View Full Version : How far apart are things?
Mikenet7482
07-09-2015, 23:08
I have several questions this time, oriented around distance.
I live in the north west section of North Carolina, north of Mars Hill. It's close to the Tennessee state line, and within a few miles of the AT.
Latitude: 35.9
Longitude: -82.5
I'll be starting the AT from this area and be going north on the trail, I'm not sure how far I'm going for sure. My original goal was to walk across a state, but I've been looking at a map and the trail runs along state lines in this area, so I'm thinking now I'll just set a destination goal. I want to go at least to near charlottesville VA, if I do good I might go as far as where the trail runs close to Washington D.C.
So that's the section of the trail I'll be traveling, since the trail is different everywhere, if anyone knows more about this section of the trail that would be great, otherwise just average general distances will do. All of these will be things I research myself like anyone, and I'll get maps, right now I'm needing basic estimates, so I can get ideas on the gear I'm bringing.
Questions...
Most important, how far apart is the water? I'm reading it's abundant, but how abundant? How far apart in miles on average? I know this depends some on the weather but will I ever go 10 miles without seeing water? From experiance has everyone here seen water on a daily basis on this trail?
How far apart are water spigots, I've read not to rely on them. From experience how frequently do you run across these?
How far apart are shelters or camping sights? I have a tent and if it's within the guidelines I would love to be able to pitch my tent elsewhere if I don't want company, if I see an area in between that looks reasonable.
How far apart are the people in late spring and summer? (I know this will vary as well) but should I expect to see someone everyday? Every other day? I'm hoping to see other hikers, but also hope it's not too populated.
How far apart are towns or resuply stations? I read there's a town every 3 to 5 days, but at what pace? Extra question.... Are their usually stores that cater to hikers near the trail in towns. Are some of them directly on the trail?
How far apart are the post office boxes if I want to ship someting ahead of me, if they're only in towns, how far off the trail will I have to go to get to one?
__________________________________________________ ________
That's all for now, I may think of more later. I'd love to hear info from those who know this section of the trail well, but also from others if they know estimates. I'll get a AT book that was recomended and start looking at maps but id love to some information sooner.
ChrisJackson
07-09-2015, 23:16
Has this guide been suggested?
http://www.theatguide.com
Loads of info in it. Best.
Maui Rhino
07-10-2015, 01:46
Get the AT guide and data book so that you have an idea where things are at along the trail. Do some training hikes to determine how many miles you can do in a day at a moderate pace. That will tell you roughly how long you need to cover a given distance. The more you hike....even if it's only a day hike...the better prepared you'll be, and you'll know what you can expect from your body, your equipment, and the terrain you are traversing.
If you are truly asking how far apart water spigots are on the AT you're in for a bit of a cultural shock and more.
Water _sources_, post offices, shelters, campsites - they are all there but foot trails aren't laid out on a grid system like that.
You'll need to adopt more of a go-with-the-flow approach to enjoy your hike I'm thinking😐.
wannahike
07-10-2015, 05:44
On the WhiteBlaze home page are a lot of articles you might find interesting.
MuddyWaters
07-10-2015, 06:30
You will generally have water at least every 10 miles
You will drink from streams, not spigots. The only spigots you find will be in towns.
Shelters average about 7-10 miles apart or so . you can camp generally anywhere flat off trail though.
You will see a lot of people every day in late spring and summer. If you hit the thru hiker bubble, it will be dozens.
Towns are about 50 miles ish apart usually. For some thats 2 days, for some thats 6.
You will either road walk into towns, or hitchhike. A few are close to trail, some are 5-10 miles.
Mikenet7482
07-10-2015, 12:24
Has this guide been suggested?
http://www.theatguide.com
Loads of info in it. Best.
Hey, thanks for the link. There're several guides for sale here, I'm thinking the Northbound book and pdf will be the one I need, I just have to wait for payday again. I spent a lot on my tent this month, I'll get it as soon as I can, it looks very useful. Wish I could get it sooner.
