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kaemac
01-21-2008, 11:56
hey folks
i am planning on a southbound hike, mid to late june this year. i had a hiking buddy, but due to recent events, has somewhat crapped out on me. i have no issue being in the woods with just my dog for 6 months, i'm actually looking forward to escaping civilization a bit.....but i'd really like to have a buddy, just for safety and other reasons. does anyone know of anyway to find someone who is already planning the hike that i could link up with?

dixicritter
01-21-2008, 16:24
Hi kaemac, and welcome to WhiteBlaze.

I'm not 100% on this, but I'd venture a guess that going SOBO around that time of year you most likely won't be totally alone on the trail. If I'm not mistaken that's about the time other SOBOers start making their way south. I'm sure I'll be corrected if I am wrong. I've never done it myself, just seem to recall from the years of reading here that being the case.

Also I think this is a good first step, getting it out there that you are interested in a hiking partner. Maybe someone who is thinking of going about the same time will get in contact with you.

Anyway, best of luck to you. And enjoy your hike! :)

warraghiyagey
01-21-2008, 16:25
Good advice, also covered in the other thread started by poster.:):)

Frolicking Dinosaurs
01-21-2008, 16:29
As Dixi notes, you are leaving during the time frame that many SOBO thrus start. There is a forum specifically for SOBOs (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=422) here at WB. Perhaps you can find someone there.

Marta
01-21-2008, 17:44
Welcome to Whiteblaze, kaemac!

I strongly suggest you do NOT try to hike with someone you "met" on the internet. It's nice to know who else is going to be starting on that day, and maybe you'll meet up with them, but...the chance of you being compatible hiking partners is pretty close to zero. And trying to make the partnership work may very well sink your hike. Just MHO...

dixicritter
01-21-2008, 19:51
Marta, you make a really good point there that I hadn't thought of before. I think I'd also be a little concerned about meeting someone from the internet to immediately undertake something like a thru-hike with, not knowing a whole lot about them.

What do you think though of meeting someone off the internet, getting to know them, and taking a short "trial hike" with that person? You know to see if they could be a compatible hiking partner or not. That is if she can find someone relatively local to her.

Just a thought I had and wanted your opinion since you've hiked many more miles than I have. :)

hammock engineer
01-21-2008, 21:13
From another male.

I would just go for it and find a partner. Another thing to consider is one of the things I love about the trail. People that I may not be around off trail, due to a number of people, that I hiked with and around on the trail.

I hiked with people a few years younger, but a couple guys older. It didn't feel strange at all to be hiking with a guy in his 50's and another in his 60's. I had tons of great conversations with people in every age group male or female.

I think the biggest thing that determines you hiking partners is your speed. Everything else seemed to dissappear after awhile.

Almost There
01-21-2008, 21:43
Dixie and Marta, while I agree with your premise that it is not necessary to find someone off of the internet to hike with, because she is more than likely to find someone to hike with once on the trail. I think that if she was to find someone off of the internet to hike with, Whiteblaze is a good place to do it. I know my hiking partner from the last two summers, Magic Thumb(a 23yr old grad student at NC State), actually came here looking for a partner and I told her she was more than welcome to join me if she wanted. (Note: I didn't keep asking her to hike with me, and I would tell any young lady if a guy keeps asking, don't hike with him, he might have alterior motives, especially if he has seen a picture of you.)

Now, here is the thing, she later told me, and I agreed with her doing this, that she actually pm'd some of the ladies from the website about me to see what they thought from posts I had made and from some of you who have met me on the trail or at rucks. We then talked several times on the phone before hiking together. I will also admit that I think, my being married 7 years before hiking with her also helped ease her mind. I think as long as you are responsible, then go for it, there are plenty of people here on Whiteblaze that will be more than happy to vouch for someone they know. This might be the safest place for a female to find a partner, if they go looking anywhere on the internet.

Marta
01-21-2008, 21:56
I've hiked with a number of people I've "met" on the internet. A few partnerships for weekend hikes have worked out really well and I've become fast friends with the people. But finding a partner for a long hike is another thing altogether.

I had a pretty bad experience with the "partner" I was supposed to start SOBO on the AT with. The whole ridiculous episode added some much UN-needed drama to the start of the hike.

At least I was determined to carry on and hike by myself. If you feel that you HAVE to have a partner, and your partner quits, then your hike is over, too.

To a much lesser extent, there was drama with the group I was with on the JMT last summer. As they started dropping out, it made it somewhat harder for me to continue. It messed with my head. I started to hear the siren call to go do something else besides finishing the hike. I decided to carry on hiking anyway, but there were a couple of rough days of being part of the should we/shouldn't we discussions.

So...unless you're hiking with a significant other, or someone else who is more important to you than The Hike is, I say, plan to go solo. Enjoy the variety of people you'll meet. And learn to enjoy the solitude.

