View Full Version : Scooter shuttling for section hiking?
rayc1997
10-27-2007, 00:28
Hey ya'll! I would love to thru-hike the AT but am unable to do so due to job demands. Instead I am section hiking on long holiday weekends and when I can work long weekends into my schedule. My daughter comes along when she can, but her job along with graduate school is simply too demanding for her to come along every time. I do a lot of photography on the trail and really don't mind walking alone. I have had good and bad luck with shuttle services, but this week a friend told me that I could have a scooter that he is unable to drive due to his age and physical condition. I'm thinking of trailering it to my point of departure or the end of my planned hike, chaining it, locking the forks, and coming back for it when I finish my days' walk. (Maybe hide it in the woods?) Other than possible theft of the scooter, are there any other down sides to my plan?
Thanks,
Coit
If it is a 50cc scooter, it'll be sloooow; but hopefully, you won't have far to go on it.
Tennessee Viking
10-27-2007, 01:42
A scooter would be nice for some of the flatter side roads probably in the northern sections. For the south, except for some US highways and state highways, most of the roads are steep inclines and narrow.
rayc1997
10-27-2007, 06:47
Its a 160 cc. I read elsewhere that a real moped (5 hp?) would probably slow to 5 mph or less on those hills so I ruled that out. I'm out of GA up to Hwy 64 in NC. Let me be clear though, the fine people at Hikerhostel and Ron Haven never let me down. In fact they were all very accomodating. (Even Scott acted nice every now and then.) I used someone else in northern GA and got left standing by the road for several hours despite calling and making arrangements to pick me up early a day or two before and again the morning I was to hike. (I hoped to go today, but am building the trailer. It comes from China and I'm sure has that good old lead paint all over it.)
Plus, as I see it, I can get where I want to be on my own time and don't have to call for pickup. And since I'm only really spending $460 for trailer, hitch, a cycle chock, and the time to run over to the hwy dept for a license, I'm coming out ahead on shuttle costs. I'm not criticising shuttle charges. It costs money to buy a car, insure it, maintain it, put gas in and stay "on call", so to speak, constantly. Based on comments left so far it sounds like I might just need to know where not to leave it.
Please also let me add that Ihave been lurking on this board for quite some time and find it very informative.
The scooter should be fine for getting you around.
Grumpy Ol' Pops
10-27-2007, 08:21
Its a 160 cc. I read elsewhere that a real moped (5 hp?) would probably slow to 5 mph or less on those hills so I ruled that out.
There are states where a minimum speed or minimum engine horsepower is required on some roads. Here in New Jersey, any roadway where the speed limit is 50 miles per hour or higher, 5 engine horsepower or greater is required. The vehicle must be properly registered, licensed, and the owner must have liability insurance on the vehicle. They cannot be used in any state parks for any reason. The AT passes through state park lands several times here, and it would often be necessary to pass through these properties on one end of your section hikes. Something to consider carefully...
Frolicking Dinosaurs
10-27-2007, 08:57
A 160 cc should be capable of pulling all the hills you will encounter (it will be slow on some). With a bit of care, you should be able to avoid things like interstate highways or very fast, limited-access sate highways while riding the scooter. A 160 cc scooter will not have the ability to go fast enough to be safe under those conditions IMO.
Scooters with the narrow 'paved road' type tires may have some problems with the forest service roads that are often the only way to some trail heads. These roads are gravel and often muddy, rutted-out or just badly in need of surfacing.
The Dinos are seriously considering buying an off-road type small motorcycle or ATV for getting to and from a primary vehicle so we can depend less on shuttles. While we don't have a problem with the charges by shuttlers, we would like to have the freedom to change our itinerary at a moment's notice (change the direction hiked, the day hiked (to avoid rain/snow/ice or special events).
I've done what you're proposing many times.... but with a bicycle.
In my state anything larger than 50CC requires a motorcycle endoresemnt on your dirver's liscence (and probably inusrance an all that good stuff).
Looks like the Censoring Robot has gone ape this morning. All "*"s are being replaced by asterisks??? I'm seeing this on Dino's msg (#7) and rickb's messaage (#8.) Strange.