Walkintom
07-10-2015, 13:06
AWOL's guide is very useful. You'll be able to plot mileage pretty easily for things like your water.
Keep in mind that not every single water source is going to be in any book. If you look, there's water all through that part of the country. Without looking, there's still plenty just following the guide.
And towns aren't so far apart, really. It's just that most hikers tend to plan for town trips only where necessary or convenient. Every road that you cross will take you to some sort of town, eventually.
Being willing to hitch opens up a lot of mobility regarding which towns you visit.
ChrisJackson
07-10-2015, 13:12
No problem.
This is the one I have (Northbound): http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0982980876?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s01
It's excellent. I'm...<sigh>...impatient...about most things...which is why I do the Amazon Prime thing...get most everything in 2 days or less.
Side note: David Miller's personal thru-hike account "AWOL on the Appalachian Trail" is also enjoyable. (Free on the Kindle if you're a Prime member)
http://www.amazon.com/AWOL-Appalachian-Trail-David-Miller-ebook/dp/B003JMFKRE/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1436547990&sr=1-1&keywords=awol+on+the+appalachian+trail
Have a good'n! Enjoy the new tent! Gotta love new gear...
Mikenet7482
07-10-2015, 13:13
You will generally have water at least every 10 miles
You will drink from streams, not spigots. The only spigots you find will be in towns.
Shelters average about 7-10 miles apart or so . you can camp generally anywhere flat off trail though.
You will see a lot of people every day in late spring and summer. If you hit the thru hiker bubble, it will be dozens.
Towns are about 50 miles ish apart usually. For some thats 2 days, for some thats 6.
You will either road walk into towns, or hitchhike. A few are close to trail, some are 5-10 miles.
That puts my mind at ease some. As of now I'm thinking of going perhaps 15 miles a day. 50 miles in two days is impressive, but enjoying myself at a comfortable pace is the most important thing to me. All that info helped, thanks.
About the shelter areas...
Can I ever expect to be staying at them by myself, or are they usually crowded, and have people staying at these areas on a daily basis? Is there enough flat area outside the shelter itself for pitching a tent?
I'm glad there's people on a daily bases on the trail, it'll keep me more safe and I'll have people to chat with when I feel I want company, but I also have a thing about it being just me and nature some of the time. I'm thinking I'll look for flat areas to camp sometimes, since it's okay to do so. I'll go off the trail enough to be out of sight of it, but not too far.
__________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ _____________
And thanks Walkingtom for the extra info.
Tuckahoe
07-10-2015, 13:15
And of course since we are talking books hit up your library for the guide books. They will either have them or will get them through interlibrary loan.
Mikenet7482
07-10-2015, 13:19
Here's another big one....
How far apart is the power? I'm assuming it's only in towns, I'm not expecting outlets on the trail of course :P
But how does that work? If your in a town where would you go to charge a device like a smart phone? Im worried many towns wont have locations where you can say, I'm hiking and need to charge my smart phone. Might sound silly to some, but would it be like walking into a convieniant store and saying "hey I want to charge my phone, is that okay?"
Sarcasm the elf
07-10-2015, 13:25
Has this guide been suggested?
http://www.theatguide.com
Loads of info in it. Best.
You will find varying opinions in which guidebook is best, I have a preference to the guidebook put out by the Appalachian Trail Conservancy. I like the print layout better and find that as a section hiker it has more info on road crossings, parking etc that make it easier to plan trips. Plus the proceeds of the sale go to support the non-profit organization that maintains the trail.
https://www.atctrailstore.org/catalog/iteminfo.cfm?itemid=791&compid=1
Just fair warning, on this site we like to argue about which of these two books are better. In reality they are both good guides, but people have their own preferences.
Sarcasm the elf
07-10-2015, 13:30
Here's another big one....
How far apart is the power? I'm assuming it's only in towns, I'm not expecting outlets on the trail of course :P
But how does that work? If your in a town where would you go to charge a device like a smart phone? Im worried many towns wont have locations where you can say, I'm hiking and need to charge my smart phone. Might sound silly to some, but would it be like walking into a convieniant store and saying "hey I want to charge my phone, is that okay?"
