View Full Version : Just wondering...
skinnbones
10-11-2016, 13:59
I plan to thru hike the A.T. this coming spring. After the hike I'm planning to relax for a week somewhere. Maybe I will take a week vacation in Millinocket, Bangor or Portland Maine or hop a flight to some other city. Do most thru hikers return straight home after hike? Any 2017 hikers planning on a celebration retreat after their long hike? Thanks.
I'd think about Bar Harbor or somewhere along the coast. A change of scenery would be nice.
I'd think about Bar Harbor or somewhere along the coast. A change of scenery would be nice.
The Rockport - Camden Maine area is really nice.
Wayne
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Hangfire
10-11-2016, 15:17
It's an odd feeling when you finish that thing, and I'm sure everyone deals with it differently. A lot of hikers will meet family, some will want to stay behind to wait for fellow hikers to finish up, (Millinocket is a small town). I kind of wished I had planned it better but honestly I was so mentally and physically exhausted I just laid in bed for 3 days in Portland waiting for my flight home. I guess I'd say to leave an open mind about what you do when you finish, you may be up for more exploring or you may just want to collapse...be prepared for both.
illabelle
10-11-2016, 16:06
I'd think about Bar Harbor or somewhere along the coast. A change of scenery would be nice.
A few weeks ago we did Katahdin and 70 miles of the 100 mile wilderness, getting out at Katahdin Ironworks Road. Original plan was to go all the way to Monson, but didn't feel like we could do that in the time we had left, so instead we took our rental car and drove to Acadia National Park (near Bar Harbor) for a couple days. While there we hiked/climbed the Beehive trail. While much shorter than the Katahdin climb, it has plenty of exposed steel rung climbing reminiscent of Katahdin. And of course there was the ocean to see. Very enjoyable side trip, glad we did it.
AfterParty
10-11-2016, 19:15
I plan to buy a motorhome in Maine. I wanna see Niagara falls and the colors in NE. Then I will be going south to the dessert for winter.
skinnbones
10-11-2016, 19:37
I plan to buy a motorhome in Maine. I wanna see Niagara falls and the colors in NE. Then I will be going south to the dessert for winter. Thumbs up on this plan.
A few weeks ago we did Katahdin and 70 miles of the 100 mile wilderness, getting out at Katahdin Ironworks Road. Original plan was to go all the way to Monson, but didn't feel like we could do that in the time we had left, so instead we took our rental car and drove to Acadia National Park (near Bar Harbor) for a couple days. While there we hiked/climbed the Beehive trail. While much shorter than the Katahdin climb, it has plenty of exposed steel rung climbing reminiscent of Katahdin. And of course there was the ocean to see. Very enjoyable side trip, glad we did it.
Didn't do Whitecap and the Barren Mountain/Chairback range?
evyck da fleet
10-11-2016, 20:15
See how you feel when you get to Maine and have a backup plan. I booked my flight home from NYC, I have college friends about 50 miles north, and figured I could hang with them and wander around the city while they were at work. I wound up having a week before I had to fly home but I had beaten my body up pretty good during the thru. On the way down K, I was bargaining with my knees that if they got me down safely I promised not to hike or run for a month and I hadn't had knee problems at all thru the hike.
I spent a day in Millinocket as my brain comprehending not having to hike anymore. The next day via a couple buses I wandered around and spent the night in Boston with a thru hiker I summited K with. The following day I took a train to visit my friend and just decided to hang out for four days before flying home. I probably spent the first couple of days at home just hanging, recovering from the hike and slowly getting back to the real world.
So unless you plan to do something in the northeast afterwards, I guess I'm saying go home, relax, recover and then take a a vacation.
illabelle
10-11-2016, 20:35
Didn't do Whitecap and the Barren Mountain/Chairback range?
Whitecap, yes. Barren/Chairback will be next fall.
Katahdin wasn't as hard to climb as I expected. Tough, but doable. The problem was the descent, constant steep down. For at least 2 years I've been using the Injinji toe socks and haven't had a blister. The Katahdin descent gave me a fat little blister, which made our intended ambitious mileage on the "flat" part of the HMW not so doable. Decided to slow down and enjoy Maine. The slower pace allowed us to spend an entire afternoon at Antler campsite, with a nice chilly dip in the lake to rinse off a layer of grime. We also saw a moose one morning about 30' from our tent. That was neat! Biggest regret is that we didn't get to do the Gulf Hagas loop. But when we go back, it's just right there at KIW Rd, so we'll plan on doing it next trip.
By the way, we ran across someone who had climbed Katahdin like 12 times, and never had a clear view. The day we climbed, August 27, was clear as a bell. Awesome views for miles and miles!
We didnt do the Gulf Hagas loop either. We met a nobo hiker who told us of a hiker feed on the KI road, so we wanted to get there before he left :-) the burgers, dogs, chips and beer hit the spot.
Thanks again, SamIam.
gpburdelljr
10-12-2016, 01:06
I don't think you will have any idea what to do in the week after the hike until you get close to the end.
I've never set my feet on the AT, but at the end of my desert hikes I always plan a few relaxing days at the beach.
I'm a bit torn between going to a hotel (great food in aboundance, but too strong a culture shock), or camp.
Usually I prefer camp to idle out of hiking mode.
One Half
10-12-2016, 13:40
I plan to thru hike the A.T. this coming spring. After the hike I'm planning to relax for a week somewhere. Maybe I will take a week vacation in Millinocket, Bangor or Portland Maine or hop a flight to some other city. Do most thru hikers return straight home after hike? Any 2017 hikers planning on a celebration retreat after their long hike? Thanks.
A retreat sounds great! When we end up doing our thru (assuming we complete) we will spend some time with family and friends as I am from that area. Probably will stay with a very special friend of ours and spend a couple weeks in NH/ME visiting. But at some point we will return "home" to be able to see our son and get back to the "rat race." Or not.....
Good luck with your hike!