View Full Version : $300,000 challenge
namehere
10-20-2007, 19:52
this is in response to the $300 challenge thread. now, in ALL likelyhood, most of us will have more than $300 to spend on gear. in fact, i'm pretty certain than mostof us have spent in excess of $10,000 on gear over the years. in the interest of fleshing out a more realistic spending budget for a thru-hike, i would like to challenge you to put together a gear list and cost structure not to exceed $300,000. here is mine:
shelter: eureka condo family tent (2) - $1500
sleep system: bodycloud mattress w/down comforter and silk linens - $9500
hygiene: blacktie mobile showers 240 (requires vehicle for transport) - $2000 plus ~$150/day for transport
travelling masseuse $50/hr plus travel expenses - ~$100/day
sustenance: $400/day for one chef and food for eight
gadgets: panasonic lumix fx100 - $330
crew: $500/day for five porters plus $300/day for ancillary items
miscellaneous gear: $500
on a typical 6 month thru hike, my fixed costs would not exceed $14,000 plus $261,000 for recurring expenses. i am well under the $300,000 cap by $26,000. i know some of you might think i am being unrealistic by not adding in costs for town visits, but i believe town stays detract from my hike. i like to get up in the morning, take a shower, have breakfast cooked for me, have a light massage, and then hike. as well, i feel the emphasis on going 'light' or 'ultra-light' could be overdone to the point where one no longer enjoys the hike because they are too miserable. any and all replies are welcome- just be serious about it please.
hyoh
mello
shelterbuilder
10-20-2007, 20:00
WHAT??? You're not starting the list with an RV support vehicle?? How Crass!:eek: How undignified!:eek: How uncivilized!:eek:
namehere
10-20-2007, 20:04
WHAT??? You're not starting the list with an RV support vehicle?? How Crass!:eek: How undignified!:eek: How uncivilized!:eek:
hygiene: blacktie mobile showers 240 (requires vehicle for transport) - $2000 plus ~$150/day for transport
$150/day should cover the cost of an RV support vehicle
shelterbuilder
10-20-2007, 20:07
hygiene: blacktie mobile showers 240 (requires vehicle for transport) - $2000 plus ~$150/day for transport
$150/day should cover the cost of an RV support vehicle
OOPS - sorry.
saimyoji
10-20-2007, 22:16
How are you gonna manage paying the masseuse only 100/day on a 6 month hike? :-?
More like 24*50 = 1200/day.
namehere
10-20-2007, 23:28
How are you gonna manage paying the masseuse only 100/day on a 6 month hike? :-?
More like 24*50 = 1200/day.
i would imagine paying a masseuse $18,000 over the course of 6 months would be sufficient. plus, i did budget in food/transportation costs over those 6 months. i figure i can manage with two hours worth of his/her services every day. an extra incentive for them would be the amount of money to be made on the side for services performed on the porters and other hikers. i am trying to be reasonable here, saimyoji. where is your gear list?
Just a Hiker
10-20-2007, 23:46
Removed post
For a tenth of your budget I'll sell you this:
2468
Sleeps five, carries months of food, crosses oceans, and is a dive school as well.:D
Oh, you could spend you other 9/10ths on a Peterbuilt, a driver, and diesel so it can shadow you along the trail.
Frolicking Dinosaurs
10-21-2007, 09:25
Then I'm buying a large 4-wheel drive pick-up and a mid-size fifth wheel RV with a bump-out (http://www.moderntrailer.com/sales-detail.asp?VehicleID=23408) -- something big enough to have two bedrooms (http://www.moderntrailer.com/image-display.asp?pictureid=41013), a bath, fridge, heat / air and a small washer/ dryer combo, but small enough to navigate forest service roads. The burglar alarm on this truck / RV will feature the sound of a large dog growling / barking and a woman screaming 'Honey, I hear something outside. Get the shotgun!' from inside the RV This should render the RV somewhat safe no matter where it is parked. I figure about $120,000 should cover this including modifications.