I bought a portable charger for about $20 that weighs less that 5oz and can recharge my phone twice before it needs to be plugged back in. Mine in made by Anker and can be found on amazon, here are a lot of different brands and sizes that hold various amounts of power depending on what you need.
illabelle
07-10-2015, 13:32
About the shelter areas...
Can I ever expect to be staying at them by myself, or are they usually crowded, and have people staying at these areas on a daily basis? Is there enough flat area outside the shelter itself for pitching a tent?.
Here's another big one....
How far apart is the power? I'm assuming it's only in towns, I'm not expecting outlets on the trail of course :P
But how does that work? If your in a town where would you go to charge a device like a smart phone? Im worried many towns wont have locations where you can say, I'm hiking and need to charge my smart phone. Might sound silly to some, but would it be like walking into a convieniant store and saying "hey I want to charge my phone, is that okay?"
It's not unusual to find a shelter empty, but more often than not there will be a few others at the shelter besides yourself. Generally it's not an issue. Just be courteous, don't take up more space than you must, and be tolerant of others.
If you want to pitch a tent nearby, there usually is space. But sometimes you might need to move on down the trail a bit to find a spot.
When you go into a town to resupply, you might also be renting space in a motel or hostel. That's when you will recharge your phone. Sometimes you might be able to recharge at a restaurant. If all you're doing is stopping to pick up groceries, there's not much chance of recharging.
Since you live close to the trail, why don't you get out this weekend with whatever gear you have or can borrow and see for yourself what the trail is like. It will answer a lot of your most basic questions. :)
ChrisJackson
07-10-2015, 13:55
You will find varying opinions in which guidebook is best, I have a preference to the guidebook put out by the Appalachian Trail Conservancy. I like the print layout better and find that as a section hiker it has more info on road crossings, parking etc that make it easier to plan trips. Plus the proceeds of the sale go to support the non-profit organization that maintains the trail.
https://www.atctrailstore.org/catalog/iteminfo.cfm?itemid=791&compid=1
Just fair warning, on this site we like to argue about which of these two books are better. In reality they are both good guides, but people have their own preferences.
Ahh, okay. Thanks for the link. That'll give the OP another option. Priced better too. I went with AWOL's guide because I met it in the wild. Two hikers showed me their copy at Blue Mtn Shelter and I really liked it. If they would have had the ATC version...I probably would have gotten that one.
I'll get the 2016 ATC version in January so I can join in the argument!! :)
Mikenet7482
07-10-2015, 14:18
It's not unusual to find a shelter empty, but more often than not there will be a few others at the shelter besides yourself. Generally it's not an issue. Just be courteous, don't take up more space than you must, and be tolerant of others.
If you want to pitch a tent nearby, there usually is space. But sometimes you might need to move on down the trail a bit to find a spot.
When you go into a town to resupply, you might also be renting space in a motel or hostel. That's when you will recharge your phone. Sometimes you might be able to recharge at a restaurant. If all you're doing is stopping to pick up groceries, there's not much chance of recharging.
Since you live close to the trail, why don't you get out this weekend with whatever gear you have or can borrow and see for yourself what the trail is like. It will answer a lot of your most basic questions. :)
I'm going to get on the AT soon :) I don't have a car as of now, but I could walk there. I have a tent and cheap backpack that'll be suitable for an overnight, and can bring other stuff I need from around the apartent. I cant wait to see it, as I get more appropriate stuff I'll be able to do longer practice hikes.
The power situation worries me a bit, I wont be able to stay at motels much, I'll be on a budget and will still be paying bills through auto withdrawel for the rent at my apartment, and phone, ect. I'll bring my card with me of course and have a cushion of cash which is good, but still. Hrm
The problem I'm going to end up having is that battery backups take hours or almost a day to charge if you have one with a high MAH rating, they last a long time but take forever to charge. Maybe I can get a device that uses regular batteies to charge devices, then get new batteries when I get to a town. Something like this I guess..
http://www.amazon.com/Verbatim-Power-Bank-Charger-97928/dp/B007MLHS2S
That's the best I can come up with without staying somewhere, unless anyone has a better idea.
