Looking ahead: hiring vehicle support for 2021 thru-hike.

[Rift Zone]

It seems 2021 is the best opportunity I have to do a thru-hike, but even then I will be in the middle of an off-trail project that will demand a lot of my attention, thus making regular, reliable communications and internet manditory. Not to mention I simply will not have the time to deal with devices that have no charge, hitchhiking, walking all over towns for resupply, or much else... Subsequently, I want to hire an individual (perhaps couple) to handle all that for me. I'll provide an RV for us, and you'll be a dedicated trail angel for me and any other hiker who happens to be there. Mad chef skills are ideal cuz I'm gonna want you to feed me. I'll probably do a lot of slack pack'n so one can expect to be bound pretty close to the trail throughout the season.

Anyway, figured never too early to start fishing on that, so there it is.

Edit:
I cover your cost of living: food, camp sites, hotels (when I sleep in one), gas, laundry, beer...covered. On top of that, I throw in a decent salary for running my errands, being my chauffeur, and being my chef. (-a good home cooked breakfast up to 5 days a week, and up to 5 dinners a week. I'll mostly fend for myself for lunch, providing there's leftovers. I like to eat out a lot, so we'll be doing that a fair amount too, particularly when I can find some decent sushi. Bottom line on that is you're on the hook for 10 meals a week, but it will probably look more like 7 or less meals most weeks.)

I've hiked a third of the AT. I have well over 5k "trail" miles on me, though much of that was off trail in true wilderness. I also have over 5k miles experience in kayaking expeditions, and another 5k+ on various bike tours, so I kinda know what I'm getting myself into, as well as how to best meet my needs throughout it. ...While I appreciate the different approaches, I've already settled on this one; thanks though.

[Gambit McCrae]

Sounds like a wonderful opportunity for a Netflix documentary IMO.
Just curious, what kind of salary/ compensation would you be paying?
Food for employee included in the deal?
Hotel/ hostel stays included?

I think its a really cool idea and you seem to be prepared to do it.

[Hikes in Rain]

Some days my wife insists this is why I think we got married. :sun We've found this book useful sometimes. https://smile.amazon.com/Exploring-Appalachian-Trail-Rv-Sort/dp/1441425799/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1545143201&sr=8-3&keywords=appalachian+trail+in+rv

[Traffic Jam]

It seems 2021 is the best opportunity I have to do a thru-hike, but even then I will be in the middle of an off-trail project that will demand a lot of my attention, thus making regular, reliable communications and inernet manditory. Not to mention I simply will not have the time to deal with devices that have no charge, hitchhiking, walking all over towns for resupply, or much else...

Anyway, figured never too early to start fishing on that, so there it is. Let me know if you'd like to share some more thoughts on that.

Will you have time to even enjoy your hike? Sounds pretty stressful and expensive. If you can afford an RV, your own thru hike, and a personal valet, maybe you can afford to take a leave of absence instead?

i think Miss Janet does something like this, might want to contact her.

[perrymk]

I thought about this once. Then I realized I wouldn't be willing to do it for the price I'd be willing (or able) to pay so decided others probably wouldn't either. Then there's the reality of finding someone trustworthy and reliable with the ability to take 5-6 months off. I don't have an RV but was thinking even car support would work. If you read about people who've done similar ventures/adventures the support person is usually a family member, typically a spouse or parent.

I recall years ago reading about someone offering this sort of service but don't recall the details, except that it was pricey. $12,000? Not bad for what one gets but still a lot of money and I don't see how an individual could make that profitable. Of course I don't recall all the details of what was provided and I may be off on the price.

There are books out there on the topic:
Exploring The Appalachian Trail By Rv, Sort Of (https://www.amazon.com/Exploring-Appalachian-Trail-Rv-Sort/dp/1441425799/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1545143664&sr=8-3&keywords=appalachian+trail+rv)
The Don's Brother Method: How I Thru-Hiked the Appalachian Trail and Rarely Slept in the Woods (http://The Don's Brother Method: How I Thru-Hiked the Appalachian Trail and Rarely Slept in the Woods)

My current plan has me starting a southbound AT hike in July, 2021, right after I retire. If you're going my way I might be persuaded chip in until you hike too far ahead of me to make it practical. :)


EDIT: It might be more practical to line up 10 or so people along the way and as you leave one person's area, the next picks up. This way the person need only work weekends and the long term time commitment is much less. It'd still pricey though.

[Rift Zone]

Sounds like a wonderful opportunity for a Netflix documentary IMO.
Just curious, what kind of salary/ compensation would you be paying?
Food for employee included in the deal?
Hotel/ hostel stays included?

I think its a really cool idea and you seem to be prepared to do it.
Thanks. Yea, I've been prepared to thru-hike for a long while... Circumstances have never been right. But I could pull it off if I did it that way. It is so on. I'm gonna be out there '21! =)

I'm gonna cover everything: food, gas, campsites, motel rooms (when I stay in one! -if I'm camping out, so are they), laundry, beer... Thus I offer a 6 month camping trip that's covered outright. On top of that, I throw in a salary. Salary is negotiable... not too extravagant, but worth it.

[Rift Zone]

Some days my wife insists this is why I think we got married. :sun We've found this book useful sometimes. https://smile.amazon.com/Exploring-Appalachian-Trail-Rv-Sort/dp/1441425799/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1545143201&sr=8-3&keywords=appalachian+trail+in+rv
Lol. You're a lucky man! =).

Thx for the tip.


Will you have time to even enjoy your hike? Sounds pretty stressful and expensive. If you can afford an RV, your own thru hike, and a personal valet, maybe you can afford to take a leave of absence instead?


i think Miss Janet does something like this, might want to contact her.
Oh yes, I will be enjoying that. Expensive? Yea. But I don't know about it being stressful. Seems like having logistics handled for me will make for a very pleasant hike.

Unfortunately, I'm the driving force behind the project, I don't have the option of leaving it alone for a while.

I've crossed paths with Miss Janet before. Looking forward to seeing her again. Yea, she is good for that sort of thing, but mostly in and around Erwin,TN.




I thought about this once. Then I realized I wouldn't be willing to do it for the price I'd be willing (or able) to pay so decided others probably wouldn't either...


EDIT: It might be more practical to line up 10 or so people along the way and as you leave one person's area, the next picks up. This way the person need only work weekends and the long term time commitment is much less. It'd still pricey though.
Yea, it's not for everyone. But I could see it working quite well for those who prefer to live life close to the earth/trail... I imagine I'll find the right match, or matches. -looking for more than one is a decent idea, thanks for that.

[Traffic Jam]

Lol. You're a lucky man! =).

Thx for the tip.


Oh yes, I will be enjoying that. Expensive? Yea. But I don't know about it being stressful. Seems like having logistics handled for me will make for a very pleasant hike.

Unfortunately, I'm the driving force behind the project, I don't have the option of leaving it alone for a while.

I've crossed paths with Miss Janet before. Looking forward to seeing her again. Yea, she is good for that sort of thing, but mostly in and around Erwin,TN.
No one is indispensable. Feeling that way is how we remain enslaved. I’ve learned that the hard way. You’ve gotta do what’s best for you.

Regarding Miss Janet, I’m pretty sure she has been shuttling hikers all along the AT, up to Maine, in recent years. At least that’s how it appeared from my sporadic visits to her FB page.

good luck!

[Rift Zone]

My current plan has me starting a southbound AT hike in July, 2021, right after I retire. If you're going my way I might be persuaded chip in until you hike too far ahead of me to make it practical. :)

I fully intend to share my angel(s) and whatever wonders they offer. ;)

[Rift Zone]

No one is indispensable. Feeling that way is how we remain enslaved. I’ve learned that the hard way. You’ve gotta do what’s best for you.

Regarding Miss Janet, I’m pretty sure she has been shuttling hikers all along the AT, up to Maine, in recent years. At least that’s how it appeared from my sporadic visits to her FB page.

good luck!
Innovation tends to come from isolated individuals. There are circumstances where one person does it, or it doesn't get done. As such, I argue "no one is indispensable" is not absolutely always the case. At any rate, I know what I'm doing, have a healthy relationship with it, and do appreciate your concern.

Cool about Miss Janet! I didn't know all that. Of course, it's been many, many moons since we've crossed paths.

[ldsailor]

I've crossed paths with Miss Janet before. Looking forward to seeing her again. Yea, she is good for that sort of thing, but mostly in and around Erwin,TN.


I don't know about Miss Janet just being in TN. She picked me up me up in July of this year a couple of miles from the AMC Highland Center and gave me a ride there. She was driving a van that was filled with her belongings. I think she follows the bubble northbound. Nice lady by the way.

[Rift Zone]

I don't know about Miss Janet just being in TN. She picked me up me up in July of this year a couple of miles from the AMC Highland Center and gave me a ride there. She was driving a van that was filled with her belongings. I think she follows the bubble northbound. Nice lady by the way.
Yea, I'm getting that impression. It seems my information is seriously outdated. =)

[JPritch]

I've always wanted to do something like this for my eventual PCT thru, but with my family following me in an RV.

