View Full Version : minnesota smith and faithwalker and matthewski update thread
mweinstone
12-31-2008, 07:36
hes back! and my hiking companion minnesota smith(luke), and his girlfriend faithwalker are on trail and headed east! east you say?! yes. on the penochie headed for amacalola. they will be at my beck and call for trail updates and those of you familiar with minnesotas style know hes thorough about trail facts. so if any newbees want some tips from a true veteran of thruhiking,(class of 06 grad north)ask ms lines are open! as some of you may remember, luke is quite contraversial and has become moreso with his new , i have a chick and am a chick magnet attitude. lets keep it simple as watching ms hike is my only winter sport and dont mess this up for me kids. lets be civil. again, i cant reitorate(or spell) this enough, minnesota smith is a long distance hiker who represented all of us when we started, when he started. we were gadget freaks. we were overweight and overburdoned. we brought crap that was funney too. so how bout the fact that hes made it and i havent and he spells nice and i puke all over our clean whiteblaze. i will start at amacalola feb 19th again. if i sell my art. thread on biatches.
Lone Wolf
12-31-2008, 08:42
flaccid fries all around!
i hear the aqua mira plant is running 24/7 to keep up with minnie's maildrop requests...
http://trailjournals.com/photos.cfm?id=398148
Worldwide
12-31-2008, 09:04
I have been bouncing along the AT and GSMNP this fall and winter and have seen two 50+ pound mail drops sent by Minnesota Smith. They are good for a guessing game if nothing else. I am just wondering *** could the contents possibly be? Please advise.
Worldwide
Dances with Mice
12-31-2008, 09:07
MS is hiking again. Big deal, so what; been there, done that. Who cares?
But you, Mattie, keep denying your true artistic talents. Letters are to you what paint was to Salvador Dali. Take your light out from under that bushel and let it shine!
Write a journal. A detailed journal about each of your days on the Trail. Don't dare let anyone edit it. Then at the end of your hike break it into 4 or 5 bite-sized chunks and sell them each for $20 over the internet. I'd buy the whole series for sure and I'm not the only one.
Lone Wolf
12-31-2008, 09:09
MS will make it. his partner won't
MS will make it. his partner won't
Are you going 25 to 1 for her? :p
I have been bouncing along the AT and GSMNP this fall and winter and have seen two 50+ pound mail drops sent by Minnesota Smith. They are good for a guessing game if nothing else. I am just wondering *** could the contents possibly be? Please advise.
Worldwide
Boots, toilet paper and water. :-?
I never heard of him.
If you were prime time child bearing age, you would have heard from him. ;)
I never heard of him.
Consider yourself lucky. :p
I never heard of him.
Here you go: http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=13082&highlight=minnesotasmith
Just read the first two or three thousand posts and you'll get the idea.
2 or 3,ooo posts ? ugh.. I gotta go snowshoeing. it sounds more fun.
bigmac_in
12-31-2008, 12:37
2 or 3,ooo posts ? ugh.. I gotta go snowshoeing. it sounds more fun.
Wise choice.
Lone Wolf
12-31-2008, 12:40
y'all say what you want about 'ol smitty, but he ain't no weenie, or a sheeple or a sniffer. he walked the walk and didn't quit with some lame excuse about bad knees, etc. never underestimate the fat guys carrying 60 lbs. of stuff :)
never underestimate the fat guys carrying 60 lbs. of stuff :)
Or the fat guys who leave their 60 pounds in a hostel and slack pack every third day. ;)
Dances with Mice
12-31-2008, 12:47
I never heard of him.Mattie explained it best:
the accepted smithian way of doing things. aminnesota smithlike approch. the ms of packs. dont give me any ms. are yall ms'n me? if minnesota smith can,.... smith, minnesota smith. now you sound like minnesota smith. oi,minnesota smith. a minnesota minute is defined by the time needed to walk a mile while sleepwalking. a minnesota mile is the breath of chasim bettween two political opposites. a minnesota morning is another word for zero. moderatly minnesotalike milage is a nero. when one hiker askes another for some minnesota, there asking to borrow toilet paper. a red circle with a line thru it on a diaganal over a picture of a hiker wearing an anvil means , minnesota smith crossing. a circle with a line thru it over a picture of a roll of toilet paper means watch for aggressive ms.mess or messy are endearing nicknames for ms. according to the atomic weights chart, the element ms has the property "reverse chick magnetism". the idea that ms can be exsplained by the splinter group branched from ausriolopithicus have been debunked . ms is actually related to deep ocen lava tube feeding alge. and finnaly folks, a red circle with a line thru it on a diagnal over a picture of jim morrison with the letters ms, means ms is not jim morrison.