Mikenet7482
07-10-2015, 14:20
I'll be back on here later on, thanks for the info so far, it's giving me ideas.
mattjv89
07-13-2015, 12:07
The power situation worries me a bit, I wont be able to stay at motels much, I'll be on a budget and will still be paying bills through auto withdrawel for the rent at my apartment, and phone, ect. I'll bring my card with me of course and have a cushion of cash which is good, but still. Hrm
You can get power anywhere in towns, where there is a building there's electricity. I've charged in all sorts of places; gas stations from an outlet tucked behind the soda coolers, the exterior outlets of just about any building, etc. one time a guy let me charge from the USB port on his Harley! If you don't see one just ask, an employee probably knows where to find one. Phones charge fast too, seems like I can count on 1% per minute with an iphone. Unless you are carrying a lot of devices that require more charging like a video camera power is a non issue.
Check the Amp rating on your cell phone charger. I bought one (after market) charger that was rated at 1 amp. Then I found one that was rated at 3 amps. Way faster.
How far apart are things?
hmm ...well
Along an arbitrary spacelike path P, the proper distance is given in tensor (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tensor) syntax by the line integral (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Line_integral)
https://upload.wikimedia.org/math/2/9/e/29ec3c06f53576f1630eae8d443ce1f3.png,
where
gμν is the metric tensor (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metric_tensor_(general_relativity)) for the current spacetime (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spacetime) and coordinate (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coordinate) mapping, and
dxμ is the coordinate (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coordinate) separation between neighboring events along the path P.
or that's what Einstein said. Hope that helps. :)
The answer to the ultimate question is 4-t-2.
theoilman
07-13-2015, 17:55
I saw an electric receptacle in a shelter somewhere in North Georgia, I don't remember which now.
BUT, there were not wires connected.
bigcranky
07-13-2015, 19:13
Re: guidebooks. Either of them works well. I have used both and like them for different reasons.
Re: how far apart... The guidebook will list specific mileage to lots of things on the trail: road crossings, water sources, shelters, campsites, etc. It will also tell you what is near each road crossing (restaurants, grocery stores, hostels).
Re: budget places to stay. There are hiker hostels along the trail that don't cost much, usually less than $20 per night for a bed and a shower. I'd want to do that once a week or so just for the shower and some laundry :) oh yeah, and the recharging.
Re: charging your phone. I have done this while eating lunch at a fast food joint. I have seen hikers charging outside grocery stores while they repack their purchased food.
Pay attention to the list of links on the home page. Everything you need to know about the AT is listed in those links.
Re-supply schedule.
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/content.php/221
Towns you walk through on your proposed list:
Hot Springs, NC. Fabulous re-supply, sleep well, get clean & recharged (you & gear), good grub, US Post office, library, Bluff Mounatin Outfitters for gear and food.
Damascus, VA. Same as Hot Springs I'm sure.
Towns/villages near the trail:
Elk Park, NC. Turn right on US 19E after descending from Roan Mountain. Elk Park is 1-2 miles along the highway. A small village with convenience stores, cafes, a bakery. Probably charging.
Erwin, TN. I know Erwin is close & many folks go there for a hostel, re-supply, etc. I don't know how close as I've never been there. I'm sure others will fill in the blanks.
Beyond Damascus, VA is a blank spot in my experience. Do some homework.
Have fun.
Wayne
MuddyWaters
07-16-2015, 21:56
Here's another big one....
How far apart is the power? I'm assuming it's only in towns, I'm not expecting outlets on the trail of course :P
But how does that work? If your in a town where would you go to charge a device like a smart phone? Im worried many towns wont have locations where you can say, I'm hiking and need to charge my smart phone. Might sound silly to some, but would it be like walking into a convieniant store and saying "hey I want to charge my phone, is that okay?"
