View Full Version : Looking for Shuttle services
Ok, so I hate long road walks and am looking for a way to eliminate those 2 long ones on the GA PT (20+ miles in Cave Spring area and another 20+ miles around Dalton). Yeah, I know, cheating right? I know there are road walks to contend with, but really not interested in these lenghts and contending with logging trucks on narrow roads. The overall plan is to take the PT to the BMT to the AT (no cheating on the AT)
Will be in Cave Spring somewhere arraign March 5th or 6th, and Dalton around the 11th or 12th.
Any ideas?
Naa... Not cheating - I'm not an asphalt hiker either. Hopefully one day the entire trail will be in the woods.
I'm several hours away from being able to assist with the shuttle. I would hate to charge what it would cost me to cover fuel. Many talk of stashing bikes in the woods. This would be tougher to do with two road sections. Hopefully someone local to the area will chime in here and assist. Enjoy your hike!
the 'official' roadwalks are longer but neither are on ugly highway.
I picked up a luggage roller in Cave Spring for $10 and rolled it to High Point - although I took some of the weight off of the roller and put it on my back after Simms Mountain Trail because the gravel 'trail' needs work. If I do that again, I will send myself another used/throw-away roller or wagon to Cave Spring and I might pull a trailer the entire way.
The Taxi from I-75 to Chatworths is @ $25 plus tip. You could catch the Pinhoti near there but don't count on a hitch so think of it as 6 miles to the first likely campsite.
A taxi from I-75 to the Fort Mountain park entrance is $55 plus tip - swap a night's stay in Dalton for a taxi ride. I should have taken the taxi all the way to the TH for a few dollars more. Ft Mountain park entrance is 6 miles from the Pinhoti TH and there is place to camp within a mile of the TH - but no water, I took two extra gallons,one for overnight and left one for the return trip south. That idea skips section 28 going north and put me on the Sect 28 going downhill. Section 28, while in the woods, seemed mostly hard packed FSR road walk.
My complaint last Fall was that even in the woods, the trails are mostly hard packed FSR's. That's good for bikers and means the trails are well taken care of. Just hard on the feet - almost like road walk with no cars :)
I might well ride a bicycle from north to south the next time I do it, then hike Alabama's section, then canoe to the Gulf from there.
....also; are you going to join the AT in Springer or at Fontana Dam. If Fontana dam, then my maps might help for planning resupplies because I thru-ed in '08 and didn't find any food in Reliance TN because I got there before the rafting/fishing season opened. There are two places taht will accept drop boxes.
lifeat2mph.com
ATGumby11
02-16-2015, 17:51
Hey LAF, those are my sentiments exactly. My girlfriend and I are starting on March 1st and we are hoping to be able to avoid the roads as much as possible.
gubbool, thank you for the great info. For some reason I hadn't considered a taxi. I think that makes a lot of sense to jump up to Section 28 at least, although from the looks of it, Section 28 is mostly forest service road walking. Maybe 29.
The Cave Spring area looks tricky, I guess for now I'm hoping for a hitch, but would be willing to pay for a shuttle/taxi to skip the 20 miles of walking.
if you found yourself staying in Piedmont AL after walking into town on the Chief Ladiga Rail Trail (6 miles), you should stay at the $44 motel near the Huddle House. The owner of the Huddle house will carry you to the TH for free, but hikers should NEVER take a free ride. EVEN if you have only $5 in your pocket, it should be seriously offered to the driver
There will not be any taxi service in Cave Spring. Don't expect a hitch. There are two ways to re-connect to the trail. much shorter and direct, Hwy 100 can be very busy with logging trucks. Or the longer official way that include a state park on lock & dam road $21 campsite with showers and laundry. You can expect to find a camp-able site near water early on Simms Mountain Trail Between CS and Simms Trail is only one fuel/resturant about 2 miles before simms mtn trail, either choice will take you by it. Avoid going into Coosa (way-western Rome, Ga) I need to update my map.... huh? I will work on it this week.
I started my thru at Bull Gap on March 17. I reached Uncle Johnny's on the Monday before Trail Days in Damascus. I hung there and then caught a shuttle to Trail Days on Wednesday or Thursday. On the advice of Uncle Johnny, on Sunday, I joined Bob People's Hard Core group of 50 other hikes & 50 others. We worked Sunday and Monday; on Wednesday. He put us all back on the trail where ever we needed to be for free - including... Uncle Johnny's.