So. Any questions?
F*** MS, he won trail conditions crybaby award for 06.
Lone Wolf
12-31-2008, 13:50
F*** MS, he won trail conditions crybaby award for 06.
are you one of them pat-yourself-on-the-back maintainers? :)
are you one of them pat-yourself-on-the-back maintainers? :)
No, but as much whining as MS did about trail conditions from GA>ME, he should be banned from the trail permanently.
Instead of helping trail clubs with $ for maint, he bought boot dryers and other bs for hikers :rolleyes:
No, but as much whining as MS did about trail conditions from GA>ME, he should be banned from the trail permanently.
I think anyone who is on the trail has earned the right to wine.
Panzer
Lone Wolf
12-31-2008, 14:30
I think anyone who is on the trail has earned the right to wine.
merlot? cabernet? chardonnay?
F*** MS, he won trail conditions crybaby award for 06.
Amen.
Bulldawg
12-31-2008, 14:36
I think anyone who is on the trail has earned the right to wine.
Panzer
Mmmmm WINE!!
merlot? cabernet? chardonnay?
Homemade Muscadine!
Dances with Mice
12-31-2008, 14:37
are you one of them pat-yourself-on-the-back maintainers? Better not be 'cause that's my job and I ain't giving it up. Except to MM, he's got me beat on that cold shower thing, the summbitch. And where is he, did I miss his flounce?
No, but as much whining as MS did about trail conditions from GA>ME, he should be banned from the trail permanently.
Instead of helping trail clubs with $ for maint, he bought boot dryers and other bs for hikers Whining never hurt anything. MS carried in and carried out, nobody had to follow him picking up shed gear. I'll testify that many other hikers could learn something from that. And how he spends his money's his biz.
Furlough
12-31-2008, 14:42
I think anyone who is on the trail has earned the right to wine.
Panzer
Or beer, whiskey or ice cream for that matter.
Mother's Finest
12-31-2008, 14:47
Yay Minnesota Smith!!!!!!!!!
I'm glad to see my man on the march again.
peace
mf
Dances with Mice
12-31-2008, 14:51
I'm glad to see my man on the march again.You mean Mattie, right? You got an ass-kicken assignment to get that boy out of that brother lovin' city.
He sent me a Christmas card with his and Faithwalker's trailjournal addresses. Haven't checked to see if they are active yet but should be good reading. I'll never knock MS. He may be eccentric but he did it his way. I wish him the best.
take-a-knee
12-31-2008, 16:45
He sent me a Christmas card with his and Faithwalker's trailjournal addresses. Haven't checked to see if they are active yet but should be good reading. I'll never knock MS. He may be eccentric but he did it his way. I wish him the best.
Ditto, I wish him and his partner well. I owe him a huge debt 'cause his posts often served as "recon by fire" to flush out the many marxist lackeys that inhabit this little corner of cyberland.
Ditto, I wish him and his partner well. I owe him a huge debt 'cause his posts often served as "recon by fire" to flush out the many marxist lackeys that inhabit this little corner of cyberland.
You two deserve each other.
Jack Tarlin
12-31-2008, 17:02
Nice comment, Mowgli.
You ever meet, hike with, or talk with Smith?
Just wonderin'.
Nice comment, Mowgli.
You ever meet, hike with, or talk with Smith?
Just wonderin'.
Keep wonderin'.
Jack Tarlin
12-31-2008, 17:05
I'll take it that means "No, I haven't."
What is it about simple little questions here that some folks find so unsettling and uncomfortable? :D
Bulldawg
12-31-2008, 17:22
Go MS! gO mS! oG s&M!
S&M???:-?:-?:-?
What do you and MS have goin' there Larry?
S&M???:-?:-?:-?
What do you and MS have goin' there Larry?
Heck if I know, what have we got going on? Maybe I was just being stupid..........
Looking forward to meeting MS in CT. I will bring him aqua mira and TP, just in case. :)
Tarlin never made it to CT last year, or at least he didn't say. I will have to save the Makers Mark for another time.
Anyone else coming through CT, give me a heads up and if I can escape for a little while, I will come out and help where I can with a ride or a beer.