[Just Bill]

Innovation tends to come from isolated individuals. There are circumstances where one person does it, or it doesn't get done. As such, I argue "no one is indispensable" is not absolutely always the case. At any rate, I know what I'm doing, have a healthy relationship with it, and do appreciate your concern.

Cool about Miss Janet! I didn't know all that. Of course, it's been many, many moons since we've crossed paths.
Good for you. I've met a few folks over the years who did something similar (sorta).
One of the more successful was an accountant who put in a long three day shift once per week. She was semi-self shuttling which may be a better option for you too actually. She only needed a laptop so she used a combination of rental cars, bounce boxes and shuttle drivers to assist her in getting her 'office' to follow her. That got her hiking for 2-5 days at a stretch, and caught up on work. Granted her job was less interpersonal than your project may be on a daily basis... but she was able to get a nice balance of hiking and working out of it.

Just a thought... FKT attempts struggle with frequent contact or critical contact logistics all the time. And many stretches of the trail are difficult to navigate with a van, let alone an RV.
If you set yourself up with a small van and then used local shuttle services or hostels to assist in moving said van... might be more realistic logistically to accomplish if you can be on trail for a few days at a time.
Ask any of those who have done logistics for a speed hike and they will express the difficulty of 'crewing' the AT... it is tough finding each other and there is a little secret knowledge of the trail required to reach many portions by vehicle if you are looking for frequent contact. Though if you're mainly slack packing (or doing 48 hour stretches) I'd think a satellite phone plus cell phone and a charger would be a more useful 2lbs to have on your back than trying to get someone to get a vehicle to you reliably in a hurry.

Something to consider/research. In the meantime though you're probably a bit to far out for a real commitment.
My recently retired mother may be interested in something like that... or even one of the folks here who don't NEED a salary but might enjoy the opportunity (and be reliable).

Janet is doing her own thing but off hand Odie from the hiker yearbook may be a perfect candidate to assist with something like this when the time nears provided he's still doing what he's doing now.

Good luck!

[Just Bill]

One further thought... if your project is critical... and you have the means/budget:
Why not enlist someone from your team?

That would mean your crew chief would not only assist with your hike, but also with your project. Possibly even being able to cover for you so you don't have to 'rush back to the office' for every call. They could also download/upload relevant information or help sort critical tasks that you could work on when you finish your hiking day/days so you were more efficient in your downtime. They would also be more understanding and cooperative knowing what you're working on.

If there truly is an emergency; you'll stress out your volunteer who thinks you're just a self-important jerk and bails on you.
A teammember who knows how important your project on won't do that.

[Traffic Jam]

As usual JB, a well thought-out and informative post.

Forgive me, Rift for being negative. I followed a blog last year of a guy trying to work and hike who didn’t make it past GA. Also camped with two guys, one an attorney who had to be on a conference call the next day who wasn’t going to make it and didn’t have cell service. I’m not exaggerating when I say there was yelling, cursing, and a near fist fight. It doesn’t sound very fun to me.

I sincerely hope you are successful. :)

[DuneElliot]

Put this out on Workamper.com

RVers are always looking for opportunities like this

[Rift Zone]

One further thought... if your project is critical... and you have the means/budget:
Why not enlist someone from your team?

That would mean your crew chief would not only assist with your hike, but also with your project. Possibly even being able to cover for you so you don't have to 'rush back to the office' for every call. They could also download/upload relevant information or help sort critical tasks that you could work on when you finish your hiking day/days so you were more efficient in your downtime. They would also be more understanding and cooperative knowing what you're working on.

If there truly is an emergency; you'll stress out your volunteer who thinks you're just a self-important jerk and bails on you.
A teammember who knows how important your project on won't do that.
Great thoughts! Thanks for them. You're right, it's a bit early to be committing to much right now, but I would like to develop contacts that might be interested. I figure we could at least touch base every now and then, and then start getting serious about plans mid 2020.

Good point about the vehicle... a sprinter sized van might be the way to go.

The rest of the project's crew would be more effective with established roots in civilization, so bringing one of them them aboard for this is a great idea in general, but probably not the best course of action for this situation. -thx though.

Edit: the project goes public late 2020... by the time I start hiking, what I'm up to can be known. It's my hope my vehicle support has appreciation for the project, and is subsequently understanding about any demands it places upon us.

[Maineiac64]

Doesn’t sound like a fun camping trip to me, good luck finding someone.

[Rift Zone]

As usual JB, a well thought-out and informative post.

Forgive me, Rift for being negative. I followed a blog last year of a guy trying to work and hike who didn’t make it past GA. Also camped with two guys, one an attorney who had to be on a conference call the next day who wasn’t going to make it and didn’t have cell service. I’m not exaggerating when I say there was yelling, cursing, and a near fist fight. It doesn’t sound very fun to me.

I sincerely hope you are successful. :)
No worries Traffic Jam! I do appreciate the concerns. I'm no stranger to long distance hiking, or kayaking (like from Montana to St. Louis), or bike tours... I've got a real good idea of what I'm facing, and how to best handle it. I think what I have planned is gonna work perfect for me.

Thank you very much! I'm looking forward to it.

[Rift Zone]

Put this out on Workamper.com

RVers are always looking for opportunities like this
Thanks for the tip! -I'll keep that in mind.


Doesn’t sound like a fun camping trip to me, good luck finding someone.
I'll try to make the most of it. ;)

[Slo-go'en]

Sounds tempting. I've got nothing better to do. I can cook, hope you like Lipton sides with tuna. If your going to be a thru hiker, you need to eat like one :)

[Rift Zone]

I've always wanted to do something like this for my eventual PCT thru, but with my family following me in an RV.
For real!


Sounds tempting. I've got nothing better to do. I can cook, hope you like Lipton sides with tuna. If your going to be a thru hiker, you need to eat like one :)

Lol. I'm gonna eat like a thru-hiker alright... one who's in town! =)
"-one large pizza, a side of lasagne, smoked salmon avocado berry brie spinach salad, a milkshake, and two beers please!" :D

[chknfngrs]

Sounds awesome, but not my cup of tea! Good luck!

[Rift Zone]

Sounds awesome, but not my cup of tea! Good luck!
Thanks! No question this will only be right for about one in a million... good thing there are 200+ million in this country alone. I figure with a decent head start, like I've got now, I'll find the person(s) who would be delighted to run around on a camping trip for a season on my dime, with a bit on top to deal with my crap, of course. =)

[peakbagger]

Here is an off the wall approach. Find someone who wants to hike the AT that is willing to key swap. More miles on the transportation but a lot more motivation for the driver. My experience with car supported hiking down south is we would pick a base location for a couple of days either a hostel or motel and then do key swap day hikes for a few days then jump north a stretch and do it again. One of us would drop the other at trail crossing then drive south and hike north. Meet for lunch and then the person ending up at the car would drive north and pick up the other guy. Then head to the base camp and do it again the next day. If there was nasty weather one day we may skip one area that was exposed and go to another with more shelter. We tended to be off the bubble and found out that the vast majority of shelters down south tended to be near a forest service road. With a bit of planning we would hike all day, stop in town for supper and then go park near a shelter and camp at the shelter. We rarely if ever took zeros and since we were only carrying day hiking gear we could crank out the miles every day.

[stephanD]

In my opinion, you can slack pack the entire AT until the half point in Gardners PA using the hostels system and shuttle drivers. Afterward, you may need to hire somebody.

[Gambit McCrae]

In my opinion, you can slack pack the entire AT until the half point in Gardners PA using the hostels system and shuttle drivers. Afterward, you may need to hire somebody.

Its obvious the OP knows exactly how he wants / and needs to hike his hike, he is not looking for suggestions on how to complete it. He is specifically putting feelers out there for someone interested in the job

[Rift Zone]

Here is an off the wall approach...that is a pretty cool plan. I don't think it's what I'm trying to accomplish this time around, but I like it!


In my opinion, you can slack pack the entire AT until the half point in Gardners PA using the hostels system and shuttle drivers. Afterward, you may need to hire somebody.Probably true. Still, I like the idea of having dedicated support throughout the journey.


Its obvious the OP knows exactly how he wants / and needs to hike his hike, he is not looking for suggestions on how to complete it. He is specifically putting feelers out there for someone interested in the job
This is so.

[John B]

Its obvious the OP knows exactly how he wants / and needs to hike his hike, he is not looking for suggestions on how to complete it. He is specifically putting feelers out there for someone interested in the job
.................................................. ..........

[map man]

In the past Warren Doyle has organized fully supported AT thru-hike expeditions for groups once every few years. These have traditionally included most of the services you are looking for but because it's a good sized group costs per person are defrayed quite a bit. I don't know if he has plans for any in the future or not. If you aren't familiar with Warren Doyle here is a link to the hiking part of his AT Institute site:

http://www.warrendoyle.com/ati

When I did a 2015 May section hike from Franklin to Allen Gap I happened to fall in for two or three days with one of his expeditions. I chatted briefly one day with the man himself and more extensively with a guy who was on his support staff and a couple people who were paying customers and thru-hiking in the expedition. All seemed pretty happy with how things were going though, granted, it was still early days (they weren't even a tenth of the way along yet).

