View Full Version : AT-Journal
sleeman13
12-27-2008, 08:13
I was wondering what past and present thru-hikers have used for journals on the trail. Notebook? Big ones, small ones?
Also, what seems to be the writing utensil of choice? Pencil? Pen? Marker? Paint Brush?
Lone Wolf
12-27-2008, 08:20
back in the day they used small notebooks and a pen. hardly anyone hand writes a journal any more
Lone Wolf
12-27-2008, 08:22
back in the day they used small notebooks and a pen. hardly anyone hand writes a journal any more. today most of them get to town and hog a computer at the library for online journals
StarLyte
12-27-2008, 08:54
Paintbrush...ha ha
You use whatever you are comfortable with - that's what!
Though I'm only a sectioner, I've never once written a journal. The memories and some pictures were the most important.
Have fun ! :sun
An elegant solution for a handwritten journal are the field notebooks and a space pen:
http://www.rei.com/product/608507
http://www.rei.com/product/701171
I used both of these on the JMT and in Glacier this past summer. The pen is incredibly tiny and will not freeze, etc.
An elegant solution for a handwritten journal are the field notebooks and a space pen:
http://www.rei.com/product/608507
http://www.rei.com/product/701171
I used both of these on the JMT and in Glacier this past summer. The pen is incredibly tiny and will not freeze, etc.
Thanks marta i was wondering the same thing
wcgornto
12-27-2008, 09:51
Moleskine Journals. Different sizes ... ruled, blsmk or grids.
wcgornto
12-27-2008, 09:51
blank
garlic08
12-27-2008, 10:05
A small spiral notebook and a pen, with some stamped envelopes to mail the pages home or to a transcriber for an on-line journal. When the crowds thinned out farther north, public computers were more available and I'd toss the pages after entering them. I enjoyed mentally composing journal entries as I hiked, then writing them down the old-fashioned way at the end of the day.
A small spiral notebook and a pen, with some stamped envelopes to mail the pages home or to a transcriber for an on-line journal. When the crowds thinned out farther north, public computers were more available and I'd toss the pages after entering them. I enjoyed mentally composing journal entries as I hiked, then writing them down the old-fashioned way at the end of the day.
Yes there is some bit of romance to thinking about scrying down your days memories both high and low pointswith a worn beaten note pad on a brisk and dimming evening, as the stove hums,boiling water away, with the rain plinking at the ripstop ceilings of tents and hammocks, as your comrads are laughing and discussing the next days exploits. would take some of the romance away if you was typing away at a pda with a roll out keyboard introducing technology back into your life after going so far to get away from it (maybe thats not your REASON for going) but its kind of like checking and making sure your hotel has highspeed internet when you go on your honeymoon, aye its nice but...is that why you are there?.
Pocketmail in 05, PDA in 08... probably paper and computer next time...
Slo-go'en
12-27-2008, 12:02
Notebook and pen/pencile is the traditional way. (If you use a pen, make sure it has waterproof ink). Last year I used a PDA with Wi-Fi and SD slot, which allowed me to upload my journal and photos to trailjournals anytime I found an open wi-fi network in town, which wasn't hard to do in most places. No more standing in line waiting for a public computer to update the journal and check my email, etc.
Lots of hikers are using smart phones such as Blackberries, Qphones and the like, but you need data service for internet access, which can add to the expense.
Unless you go naked into the woods, your bringing technology with you. Now that computers can fit into the palm of your hand and weigh a few ounces, why not bring one along?
TrippinBTM
12-27-2008, 12:32
Get a small notebook, and use a pen. Pencil might rub off or "fade". Ink may run a bit if it gets wet (keep the notebook in a ziplock), but it's still a better bet. I found my pen in the middle of the trail in GA, it worked for me the whole trail!
The reason I have against blackberries and such goes like this: a pen and paper is nearly failsafe. Complex technology and nature don't mix well; there's more that can go wrong. Plus it costs much more money for those monthly plans, and you have to worry about charging it and stuff. As far as I'm concerned, simpler is better. That's why I'm out in the woods, to get in touch with things I'm away from in "regular" life. Worrying about my cellphone would get in the way of that. Paper requires no worry.