First, leave the phone off, if possible remove battery, and it lasts a looonnng time.
There are many places to charge, always ask. Dont assume a store will mind if you STEAL their electricty while you sit on the sudewalk in front or such. Some DO, they usually arent hiker friendly if so.
Laundromats are a good place to sit and charge. People assume you are washing even if you arent . but while there , might as well.
Mikenet7482
07-16-2015, 22:29
How far apart are things?
hmm ...well
Along an arbitrary spacelike path P, the proper distance is given in tensor (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tensor) syntax by the line integral (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Line_integral)
https://upload.wikimedia.org/math/2/9/e/29ec3c06f53576f1630eae8d443ce1f3.png,
where
gμν is the metric tensor (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metric_tensor_(general_relativity)) for the current spacetime (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spacetime) and coordinate (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coordinate) mapping, and
dxμ is the coordinate (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coordinate) separation between neighboring events along the path P.
or that's what Einstein said. Hope that helps. :)
Haha Wyoming, guess I had that one coming :P
Venchka
Pay attention to the list of links on the home page. Everything you need to know about the AT is listed in those links.
Re-supply schedule.
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/content.php/221
Towns you walk through on your proposed list:
Hot Springs, NC. Fabulous re-supply, sleep well, get clean & recharged (you & gear), good grub, US Post office, library, Bluff Mounatin Outfitters for gear and food.
Damascus, VA. Same as Hot Springs I'm sure.
Towns/villages near the trail:
Elk Park, NC. Turn right on US 19E after descending from Roan Mountain. Elk Park is 1-2 miles along the highway. A small village with convenience stores, cafes, a bakery. Probably charging.
Erwin, TN. I know Erwin is close & many folks go there for a hostel, re-supply, etc. I don't know how close as I've never been there. I'm sure others will fill in the blanks.
Beyond Damascus, VA is a blank spot in my experience. Do some homework.
Have fun.
Wayne
Thanks man, I also found this to modify my heavy list that was in my first forum....
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php/10687-What-to-Carry-Part-1?p=132311#post132311
I have all the parts copied to a text document for easy access. This is some light backbacking, I'll probably deviate from it a little and end up a bit heavier than that, but I'll make sure I bring a reasonable amount of weight. Some of the lightweight stuff is ridicuously expensive though, I saw an ultralight sleeping bag for 800 dollars, that's insane. That'll be one of my next forums, some reconmindations on sleeping equipment.
Next thing I get will be one of the guides recomended here though, maybe two different ones so I can see which one I like better.
__________________________________________________ ____________________
A few days ago I bought 3 different AA battery adapters that charge devices like Iphones from regular batteries. These were fairly cheap so Im testing them out right now to see which one is best, because I'm only bringing one of them. One is made by Duracell, one by Rayovac, and the other is by Verbatim, I've never heard of Verbatim but that one was the cheapest and lightest one, so light I can balence it on a finger. I'm testing all these out on an older Iphone I have just in case they do damage. The plan would be this..... If I decide not to stop in a town overnight, I'll just get new AA's each time and charge on the go. I'll probably still bring a battery backup with a high MAH rating, but it would require me to stop to charge it for hours or longer, so it sounds like an overnight stay if I want a full charge on a battery backup with a high MAH rating.
I'm ditching the idea of the expensive solar charger I was looking at originally, Im thinking it wont be as efficient given the canopy of trees, plus thats the heavier weight option.
I'm going to post my results on how efficient each one of these AA to Lithium chargers are soon, perhaps here...
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php/112777-Phone-Battery-Charging-Device-Suggestions
Sleeping bag:
Start a bag fund.
Buy quality ONCE! You will save money in the long run. Sleeping bag or quilt, the best products available will cost more initially, but will last decades if treated carefully and washed when needed. My granddaughter is currently using the first down I bought in 1974.