Blissful
10-27-2007, 09:30
My hubby used a bike for two sections so he could hike with us in southern VA. He hid it in rhododendron, no problems (no one would want it anyway, actually). Where there's a will, there's a way. My hat's off to you. Just be safe.
dixicritter
10-27-2007, 09:35
I was fixing a little "problem" in another thread. It's all sorted out now. :)
I was fixing a little "problem" in another thread. It's all sorted out now. :)
It looks like it's still censoring upper case "*"s. ? Let's see: * * * * * *.
(alternating uppercase/lowercase)
dixicritter
10-27-2007, 09:43
It looks like it's still censoring upper case "*"s. ? Let's see: * * * * * *.
(alternating uppercase/lowercase)
Only if that letter is posted by itself. Tell all your "friends" to quit bypassing the darn word filter and we won't have these issues. :rolleyes:
rayc1997
11-06-2007, 09:29
Hey Ya'll:
Tried the scooter out this weekend. Everything went fine. Everyone I met was enthusiastic about the idea of hop-scotching with the scooter. And Ichabod, my rat terrier, really enjoyed the rides back to my vehicle. The little bugger sat on my leg and didn't squirm throughout the 20-mile ride. I rigged a safety harness for him. While getting ready for my first scooter ride at Winding Stair (Hwy 64), a guy came down the mountain and was real nice but on reflection I think he considered me to be a bit hostile. If you read this, please accept my apology. I almost froze the night before, slept in a tent for the first time in about 8 years, it was 31 degrees and I had warm weather equipment, and I was sitting there worrying about how to safely carry my dog. I also met some guys at the Wayah Bald walkway who were "Done", as one said. They were ashen grey. I hope you guys feel better. A nice couple met me at Wayah Gap and made a round robin trip on a logging road that led them back to the AT near Siler's Bald. Also met two real nice guys, one from Nashville, who were headed to Tellico. After the short walk from Wayah Bald to Wayah Gap on Sunday I loaded up and came home. It was simply too cold and windy for the clothes and gear I had. Thanks to the nice fellow I met at Wayah Bald who helped me load the scooter. There was a large stream of water at Winding Stair and a small stream close to Panther Gap. And Ron Haven, let's walk a waterfall trail together when I can get back to Franklin. The scenery was absolutely beautiful even though it appeared that the combination of drought and cold weather had taken its toll over the past two weeks. Heavy leaf cover means slick downhills. Be careful! I digress, and could go on, but will close by saying that I have yet to meet anyone on the trail who has not been helpful and very nice.
Administrator, if I'm out of line with this post, please redirect me or it.
Coit
Awesome, sounds like you had a good weekend all-in-all.
dessertrat
11-06-2007, 10:51
If you're in good enough shape to hike that far, couldn't you bike that far on a bicycle?
max patch
11-06-2007, 12:00
If you're in good enough shape to hike that far, couldn't you bike that far on a bicycle?
Most of the time the distance on the road is much farther than the distance on the trail.
rayc1997
11-08-2007, 06:34
If you're in good enough shape to hike that far, couldn't you bike that far on a bicycle?
I'm not strong enough to ride then hike or vice-versa. I have both comfort and road bikes. The hike was mostly downhill. Say, maybe I should work on that? But also, it's quite a ride from Walking Stair to Wayah Gap. I could have cycled from Wayah Bald to Wayah Gap, but really wanted to see if I could stand riding it on the gravel road, and it is quite a chore to load and unload, so I left it overnight at the Gap and drove the car back the next day for the walk. And I met a guy who helped me load it at the Bald on Sunday. We had a nice conversation about the entire hiking situation: water, bears, places to hike, etc.
Since the scooter was already on the trailer, I drove by the highway dept and got my license Tuesday. Then I learned that I wasn't allowed to drive on NC roads using a SC beginner's permit. Oh well, guilty, but I drove safely, no-one got hurt, and Ichabod REALLY likes riding now.
Not really the mileage I wanted to walk, but all in all, as stated above, had a good time, good exercise, met good people and brought home about 250 pictures of the fall foliage! Only mistake was messing with that tent rather than staying with Ron.