And I'd say a journal is a great thing to have. unless your memory is phenomenally good, no matter what you think you WILL forget things. A journal helps you preserve those; at the very least acting like a rough framework to help jog your memory. I've already used mine for that, and I've did my thru hike THIS year. I'm only 25. Imagine how much a help this will be to me when I'm 20 years out from my thru, getting older and forgetting distant memories...
I just used a small notebook. I was really into the first week and then I kinda slacked off. I wish I wouldnt have. It would be nice to really reminisce.
I don't keep a journal, but if I did I would use a surveyors field book.
Spirit Walker
12-27-2008, 15:45
I just use plain copy/printer paper. I carry about 10 pages at a time in a ziplock bag. At times I've cut the edges down so it fits a quart size bag better. I keep more in a bounce box or ask at a motel or something for a few pages of plain paper. I used to mail my journal to my mother, so she could follow my adventures, but now that she's gone I just mail it home.
I really enjoy keeping a journal when I'm traveling. A lot of details get lost on a long hike. So much is happening - a lot is forgotten if I don't write it down. It is a lot of fun to read the journal later and remember all those little pieces that get lost in the mass of memories. One idea that works for me - don't just write at the end of the day. When you're tired, you'll forget most of what happened durign the day. All you'll be thinking about is how tired, sore and hungry you are. If you write at noon or at mid-afternoon rest breaks, you'll include a lot more morning memories and have a lot more positive thoughts and feelings than you do if you only write when you're exhausted.
For all my hikes (but the CDT), I used a pen and paper. TJ was nice enough to transcribe both my AT and PCT journals (and decipher my handwriting!) For the Colorado Trail, I simply transcribed the entries post-trail. I keep a journal (more or less) of my weekend journeys a well, but I simply transcribe the entries when I am at the Salt Mine. :)
On the CDT, I was writing articles for a local paper. So I had to get the articles in faster than snail mail. I ended up using a Pocket Mail.
Unless I am writing articles again, I suspect I will again use pen and paper. I honestly enjoy writing (if you can't tell from my post count!) about the outdoors. So, a journal is standard for me on all my journeys.
The simplicity of the pen and paper appeals to me. Then again, if you talk to ex-girlfriends, I am probably a simpleton anyway. :banana
Slo-go'en
12-27-2008, 16:37
Yes, there is a lot to be said about the simplicity and reliability of paper and pencil. I have very poor penmanship and sometimes can't read my own writting, so using a high tech gaget which I can type into has been a big help and the other things it can do has been handy. Like any gear choice, its up to you to decide what is the best way for you to go.
garlic08
12-27-2008, 18:18
I'm only 25. Imagine how much a help this will be to me when I'm 20 years out from my thru, getting older and forgetting distant memories...
So you're saying 45 is old and feeble? Just kidding!:o
Like any gear choice, its up to you to decide what is the best way for you to go.
That about sums up most of the discussions on this board. :)
Ultimately it is about the journey. Everything else are just the fine details...
Yup, another HYOH thing. I understand where Captain is coming from, but I don't agree that using technology in the woods is inherently a bad thing --- we all use technology in the woods, we just pick different levels. I personally had some fine times on the PCT this year plunking along on my bluetooth keyboard and smartphone at a picnic table or just on my lap whether alone or in company, and I really appreciated having that complete a record, as well as the chance to better interact with folks not on the trail as a result.
For those that find a Smartphone to be an interesting option, I wrote up some thoughts on picking one for a long hike, here:
http://postholer.com/smartPhone.html
Brian Lewis / Gadget '08
http://postholer.com/brianle
Johnny Swank
12-27-2008, 23:32
I've been all over the place with this. Old PDA with folding keyboard, small spiral notebooks, moleskines, plain paper, pocketmail, etc. Whatever floats your boat.
I've been on a big, big 3x5 card kick lately. They're awesome for short trips, durable, cheap, and widely available. Can't beat that.
For a the next long trip, I'm probably going to go with some 3x5's in my shirt pocket for quick thoughts and notes, a 5x7 Moleskine big enough for the whole trip for long journals, and some sort of smartphone/folding keyboard setup for writing/emailing articles in a somewhat timely manner. I hate being tied down to libraries or whatever just to send an article or email in.