Dances with Mice
12-31-2008, 19:01
What is it about simple little questions here that some folks find so unsettling and uncomfortable?Who wants to know and why?
He may have left the big pack to slack at times but when I left Glencliff with food and gear for the Whites my pack was similar to what he chose to carry to slack back to Glenciff Some hikers I met were put off by sexist attitude/coments but like me, many saw great entertainment value in MS hiking style. Hopefully a partner will double the comedy
I see on the weather for Dahlongea it going to be 25 degrees tonight. Thats the coldest night in the 10 day forecast.
Panzer
take-a-knee
12-31-2008, 19:45
You two deserve each other.
But he's already spoken for Mowgli, he likely wouldn't find me attractive anyway.
depends on whether fw decides she wants to finish. being alone in the woods for awhile, he might think otherwise. do you have a pretty mouth?
warraghiyagey
12-31-2008, 20:09
Or the fat guys who leave their 60 pounds in a hostel and slack pack every third day. ;)
OHhhhhhhh!!!!!!!! Well said
F*** MS, he won trail conditions crybaby award for 06.
Yup, there's more to it than just getting from one end to the other. . .
take-a-knee
12-31-2008, 21:54
depends on whether fw decides she wants to finish. being alone in the woods for awhile, he might think otherwise. do you have a pretty mouth?
Put your hood over your potty mouth Kanga.
in the words of the imfamous bj, "lighten up" (francis)
god bless the man,
he is the man on men! he can carry very heavey packs and
can walk the longest of miles without complaining of any dis-
comfort and is the man on the year for sure!
keep it up minne, you are the hulk of my life.
cunny jean
mweinstone
01-01-2009, 09:08
the goat just called with my fame and fourtune. im in for o9 i belive. and for this disscution to be funner, i will now take the apole of my own veiw.
ms sucks.
the goat just called with my fame and fourtune. im in for o9 i belive. and for this disscution to be funner, i will now take the apole of my own veiw.
ms sucks.
:cool:
don't fry the bacon around ms... just saying
mweinstone
01-01-2009, 09:29
ms has a cell with him.
i can call right now, hold..............um, what do we want to know?
ms has a cell with him.
i can call right now, hold..............um, what do we want to know?
ask him if his toes are frozen?
Lone Wolf
01-01-2009, 10:07
ms has a cell with him.
i can call right now, hold..............um, what do we want to know?
god he's incredibly handsome!
god he's incredibly handsome!
At least you can see what he looks like :eek:
the goat just called with my fame and fourtune. im in for o9 i belive.
Why, did they say they something about the art samples you sent them?
Panzer
ms has a cell with him.
i can call right now, hold..............um, what do we want to know?
Majestic, I tell you! Absolutely majestic!
Blue Jay
01-01-2009, 21:43
You ever meet, hike with, or talk with Smith?
I've met him and talked with him.:( I agree with Mowgli.
http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=259475
http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=259144
http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=259475
http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=259144
I think it is awesome what these two are doing!
Lone Wolf
01-02-2009, 22:29
minnie's girl is done. http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=259747
minnie's girl is done. http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=259747
That sucks. I hope it doesn't affect MS's hike too adversely.
Lone Wolf
01-02-2009, 22:37
That sucks. I hope it doesn't affect MS's hike too adversely.
he'll have to do his own dishes, set up the tent, gather the water, firewood, do laundry in town. the list goes on
Yeah, but when you've set up maildrops for two, this can be a serious drag.
Lone Wolf
01-02-2009, 22:39
Yeah, but when you've set up maildrops for two, this can be a serious drag.
who cares. obviously didn't learn from his first hike
Lone Wolf
01-02-2009, 23:00
minnie's girl is done. http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=259747
Prior to my brief hike, the following are my health issues: Osteoarthritis in my entire body ( spine/back/legs/arms/shoulders ), hypertension/high blood pressure, mild COPD ( Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary disorder ), obesity ( times 4 years ), 5 TIA's/Mini strokes from January 4, 2007 to October 2008, In November 2008 we found out that my right lung is being crushed by my diaphragm (which also limits the airways). The Osteoarthritis I have had since childhood the other for the past 4 years. By the way, yes, I diet and exercise outside of work ( healthcare ).
doomed from the start
RITBlake
01-02-2009, 23:07
oh damn, what a shocker. Why would someone w/ those past medical issues think that carrying a 50 lb pack would be a good idea? Should have found an AT guide w/ a more practical / light approach to hiking. And what are they going to do w/ all that extra cuttle fish?
http://www.trailjournals.com/photos.cfm?id=402525
Alligator
01-02-2009, 23:08
She's got a big heart though. Kudos for trying.
