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Don's Brother
03-14-2016, 15:17
I would like to pose a question for former, future, and aspiring thru-hikers. If you had unlimited money, how often would you go into towns, get a motel room or stay at a hostel, and eat most of your meals in restaurants? I took 164 days to thru-hike in 2013 and only spent 19 nights in the woods. My money wasn't unlimited, but I did spend a lot more than the average hiker. My first book, Don's Brother: A Hike of Hope on the Appalachian Trail was published in 2014. I am currently working on a second book about my method of hiking, which should be out this spring. I would greatly appreciate some sincere feedback on my question, pro or con. So if you could spend most nights in beds and eat most meals at restaurants on your thru-hike, how often would you? Thank you for your comments. I'd like to use some of them in my book. If you would like to respond in an email, I can be reached at [email protected]

Starchild
03-14-2016, 15:34
It's not how many nights I would want to spend in a bed as opposed to in a sleeping bag, it's what are the stops I want to experience, which hostels, which restaurants, which towns, what places, etc. There are many famous AT landmark places that one can stay at, including some hiking shelters and some campgrounds (loved the camp out in Waynesboro VA park - very fun time, great crowd), and I wanted to stay at many of these locations.

dudeijuststarted
03-14-2016, 15:38
Going through Shenandoah, I met an airline pilot named Warthog on what he proudly called an "executive" thru hike, staying in every hotel he possibly could. I said "I wish I could do that," and he responded "why can't you? You're 36 years old."

From that point I stayed in a hostel or hotel whenever possible, but mostly just because I could. I can't say I prefer a hotel over an empty shelter or a flat campsite with a nice water source (heck, some hotels were dirtier than the shelter option!) I can say I don't regret spending my hard-earned money the way I wanted to spend it, and never will.

HYOH

rocketsocks
03-14-2016, 15:41
I want nothing to do with any of that, maybe a good restaurant every once and a while.

mattjv89
03-14-2016, 16:04
I didn't stay in towns much, usually preferred a nearo to zero day. My first zero days were for Trail Days and not again till VT. Town is sometimes a very jarring experience and although it's a necessity of a thru hike I certainly enjoyed my time in the woods much more overall. Also I'm at my happiest hiking when I don't have any need to make big miles, and steadily moving forward is how I accomplish that. In other words I'd much rather do 10 miles into town and 10 the next day than take a zero and do 20.

It's a hard thing to really predict without being in the situation, but I imagine my time in town would not change much at all with unlimited money. I would just live it up more while I was there, nice restaurant meals and private hostel rooms or hotels instead of tenting at the hostel and cheap food, etc.

rafe
03-14-2016, 16:19
Not a thru-hiker, just a long-term, long-distance section hiker here. The problem is that town stops slow you down. Unless you're a seriously fast hiker, too many town stops may put your hike in jeopardy simply from running out of time. Most often, if I skipped a town stop, it wasn't that I couldn't afford the expense, it was that I couldn't afford the lost time.

admirald7s
03-14-2016, 16:26
Not a thru-hiker, just a long-term, long-distance section hiker here. The problem is that town stops slow you down. Unless you're a seriously fast hiker, too many town stops may put your hike in jeopardy simply from running out of time. Most often, if I skipped a town stop, it wasn't that I couldn't afford the expense, it was that I couldn't afford the lost time.

Same here. For my thru in 2017, money won't be a concern. Time, however, is a limiting factor.

In this infinite money scenario, can I hire a sherpa to carry my gear?


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Lone Wolf
03-14-2016, 16:30
i never have a time frame. i would always take 2 nights in a town at least sometimes 4-5 at a place like Elmer's in hot springs. i always seemed to get to gatlinburg just in time for the masters tournament to watch all 4 rounds in a motel

peakbagger
03-14-2016, 16:32
During my extended 10 year sections hike, I tried multiple variations. One year me and friend did five weeks with two cars, we would spot a car hike 4 or 5 days and then end at motel or hostel for the night. We made sure to get out early the last day hiking (start real early skip lunch), then get to the car, book a motel, resupply wash clothes eat town food and then be on the trail next morning. It worked out well. Our daily mileage wasn't supper but we made up by hiking 5 weeks straight (no zeros). After few years we got into key swaps and slackpacked.