Almost There
01-21-2008, 22:06
Marta, I can completely see your point on the last one in relation to say a 3-6 month hike. I guess part of it is also my "guy" attitude of I have no problem starting with someone, but if I find it isn't working, I also have no problem moving on. I guess, we do agree on the whole, "not counting on a partner to make your hike work." I also agree best case scenario...find those who are most like you on the trail...on the trail. I just was stating that if you did need to find a partner on the Internet, maybe to assuage a parent's worry, that Whiteblaze might be the "best" place to do it.

Marta
01-21-2008, 23:01
I just was stating that if you did need to find a partner on the Internet, maybe to assuage a parent's worry, that Whiteblaze might be the "best" place to do it.

Unfortunately, Whiteblaze was the source of the partner who didn't work out for me at all. It's not a fault unique to Whiteblaze. Some of my favorite hiking companions are people I never would have paired up with through an advertisement in any sort of medium, print or online. But when we actually started walking together, we amused each other, and kept on hiking together for a number of days, or even weeks.

So I still suggest abandoning very idea of having a hiking partner. Strike out on your own. Then if you meet compatible people to hike with (and if you're at all sociable and amenable to group decision-making, you will), it's a wonderful bonus.

splash1986
01-22-2008, 00:15
Me and my dad are starting from Baxter S.P. in early june of this year. This will be our first time on the AT, but from what ive gathered from whiteblaze and other websites, southbounders do a pretty good job of looking out for one another. Im sure you would have no problem finding someone or a small group to stay close by to during your hike.

Almost There
01-22-2008, 00:59
Unfortunately, Whiteblaze was the source of the partner who didn't work out for me at all. It's not a fault unique to Whiteblaze. Some of my favorite hiking companions are people I never would have paired up with through an advertisement in any sort of medium, print or online. But when we actually started walking together, we amused each other, and kept on hiking together for a number of days, or even weeks.

So I still suggest abandoning very idea of having a hiking partner. Strike out on your own. Then if you meet compatible people to hike with (and if you're at all sociable and amenable to group decision-making, you will), it's a wonderful bonus.


Totally understand, and even agree for the most part, for Magic Thumb it was being able to say she was hiking with man who was married and a teacher, someone that would make her mother breathe a little easier, which it did. Also we were out for about two weeks, not six months. She was also a tall gal who ran marathons and so for the most part she was never more than a half hour behind me, however, I will admit if she was my wife's size(5'2), then distance hiked might have become an issue, there were a couple of days where I wanted to keep going, but she was done. I also had the alterior motive of needing a ride back to my car when I was done, so there were benefits to having partner on a section hike. I agree from a thru hiker perspective that it would be better just to let things transpire, part of the excitement and fun, I would think. You made a good case, then again I knew already that you were a smart lady!!!:D Missed your yellow shoes at the Ruck!

Marta
01-22-2008, 07:48
:D Missed your yellow shoes at the Ruck!

The screaming yellow shoes were in the back of the car. What with the snow and all, I wore boots. Heresy, I know...

Lone Wolf
01-22-2008, 09:57
hey folks
i am planning on a southbound hike, mid to late june this year. i had a hiking buddy, but due to recent events, has somewhat crapped out on me. i have no issue being in the woods with just my dog for 6 months, i'm actually looking forward to escaping civilization a bit.....but i'd really like to have a buddy, just for safety and other reasons. does anyone know of anyway to find someone who is already planning the hike that i could link up with?

partnerships on the AT rarely, if ever, work out. especially if you don't know each other. go alone. you'll find folks to hike with

Blissful
01-22-2008, 15:50
Hikers also speed up, slow down, take extra time in town, have things that happen, take time for a family gathering, etc. You meet lots of different people along the way and that makes it great.

Red Hat
01-22-2008, 19:50
Hi, I answered you on another thread, but I am going sobo and may be interested in hiking with someone, at least until we can't stand one another another minute...

Johnny Swank
01-22-2008, 21:48
Kids, the lesson from all this is:

If Marta ain't happy, ain't NOBODY happy!

I dig me some Marta, and she's (and Lone Wolf) are absolutely on target. Start alone mid-late June and you'll have no problem finding someone to hike with. Partnerships are pretty fluid on the trail, and very, very few actually last the entire trip unless they're already in a long-term relationship.

Marta
01-22-2008, 22:11
While I was hiking alone, I spent a lot of time thinking about alone vs. partner/group hiking. Other SOBOs were complaining of loneliness, so I asked myself why we all didn't join up into one big happy group?

The answer is that the individual hikers have to make all sorts of decisions the benefit them as individuals.

For example, I don't feel so great today. I need to take half the day off to rest. My partner has a mail drop and has to get to the PO before it closes on Saturday, and must press on. If you're not hiking as partners, you each do what you need to do. If, OTOH, you are determined to stick together because you are afraid to hike alone, you'll either push yourself when you're not feeling good, or your partner will miss her mail drop, and you'll both have to spend extra time in town, and spend extra money to do it.