Yup, another HYOH thing. I understand where Captain is coming from, but I don't agree that using technology in the woods is inherently a bad thing --- we all use technology in the woods, we just pick different levels. I personally had some fine times on the PCT this year plunking along on my bluetooth keyboard and smartphone at a picnic table or just on my lap whether alone or in company, and I really appreciated having that complete a record, as well as the chance to better interact with folks not on the trail as a result.
For those that find a Smartphone to be an interesting option, I wrote up some thoughts on picking one for a long hike, here:
http://postholer.com/smartPhone.html
Brian Lewis / Gadget '08
http://postholer.com/brianle
Oh dont get me wrong, i dont want to be misquoted , i LOVE technology and will have a couple doo-dads with me, just saying there is an inherit romance with doing it with trusty pen and paper, preferably if the pen is carried behind your ear ready at a moments notice even if your pad is deep in your backpack
For those of us who are fussy about how we say what we say, going back to pen/pencil and paper is a rude re-awakening. Keyboard-based writing is so easy to edit. Paper is not.
stumpknocker
12-28-2008, 10:24
Yup, another HYOH thing. I understand where Captain is coming from, but I don't agree that using technology in the woods is inherently a bad thing --- we all use technology in the woods, we just pick different levels. I personally had some fine times on the PCT this year plunking along on my bluetooth keyboard and smartphone at a picnic table or just on my lap whether alone or in company, and I really appreciated having that complete a record, as well as the chance to better interact with folks not on the trail as a result.
I think these are great times we live in!! I really enjoy some of the things I carry with me on the Trail...my headlamp, mp3, cell phone, camera and a watch.
I use my watch the most. If I'm walking by myself, I can usually predict to within minutes of when I will get to a certain point along the Trail.
I use my camera second most. It's a digital and I take LOTS of pictures.
I use my cell phone mostly to stay in touch with friends and family and check email and animated radar each morning if I have data service.
I use my mp3 some nights.
I almost never use my headlamp, but it's nice to have if I need it.
Yep, I LOVE technology!! :)
stumpknocker
12-28-2008, 10:44
Oops....forgot to mention in my post above that I journal with my cell phone. I did two years of journaling with pen and paper, but now prefer typing with my thumbs. :)
OverLoad
12-28-2008, 10:46
How bout a laptop, portable printer with solar cell and extra batteries for the cloudy days? :-)
stumpknocker
12-28-2008, 10:49
How bout a laptop, portable printer with solar cell and extra batteries for the cloudy days? :-)
That's more than I want to carry, but go for it if you'd like. :)
I just carry a medium size spiral bound notebook with a pen. When I get home I enter it into MS word and do further editing and enhancements.
I don't like the idea of carrying expensive electronic devices on the trail because if it rains it can be ruined. I don't want to have to worry about that.
Panzer
Electronics in the rain: I live in a pretty wet climate (Western Washington); in rainy weather my smartphone fits nicely in a snack-sized ziplock, then in a neoprene holster on the backpack shoulder strap. For most functionality I need to take it out of the ziplock, but it works fine as a GPS inside the ziplock bag.
Someone mentioned the idea of having a PDA or smartphone and folding keyboard along with 3x5 cards in a pocket. Sounds like a good combo to me, but an alternative I don't think I've seen mentioned yet in this thread is a voice recorder. Not as yet another electronic device ... my smartphone does this too, and having reprogrammable external buttons means I can just push and hold a button to quickly get into voice record mode.
Since I blogged daily on the PCT, I didn't use it much for that --- I could usually remember the esssentials of what happened that day (not always!), but it was very useful for making notes of things to do or check when in the next trail town, or just generally one of those ideas that flits through your head and you want to remember ... but are sure you'll forget.
For me, it was more efficient to make a voice recording, typically while still walking, than to write something on a little card.
Brian Lewis / Gadget '08 (PCT)
http://postholer.com/brianle
TrippinBTM
12-28-2008, 12:48
So you're saying 45 is old and feeble? Just kidding!:o
Haha, of course I didn't mean it like that. But 20 year old memories aren't always the easiest to access, right?