[fiddlehead]

I'll give you some thoughts from our experience back in 2001/2002 when we attempted a triplecrown in one year hike with a van and lots of different drivers (our friends from other hikes mostly) helping us.
First of all, it is no fun for the drivers. Huge responsibilities to be where they said they would be as we were slackpacking oftentimes.
They have a long list of things to do while we are hiking: gas/food/water/map reading/ charge batteries/etc.
We did the cooking mostly.
It is a boring job and 2-3 weeks seemed like it was the longest stretch that they could do it without losing interest. (it's work)
Of course, paying someone might make them last longer.

I wouldn't let them plan your logisitics too much.
You will decide how much you can do each day. Not them.
They will get lost. But more often that not, they will be waiting for you somewhere different from where you are expecting them. (even if it's only 1/4 mile away but out of sight!)
So, what we ended up doing was having a GPS point that we all would synchronize every morning so that we knew where we would meet.
Of course, this was before cell phone service was so good, so now you would be able to call each other more often but signal might not always be available.
If I were you, I'd carry some emergency gear just in case you have to spend a night out there even though you thought you were being met.
It only happened once to us, but it was a night I'll never forget. (and we were very careful about this problem)

Of course, the right it needs to be the right person to make it work.

Good luck.

ps. we only used hotels about 5 times in 330 days. But stayed at friend's houses probably 15 times. And we ate good.
If any of our "crew" is reading this, THANKS so much for all the help and solving the problems we encountered along the way!

[MuddyWaters]

You should find a friend or partner you trust unequivocably for that sort of thing for 6 mo.

When (not if) Joe Dumbass gets sick of you and walks away, leaving your RV parked in a parking lot somewhere.....whatcha gonna do?

You gonna go home, thats what.

Reliable phone can be had via sat phone. Internet....different story.

[SkeeterPee]

Another option might be 2 vehicles and self supporting. I know one person who hike the trail this way and never spent a night on the trail. So that would give you lots of chance to work in evening etc, but you would still need to do your own chores.

The way they did it was park one car at springer, then take a second car to the spot one day hike north. They then hiked to springer. They would take that car into town. next day they drive it one day north of the second car and then hike back to second car. Each day repeated always hikeing south, but moving cars north each night.

Not sure if that is cheaper or easier, but would give lots of chance to work when not hiking.

[Rift Zone]

In the past Warren Doyle has organized fully supported AT thru-hike expeditions for groups once every few years.
interesting... thanks for that! Definitely worth looking into, though I feel like I might opt for something more taylored to my specific needs.


I'll give you some thoughts from our experience back in 2001/2002 when we attempted a triplecrown in one year hike with a van and lots of different drivers (our friends from other hikes mostly) helping us.
First of all, it is no fun for the drivers. Huge responsibilities to be where they said they would be as we were slackpacking oftentimes.
They have a long list of things to do while we are hiking: gas/food/water/map reading/ charge batteries/etc.
We did the cooking mostly.
It is a boring job and 2-3 weeks seemed like it was the longest stretch that they could do it without losing interest. (it's work)
Of course, paying someone might make them last longer.

I wouldn't let them plan your logisitics too much.
You will decide how much you can do each day. Not them.
They will get lost. But more often that not, they will be waiting for you somewhere different from where you are expecting them. (even if it's only 1/4 mile away but out of sight!)
So, what we ended up doing was having a GPS point that we all would synchronize every morning so that we knew where we would meet.
Of course, this was before cell phone service was so good, so now you would be able to call each other more often but signal might not always be available.
If I were you, I'd carry some emergency gear just in case you have to spend a night out there even though you thought you were being met.
It only happened once to us, but it was a night I'll never forget. (and we were very careful about this problem)

Of course, the right it needs to be the right person to make it work.

Good luck.

ps. we only used hotels about 5 times in 330 days. But stayed at friend's houses probably 15 times. And we ate good.
If any of our "crew" is reading this, THANKS so much for all the help and solving the problems we encountered along the way!Ambitious of you. Nice.
Yea, it's gonna be work alright. There will certainly be tons of downtime, but handling logistics will also have em running around quite a bit too. Meh... it'll pay better than any other summer camp type of job; I'm confident I'll find someone.

I'm probably gonna carry a walkie-talkie, maybe hand-held CB radio, along with cell phone. I'll keep my iPad in the rig too, so I can "find iphone" it if I need a gps fix on them. I've been thinking of ways of zeroing in on the rig so I don't spend nights out when I thought I was slackpacking it. But yea, I'll make sure I'll carry some back up equipment to maintain a bit of comfort if I do get stuck... Snags do happen after all. I know enough to expect them.

Oh yes, I will be running that show. The good news is I'm a strong hiker and I know how fast I move... I could easily keep to any schedule I set for myself, so the only reason I should ever keep em waiting long would be if I got injured or something. In like manner, I figure they could probably beat me there seeing as how I'm on foot, so I would fully expect them to be a the designated spot at the designated time. -they are kinda there to accommodate my schedule, after all.

You should find a friend or partner you trust unequivocably for that sort of thing for 6 mo.

When (not if) Joe Dumbass gets sick of you and walks away, leaving your RV parked in a parking lot somewhere.....whatcha gonna do?

You gonna go home, thats what.

Reliable phone can be had via sat phone. Internet....different story.that would be nice. Everyone in my world is married with children though; I can't see any of them going for it. And I'm single. So yea, I'm stuck with mr./mrs. will probably leave at any moment. I don't like it much either. Not much I can do about it. Hmm, except stipulate the salary gets paid at the end of it. Hehe. I'm thinking like a grand a month. I'm confident someone worthy will go for it.


Another option might be 2 vehicles and self supporting. I know one person who hike the trail this way and never spent a night on the trail. So that would give you lots of chance to work in evening etc, but you would still need to do your own chores.

The way they did it was park one car at springer, then take a second car to the spot one day hike north. They then hiked to springer. They would take that car into town. next day they drive it one day north of the second car and then hike back to second car. Each day repeated always hikeing south, but moving cars north each night.

Not sure if that is cheaper or easier, but would give lots of chance to work when not hiking.Hmm.. That's interesting.

[Traffic Jam]

So...about $33 per day or $1.37 per hour and not paid until the completion of your hike? Are you paying for all expenses and food? Just curious. :)

[Rift Zone]

So...about $33 per day or $1.37 per hour and not paid until the completion of your hike? Are you paying for all expenses and food? Just curious. :)
Pfft. There will be none of that. I'm gonna charge them rent for being in my rig too!

^Just kidding. Yes, I cover all living expenses. -beer and everything... provided they like reasonable amounts of microbrew. I'm not buying no horsepiss beer.

Kidding about paying it all at the end too, though I think a variation on that theme is in order. Seems like $100 a week and the balance at the end of it would be fair terms.

[DuneElliot]

I know I mentioned workamper.com, and for what you are offering I would say it's still the best bet to find someone who would and could actually do this.

However, head on over to cheaprvliving.com as well...there are a lot of people on there who would likely jump at the chance to do this. I'm a member over there, although haven't been around for a while, but if you do offer this out there on that forum you might want to mention that you were referred by a member (doesn't sound so creepy if it's your first post).

[perrymk]

Another option might be 2 vehicles and self supporting. I know one person who hike the trail this way and never spent a night on the trail. So that would give you lots of chance to work in evening etc, but you would still need to do your own chores.

The way they did it was park one car at springer, then take a second car to the spot one day hike north. They then hiked to springer. They would take that car into town. next day they drive it one day north of the second car and then hike back to second car. Each day repeated always hikeing south, but moving cars north each night.

Not sure if that is cheaper or easier, but would give lots of chance to work when not hiking.

I read an article of a couple who hiked the Florida Trail with a minivan and motorcycle (https://floridahikes.com/walking-the-reservation). They had a hitch rack to carry the motorcycle, otherwise it sounded similar to what you described.

I section-day-hiked the Florida Trail with my car and a folding electric bicycle. I would park my car at one trail access point (finish point for the day), bicycle along roads to another trail access point (starting point for the day, previous day's finish point), and then hike back to my car. So I was usually hiking in the same direction. I spent one night on the trail, all others either at home or in a cheap motel. Not sure if this would work along the AT but perhaps a truck/motorcycle could be made to work.

[MuddyWaters]

To paraphrase, Your looking for someone with no job, home, life, or responsibilitiesto be your friend, driver, cook, support crew . 24-7, for 6 months. For $30/day.

Heres what I see...you are assuming this will be fun for someone, so you dont need to pay them much.

Heres the reality...its not. It wont be. Its a job for them.

They will need unfetterred access to your money to pay for everything, food, gas, $$$ vehicle repairs.

Ive no doubt you can find a sketchy person to accept initially. It will be a sketchy person too, anyone responsible COULDNT do it for 10x that. You need a homeless person. Good luck with someone sticking with it.