My dream is to find someone to do the PCT with one car and doing mostly key swap hikes. If we can slackpack great if we cant one of us goes north and the other goes south for few days and then swap the car. On the slackpacking days we car camp if possible and hit town every 4 or 5 days in the evening. We wouldn't lose anytime this way and our typical pack weight would be low. Obviously there are some long stretches with no road crossing option but I expect 80% would be pretty workable.

rafe
03-14-2016, 16:46
i never have a time frame. i would always take 2 nights in a town at least sometimes 4-5 at a place like Elmer's in hot springs. i always seemed to get to gatlinburg just in time for the masters tournament to watch all 4 rounds in a motel

Must be nice. The problem with most of us is, we typically have plenty of dough and not much time, or plenty of time and not much dough.

Han Sobo
03-14-2016, 16:55
This year I plan on making stops in some towns for purchasing a few items of food, at some point or two and doing a load of laundry. Hitting a local library if I am not too a shambles, to upload some photos and send receive some communications.

My days of relaxing I hope to take as a detour from the trail to other 'out door' locations. Or if in a prime location just to relax at a camp and cook a better then average meal.

Going southbound I will eventually take a short break before Mt. Greylock to head home for a week (estimate). With any luck just a couple days.

I hope to limit my town trips as much as possible. Staying at hotels and hostels are not on my agenda. I do realize that this is become what many folk see as being part of the 'experience'.. It's just not what I want for my experience. Ideally getting a nice scenic camp spot along a clean stream in a location where I can cook on a small fire rather then using my cook stove is what I am looking forward to.

I am not looking for a restaurant hopping experience either. I am sure it is a very worthy experience doing the hostel's and checking out the hiker friendly towns. Trying out the new menus and such. I will instead enjoy maybe picking up a half dozen fresh eggs at some point, something a bit nicer then instant oats and coffee. Taking it all in of course while smacking mosquitoes and pinching ticks.

The main part of my 'plan' is however to not set in stone any other part of my 'plans'.

bigcranky
03-14-2016, 17:05
I actually like town stops - mostly because I like meeting people and learning about their lives. We are blessed with a rich cultural heritage in this country and I enjoy discovering it. I don't think I'd like to spend every night in town, or even every other night, but after 4-5 days, I'm usually ready for a break, and a zero day or a very short nero can be fun.

Woodturner
03-14-2016, 17:26
I hope to hold overnights in town to a bare minimum. Although money is part of the picture, time is as well. I would like to have as few zero days as possible.
The hope is to stay overnight in towns only when the town is at a convenient location daily mileage wise and to get everything that needs done taken care of before going to bed so I can be moving early the next day.
If money and time were no object I would probably stay in town overnight more often than I plan to. However, I would still want to be back on the trail as early as possible the next day. The bed part isn't that big of a deal, but meals with real meat and hot running water is.

Slo-go'en
03-14-2016, 17:56
Just the logistics of getting to and from hotels or hostels everyday would be too daunting for me. And if your staying off trail every night there is no need for a full pack, so it becomes a very long slack packing trip. And while not common, it's not unheard of either. But there are issues with doing that, like having to hike from road to road and constantly arranging shuttles and showing up on time.

For me, I like to shower at least once every 5 to 7 days, so that's what drives me to stay in town or hostel. I like to replenish food more frequently, but that doesn't always require an overnight in town.

Roamin
03-14-2016, 19:48
For me the trail is the adventure. I am planning to seeing as much on the trail as I can. I am not looking to make high mileage each day. My town stops will be for logistics, maybe the occasional break. I may be the opposite of Don's Brother, 149 nights on the trail and 19 in town; but I would love to run into you when I was in town!

jbbweeks
03-14-2016, 20:11
Now that's my beef with giving up my section hiker status - hurry - hurry - that's just not what I want from the trail - I want to experience every unique nuance the trail has to offer - in trail towns - at trail crossings - and most especially on the trail itself - if I have to rush past all of the good stuff to make a deadline it ain't for me - catch me at the local trail bar bending the barkeeps ear about the craziest hiker he ever met!


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rafe
03-14-2016, 20:13
Retired or independently-wealthy section hiker status would be the best. But a lot of section hikers are working stiffs on vacation, subject to time pressures just like thru hikers (alas.)

evyck da fleet
03-14-2016, 21:23
Money had nothing to do with how often I hit trail towns. There were some places I wanted to experience(once), Gatlinburg & The Doyle, that others would gladly pass by. There were places, hostel at Pine Grove & the restaurant that was only open half the week, that I would have stopped at if I hadn't rather kept hiking. I went into Luray to see the caverns & DC to be a tourist but did not feel the need to stay there. I purposely took six days off in NY to visit friends and stayed in Boston on the way home because I wanted. I took zeros in Hot Springs, NOC, DWG and Hanover because they were conveniently located and Gorham and Waynesboro due to injury or sickness. For the most part I wanted to stay out of towns except like Slo said, five days was about my limit to go without a warm shower.