The thing is, if you're a novice long-distance hiker, as I was when I was doing the AT (and if you're talking long-distance hiking, I'm just barely past the novice stage), you don't know that you can do it. You need to keep the end in mind (i.e., finishing the Trail) with every decision you make. Sure, you can make quite a few mistakes and still finish, but the more times you make decisions that hurt yourself in order to benefit someone else, the poorer your chances of finishing become.

So I still believe that you greatly increase your prospects of finishing if you just suck it up and decide to hike solo.

hammock engineer
01-23-2008, 11:39
Another thing to consider at least going southbound is people do get spread out. A couple times I slowed down and people who were just behind caught up with me and I hiked with them for awhile. You are planning on starting earlier than I did, so there should be more around longer. I think by Mass it is easy to get in a bubble with no one close infront or behind.

Really though, you will be fine. I think I did around a third of the trail give or take without a partner and probibly spent a month or so worth of nights alone. I hiked with others who only spent a couple nights alone. The people I was with wanted to do crazy huge miles and I didn't. But the option was there for me to hike the whole trail with someone.

I was a little freaked out alone at first, I swear the boggyman was out to get me. After I got over that I liked hiking alone. It is a great feeling to know that you can do anything and that you are the one that is going to have to get you out of anything you get yourself into.

Funny thing is that each time I became really comfortable hiking alone and really started to enjoy it, I seemed to pick up a hiking partner.

aframe
01-25-2008, 16:00
kaemac, i started my sobo hike last year in early june. my parents climbed katahdin with me and i headed out from there alone. i spent the night in my tent not because i wanted to (it was raining and i had never actually set up or seam-sealed my tent before, so i particularly did NOT want to) but because the shelter was already full. of the dozen or so thru-hikers at the shelter that night i ended up hiking all of maine and much of new hampshire with six of them, plus or minus a few others from time to time. it was clear from day one that any one of them would have been there for me if i was ever in danger (which, thankfully, i was not).

if you'd feel safer with a hiking partner, by all means, try to find one. but if you can't, don't let it stop you. you'll find partner(s) out there.

kaemac
02-01-2008, 09:48
Thanks folks. You guys have made a lot of good points and made me definately feel more comfortable hiking alone. I definately will not let going solo stop me, it actually is somewhat more appealing after reading everything. Now if I could just convince my folks and all else concerned that I will be fine. any suggestions? i come from a family of worry-warts.

warraghiyagey
02-01-2008, 11:34
Thanks folks. You guys have made a lot of good points and made me definately feel more comfortable hiking alone. I definately will not let going solo stop me, it actually is somewhat more appealing after reading everything. Now if I could just convince my folks and all else concerned that I will be fine. any suggestions? i come from a family of worry-warts.
Hmmm. The family thing. Maybe keep it simple. Explain that a high percentage of the families of anyone who ever hiked the trail felt the same way they do about their loved ones who, a few months later came back to tell them about the most amazing thing they've ever done with their life.
Surely there are some trailjournals that will back this up.:):):)

chip B
02-01-2008, 15:14
hi. kaemac my plans are to start june 13th a friday, need the luck its my 3rd attempt i will be starting at abol bridge so maybe i will see ya.. i hike very slow im in no hurry

hammock engineer
02-01-2008, 15:24
hi. kaemac my plans are to start june 13th a friday, need the luck its my 3rd attempt i will be starting at abol bridge so maybe i will see ya.. i hike very slow im in no hurry

I started Friday July 13th last year. A lucky day for me.

TRIP08
02-18-2008, 20:20
I started Friday July 13th last year. A lucky day for me.

LOL.

I really want to do the NOBO AT at the beginning of the AT. However, I'm a novice, so this will probably be more like a trial run than the actual thing, though I would love to be able to do the thru-hike the first time. One thing I have not been able to get over is: safety. As everyone keeps saying: the ones you have to watch out for are the two-legged predators. What are some tips for keeping safe without hiking with a designated partner?

Red Hat
02-18-2008, 20:29
Sallie, there are a couple of threads about hiking safely, but basically, follow your gut instinct. Most people on the trail are great and completely safe. Try to hitch with someone if you need a ride, rather than going alone. You'll make friends on the trail and they will help watch out for you, as you will for them.

hammock engineer
02-18-2008, 21:35
What she said. Listen to yourself and talk with the other hikers. It was easy to spot anyone that was out of place after a couple weeks. Camping away from shelters is a good way to not be found unless you want to.

I met a lot of people that the AT was their first hiking experience, going southbound. I think experience doesn't play a large roll. Rolling with the punching and figuring things out as you go seem more important to me.

Lilred
02-18-2008, 22:43
another safety precaution is not to stay at shelters near road crossings.

Christopher Robin
03-04-2008, 16:38
I know at less4 or 5 of us that will be starting the end of June- begining of July. So you willnot be along & I find another peson to hike Katahdin from WB. We have a undre standing we walk our own walk during the day & meet up at camp at nite. Please join us if you like.