Next, I'm hiring a retired former section or thru hiker to shadow us in the pick-up. Said driver will be given a hybrid Honda Civic (http://www.cars.com/go/configurator/styles.jsp?admsmake=HO&myid=8844&match=Sedan) to tow behind the RV and will have the freedom to explore after refilling gas / water tanks, dumping gray and black water, parking the RV where needed and setting up fencing described below. Driver must be willing to loan me the car once in a while to go into town for supplies. Car will become the sole property of the driver at the end of the hike. Driver will be given $200/ week as a spending money gift (so as not to interfere with Social Security payments ;)). Things like gas, food consumed at RV, insurance on vehicle will be provided. The car can be had for $25,000. The gifts for a six-month hike would be $5,200. $20,000 should cover the gas, insurance on both vehicles / RV and food for the trip.
I'm buying 2 trained pack llamas (http://www.llamapack.com/text/work-packer_t.html) (about $1,750/ each) and paying off whoever I must to have them declared handicapped-service animals and therefore allowed on the entire AT by federal law - probably another couple of grand or so. They will carry our stuff and help pull me up / over things my bad leg can't handle. Will also need two high-quality llama pack saddles (http://www.llamapacks.com/expedition.html) - $800. Also needed is a portable enclosure to keep the llamas safe and comfortable - three sets of these panels (http://www.petprokennelstore.com/bronserken8p.html) ($750) will fit below the fifth wheel hitch and a large 3-sided tarp plus roof will be added to provide them with shelter from wind, rain and cold .
Since these animals can carry up to 80 lbs each, I will be using much of the gear we have rather than buying the latest and lightest. One exception is I will be buying two of the new JRB bridge hammocks (http://www.jacksrbetter.com/index_files/BMBH.htm) and a custom tent to cover both. I'm thinking $2,000 should cover this and any underquilts, pads, etc. needed.
shelterbuilder
10-21-2007, 10:03
Then I'm buying a large 4-wheel drive pick-up and a mid-size fifth wheel RV with a bump-out (http://www.moderntrailer.com/sales-detail.asp?VehicleID=23408) -- something big enough to have two bedrooms (http://www.moderntrailer.com/image-display.asp?pictureid=41013), a bath, fridge, heat / air and a small washer/ dryer combo, but small enough to navigate forest service roads. The burglar alarm on this truck / RV will feature the sound of a large dog growling / barking and a woman screaming 'Honey, I hear something outside. Get the shotgun!' from inside the RV This should render the RV somewhat safe no matter where it is parked. I figure about $120,000 should cover this including modifications.
Next, I'm hiring a retired former section or thru hiker to shadow us in the pick-up. Said driver will be given a hybrid Honda Civic (http://www.cars.com/go/configurator/styles.jsp?admsmake=HO&myid=8844&match=Sedan) to tow behind the RV and will have the freedom to explore after refilling gas / water tanks, dumping gray and black water, parking the RV where needed and setting up fencing described below. Driver must be willing to loan me the car once in a while to go into town for supplies. Car will become the sole property of the driver at the end of the hike. Driver will be given $200/ week as a spending money gift (so as not to interfere with Social Security payments ;)). Things like gas, food consumed at RV, insurance on vehicle will be provided. The car can be had for $25,000. The gifts for a six-month hike would be $5,200. $20,000 should cover the gas, insurance on both vehicles / RV and food for the trip.
I'm buying 2 trained pack llamas (http://www.llamapack.com/text/work-packer_t.html) (about $1,750/ each) and paying off whoever I must to have them declared handicapped-service animals and therefore allowed on the entire AT by federal law - probably another couple of grand or so. They will carry our stuff and help pull me up / over things my bad leg can't handle. Will also need two high-quality llama pack saddles (http://www.llamapacks.com/expedition.html) - $800. Also needed is a portable enclosure to keep the llamas safe and comfortable - three sets of these panels (http://www.petprokennelstore.com/bronserken8p.html) ($750) will fit below the fifth wheel hitch and a large 3-sided tarp plus roof will be added to provide them with shelter from wind, rain and cold .
Since these animals can carry up to 80 lbs each, I will be using much of the gear we have rather than buying the latest and lightest. One exception is I will be buying two of the new JRB bridge hammocks (http://www.jacksrbetter.com/index_files/BMBH.htm) and a custom tent to cover both. I'm thinking $2,000 should cover this and any underquilts, pads, etc. needed.
Can I be your driver...PLEASE!:D :D
Cosmic Crusader
10-21-2007, 17:01
:-?
