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PatmanTN
07-23-2015, 07:26
My wife and I intercepted Tipi on backpacking trip last weekend, and while camped, an outdoor writer from the Times Free Press showed up to interview Tipi:

http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/sports/outdoors/story/2015/jul/23/backpacker-tipi-takes-trails/316008/ (http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/sports/outdoors/story/2015/jul/23/backpacker-tipi-takes-trails/316008/)


neato...

Rainman, you got a mention there also!

centerfieldr162
07-23-2015, 08:38
Really enjoyed this read. I really enjoy reading Tipi's trip reports also! :)

Praha4
07-23-2015, 08:48
Wow, 65 and still going great! Hope I'm still doing it at 65

illabelle
07-23-2015, 08:49
Rainman, you got a mention there also!

You got a solid mention too Patman!
Never met Rain Man or Tipi, but I feel like they're our neighbors, and we did meet one of Rain Man's buddies when we went through the Smokies.

HooKooDooKu
07-23-2015, 09:21
Nice article, thanks for sharing.

rocketsocks
07-23-2015, 09:56
Enjoyed reading that, thanks Patman. You Tennessee boys are awesome!

rocketsocks
07-23-2015, 09:58
PS. I likes Tennesee gals too. :D

Rain Man
07-23-2015, 10:14
Hey! Awesome article! The reporter is a new member of our Nashville Backpacker Meetup.com group. I hope Tipi likes the article too.

Rain Man

Rain Man
07-23-2015, 10:17
Never met Rain Man or Tipi, but I feel like they're our neighbors, and we did meet one of Rain Man's buddies when we went through the Smokies.

Illabelle, would love to hike with you some time. I post almost all of my hikes on the Nashville Backpacker Meetup.com (http://www.meetup.com/NashvilleBackpacker/) site. You are welcome to join us some time. Lots of our hikes are in East Tennessee. I'll be posting one for August soon.

Rain Man

ChrisJackson
07-23-2015, 10:21
"When I can't walk anymore" <-- Yes!

illabelle
07-23-2015, 10:33
Illabelle, would love to hike with you some time. I post almost all of my hikes on the Nashville Backpacker Meetup.com (http://www.meetup.com/NashvilleBackpacker/) site. You are welcome to join us some time. Lots of our hikes are in East Tennessee. I'll be posting one for August soon.

Rain Man

Got your PM. Thanks for the invite. I'll keep an eye on the Meetup link.
:)

Mountain Wildman
07-23-2015, 17:59
Tipi is the man and almost always a voice of reason on this site.

winger
07-23-2015, 18:21
Refreshing.

Five Tango
07-23-2015, 19:32
I have always admired the fact that he is not a gram weenie and lives life on his own terms.

WingedMonkey
07-23-2015, 19:55
Must be a different Tipi, he never mentioned turds a single time.

;)

John B
07-23-2015, 20:11
I had no idea at all that Tipi was retired Air Force. Good article. And that's one helluva big tent, too! HA

rocketsocks
07-23-2015, 21:04
Must be a different Tipi, he never mentioned turds a single time.

;):D word...................

Del Q
07-23-2015, 21:08
Tipi kicks ass.......and knows how to backpack comfortably it tough conditions.

Dogwood
07-23-2015, 23:25
A Wehner, Myers, and Mason struck out on a backpacking trip. They were an odd bunch....:D

Tipi Walter
07-26-2015, 12:01
I'm Back!

Thanks Patman for posting this link and thanks Rain Man and Randy for joining me on a rugged weedy loop.

Gary Petty, the author of the article, had to hike 14 miles in and out to reach me on Hangover Mt and for this he should be praised. He made one mistake on my tent weight and assumed it to be a 4 man tent at 10 lbs 10 ozs but EVEN I WOULD NEVER CARRY SUCH A HEAVY TENT.

It's actually a 3 man Keron at 8 lbs 10 ozs---two lbs lighter. His picture makes my tent look like a submarine when in fact the thing is very small. See---

https://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backpack-2015-Trips-161/20-Days-on-Medicare/i-VgCMzhV/0/L/TRIP%20166%20242-L.jpg

See how tiny the thing is??

I am slowly getting this trip on Smugmug with pics and will soon post a Whiteblaze trip report on the BMT forum---

https://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backpack-2015-Trips-161/20-Days-on-Medicare/

Cadenza
07-26-2015, 12:28
Very cool!

I think the gear manufacturers should be seeking this guy out for field testing and advice.
Backpacker magazine should have feature articles. He should be a well known figure among all backpackers.
He's as experienced as anybody, from Horace Kephart to Ray Jardine.

Tipi should write a book. A good editor could delete the turtlehead stuff. :D

Wülfgang
07-26-2015, 12:29
Tipi I give you a lot of respect for carrying that veritable fortress!! Looks like it was a cool trip.

Tipi Walter
07-26-2015, 13:22
Tipi should write a book. A good editor could delete the turtlehead stuff. :D

Yes, but a very good editor would insist on using ALL the turtlehead stuff and would want more and more of it.

Madpaddy
07-26-2015, 14:04
Great article Walter..are those your Asolos I see in the article picture on your right...wonderin' if you wear your year round too?

Cadenza
07-26-2015, 16:15
Yes, but a very good editor would insist on using ALL the turtlehead stuff and would want more and more of it.


You crack me up! :banana

Tipi Walter
07-26-2015, 17:37
Great article Walter..are those your Asolos I see in the article picture on your right...wonderin' if you wear your year round too?

Interesting subject, especially considering I took a brand new pair of Asolo Fugitives out on this trip and here's Day 1 and Day 17---

https://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backpack-2015-Trips-161/20-Days-on-Medicare/i-mCmWL4j/0/L/TRIP%20166%20030-L.jpg


http://assets.trailspace.com/assets/e/4/8/3669576/TRIP-166-486.jpg

I've stayed with Asolos for the last 10 years as they fit well and are comfy, but others will disagree. In the winter I use Asolo 520s which in my opinion are low quality full leather boots (see next pic)---but the Fugitives are great and last me about 18 months.

https://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backpacking2013-1/18-Days-in-the-Cohutta/i-XkRSdqb/0/L/TRIP%20142%20617-L.jpg

Cadenza
07-26-2015, 18:39
Those shoes appear to be different other than just left/right. The toe cap on the right is much bigger than the one on the left, almost as if they were from different runs or models.

Rain Man
07-26-2015, 20:08
Thanks Patman for posting this link and thanks Rain Man and Randy for joining me on a rugged weedy loop.

Great to hike with you again, Tipi! Though, I consider that certain portion of Stateline "trail" to be more imaginary than actual footpath! LOL

Malto
07-26-2015, 20:49
I have always admired the fact that he is not a gram weenie and lives life on his own terms.

Tipi is not even a pound weenie! A four person tent! No owner he maintains sanity when he holes up.

Venchka
07-26-2015, 20:53
It is a 3 person tent. Walter knows how to keep his pack weight at a reasonable level.

Wayne

Sent from my AT100 using Tapatalk

Tipi Walter
07-27-2015, 23:53
Great to hike with you again, Tipi! Though, I consider that certain portion of Stateline "trail" to be more imaginary than actual footpath! LOL

Yes, it was great to pull the loop with you and Randy and Patman. The waterfall on Brookshire was nice.