And as far as being fussy about what you say, well... I'm that way, but I found my journal to be more of a rough draft, so to say. I mean, I'd write something on one topic, go on to another, then remember something else about the first topic. So I'd just write it in. It'd be all out of order, but so what? It's just a journal. I care mainly about just getting the ideas/events down, and if I later do a blog (or possibly a book?) with it, then I can type it then.
stumpknocker
12-28-2008, 12:49
Sounds like a good combo to me, but an alternative I don't think I've seen mentioned yet in this thread is a voice recorder.
I made a list of the things I carry in a post above, but I forgot to mention my voice recorder. See how important a piece of equipment it is to me?? :eek:
I make short notes all during the day into my voice recorder and then when I'm in my sleeping bag at the end of the day, I spend an hour journaling. That's my way of winding down for the day. I usually fall off to sleep as soon as I'm done journaling.
As for carrying these things in the rain, the ziplock works great. I did forget to put my voice recorder in a ziplock on one of the fords I made this year and it got soaked. I didn't turn it on....I just took the one AAA battery out and let it air dry for about 24 hours and it worked fine when I put it back together. :)
Whistler
12-28-2008, 14:40
I like the Moleskine Cahier soft cover notebooks
http://www.moleskineus.com/moleskine-cahier-notebooks.html
I like the unlined versions so I can draw, too.
-Mark
ok ive heard several people say PDa with keyboard ,what make,model ect. do you use cuase i looked into that and i couldnt find anything i think would be sturdy enough or that i could get into windows, does it save on a pda as just a regular .doc or .text?
My PDA was my smartphone, which is in essence a traditional type of PDA functionality mated with a cell phone, sometimes with yet additional functionality.
I used a blue tooth (wireless) folding keyboard with it.
If a smartphone is an avenue you're inclined towards, it's not a short topic of discussion. After (actually, during) my PCT thru-hike this year I wrote up some of my thoughts on this topic, here: http://postholer.com/smartPhone.html
In terms of specific device, I wouldn't particularly recommend my smartphone, but the keyboard I used worked out well, a review of it is here:
http://www.mobiletechreview.com/tips/stowaway_Bluetooth_Keyboard.htm
Whoops, I didn't respond to the specific question very well ... sorry.
For journeling, there are multiple options, but saving in .txt or .doc format are both fine. I used the smartphone version of Microsoft Word and saved in .doc format, then when I had internet connection I would copy and paste appropriate chunks into the web form. But since I used postholer.com (I found it worked better on a small screen device) rather than trailjournals.com, I also had the option of composing journal entries as email and sending that way. I tried both, and both worked fine.
In terms of how sturdy the device is --- someone does make a "ruggedized" smartphone, I don't recall off-hand who it is. I ultimately went with another model as I had a lot of criteria I was trying to simultaneously optimize. Mine held up fine for 2600+ miles this year, and my daughter might use it to do the same trail next year. I didn't drop it and kept it mostly out of dirt and wet, but I wasn't paranoid-careful about it.
If I were looking for a smartphone today, I'd likely limit myself to one of the many that are available at reduced price via a 2-year contract with either AT&T or Verizon, narrow down the search based on more obvious feature issues (camera, gps, removeable battery, weight, etc), and then read some reviews of those particular models.
Of course you don't need something elaborate, nor does it have to be as much analysis as I went through; most any smartphone and bluetooth keyboard will likely do a fine job of the basics. And of course there are much cheaper options that don't involve a cell phone contract!
Slo-go'en
12-29-2008, 12:28
ok ive heard several people say PDa with keyboard ,what make,model ect. do you use cuase i looked into that and i couldnt find anything i think would be sturdy enough or that i could get into windows, does it save on a pda as just a regular .doc or .text?
I use a h-p iPAQ hx2495b PDA. Carry it in a Seal line waterproof pouch. OS is Windows Mobile with internet explorer and Word mobile. I save my documents as text files, as these use much less memory and I don't need any fancy formating. I use the on screen touch keypad with stylus. Folding wireless keyboard would have been nice, but had to draw the line somewhere.
I also spent several weeks copying 1000 miles worth of the trail guide so I'd have it as a text file I could read on the PDA. Scanned the town maps and saved those as jpgs. Not quite as handy as the paper version of the trail guide, but worked.