[fiddlehead]

Of course, the right person is probably out there somewhere.
Finding them is a gamble.
Might be easier to just hike the trail.
I believe you said you you wanted to SOBO.
Well your showing some sense there for sure.
Maybe just hire someone until you get to the easier stuff, south of VT.

[Quik]

I met a NoBo thru who did a similar kind of hike in 2010, her husband was crew and chef, he traveled in a 25-ft (I think) camper and pickup meeting her at major road crossings and other roads, allowing her to slack pack or do shorter overnight sections as needed. They camped in state parks and private campgrounds, stayed in a few hotels. He took side trips, took care of the shopping, laundry and whatever else needed, did trail magic for other hikers but was always there for her when she came out of the woods.

Get a good crew, one or two people that you can count on and DO IT!

[Pastor Bryon]

To paraphrase, Your looking for someone with no job, home, life, or responsibilitiesto be your friend, driver, cook, support crew . 24-7, for 6 months. For $30/day.

Heres what I see...you are assuming this will be fun for someone, so you dont need to pay them much.

Heres the reality...its not. It wont be. Its a job for them.

They will need unfetterred access to your money to pay for everything, food, gas, $$$ vehicle repairs.

Ive no doubt you can find a sketchy person to accept initially. It will be a sketchy person too, anyone responsible COULDNT do it for 10x that. You need a homeless person. Good luck with someone sticking with it.

^^^^^^This.

Although, this individual might be able to make additional money by running a betting pool on how far this person makes it.

[Rift Zone]

I know I mentioned workamper.com, and for what you are offering I would say it's still the best bet to find someone who would and could actually do this.

However, head on over to cheaprvliving.com as well...there are a lot of people on there who would likely jump at the chance to do this. I'm a member over there, although haven't been around for a while, but if you do offer this out there on that forum you might want to mention that you were referred by a member (doesn't sound so creepy if it's your first post).Cool! Thanks again for that tip! I'll definitely be looking to expand the search into those places if nothing turns up here.


I read an article of a couple who hiked the Florida Trail with a minivan and motorcycle (https://floridahikes.com/walking-the-reservation). They had a hitch rack to carry the motorcycle, otherwise it sounded similar to what you described.

I section-day-hiked the Florida Trail with my car and a folding electric bicycle. I would park my car at one trail access point (finish point for the day), bicycle along roads to another trail access point (starting point for the day, previous day's finish point), and then hike back to my car. So I was usually hiking in the same direction. I spent one night on the trail, all others either at home or in a cheap motel. Not sure if this would work along the AT but perhaps a truck/motorcycle could be made to work.sounds fun! Not ideal for this trip though.


To paraphrase, Your looking for someone with no job, home, life, or responsibilitiesto be your friend, driver, cook, support crew . 24-7, for 6 months. For $30/day.

Heres what I see...you are assuming this will be fun for someone, so you dont need to pay them much.

Heres the reality...its not. It wont be. Its a job for them.

They will need unfetterred access to your money to pay for everything, food, gas, $$$ vehicle repairs.

Ive no doubt you can find a sketchy person to accept initially. It will be a sketchy person too, anyone responsible COULDNT do it for 10x that. You need a homeless person. Good luck with someone sticking with it.Aye, it's a job. Arguably a fun job though... Certainly one with a lot of perks, including a paid vacation where they're eating like a king throughout it. Anyway, while your grim assessment holds truth, it is not the whole story. People on "workaway.info", for instance, have signed up for work-trade to facilitate their own adventures. The whole I'm stuck with a vagrant thing simply isn't true.


Of course, the right person is probably out there somewhere.
Finding them is a gamble.
Might be easier to just hike the trail.
I believe you said you you wanted to SOBO.
Well your showing some sense there for sure.
Maybe just hire someone until you get to the easier stuff, south of VT.Im going north bound. Wish I didn't have to deal with this crap. I prefer to hike the trail the good old fashioned way. Not gonna happen. I either find my crew or I give it up. The project comes first; the hike will get compromised before the project does. With support, the project suffers minimally. Without support I'm offline way too much to take care of business. There is no other choice for me. It is that easy.


I met a NoBo thru who did a similar kind of hike in 2010, her husband was crew and chef, he traveled in a 25-ft (I think) camper and pickup meeting her at major road crossings and other roads, allowing her to slack pack or do shorter overnight sections as needed. They camped in state parks and private campgrounds, stayed in a few hotels. He took side trips, took care of the shopping, laundry and whatever else needed, did trail magic for other hikers but was always there for her when she came out of the woods.

Get a good crew, one or two people that you can count on and DO IT!is he available for hire? Lol

[Rift Zone]

^^^^^^This.

Although, this individual might be able to make additional money by running a betting pool on how far this person makes it.
Longest days: 30.1 miles, on the AT, in the Smokies, carrying a full pack; 70+ miles in a kayak, loaded down for adventuring (probably cheating since I was going downstream in a river); 143 miles, on a bike, loaded down for touring...

Coolest trip: PCT, Desolation Wilderness, above Tahoe, in the middle of winter, solo. My thermometer bottomed out. It didn't give a reading at all... It gave up in the negative twenties, so it could have probably warmed 60+ degrees and still been freezing. I got 2 sets of shadows out of the night sky though; traced the sources back to Venus and the Milky Way! It was the most vivid sky ever! I could almost reach out and touch the stars... I tried! Will never forget that.

AT thru-hikers in general are not quite as advanced as I am when it comes to adventure treks. I give myself pretty good odds.

[Pastor Bryon]

Longest days: 30.1 miles, on the AT, in the Smokies, carrying a full pack; 70+ miles in a kayak loaded down for adventuring (probably cheating since I was going downstream in a river); 143 miles, on a bike loaded down for touring...

Coolest trip: PCT, Desolation Wilderness, above Tahoe, in the middle of winter, solo. My thermometer bottomed out. It didn't give a reading at all... It gave up in the negative twenties, so it could have probably warmed 60+ degrees and still been freezing. I got 2 sets of shadows out of the night sky though; traced the sources back to Venus and the Milky Way! It was the most vivid sky ever! I could almost reach out and touch the stars... I tried. Will never forget that night.

AT thru-hikers in general are not quite as advanced as I am when it comes to adventure treks. I give myself pretty good odds.

Pardon my earlier sarcasm. I wasn't really referring to your ability; I don't see that as the issue. You seem very driven and goal-oriented. To earlier posts, you are offering someone far less than the poverty line in wages to be at your beck and call for the better part of 6 months. IMHO, there needs to be a very high level of trust and confidence for them to stick with you for that entire time, conforming to your demands and expectations. They don't need to know as much about backpacking as they need to understand you. Look at the support team involved in people setting FKTs and the like. These aren't just people as hired hands, they are heavily committed to the person and their goal.

So go for it, sounds like an exciting endeavor. I'd wager you could finish it. But I wouldn't give the same odds on your assistant just yet.

[Traffic Jam]

Pfft. There will be none of that. I'm gonna charge them rent for being in my rig too!

^Just kidding. Yes, I cover all living expenses. -beer and everything... provided they like reasonable amounts of microbrew. I'm not buying no horsepiss beer.

Kidding about paying it all at the end too, though I think a variation on that theme is in order. Seems like $100 a week and the balance at the end of it would be fair terms.
It seems most of the success stories have a family member as the crew support. That type of relationship is probably ideal as they aren’t in it for monetary gain, they have a personal connection, and are likely to put up with more bother and BS.

But it doesn’t sound like that’s a possibility. So, what if you readjust your thinking and look for a partner with similar goals who also wants to hike the trail or sections of the trail? (I don’t mean romantic partner). Offer the pay but work together, using that person more as a guide than a valet? Just a suggestion. You might have a better selection of candidates if they have an opportunity to hike also.

[Rift Zone]

Pardon my earlier sarcasm. I wasn't really referring to your ability; I don't see that as the issue. You seem very driven and goal-oriented. To earlier posts, you are offering someone far less than the poverty line in wages to be at your beck and call for the better part of 6 months. IMHO, there needs to be a very high level of trust and confidence for them to stick with you for that entire time, conforming to your demands and expectations. They don't need to know as much about backpacking as they need to understand you. Look at the support team involved in people setting FKTs and the like. These aren't just people as hired hands, they are heavily committed to the person and their goal.

So go for it, sounds like an exciting endeavor. I'd wager you could finish it. But I wouldn't give the same odds on your assistant just yet.
No worries mate! It's true I'm not gonna make anyone rich off this deal, however if we were being more fair about the situation by factoring in cost of living it could easily be argued I'm offering compensation that has a market rate of more like approaching 3k a month. So it's not nearly as bad as y'all make it seem. I get it's not gonna be a good fit for most, but I also know there's a traveler on visa, a fresh grad, retiree, or some worthy wandering hippy soul out there who would find it to be an ideal way to spend a summer.