Jeff
03-15-2016, 10:52
We get lots of requests for slacking and staying an extra night in town.

Part of the issue for NOBO's is that by the time a hiker reaches Vermont, the body hurts all over.

DuneElliot
03-15-2016, 11:19
The lure of a zero, a hot shower and proper bed is appealing after a week. I've never been much of a fan of hotels, but I can see why they are appealing after months on the trail. If there were little cabins with just a bed and a shower (like the AT shelters) easily accessible off trail then I think going to town would be less appealing. One of my favorite things about hiking in England are all the little pubs you run into.

Hiking, and backpacking, for me is all about all the aspects of a particular trail...if I want some solitude and wildlife I'll pick a more remote trail with little traffic and few resupplies...if I'm interested in a glorified pub crawl (like the Pennine Way or Great Western Route) then I'll pick the trail that mirrors that desire. As far as thru-hiking goes, the PCT offers me more solitude and wilderness experience than the AT while still having some of the same human aspects, but to a lesser degree...that is why the PCT is more appealing than the AT to me.

Every hike is different, and every trail is different...and those are the reasons to hike them all.

dudeijuststarted
03-15-2016, 11:19
Now that's my beef with giving up my section hiker status - hurry - hurry - that's just not what I want from the trail - I want to experience every unique nuance the trail has to offer - in trail towns - at trail crossings - and most especially on the trail itself - if I have to rush past all of the good stuff to make a deadline it ain't for me - catch me at the local trail bar bending the barkeeps ear about the craziest hiker he ever met!

You can still see everything and thru hike, it just might take 6-7 months instead of 4-5. Knocking out 20's becomes pretty easy whether you zero in town or not, so you'll get your mileage if you aren't in town to party. Another favorite tactic is to sleep just outside of town on trail, head into town for the whole day, then hike a mile or two in and camp. You wake up on trail worry free!

CamelMan
03-15-2016, 16:00
I'm looking at it as lots of trail time and a physical and mental challenge, not a rolling party or a carless road trip. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but it's not for my own hike, and I think I'll get more satisfaction by remembering how few nights I spent in towns rather than how many, and hopefully that I didn't get into a single vehicle during the hike. I will always prefer a hostel or campsite to a hotel/motel, but looking though the book at New England I probably will have to. They do have swimming pools...

rafe
03-15-2016, 16:04
I'm looking at it as lots of trail time and a physical and mental challenge, not a rolling party or a carless road trip. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but it's not for my own hike, and I think I'll get more satisfaction by remembering how few nights I spent in towns rather than how many, and hopefully that I didn't get into a single vehicle during the hike. I will always prefer a hostel or campsite to a hotel/motel, but looking though the book at New England I probably will have to. They do have swimming pools...

Show of hands for folks here who think that's going to happen? Walking 2180 miles is tough enough, I hope you realize that that a lot of useful (or necessary) towns are a good ways off the trail. For some reason, they don't put towns up on the ridges.

CamelMan
03-15-2016, 16:20
I did say "hopefully". So far it doesn't look out of the question through Daleville, VA.

Traillium
03-15-2016, 16:21
Show of hands for folks here who think that's going to happen? Walking 2180 miles is tough enough, I hope you realize that that a lot of useful (or necessary) towns are a good ways off the trail. For some reason, they don't put towns up on the ridges.

I just read Camelman's bio …


Bruce Traillium

Sandy of PA
03-15-2016, 19:10
If I can stay in a motel (private room), I do; otherwise I prefer my tent. My section hikes are 4 or more weeks at a time with no planned end date. Bunk rooms with snoring, staying up late talking, and no place to lock up is my third choice.

sbhikes
03-17-2016, 18:41
I'm doing a section hike on the PCT in a week. When I did the PCT before I was always disappointed with how unrestful town stops and zero days were. After a while I hated hotel rooms (the expense, the stuffiness, how I never got good sleep) so I know for sure I'm not going to bother with them this time (not that there are any in the section I'm doing anyway). I'll probably just take some nero days and focus on eating and picking up my post office boxes. If there's a possibility to bathe, great. Otherwise, hold yer nose, I'm coming through!