Being early to Trail Days allowed a good rest. It is the only place in the world (that I know of) where someone looking straight at you will ask, "Where are you?" and won't think anything of it. It's the conversation starter between thru's.
Bob People runs the Kincora hostel and Tennessee trail building group.
gubbool,
thanks for the info; good idea to swap night in Dalton for Taxi ride. And as for "free" rides; I can't accept free, not my style, kinda like 20+ mile road walks don't work for me :-)
Hopefully I can find a solution for Cave Spring area.
I have been debating whether to go to Springer or head straight for the Smokies. Decided I'll make that call while I'm out there but most likely go to Springer: like I said above, no "cheating" on the AT and missing the southern terminus might not sit right with me, although I've been there before. We'll see.
And ATGumby11, hopefully run into you on the AT, you have trail names yet? (or is ATGumby it)?
Two notes...
In the Cave Spring area, I met Bill Clifton 706-766-7026 who might be able to help with that shuttle.
Without entering into any discussion of the pro's & con's of Permethrin vrs Ticks; please treat your clothes with it. I recommend a 24 oz bottle ofSawyer Products Premium Permethrin Clothing Insect Repellent Trigger Spray from delivered to your door from Amazon for 15-ish dollars.
I did the Pinhoti road walks (in the rain). If you walk from Dalton to Chatsworth I'd recommend staying on Chatsworth Hwy all the way instead of taking the official route. There's a wide shoulder to walk on and you pass fast food joints and convenience stores all the way to Chatsworth. :)
The long walk from Cave Spring north was a bit sketchy once you're on the highway, especially crossing the long bridge just before Hwy 20. Suggest hitting it early as possible, waiting for no cars in sight and then making a dash over it.
ATGumby11
02-24-2015, 14:20
I've got a last minute change in plans I'm hoping to get some help with. My friend who was dropping us off at Bull Gap TH would like to join us for 2-5 days. I'm thinking about going from Bull Gap TH to 1.) Cheaha State Park for 36 mi or 2.) US 431 for 63 mi or 3.) US 78/4 to Heflin for 72 mi.
Does anyone know of anyone that would be open to shuttling us either at the end of this month when we start our hike or around March 3rd/4th when we get to one of those points? From those familiar with the roads in that area, any thoughts on which is most convenient logistically? Also, is there any possibility for a hitch?
Thanks all for your help. I sure hope the weather gets nicer after this most recent cold spell. Hopefully it's the last.
Cheers
al_stargazer
02-25-2015, 12:59
Hello ATGumby, For the shuttle try contacting, www.coosahikerhostel.weebly.com (http://www.coosahikerhostel.weebly.com). They are a hostel and shuttle service close to Bull Gap. Also, please consider beginning your hike on the section before Bull Gap. This section is on Rebecca Mountain. It is a beautiful trail. People think it is a road walk but it is not. The length is 11.2 miles.
I shuttle. My website is at www.coosahikerhostel.weebly.com (http://www.coosahikerhostel.weebly.com), you can also text me or call at 256-786-0894
Coosa Hiker Hostel
Callie Thornton
Owner
@ATGumby, I cannot help you with shuttles or good ideas in that area.
Re-check your math on the distance to Cheaha; should be more like 45 miles.
The taxi from Sylacauga to Bull Gap is $25. I don't know the route but there is (was, maybe) a bus service running to Sylacauga.
The hike from Sylacauga to the Rebecca Mountain TH is 6-miles roadwalk.
There is no water at Bull Gap; there is water at a creek 1.2 miles west on the hwy (there may be water in the 'stream/ditch' that runs next to the hwy after you get away from the Gap.)
If possible I suggest carrying two extra gallons of water to the Bull Gap TH; if anything comes up, you would have extra water for over-night in the area of the TH.
The next water north from Bull Gap is 14 miles; after that, water on my Pinhoti map is fairly reliable.
In case you have not found it, my on-line map it is at lifeat2mph.com/pinhoti
Thank you for using Coosa Hiker Hostel as your shuttle today! Hope you both have a great trip and look forward to seeing you both again.