Of course, finding one exceptionally committed to what I'm up to has crossed my mind too. This project of mine goes public in 2020. There is potential it could inspire a bit of that kind of support... Quess I'll see about that.



It seems most of the success stories have a family member as the crew support. That type of relationship is probably ideal as they aren’t in it for monetary gain, they have a personal connection, and are likely to put up with more bother and BS.

But it doesn’t sound like that’s a possibility. So, what if you readjust your thinking and look for a partner with similar goals who also wants to hike the trail or sections of the trail? (I don’t mean romantic partner). Offer the pay but work together, using that person more as a guide than a valet? Just a suggestion. You might have a better selection of candidates if they have an opportunity to hike also.Yea, that would improve the odds a bit. Still, I can't do it. It's kinda all or nothing with the support deal. It's the only way I gain enough uptime on my project to permit a thru-hike. I seriously have no choice in the matter.

[Slo-go'en]

If you do go with an RV, keep in mind it has to be a small one. A lot of the places it has to go are on narrow, winding gravel forest service roads and there is usually only limited parking for a couple of cars at many trail heads. A 40 foot bus sized RV just isn't going to make it.

Warren Doyle's supported hikes have an literary set in stone. You HAD to make it to the next location or be left behind. Some of those days could be really long. It would be worth seeing if you could get a list of the places Warren uses, since he has it down to a science.

I just don't see how having someone support you with a vehicle helps you that much. You go to town every 3 to 5 days anyway and in between you have the cell phone, which now works 90% of the time along the AT. If you have to get to town more often then that to use Wi-Fi and a real PC or laptop, that will really cut into your day as it can be a long drive to get in and out. If your forced into doing big miles because of the spacing of roads, your going to be too tired to do much more then eat and go to sleep.

One other consideration, there has been some discussion about what if your driver quits on you. The flip side is what if you quit on your driver?

[perrymk]

One other consideration, there has been some discussion about what if your driver quits on you. The flip side is what if you quit on your driver?

Let's not say quit, but rather are unable to continue. This could be due to lack of desire, injury, family emergency, business emergency, etc. I've given this thought as my plan I to have a house sitter/support person for my thru. If for some reason I can't continue I plan to return home for a day or so to collect some belongings and then rent an apartment if the house sitter wishes to stay. Whether the apartment is for me or the house sitter is another consideration. This will have to be part of our (house sitter and mine) agreement, preferable in writing. Just as the OP will need some sort of agreement with his crew, which I think he has alluded to already.

[Rift Zone]

If you do go with an RV, keep in mind it has to be a small one. A lot of the places it has to go are on narrow, winding gravel forest service roads and there is usually only limited parking for a couple of cars at many trail heads. A 40 foot bus sized RV just isn't going to make it.

Warren Doyle's supported hikes have an literary set in stone. You HAD to make it to the next location or be left behind. Some of those days could be really long. It would be worth seeing if you could get a list of the places Warren uses, since he has it down to a science.

I just don't see how having someone support you with a vehicle helps you that much. You go to town every 3 to 5 days anyway and in between you have the cell phone, which now works 90% of the time along the AT. If you have to get to town more often then that to use Wi-Fi and a real PC or laptop, that will really cut into your day as it can be a long drive to get in and out. If your forced into doing big miles because of the spacing of roads, your going to be too tired to do much more then eat and go to sleep.

One other consideration, there has been some discussion about what if your driver quits on you. The flip side is what if you quit on your driver?
I'm leaning toward a Sportsmobile 4x4 sprinter low roof with sleeper pop-top. Will be cozy, but effective just about everywhere.

Rides into town are fine, will give me time on my laptop, which I will need, fairly often, and I'm certainly not looking to carry or bounce that thing. Nor will I have the time to wait for rides, walk all over town to deal with a few errands, look for a charge for my devices... None of that can fly. It's mobile base camp or the project demands I spend my summer elsewhere. I'm gonna need infrastructure on demand. It's that simple. I have no choice in the matter.

[Rift Zone]

Let's not say quit, but rather are unable to continue. This could be due to lack of desire, injury, family emergency, business emergency, etc. I've given this thought as my plan I to have a house sitter/support person for my thru. If for some reason I can't continue I plan to return home for a day or so to collect some belongings and then rent an apartment if the house sitter wishes to stay. Whether the apartment is for me or the house sitter is another consideration. This will have to be part of our (house sitter and mine) agreement, preferable in writing. Just as the OP will need some sort of agreement with his crew, which I think he has alluded to already.
If I bail out for any reason I'll pro-rate their payout and pay their transportation to where ever they want to be in the continental US.

[GaryM]

You need a self driving car. Load the trunk with back up gear and non-spoilable food. Just text it where your need it to pick you up and you are gold.
Can you wait a few more years?

[petedelisio]

Rift Zone, I am very interested, but am far from a commitment at the moment.
I have considered offering pretty much just this over the years, especially after running into Warren Doyle tribes and others.

I believe it is a great way for a hiker to enjoy a tromp through the woods, more so on many levels. And for another to live and enjoy, a chunk of this country.

Have driven tractor trailers and straight trucks.

A couple of years would give or another plenty of time to fine tune or improve some recipes before your endeavor.

Am currently considering a section of one trail or another this year. An injury seems to be ruling out any thru hike.

Somebody is going to end up with some dream seasonal work... Maybe it will be me.


Are you looking at a new Sportsmobile 4x4 sprinter low roof with sleeper pop-top, and if used from 1 to 10, what would you say its operational condition is?
Will you have good road side coverage in the insurance?

sorry if I am making you repeat anything.

What ratio of nights are you planning on spending in the van, and in a hotel or hostel?
What percentage of days or nights do you expect to meet meet the van as apposed to camping on the trail over night?
What are you planning for average daily mileage?

Catch you down the trail.

[Rift Zone]

You need a self driving car. Load the trunk with back up gear and non-spoilable food. Just text it where your need it to pick you up and you are gold.
Can you wait a few more years?
Lol. For real. That would be nice.



Rift Zone, I am very interested, but am far from a commitment at the moment.
I have considered offering pretty much just this over the years, especially after running into Warren Doyle tribes and others.

I believe it is a great way for a hiker to enjoy a tromp through the woods, more so on many levels. And for another to live and enjoy, a chunk of this country.

Have driven tractor trailers and straight trucks.

A couple of years would give or another plenty of time to fine tune or improve some recipes before your endeavor.

Am currently considering a section of one trail or another this year. An injury seems to be ruling out any thru hike.

Somebody is going to end up with some dream seasonal work... Maybe it will be me.


Are you looking at a new Sportsmobile 4x4 sprinter low roof with sleeper pop-top, and if used from 1 to 10, what would you say its operational condition is?
Will you have good road side coverage in the insurance?

sorry if I am making you repeat anything.

What ratio of nights are you planning on spending in the van, and in a hotel or hostel?
What percentage of days or nights do you expect to meet meet the van as apposed to camping on the trail over night?
What are you planning for average daily mileage?

Catch you down the trail.
Well that looks promising. Pleasure to cross your path petedelisio.

Yea, a new rig. I'm considering having the conversion done by a more custom outfit, after I have sportsmobile put a pop top on it. Yea, I'll have roadside assistance on it.

Nights in hotels/hostels: Most nights in the rig. You should consider my affinity for hostels/hotels to be low. We'll do them, but not all the time.

Slackpack: most nights in the rig. If I'm not hiking, then I should be focused on the project. So yea rig, laptop, and touching base with my project crew is how most nights will play out.

I'm a strong hiker so mid-teens to twenty miles daily is within reason, specially if I'm slackpacking. But that's if I'm actually hiking. Zeros and neros and take the afternoon off thanks to me wanting to play somewhere, the project itself, and even where the road crosses the trail will all impact progress. Considering strapping a kayak or two to the roof might impact progress too. -not sure I'm gonna make it out of New England without getting a paddle and a trout pole wet.

[Lone Wolf]

^Just kidding. Yes, I cover all living expenses. -beer and everything... provided they like reasonable amounts of microbrew. I'm not buying no horsepiss beer.


too bad. i am the most qualified for this job. but i drink busch beer, not that overpriced hoppy, bitter crap. i know the trail. good luck kid:cool:

[Rift Zone]

too bad. i am the most qualified for this job. but i drink busch beer, not that overpriced hoppy, bitter crap. i know the trail. good luck kid:cool:
If I'm not mistaken, we've crossed paths before. It was the first time I saw a "blue blaze'n hillbilly hiker trash from hell" shirt, or something like that. Nice to see you again.

I probably wasn't being very serious about the beer in the first place, but I'd make an exception for you anyway. Actually, I probably owe you a beer or two as it is.

[Traffic Jam]

Rift Zone, I am very interested, but am far from a commitment at the moment.
I have considered offering pretty much just this over the years, especially after running into Warren Doyle tribes and others.

I believe it is a great way for a hiker to enjoy a tromp through the woods, more so on many levels. And for another to live and enjoy, a chunk of this country.

Have driven tractor trailers and straight trucks.

A couple of years would give or another plenty of time to fine tune or improve some recipes before your endeavor.