A nonstop series of motorized ascenders and zip lines would make the trip very nice ...
build all shelters in the trees ... :banana
or just have wells drilled at each shelter ...
http://www.thesustainablevillage.com/servlet/display/microenterprise/display/4
SGT Rock
10-21-2007, 17:20
$300 worth of backpacking gear and $299,700.00 for town stops and re-supply.
i'd spend 3000.00 for the thru hike, the rest i would invest in johson and johson and exxon mobile so i could rehike at thier expense for as long as i wanted. this is a fun posting. ya'all have good times a dreamin.
Uncle Silly
10-21-2007, 17:35
Hire Starbucks to find me every morning with fresh coffee
Screw that!! I'd save a few grand for the end, where I'd have 15 pots of Wonder's coffee, 5 gallons of espresso, and a case of Maker's Mark bourbon airlifted to the top of Katahdin for the summit celebration.
$300 a day for a single large porter/helper. This guy won't need to carry much more than food, water, first aid and the gps and cell phone. He'll need those to tell the chopper pilot where to come to pick us up.
$800 a day for the chartered helicopter to pick us up, take us to civilization for dinner, a decent hotel, breakfast, and back in the morning.
I figure the hotel and other civilized amenities ought to average something less than $400 a night, at least for me, but then I live simply. The porter can make do on his wage.
Allowing for six months, that leaves $30,000 for things like beer.
Ought to be able to do it for the $300k, but honestly, it's a bit tight.
Got to thinking about this whole budget. My previous posting is a bit frugal.
I'd rather have a few fit, female college students as helpers than a single male porter. They'd give better advice, better help and be more entertaining. And it's just not right to pay people low wages. I figure that five ladies at $600 a day, with a requirement that any three be around at any time - that gives them some time off, got to keep 'em fresh - is better.
If I need some brute force, well, there will probably be a few guys following them around.
And let's face it, it would be better to have the chopper on call 24 hours a day, with a back-up. Helicopters that can carry six people aren't cheap; I don't know how much, but I'd guess this would probably cost something about $30,000 a day.
Okay, and we can't have the young ladies having to waste time scratching for cheap lodging in town. We'd better budget for $500 a night per person, me included, and in addition, have an arrranger in an office handy to make reservations, take calls, arrange for things, etc. I figure that that could be done for another $200 a day. That would include having some decent beer on board the helicopter, waiting on the next peak for me.
We'll allow a reasonable $100 per day per person for food and incidentals.
So where are we? Looks like about $36,800 a day. If it takes me six month to do the hike, that's a bit over $6.6 million. Round it up to an even $7 million. A much more reasonable budget!
Good thing I live a simple life. I could do it on this.
If only!
Funny this thread should start up today...
On the drive back from Max Patch today, I was talking to David about gear (and he was listening very patiently), and I thought of a somewhat different angle:
The Sky-Is-the-Limit Gear List. If money were no object, what would your AT thru-hike gear list be?
But back to the subject at hand...
The main thing I would spend money on would be better food. Backpacking food leaves a lot to be desired and, let's face it, many of the tiny towns the AT runs through don't really provide quality dining experiences either. I'd hire a first-rate chef to plan the meals and organize the delivery morning and night. I'm not that demanding--a nice boxed lunch and some snacks, delivered with breakfast, would suffice. I could carry my own lunch.
While dinner is being delivered, someone could bring in my tent, air mattresses, comforters. They could also draw my bath and make sure the water is just the right temperature. A fluffy towel and clean clothes would finish things off nicely.
Hmmm. This is getting complicated, so I'd need a coordinater, something like a wedding planner, to keep things running smoothly.
I rather like the way the Ivy League Schools conduct their orientation hikes. They have support groups with satellite phones keeping tabs on everyone. This is a technique I could probably borrow--the hike manager wouldn't actually hike WITH me, because that would destroy my wilderness experience, but they could sort of shadow me, taking care of the petty details without annoying me.
I may be going over budget now...
I know...I could economize by having people PAY ME to accompany me, their guru, while simultaneously acting as my porters.
Cosmic Crusader
10-21-2007, 19:55
new clothes every day
(best avail)
150,000.00
good food every day
3 squares
50,000.00
give all the rest to the hostels that need it, and deserve it.
(personal choice)
suggested donation = 5k
turn around and do it all reverse the next year after 6 months in the keys. for 300.00