BRP SOBO into Daleville.. the cell phone coverage is good.

I've done food stashes from both North & South of Daleville. :)

DH is my partner in crime! We try to help get these hikers through VA. We work together on this, I give his phone # out and he gives mine out. I get calls from hikers trying to get a hold of DH...if they can't reach him. Sometimes they call me... "Where's Deer Hunter??" LOL!! "I don't know!" "I'm not Deer Hunter's keeper"... LOL. It's fun! :>)

Water can be a real problem around here too, sometimes.

Huh? You didn't get the memo? :)

[Furlough]

Ahhh...you like my signature song I see. :)

One of those must sing songs from back in the day and even to do this day. But, I suppose there is a story behind it for you?

[Slo-go'en]

Another difference between thru hiking in the 70's & 80's Shuttle Drivers ? No such thing back in the day.

It was definately more of an adventure. North Carloina was still classic appalachia making you feel like you were in a third world nation. All you knew about a town from the data book was "right 3 m, G, L, M, lm". Exactly what you'd find was always a surpise.

[Furlough]

Yeah, that's pretty much it! :) Thanks DH for jumping in here with the coverage, info. We have had texts go through from the James River Foot Bridge but no calls have ever come through from there. Once you hit the BRP SOBO into Daleville.. the cell phone coverage is good.

I've done food stashes from both North & South of Daleville. :)

DH is my partner in crime! We try to help get these hikers through VA. We work together on this, I give his phone # out and he gives mine out. I get calls from hikers trying to get a hold of DH...if they can't reach him. Sometimes they call me... "Where's Deer Hunter??" LOL!! "I don't know!" "I'm not Deer Hunter's keeper"... LOL. It's fun! :>)

Water can be a real problem around here too, sometimes.

Well, I'll probably bug you and DH to distraction asking questions if I can get the time to do this section. Probably mid summer, earliest would be end of May / beginning of June.

[Deer Hunter]

One of those must sing songs from back in the day and even to do this day. But, I suppose there is a story behind it for you?


Not really. I just like it. I change the song from time to time.

[Deer Hunter]

Well, I'll probably bug you and DH to distraction asking questions if I can get the time to do this section. Probably mid summer, earliest would be end of May / beginning of June.

No problem. I'll help you any way I can.

[Furlough]

Not really. I just like it. I change the song from time to time.

A good for my neck of the woods, at least today would be REO Speedwagons - Ridin the Storm Out.

[Deer Hunter]

A good for my neck of the woods, at least today would be REO Speedwagons - Ridin the Storm Out.


Not to bad here so far.

[HikerMom58]

Well, I'll probably bug you and DH to distraction asking questions if I can get the time to do this section. Probably mid summer, earliest would be end of May / beginning of June.

Hey no prob. Furlough! When we hike in April we can talk about it! :) I hope we have a good spring with rain, but not too much!

[Chair-man]

Wow, thanks for all the feedback everyone.


This is a bad idea. One that you will toss out the window almost from the get-go. Your basic plan of improving your odds of completing the entire AT as a thru-hiker by staying on the trail and rarely going into town is faulty thinking. You need to get to town for R&R even more than the twenty somethings. Food and resupply is available every 4 or 5 days along or near the trail for most of the way now and getting to is easy enough. Now lets get out of the woods and go to into town and get an ice cream, find a comfortable place to sit and goof off for an hour, your brain needs the rest.

I plan on taking some zero days on the trail for some R&R. I'm not real fan of hotels now since bed bugs are making a comeback. I see the cleanliness of hotels as only being a couple of pegs higher than a shelter especially the hotels that are owned by people from India. Hate to say it, but those people are just nasty and some of those places are worse than a shelter.

I have some questions about hitching so I'm going to start a new thread on that.

[kayak karl]

especially the hotels that are owned by people from India. Hate to say it, but those people are just nasty and some of those places are worse than a shelter.

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now that comment is out of line! no need for that kind of ethnic slander. :(

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[Chair-man]

now that comment is out of line! no need for that kind of ethnic slander. :(

You're right kayak karl. I'd like to apologize to the great people of India.

[aficion]

You're right kayak karl. I'd like to apologize to the great people of India.

Then why don't you?