Am currently considering a section of one trail or another this year. An injury seems to be ruling out any thru hike.

Somebody is going to end up with some dream seasonal work... Maybe it will be me.


Are you looking at a new Sportsmobile 4x4 sprinter low roof with sleeper pop-top, and if used from 1 to 10, what would you say its operational condition is?
Will you have good road side coverage in the insurance?

sorry if I am making you repeat anything.

What ratio of nights are you planning on spending in the van, and in a hotel or hostel?
What percentage of days or nights do you expect to meet meet the van as apposed to camping on the trail over night?
What are you planning for average daily mileage?

Catch you down the trail.
Well, there ya go Rift Zone. You gotta contender.

I would consider it if your project is about eradicating cancer. That would make it more worth the long, boring stretches and tedium of taking care of another person. And worth the pain of being so close to the trail but not being allowed to hike. But there is the microbrew. It would be very peaceful to sit in the woods with some knitting and a brew. :)

Another question (just for my curiosity because I find this whole concept fascinating.) How will you handle hikers who ask for rides into town, food, help, etc? If you have a vehicle parked at trailheads, there’s gonna be hikers asking for assistance (and possibly wanting to congregate around your vehicle) and it doesn’t sound like your schedule will accommodate much flexibility. Not to mention, you will need peace and quiet to work and rest for the next days hike.

[Rift Zone]

Well, there ya go Rift Zone. You gotta contender.

I would consider it if your project is about eradicating cancer. That would make it more worth the long, boring stretches and tedium of taking care of another person. And worth the pain of being so close to the trail but not being allowed to hike. But there is the microbrew. It would be very peaceful to sit in the woods with some knitting and a brew. :)

Another question (just for my curiosity because I find this whole concept fascinating.) How will you handle hikers who ask for rides into town, food, help, etc? If you have a vehicle parked at trailheads, there’s gonna be hikers asking for assistance (and possibly wanting to congregate around your vehicle) and it doesn’t sound like your schedule will accommodate much flexibility. Not to mention, you will need peace and quiet to work and rest for the next days hike.
Aye, it would seem like I do have a contender. Rather happy about that. =)

It seems every adventure I've ever been on has been greatly enriched through the kindness of strangers. If for no other reason than to keep my karma in good balance, yes, I do plan on being a resource for those hiking around me. I ready plan on having my crew buy far more fruit, tomatoes, avocados, and beer than we could consume on our own so we can give them to hikers. If we're heading that way, I'm cool with hikers cruising with, getting a ride with us. I'll take "help" on a case by case basis. So in general, yea, my dedicated trail angel will be an angel for us all. Having said that, the vehicle is there to support me and my agenda alone, not anyone else's. Going out of our way for someone is cool, so long as they are, but we still have our own mission to fulfill. I'll establish a good balance between how much resources I throw at the trail in general and myself. My crew is free to provide trail support above and beyond the demands I place on them if they wish. The crew should also expect to be directed, on reasonable occasion, to go out of their/our way for someone when it's deemed appropriate.

It could rightly be argued eradicating cancer is aiming low compared to what I'm up to. I'm in the middle of writing the most significant volume of its kind humanity has ever produced. It will be published late 2020. The project I'll be working on during the hike will be developing related non-profits. I'm tempted to tell you I'm doing this not necessarily because I really want to save the world, but because I can. But that would probably sound weird so I'm not gonna say anything about it, you can just watch it happen. As of late 2020 when I publish, you'll know exactly what I'm talking about.

[Rift Zone]

It could rightly be argued eradicating cancer is aiming low compared to what I'm up to. I'm in the middle of writing the most significant volume of its kind humanity has ever produced. It will be published late 2020. The project I'll be working on during the hike will be developing related non-profits. I'm tempted to tell you I'm doing this not cuz I really want to save the world, but becasue I can. But that would probably sound a bit weird so I'm not gonna say anything about it, you can just watch it happen. As of late 2020 when I publish, you'll know exactly what I'm talking about.I've got a pretty good idea of what's gonna come out of that so I'll leave you guys with something to think about: You would probably have a similar reaction if I told you I was going to establish 21st century physics. It does seem simple enough... I mean, scientific theories are comprised of roughly two elements: observation, and human translation of that data. The theory is that more comprehensive and aligns with observation better is the more accurate theory.period! So if my understanding of the physical structure of the universe is more comprehensive and aligns with observation better than anyone else's, then perhaps establishing 21st century physics is well within my capacity. Funny thing about that: my "Nova" model/theory of the universe is more comprehensive and aligns with observation better than everything it challenges (Relativity, the Standard Model of QM, as well as Big Bang theory). -See for yourself: Facebook.com/aka.RiftZone. So then, if anyone wants to bitch at me about saving the world, you're more than welcome to do so; however, I suggest you wait till you see me on the trail in '21... you could have a change of heart by then.

[Traffic Jam]

I've got a pretty good idea of what's gonna come out of that so I'll leave you guys with something to think about: You would probably have a similar reaction if I told you I was going to establish 21st century physics. It does seem simple enough... I mean, scientific theories are comprised of roughly two elements: observation, and human translation of that data. The theory is that more comprehensive and aligns with observation better is the more accurate theory.period! So if my understanding of the physical structure of the universe is more comprehensive and aligns with observation better than anyone else's, then perhaps establishing 21st century physics is well within my capacity. Funny thing about that: my "Nova" model/theory of the universe is more comprehensive and aligns with observation better than everything it challenges (Relativity, the Standard Model of QM, as well as Big Bang theory). -See for yourself: Facebook.com/aka.RiftZone. So then, if anyone wants to bitch at me about saving the world, you're more than welcome to do so; however, I suggest you wait till you see me on the trail in '21... you could have a change of heart by then.
Ha! I nearly replied to the previous post, “If it involves advanced math or physics, I won’t understand it anyway, much less realize whether you can save the world or not”. :)

[Rift Zone]

Ha! I nearly replied to the previous post, “If it involves advanced math or physics, I won’t understand it anyway, much less realize whether you can save the world or not”. :)Lol. That's all good. We all have our own "things"; geek'n out on physics just happens to be mine. The "project" is just as complicated as my physics is, and it's a big picture kind of thing... showing pieces of it really won't give anyone full appreciation for what it really is. Its the kind of thing that will take a complete volume to adequately explain. The good news is it's gonna be a bit easier to follow than the physics thanks to it dealing mostly with the 'soft' sciences.
Anyway, I'm just a geek who's in love with Mother Nature. All my projects involve her. What they amount to is for history to decide (though I do have some thoughts on that =).

[Just Bill]

You might be surprised who you run into... from Lone Wolf onto members of parliament. Plenty of philosophers, engineers, chemists, and on out on the trail.
An atmospheric physicist runs the FKT website.
Hell, Sir Roger Penrose was on Joe Rogan's podcast the other day so even physics isn't quite so far out of culture as one might think.

Many many many great thinkers have expressed that taking a stroll in the woods (or sitting under an apple tree) was where their key breakthroughs most often came to them.
So combining a hike with this big project may be critical to its success.

Either way... bit of a ways off but if it's meant to work out your mama will put the trail in front of you.

[Just Bill]

too bad. i am the most qualified for this job. but i drink busch beer, not that overpriced hoppy, bitter crap. i know the trail. good luck kid:cool:

He said no cats.

[Rift Zone]

Many many many great thinkers have expressed that taking a stroll in the woods (or sitting under an apple tree) was where their key breakthroughs most often came to them.

Aye, never know who you might find out there.

I'm autodidact. I got kicked out of second grade for studying spectroscopy. Academia never did catch up to me; I found it be rather worthless as far as my education was concerned. So I stand before you a few classes away from my associates degree. Rather, I took my science books into wilderness and learned physics from Mother Nature herself, with the guidance of Giants, of course. I know exactly what you're talking about; I built Nova and this "project" while immersed in nature. I suppose that means I'm seriously batshat crazy... either that or I know exactly what I'm talking about... guess we'll see about that.

Hope mama is kind!!! -Cuz I'm all about GA->Me '21, =)

[petedelisio]

Looks like a good handful of possible path crossings at that.

Will have to look into the comfort of these rigs drivers seats. I am sure they are quite nice.

While on the subject of drivers comfort, you may have already considered bringing up to 5 or 6 changes of base layer clothing for the driver to wash. As well as several trail runners, fleece, what have you... Personally, I would switch out shoes almost every day.
I'm sure you have thought of your own comfort and enjoyment at that level already...
And an extra dedicated GPS for the rig, even if it has its own. Don't really need it, but it doesn't hurt.
Will you be carrying GutHooks on your phone?


I will start messaging you...

Yes Lone Wolf, if the same, should know the area and locals better than I do I'm sure.

[Rift Zone]

Looks like a good handful of possible path crossings at that.

Will have to look into the comfort of these rigs drivers seats. I am sure they are quite nice.

