Grinder
05-20-2007, 13:03
noobies trip report
Last week, Mon through fri, I hiked from the Springer Parking lot to Neel's Gap.
Rather than detail each moment, I will attempt to state my main observations:
1.Loaded hiking is much much more physical than the impressions I got reading about others experiences.
Mainly the loaded climbing part.
Here in Florida, it is hard to find a hill.
From the get go, the climbing muscles at the top of my hamstrings and bottom of my glutes SCREAMED in protest. The oxygen required for steady progress was like an all out run. Once I got an idea of pace, I could slowly climb while breathing at a "42 minute 10K running pace".
I frequently felt like there was no way I could get to the top of the next visible turn. Only by using the trick of "I can make it to that rock" PANT PANT PANT. Now I can make it to "that tree" PANT GASP PANT!
repeat.
This method earned me the trail name of "grinder". I don't love it but I guess it fits.
By the end of my hike, progress was clearly being made.I can see having "trail legs" with enough perseverence. However, my distance limitation, with a full day of working it (8 to 10 hours) was not up to the 10/12 miles per day needed to get from shelter to shelter. I cut this trip short at Neels Gap, as there wasn't any way I could cover the 32 miles to Dick's Creek Gap in the remaining 2 & 1/2 days. I don't regret that decision at all.
2."weight weinie ness": I see where the weightweinies are coming from much more clearly now.
I was determined not to be spartan or hungry on this hike. I packed for 7 days and then threw in extra stuff at the last minute. My food bag weighed 15 pounds (I think before the additions) My total pack weighed near 35 pounds. It will weigh nearer 25 next time out.
I didn't realize how much the utter fatigue sapped your appetite. the second night, I was too tired to cook and only ate a bagel and two instant breakfasts.
3. Comradery on the trail.
This part was all it is portrayed to be. The time at the shelters was great. Special thanks to Ben (from Montreal), and Peter and Anne, (from New York State) for their company the first two days and to Clay and Lee (from Alabama) for the next two days.
4. The alcohol cooking techniques need refining for use on the trail. The damn wind blows and blows anytime you are high. The altitude seems to effect heating quite a bit.The last night, atop Blood Mountain, was memorable. Watching the jet boil and MSR Whisper Light People CRANK IT UP brought envy on my part. I haven't given up on alcohol, but will be more system oriented next trip.
5. Hammocking is much superior to sleeping in the shelters, if only to escape the mice. However, real world trees are not located ideal distances apart, nor are they a constant 4 inch diameter. I will refine my tie off methods before the next trip.
On Blood Mountain, the last night. the rocking of the wind (and maybe a bad job of tying off??) caused me to get dumped on the ground in the middle of the night. The actual act of being dumped is kind of gradual and not at all like free fall.
I grabbed sleeping bag and pad and retreated to the nearby shelter for the duration.
Anyway, that's the high points , while they are still fresh in my memory.
Comments welcome.
Miles of Smiles
Tom
Last week, Mon through fri, I hiked from the Springer Parking lot to Neel's Gap.
Rather than detail each moment, I will attempt to state my main observations:
1.Loaded hiking is much much more physical than the impressions I got reading about others experiences.
Mainly the loaded climbing part.
Here in Florida, it is hard to find a hill.
From the get go, the climbing muscles at the top of my hamstrings and bottom of my glutes SCREAMED in protest. The oxygen required for steady progress was like an all out run. Once I got an idea of pace, I could slowly climb while breathing at a "42 minute 10K running pace".
I frequently felt like there was no way I could get to the top of the next visible turn. Only by using the trick of "I can make it to that rock" PANT PANT PANT. Now I can make it to "that tree" PANT GASP PANT!
repeat.
This method earned me the trail name of "grinder". I don't love it but I guess it fits.
By the end of my hike, progress was clearly being made.I can see having "trail legs" with enough perseverence. However, my distance limitation, with a full day of working it (8 to 10 hours) was not up to the 10/12 miles per day needed to get from shelter to shelter. I cut this trip short at Neels Gap, as there wasn't any way I could cover the 32 miles to Dick's Creek Gap in the remaining 2 & 1/2 days. I don't regret that decision at all.
2."weight weinie ness": I see where the weightweinies are coming from much more clearly now.
I was determined not to be spartan or hungry on this hike. I packed for 7 days and then threw in extra stuff at the last minute. My food bag weighed 15 pounds (I think before the additions) My total pack weighed near 35 pounds. It will weigh nearer 25 next time out.
I didn't realize how much the utter fatigue sapped your appetite. the second night, I was too tired to cook and only ate a bagel and two instant breakfasts.
3. Comradery on the trail.
This part was all it is portrayed to be. The time at the shelters was great. Special thanks to Ben (from Montreal), and Peter and Anne, (from New York State) for their company the first two days and to Clay and Lee (from Alabama) for the next two days.
4. The alcohol cooking techniques need refining for use on the trail. The damn wind blows and blows anytime you are high. The altitude seems to effect heating quite a bit.The last night, atop Blood Mountain, was memorable. Watching the jet boil and MSR Whisper Light People CRANK IT UP brought envy on my part. I haven't given up on alcohol, but will be more system oriented next trip.
5. Hammocking is much superior to sleeping in the shelters, if only to escape the mice. However, real world trees are not located ideal distances apart, nor are they a constant 4 inch diameter. I will refine my tie off methods before the next trip.
On Blood Mountain, the last night. the rocking of the wind (and maybe a bad job of tying off??) caused me to get dumped on the ground in the middle of the night. The actual act of being dumped is kind of gradual and not at all like free fall.
I grabbed sleeping bag and pad and retreated to the nearby shelter for the duration.
Anyway, that's the high points , while they are still fresh in my memory.
Comments welcome.
Miles of Smiles
Tom