Quality bags/quilts:
Western Mountaineering. I own two and may get a third. Dealers: Bluff Mountain Outfitters in Hot Springs, Mountain Crossings on the AT in Georgia, Great Outdoor Provision Co. with stores across NC, others in TN & VA. A WM dealer can order the bag you want with extra perks at time of purchase like overstuffing the bag or extra footbox stuffing.
Feathered Friends in Seattle: Quality on par with WM. Numerous bag sizes and fill weights. Only available through Feathered Friends.
Enlightened Equipment: Quilts.
Just Bill here at WhiteBlaze: Soon to be offering synthetic quilts.
I'm confused. What is your latest scheme to recharge your phone? The lightest, cheapest, most effective solution to phone recharging: Turn it off. Don't use it. Recharge in town if/when needed. Done.
Wayne
Mikenet7482
07-17-2015, 13:00
Sleeping bag:
Start a bag fund.
Buy quality ONCE! You will save money in the long run. Sleeping bag or quilt, the best products available will cost more initially, but will last decades if treated carefully and washed when needed. My granddaughter is currently using the first down I bought in 1974.
Quality bags/quilts:
Western Mountaineering. I own two and may get a third. Dealers: Bluff Mountain Outfitters in Hot Springs, Mountain Crossings on the AT in Georgia, Great Outdoor Provision Co. with stores across NC, others in TN & VA. A WM dealer can order the bag you want with extra perks at time of purchase like overstuffing the bag or extra footbox stuffing.
Feathered Friends in Seattle: Quality on par with WM. Numerous bag sizes and fill weights. Only available through Feathered Friends.
Enlightened Equipment: Quilts.
Just Bill here at WhiteBlaze: Soon to be offering synthetic quilts.
I'm confused. What is your latest scheme to recharge your phone? The lightest, cheapest, most effective solution to phone recharging: Turn it off. Don't use it. Recharge in town if/when needed. Done.
Wayne
I hear you on both parts I really do. I'll have roughly a 300 dollar limit on the sleeping bag unfortunately. I would go higher for sure to get a more expensive one, but it wont be possible for me. Wish I could, id love the better one but the money just isn't there. I'll be able to spend roughly 1500 on everything else between now and next June if I want to leave on my trip with some money as a cushion, (it's been done from what I'm reading) so I have no choice other than to be frugal. Right now I only have my tent, medkit stuff, and some options of recharging. I have some money coming in and hope to get some temp work in the next few months, but money will be tight regardless due to bills mostly. Im determined to make this work but I'll have to be frugal in my shopping.
I'll follow what your suggesting by keeping the smart phone off most of the time but I'll be using it more than most, didn't want to mention it before but I'll be doing more with it than id imagine most would. Someone will be watching my place and checking it on a daily bases which opens up the oppertunity to document my progress on facebook where I have signal. That's not the primary thing though, this will be my method of taking pictures, I love doing it and this will be my oppertunity to let the photographer come out in me without the extra weight of a camera, which would be just another thing I would have to bring. It'll also be my phone, I wont be calling on it much but my family is persistant in wanting me to call them occasionally. I'll keep the calls short, just a verification that I'm doing well. Other apps at times may be usefull too, these activities go against the grain id imagine but I'm thinking I'll be using the Iphone a good bit so I'm going to try to get away with using it as the power lets me, always leaving enough charge for a phone call. One trick I'm going to use is lowering the brightness of the screen.
I'll probably get some heat for that here, I'm not going to let it disconnect me from nature unless it's oriented around the hike. I think a lot of people like to make these trips while doing something new or unconventional. Some try to walk 30 miles a day as a test of endurance to see how fast they can complete a section of the trail, a blind man walked the trail making that a first, so it seems to me many people try to do new or difficult things. This wont be a new thing I'm doing but my trip will be documented using pencil and paper where there isn't signal then updated on facebook so I can keep somewhat of a real time documentation of my journy. I want to express what the people are like, and what the experience is in general, sights, sounds, and the effect it has on me. I'll go periods where I dont do that for days so I can get into my own space for a while, but I'm thinking the updates will be an interesting way to bring my family with me on the trip, but the picture taking in itself will drain energy.