While on the subject of drivers comfort, you may have already considered bringing up to 5 or 6 changes of base layer clothing for the driver to wash. As well as several trail runners, fleece, what have you... Personally, I would switch out shoes almost every day.
I'm sure you have thought of your own comfort and enjoyment at that level already...
And an extra dedicated GPS for the rig, even if it has its own. Don't really need it, but it doesn't hurt.
Will you be carrying GutHooks on your phone?


I will start messaging you...

Yes Lone Wolf, if the same, should know the area and locals better than I do I'm sure.
I met Miss Janet and Lone Wolf in '01. Since then, I've spent most of my life in a tent, indulging various adventures, learning about this world directly from the source... as you can imagine, my comfort needs are few. I'll have enough in the rig to only require a laundry trip once a week.

Lone Wolf had a rather strong presence back then. I recall him being a valued resource. Hell, I still have a few pics of him in my archives. Looking forward to crossing his path again. ...and if memory serves, I do owe you a few beers. Definitely looking forward to breaking even on that. =)

GutHooks? New to me. What's up with it?

Cool! Looking forward to hearing from you!


Hell, Sir Roger Penrose was on Joe Rogan's podcast the other day so even physics isn't quite so far out of culture as one might think.
You are more "my people" than Penrose is. We are familiar with a world stuffy academics simply do not know. I'd rather be on the trail with some hikers, a beer, and a doob than with a bunch of Nobel Laureates and post docs in a well appointed study who only think they know what they're talking about. In fact, you strike me as rather bright and thoughtful; hope I cross your path out there, think I would enjoy your company.

[Time Zone]

Aye, never know who you might find out there.
I'm autodidact. I got kicked out of second grade for studying spectroscopy. Academia never did catch up to me; I found it be rather worthless as far as my education was concerned. So I stand before you a few classes away from my associates degree. Rather, I took my science books into wilderness and learned physics from Mother Nature herself, with the guidance of Giants, of course. I know exactly what you're talking about; I built Nova and this "project" while immersed in nature. I suppose that means I'm seriously batshat crazy... either that or I know exactly what I'm talking about... guess we'll see about that.
Hope mama is kind!!! -Cuz I'm all about GA->Me '21, =)

In all your self-study, did you explore the Dunning-Kruger effect?

[stephanD]

I would advise against free alcohol, you may attract the wrong kind of people.

[SWODaddy]

If you do it, please document on YouTube for inevitable disaster.

[Rift Zone]

In all your self-study, did you explore the Dunning-Kruger effect?cute. How about you try me? Go ahead and challenge my physics. I defy you to. You better get CERN, JAXA, NASA, the ESA, and every other post doc and Nobel leaureate out there while you're at it. You're gonna need them!!! -not that any one of you will get anywhere.


I would advised against free alcohol, you may attract the wrong kind of people.hmm... yea, I'll keep a low profile on that one.


If you do it, please document on YouTube for inevitable disaster.
You can bite me too.

[stephanD]

I must admit, Rift Zone, you aroused my curiosity a great deal. So I have two questions for you: (1) How are you going to publish your project? A professional journal? A book? Blog? A newspaper or a magazine? Is that something that is going to be in the mass media or confined to the scientific/technological circles? and (2) After publication, does it mean your project is completed? if so, why can't you just thru hike without the mobile infrastructure? Thank you for answering my questions.

[Rift Zone]

I must admit, Rift Zone, you aroused my curiosity a great deal. So I have two questions for you: (1) How are you going to publish your project? A professional journal? A book? Blog? A newspaper or a magazine? Is that something that is going to be in the mass media or confined to the scientific/technological circles? and (2) After publication, does it mean your project is completed? if so, why can't you just thru hike without the mobile infrastructure? Thank you for answering my questions.
Cool. I like the sound of that.

It's a book, meant for the general public. Publishing amounts to completing the first phase of the project. By the time we publish (I have a co-author to assist me) we'll have a non-profit set up to accommodate what is certain to be a growing community inspired by the work. It's something like the book is foundation, and the non-profit(s) are application. So no, it's not a case of publish and I'm done; I'll be knee deep in an .org by the time I'm on the trail. Staying on top of that is why I need infrastructure on demand.

My pleasure!

[stephanD]

Cool. I like the sound of that.

It's a book, meant for the general public. Publishing amounts to completing the first phase of the project. By the time we publish (I have a co-author to assist me) we'll have a non-profit set up to accommodate what is certain to be a growing community inspired by the work. It's something like the book is foundation, and the non-profit(s) are application. So no, it's not a case of publish and I'm done; I'll be knee deep in an .org by the time I'm on the trail. Staying on top of that is why I need infrastructure on demand.

My pleasure!
Thank you for your answer. Sounds very interesting. I hope you find the right person for this adventure, it has to be somebody you can trust 100%. Good luck.

[Rift Zone]

Thank you for your answer. Sounds very interesting. I hope you find the right person for this adventure, it has to be somebody you can trust 100%. Good luck.
My pleasure.

Thanks. I hope so too. Yea, absolutely; both my project and I will be counting on them for so much... not to mention having access to my resources and whatnot. They would almost have to be just as committed to the whole scene as I am or setting out in the first place might not happen. I am comforted by the notion the book might help with that, but finding a good fit is still gonna be a challenge. Guess we'll know how that played out by spring '21.

[Zalman]

My pleasure.

Thanks. I hope so too. Yea, absolutely; both my project and I will be counting on them for so much... not to mention having access to my resources and whatnot. They would almost have to be just as committed to the whole scene as I am or setting out in the first place might not happen. I am comforted by the notion the book might help with that, but finding a good fit is still gonna be a challenge. Guess we'll know how that played out by spring '21.

Perhaps offering some stake in the profits would help your assistant feel as invested as you are. I don't know what kind of book you're intending, but if it's to include any personal account of your experience on the trail, then they're likely to be a major character.

[Rift Zone]

Perhaps offering some stake in the profits would help your assistant feel as invested as you are. I don't know what kind of book you're intending, but if it's to include any personal account of your experience on the trail, then they're likely to be a major character.
Hmm... That is something to consider. Sweetening the deal a bit more couldn't hurt the odds of finding ideal candidate(s). Won't be through the book though. The book will be written by the time I'm looking to hike, and it's not about hiking. I will definitely think about it.

[Rift Zone]

"The value of a person is not measured by the gifts they've been given, it's what they do with their gifts that counts. It's what you leave in your wake. If where you've been had been graced by your presence because you left nothing but beauty, wisdom, joy, intrigue, and empowerment behind you, then you have a beautiful soul (loosely defined by this paragraph) and your value as a person is uncontested. Leave ignorance, fear, pain, misery, or diminished beings then you are reprehensible and beneath the vast majority of humanity."


Anyway, sorry to drag this up again, but my join date is pretty meaningless; I'm effectively new to this community, and I figured sharing a bit about me was in order, specially given the nature of this thread. So, um, I rather talk about something else for one. Im not that interesting. Lets geek out on some science or philosophy, or gear (like i once sewn together my own backpack, and my custom Ti wood burning stove kicks some serious ass!), or something deep!!! Someone with more on their mind than what's found on tv is what I'm hoping for. Amy Mainzer, Hannah Fry, and Kohl Furey would be my top picks (rawr), but I think they're busy. lol (don't get me wrong, I'm not looking for female company here. It ain't like that. Besides, I think I understand where "eccentric" comes from, and I'm not likely to be compatible with anyone.) Anyway, I'm a bit rough around the edges at times. I tend not to take much ****, from anyone, about anything. The good news is my heart just might be in the right place as I try to be as fair as I can in all situations. after all, I did author, firmly believe in, and adhere to that quote above, with the goal of being a worthy person. We are all peers here, equals, until you demonstrate otherwise. Plus I'm a scientist who's invested in being accurate, not necessarily "right"; so I tend to change my stance real quick if I am found to be in the wrong on something.

There's no question the nature of this trip is gonna ask a lot of the crew... And I'm not used to being taken care of, at all, so it will probably weird for both of us. All I can say about that is I'm gonna be very grateful for all the crew does for me, even if I am sporting it. In spite of all the demands, I'm really not a demanding person.

[Rift Zone]

Yay! It's xmas! Well, for me at least, old family tradition. We make a big deal out of today, feast, presents around sunset... then wake to mimosas on christmas and be worthless to the world all day. ...graze on leftovers. throw a football. yee-haw!

hmm.... what else is ultimately gonna matter here? My taste in music is all over the place. I will blast Double Concerto in D minor for Two Violins, and Cannon in D major. Then I will **** with some 2Pac. The answer to that highschool question about being trapped on a desert island or spaceship with only like the works of 7 musicians would be: Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Erykah Badu, OutKast, Bob Marley, Neil Young, and The London Philharmonic... so you can make of that as you will.

I went to a "meet-up" organized on INTJforum.com (pile of geeks) once. This is what they had to say about me:

"The posture and composure of a yogini with a youthful vibrance and presence..."