Don's Brother
07-23-2016, 22:39
My second book is now available at amazon and createspace.com/6129166 In The Don's Brother Method or How I Thru-Hiked the Appalachian Trail and Rarely Slept in the Woods, I write about my road-to-road strategies to utilize as many beds and restaurants near the trail that I could fine. Of my 164 day thru-hike in 2013, I only spent 19 nights in the woods. I realize this method is definitely not for everyone, but then neither is pitching a tent. If you like to hike but don't care much for camping, you might want to consider The Don's Brother Method. Thanks.

Greenlight
07-23-2016, 23:31
When I do my thru, I'm going there to walk. A lot. I know the town stops don't always land on your schedule like you want them to, but once I get my legs under me, I'm planning to do 15 miles per day, hiking six days out of seven. I want that seventh to be on a Saturday or Sunday so I can attend Mass at a church along the AT when possible. Unless weather (driving rain, sleet, or extreme cold) hampers me, I'm planning on hanging in a hammock. When I go to a town for resupply, it will be to resupply and get back on the trail. I generally don't whine about bugs and heat or cold or hills. I'm good with all that stuff. That being said, my mind will probably completely change once I get out there. Who knows?


I would like to pose a question for former, future, and aspiring thru-hikers. If you had unlimited money, how often would you go into towns, get a motel room or stay at a hostel, and eat most of your meals in restaurants? I took 164 days to thru-hike in 2013 and only spent 19 nights in the woods. My money wasn't unlimited, but I did spend a lot more than the average hiker. My first book, Don's Brother: A Hike of Hope on the Appalachian Trail was published in 2014. I am currently working on a second book about my method of hiking, which should be out this spring. I would greatly appreciate some sincere feedback on my question, pro or con. So if you could spend most nights in beds and eat most meals at restaurants on your thru-hike, how often would you? Thank you for your comments. I'd like to use some of them in my book. If you would like to respond in an email, I can be reached at [email protected]

AfterParty
07-24-2016, 01:23
I like having my own space and can set it up in 5 minutes or less rain or shine. I will be a tent sleeper but this is deffinlty a choice, I'd perfer to stock up and get back in the woods.

Elaikases
07-24-2016, 16:21
My second book is now available at amazon and createspace.com/6129166 In The Don's Brother Method or How I Thru-Hiked the Appalachian Trail and Rarely Slept in the Woods, I write about my road-to-road strategies to utilize as many beds and restaurants near the trail that I could fine. Of my 164 day thru-hike in 2013, I only spent 19 nights in the woods. I realize this method is definitely not for everyone, but then neither is pitching a tent. If you like to hike but don't care much for camping, you might want to consider The Don's Brother Method. Thanks.

I don't mind the camping, but this seems like something that will be interesting for the flexibility it offers.

Nooga
07-25-2016, 09:01
Must be nice. The problem with most of us is, we typically have plenty of dough and not much time, or plenty of time and not much dough.

That's pretty much the story of my life. I've either got time or money, but rarely both at the same time.

SWODaddy
07-25-2016, 14:01
In this infinite money scenario, can I hire a sherpa to carry my gear?



You should post this over in the "begging on the trail" thread :D

peakbagger
07-25-2016, 14:32
I did a variety of slackpacking on the southern AT with a friend that over the years had ankle issues. He had them "rebuilt" one year prior to a 5 week section hike and did pretty well but each successive trip it was obvious that carrying a multi daypack for more than a day or two slowed him down for the rest of the week. We finally switched to slackpacking with two cars initially from Erving south and ended up with one car and did keyswaps. With a good set of Delorme road atlases for the area we could generally find a trail crossing or a short hike up an old road to trail crossing. Our daily mileage was a lot higher and my friend would end up waiting for me as his ankle didn't bother him. We were off season from thru hikers most of the time so most of the time we had the shelters to ourselves. We also figured out that the majority of the southern AT shelters are usually quite near a road so we frequently would pick a convenient one and use it for a couple of days while in the area. We usually cleaned up the shelters and hauled out bags of trash or burnt tin foil (amazing how it accumulates in fire pits). On occasion we might stay at a hostel or a motel. We didn't have town days as such, we would hit the stores usually at the end of the day plus we had quite an inventory in the trunk so we didn't need much resupply. We liked getting to know the area around the trail and got to visit a lot of places that thru hiker would never see if they were just staying on the trail between towns. My partner is retired from hiking but I wouldn't mind using a similar approach on the PCT.