All this leads me to another question I didn't ask before...........
__________________________________________________ _______________
In honesty, how reguarly have people here come across areas where you have a signal for your phone? Every 10 miles, 20 miles, 30 miles, or only in towns? I just need averages, I figure it will vary depending on the section of the trail. My gut tells me I wont have signal most of the time, but I'm not sure how frequently I should expect it.
illabelle
07-17-2015, 13:13
In honesty, how reguarly have people here come across areas where you have a signal for your phone? Every 10 miles, 20 miles, 30 miles, or only in towns? I just need averages, I figure it will vary depending on the section of the trail. My gut tells me I wont have signal most of the time, but I'm not sure how frequently I should expect it.
For the parts of the trail we've done, you can expect to have a signal on average a minimum of 3 or 4 times per day. Some days you won't have a signal at all. Some days you'll have a signal all day long. As you get near civilization, a town, a major highway, or when you get up on a high peak, you have a better chance of getting a signal. Of course if that high peak is far from civilization, you still may have no signal. This is true in the Smokies, and I'm told it's true in Maine.
On the other hand, if you have AT&T like we do, you can be in downtown Hot Springs or Erwin and get no signal at all. :rolleyes:
Amen to AT&T's lack of signal more than 100 yards away from the Interstate.
Text messages let family & friends know that you are ok and use very little battery power. 1 message sent every 24 hours should be fine. Tell everyone before you leave that you aren't monitoring replies to your "I am at Mile 1234. I'm ok." messages.
Catch up on Facebook when you have the phone plugged in and have Wi-Fi.
Sleeping bag:
There are many good $300 max bags. I had my eye on a North Face bag (it was #3 on my short list) for about a year. Retail was $400. I found it one morning online for $300. Bam! Bought it. When it arrived I checked it out thoroughly. It was a decent bag. I'm sure that it would have been a perfectly good bag for 99% of the population. However, it wasn't a Western Mountaineering bag. Laid side by side, the North Face bag just didn't have the features of my WM bag. I returned it. As luck would have it, about a month later I found a WM Alpinlite in Charlotte, NC for a price I could live with. I couldn't be happier. :banana
Also, there are some decent "first bags" out there that won't cost you $300. The Kelty Cosmic Down 20 is one of those. Save the change to start your GOOD bag fund.
Wayne
ps: Remember paper and pencil? Keeping a log of your trip by hand?
Wayne
Mikenet7482
07-24-2015, 19:47
Thanks for the tips so far everyone, they've been helpful. If I think of some more questions on this I'll post them, and check this forum periodically for new post.
Hess86NJ
08-19-2015, 12:24
I am thinking about doing the 2016 NOBO and am planning to get the guide book. I am planning on not getting it until the 2016 book comes out. Question is do you guys know when they release the updated book? I'm not going to buy this current one when it'll be outdated for next year.
illabelle
08-19-2015, 13:54
I don't know when the next edition comes out, just guessing, I'd say after the first of the year. But I wouldn't hesitate to use last year's guide. It's not like they're moving mountains and rivers around. Sure there might be some minor revisions to the trail here and there. The guide we use is a 2013 edition, and our maps are 10 or more years old.
Hess86NJ
08-23-2015, 23:44
Yea, it probably won't matter. But, I am going to want the updates version anyway. It is just a weird thing, that I need to need to have the same year guide book with the year I'm doing the AT.
The best water sources are located at or near the shelters they will be streams that you cross but i wouldn't get water their unless i had too.
Most shelters are 7-10 miles apart but they are some thats father, for the most part they will be nice camping sites between the shelters.
You will meet people every day in spring and summer especially Thru-Hikers.
Towns are generally 3-5 days apart in the section you are hiking but in the Mid-Atlantic you can have a town every day.
but it all depends on your MPD if your a slow hiker, it will take longer to get to a certain spot.