"This guy made me rethink my whole idea of introverts. Full of energy and confidence, very sociable."


so there you have it... the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth: I'm pretty chill, really easy to get along with. I'm just a geek who's madly in love with mother nature. ...so long as nothing makes me break it, not much I stand against lasts long; still, I'm having way too much fun in this life to trip on the little things. The most people see out of me is some chill hippy **** chasing rainbows and butterflies, talking some bull**** about stars or something. I only take myself seriously when I need to.


Oh, i hinted hoping for a crew that's kinda deep, not that you need to to keep me entertained. I can take care of myself just fine. But still, talking more than shop would be cool.


Btw, "smoked salmon, berry, brie, avocado, spinach salad" is my recipe. I also lose the spinach and throw that mess on some french bread (rasberries!). yum. -made with salmon I smoke myself (my salmon rocks, everyone seems to think so). I'll be making us some salmon 'ticos' at some point. I kinda like joining forces in the kitchen to see what comes of it, so my crew might catch me jumping in to assist at times.


Consider this too: I might be going more places than Katahdin... Cruising with could have its benefits. Suffice it say I greatly value people I can trust.

[WTX2WY]

You need a self driving car. Load the trunk with back up gear and non-spoilable food. Just text it where your need it to pick you up and you are gold.
Can you wait a few more years?

Given that he isn't even doing this until 2021 that may be an option/reality.

If he was going in 2019 I would be in a position where it may be a good fit.

Since he is not hiking for another 3 years he will likely find someone who is a perfect fit.

Probably not on this forum, but somewhere someone will hear about this and it will be just right.

[WTX2WY]

After finishing the thread I went from OP sounds like he is full of **** to OP sounds like an interesting human. And he may have already found someone here who is a candidate for his position. I have no idea where I will be in 2021 so can't offer any help but I look forward to seeing how this plays out. Keep us updated mate.

[Rift Zone]

After finishing the thread I went from OP sounds like he is full of **** to OP sounds like an interesting human. And he may have already found someone here who is a candidate for his position. I have no idea where I will be in 2021 so can't offer any help but I look forward to seeing how this plays out. Keep us updated mate.
Pays to be skeptical! And at first glance, oh hell yea, lots of it. Lol. But who knows? Humans aren't an authority on much of anything at all. All we can do is ask Mother Nature what's up. ...as for me, I've been applying for teachers pet position for a while now. Meh.

Thanks for the compliment. Yea, I don't plan on going anywhere; I'll be around... definitely share how things are shaping up.
Edit:
quess now is a good time. Had a few reach out to me. One in particular is digging deeper into the nuances of the whole thing. -so far, my front runner. Not to diminish his viability in the least, I still feel it wise to gain as many strong contenders as I can. After all, it is a long way off still; lots happens in a few years.

[bighammer]

Sounds very interesting, but it's too far in the future for me to commit to anything. I can understand planning ahead, especially for something this big, but I'm more in the moment. No clue what I would be thinking or doing in '21. :-?

[Grampie]

Rift Zones ideas for doing a thru-hike might be what a AT thru-hike will turn into in the future. So many folks with lots of money and little time to spend it, but still want to do traditional out door adventures.
During my first thru attempt in 2000 I met a guy at Springer. He was the owner of several Wendy's restaurants and was going to do a thru hike and still manage the daily operations from the trail. He had installed competent managers who he would confer with almost daily along with a office staff that could handle everything.
It became apparent to me that his hike was not the important project he was doing it was trying to micro manage a business from the AT. His daily goal was to get cell phone service so that he could "talk to his people." When he would get service he would spend quite a bit of time on the phone.

I shared a room with him at Goose Creak Cabins. He made frequent trips up a tall rise in order to get phone reception and than spend a long time talking with his managers. He was becoming quite disturbed trying to deal with everyday problems back home.
I advised him that he would not have a successful thru hike if he continued to try to do what he was trying to do. The next morning, when I awoke, his gear was still in the room but he was gone. I went to the cabin headquarters and no one had seen him. I decided to hike up the rise, he would climb to get reception, and found him sitting on a rock, staring out into space. We talked and he told me about the incompetent people, working for him, that were not handling the job in his absence. We talked for a while, he finally throw his cell phone into the woods and decide to return home.

Before he left he assured me that he would" straighten out the mess" and return to the trail.
I was able to see first hand how trying to live two life's, AT thru-hike, and a absent manager, could affect a thru-hike.

[Rift Zone]

Sounds very interesting, but it's too far in the future for me to commit to anything. I can understand planning ahead, especially for something this big, but I'm more in the moment. No clue what I would be thinking or doing in '21. :-?
Oh yea. I figure now just might be a good time to plant some seeds in the backs of people's minds, gain some contacts on that to touch base with every now and then... but ain't no one looking to get serious about plans like that till maybe mid/late '20.

Rift Zones ideas for doing a thru-hike might be what a AT thru-hike will turn into in the future. So many folks with lots of money and little time to spend it, but still want to do traditional out door adventures.
During my first thru attempt in 2000 I met a guy at Springer...
Oh no, I sure hope not. That would suck so bad. Then again, not sure corporate breed would make it anyway.

It's a little more complicated than finding competent staff. The whole project is some bull**** I'm pulling straight out of my ass, and specially that early on, if im cut off they stagnate. So I have to be on top of it.period. I do have that same demand: project comes first. Then again, I do have good people that can handle it; I just have to be there to choose where to put the chess pieces. So all and all, my uptime need not be all much. Just the same, the game I'm playing has a tremendous amount of variables, as you might imagine, so I need to stay on top of it, right now. All things considered, a pleasant hike as well as taking care of business is well within reason done this way. It's a lot, but not too much. =)

[*pulled my physics straight out of my ass too, so not sure if I would read too deeply into that.]
Maybe one of you are curious about the project, it could happen. Sorry I'm not at liberty to share much of it with you. I can share this: the project and my physics come from the same place... potential that place could be I kick some serious ass when it comes to complex systems that interact non-linearly. Both physics and dysfunctional human societies exist as complex systems that interact non linearly.]

[Rift Zone]

Sorry to drag this up again but I felt this was a worthy update: I might not go for it. New Zealand governance in partnership with the Edmund Hillary Foundation has initiated the Edmund Hillary Fellowship, consisting of aspiring environmental and social leaders well as philanthropists. I'm gonna need minions, to be funny about it, and they're corralling them for me. It's too good to pass up; I'm gonna apply. If I get in, the hike is off =(. Otherwise, see ya on the trail!

[4eyedbuzzard]

Does this mean saving humanity and grand unification theory of physics is off?

[Rift Zone]

Does this mean saving humanity and grand unification theory of physics is off?
Eek! Oh hell no. I'm in love with Mother Nature. Humans have dont have anything near worthy enough to betray her over. I can pull it off, so its on. That NZ thing can help me get it all off the ground. They have a lot of infrastructure I could use, and they have quite a collection of people making real changes in the world now, some changes are modest perhaps, but real. I'm gonna draw the inspired in from everywhere, toward clear worthy direction. I'm gonna have people willing to back my play, lots of them. So I intend to basically incorporate the Fellowship guys into the project... lead them, for lack of a better term. Besides, it would immediately make the release international because I'd have orgs set up in both countries at publication.
Incidentally, this came up recently and I think it gives some context to this whole scene... I think in 4D. Euler's Identity, Fermat's Last Theorem, Relativity and most other deep **** came from 4Ds. Operating within existing parameters will keep you there. The greatest innovations never pop out of an equation. They have to know it, they have to understand it; they saw that ****: how it works, interacts, evolves, relates, they saw it. In very pure and intimate ways, they saw it. They generated it. The world's best computers are still organic; we're quantum, of course we're gonna smoke chips for a good while longer. -they're what 3D's, you, the systems thinkers (better than the linear thinking 2Ds!), call genius.That's what it is, that's how it works; and I have a more pure and intimate relationship with mathematics/physics than any other living human does. Turns out dysfunctional human societies and physics both exist as complex systems that interact non linearly. I figured you out, and I'm gonna take over the world with it; as well as establish 21st century physics.
Good thing I'm not all that evil. I sure am rough around the edges though. Mother Nature is my first and only true love. ...

[Rift Zone]

^never mind my harsh tone. I just wanted to share where my passion comes from, what drives me. The truth is the type of inspiration and support I imply can only come from something that is itself pure and intimate. Humanity is more or less already sick of the **** most entities are pulling. Not like I'm gonna get people to rally behind some flimsy bs. Of course, I'm gonna have a fair share of haters, that's just how that goes; but by and large, humanity is gonna eat this like candy, knowing damn well how nourishing it is for the soul of themselves and planet. I'm mother nature's little bitch, and I'm gonna make more of them.

Humanity is gonna understand themselves a lot better by the time the dust settles on this. ...almost certainly assuring our bull**** never happens again. The project is fundamentally psychological warfare, and I'm pretty sure the last time the planet felt something this strong was when the dinosaurs were wiped out. The work could spawn a division of psychology or two in some ways dealing with why we all love nature. We are being driven by things we don't have conscious awareness of; humanity will soon be consciously armed with it. I wouldn't get my hopes up on anything that stands against them.