Cutting down on Town Time [Archive]

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Johnny Swank

01-25-2007, 08:43

PJ 2005

01-25-2007, 09:55

I really wish you had written those before my thru... would have been mighty helpful

1Pint

01-25-2007, 10:21

I've kind of been on a writing spree lately about thru-hiking and posted some more stuff on our website's Articles section (http://sourcetosea.net/Articles/articles.html). With the thru-hiking seaon coming up, I started with some general ideas on Thru-hiking on the Cheap (http://sourcetosea.net/Articles/articles/thru-hiking-cheap.html), and I just posted an article about Cutting Down on Town Time (http://sourcetosea.net/Articles/articles/town-time.html).

Lemme know what you think.

-J. Swank, MEGA 2K

Johnny,
I think it's great to hear from experienced long distance hikers about the things that have worked for them. Thanks for your contribution, I'm sure it'll help those of us planning a 2007 thru.

I didn't compare & contrast yours with another already in the articles section of this site, but some hikers may want to also look at Weathercarrot's article http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?p=22959#post22959 for ideas on how to do a thru on the cheap.

Thanks,
Laura

Johnny Swank

01-25-2007, 13:52

Thanks for posting Weathercarrot's article. I didn't find it this morning before I ran off to work. He's right on time with so much of that advice.

neo

01-25-2007, 14:13

Thanks for posting Weathercarrot's article. I didn't find it this morning before I ran off to work. He's right on time with so much of that advice.

:) i really enjoyed you and your wifes journals and pictures
i love kayaking and hammocking:cool: neo

hammock engineer

01-25-2007, 14:21

Good Article Johnny.

I read this on other threads and journals, but you could add to watch what group you hike with. Some people are going to spend a lot of money in each town via bars, food, motels, etc. Hiking alone or with other people that want to get in and out of town will save you money too.

neo

01-25-2007, 14:51

Nearo instead of zero

i have done low mile nero days,when you section hike on vacation
you cant afford zero days:cool: neo

the_iceman

01-25-2007, 17:24

Good article. I want to avoid towns as much as possible for time and $$$ considerations. I am hiking to get to spend 5 - 6 months in the woods and get away from town.

I second the nearo concept unless my old body breaks down to the point I need to have a bed I plan on staying on the trail as much as I can. Towns can make one lazy and break all that trail conditioning we work so hard for.

Johnny Swank

01-25-2007, 17:41

I spent waaaay too much time in towns on my thru-hike. Easily 35, and probably more like 40 if I really broke it down. $$$$$$$$

Just for comparison, my ladyfriend and I took 6 zeros off when we paddled the Mississippi River, 3 of which were to dodge a hurricane. She's more into not staying in town than I am (I'm ALWAYS up for a diner), but I'm now to the point that I think you can thru-hike in less time by going farther between towns and take less zero days by just being a little more consistant on the trail. Even a just few miles hiked every day add up in just a few weeks.

I got into a cycle of hiking big miles, then needing longer time to recover. I would have been better off to cut back on the miles, and do the nearo thing.

Peaks

01-25-2007, 17:50

Very simple: The easiest way to reduce town time is to do a nero instead of a zero in town. For most of us, there is enough time to do laundry, mail, and resupply in about 1/2 a day. That may mean doing a short day the day before and stay at the last shelter before town, or doing a short day coming out of town at the end of the day. Been there, done that.

mweinstone

01-25-2007, 18:06

the answer to town time is, hike with a sword. when folks see it, theyll send you packin. fast.

Johnny Swank

01-25-2007, 18:20

That's if you have some self-control. That was not me on the AT.:)

Knees

01-25-2007, 23:31

This is one of those topics where it really depends on the person. Some of us look at town as a necessary evil, and others live for the town stops.

I'll echo the nero don't zero comment.

I prefer to get into town in the afternoon or early evening and just stay the night. You get the services of town (showers!), but you don't lose out much on the hiking side of things.

For that matter, you don't have to stay at all. You can get the basics done in an hour or two. It's easy enough to hitch into town, buy groceries and supplies, eat, and then hitch right back out.

bfitz

01-26-2007, 00:27

I'm a natural tourist. If I don't visit with locals and see the sights I'm missing half the attractions of the trail.

Lone Wolf

01-26-2007, 06:38

i'm a town whore. beer and buffets

Jaybird

01-26-2007, 07:31

I've kind of been on a writing spree lately about thru-hiking and posted some more stuff on our website's......................................... .......Lemme know what you think.
-J. Swank, MEGA 2K

OUR WEBSITE??????

i thought THIS wuz OUR website!:D

why not post your articles on WB page???

fonsie

01-26-2007, 07:33

I like a good fat buger and fries every now and then. Its cool to have a couple of beers and flirt with the local women and see if they want to come back to your tent >>>LOL ...the point is you dont have to spend money to have a good time. you figure a fat burger and a couple of beers is about 15 bucks, just don'nt do it all the time.

saimyoji

01-26-2007, 09:12

i'm the town whore....

Had a happy birthday then did ya? :D

Frolicking Dinosaurs

01-26-2007, 09:16

This goes back to the classic formula of ease, elegance and economy. You can have any two, but never all three.

You can have ease and elegance without economy – stay and eat in towns as much as you want.

You can have elegance and economy without ease – stay near town in your tent the night before, buy foods you normally wouldn’t (too heavy, will spoil, etc.) as part of resupply and prepare them that night / next morning, leave town before nightfall and camp.

You can have ease and economy without elegance – stay near town in tent, eat at AYCE buffet, do resupply, leave town before nightfall.