Lone Wolf
01-02-2009, 23:10
trying knowing you're gonna fail....
Alligator
01-02-2009, 23:20
That's what makes life interesting, aiming for the big prize. Odds are against most people making it. Just a fact.
bigmac_in
01-02-2009, 23:26
I know I can't swim the English Channel, and I'm not going to try.
She should have known she couldn't do it - with that list of ailments, the odds of success were ZERO.
I bet it beat sittin' at home doing the same thing she does everyday. C'est la vie.
max patch
01-02-2009, 23:46
I
She should have known she couldn't do it - with that list of ailments, the odds of success were ZERO.
Thats what they told Bill Irwin and Bob Barker, too.
I give her a lot of credit for taking a shot at it.
Go MS!
RITBlake
01-02-2009, 23:53
Thats what they told Bill Irwin and Bob Barker, too.
I give her a lot of credit for taking a shot at it.
Go MS!
Someone told Bob Barker he couldn't host a game show? How heroic to press on. :rolleyes:
Alligator
01-03-2009, 00:08
Someone told Bob Barker he couldn't host a game show? How heroic to press on. :rolleyes:No, different Bob Barker (http://books.google.com/books?id=H-EXPYo7s_oC&pg=PA200&lpg=PA200&dq=%22bob+barker%22+multiple+sclerosis&source=bl&ots=nKF37PorMO&sig=aQDTcD8uDY9UYXCC9yEADV8aC4Y&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=3&ct=result).
take-a-knee
01-03-2009, 00:48
No, different Bob Barker (http://books.google.com/books?id=H-EXPYo7s_oC&pg=PA200&lpg=PA200&dq=%22bob+barker%22+multiple+sclerosis&source=bl&ots=nKF37PorMO&sig=aQDTcD8uDY9UYXCC9yEADV8aC4Y&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=3&ct=result).
Thanks for linking to that Gator.
trying knowing you're gonna fail....
Give credit where credit is due.
minnie's girl is done. http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=259747
You called it. Right again Kreskin. Damn, you're good. Seriously, too bad. Sounds like she should have never started. I wish him well.
RITBlake
01-03-2009, 01:34
You called it. Right again Kreskin. Damn, you're good. Seriously, too bad. Sounds like she should have never started. I wish him well.
He ain't that good. Let's not forget LW put heavy odds against MS finishing last year.
RITBlake
01-03-2009, 01:36
No, different Bob Barker (http://books.google.com/books?id=H-EXPYo7s_oC&pg=PA200&lpg=PA200&dq=%22bob+barker%22+multiple+sclerosis&source=bl&ots=nKF37PorMO&sig=aQDTcD8uDY9UYXCC9yEADV8aC4Y&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=3&ct=result).
Cool, I'll check it out.
Blue Wolf
01-03-2009, 02:32
Holy Moly did you see all that food? gheesh and I am worried about where am I going to get the money for a thru? hell I just need to hike a few days behind MS I bet the hiker boxes will be full of goodies? I ain't eatin no damn fish and sea weed though............ewww and it looks like he has plenty of TP.
I was reading in backpacker magazine on Neel Gap where Winton said he carried in 12 rolls of TP?? this guy is a trip to say the least good luck to ya man! is all I got to say your lucky to be out there.
Worldwide
01-03-2009, 08:08
12 rolls of TP MS must be swaddled in TP from the waist down like a mummy. His wrappings may end up in Harpers Ferry museum and treated like the Shroud of Turin
minnie's girl is done. http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=259747
oh well..........at least she hiked a few miles..........and now it is in her blood......:o
She's got a big heart though. Cardiomegaly too? Will the health problems never end? :banana
Shadowmoss
01-03-2009, 08:45
Isn't there a quote somewhere to the effect that what you carry in your pack is a reflection of you fears? He lightened up his load from last time, so he apparently is getting more comfortable being out there. I'm sure as he goes along he will lighten his pack even more, finding what works for him.
I have a lot of respect for him, going back out there. From all the grief he's gotten here, he could have gone many different directions. He seems to have chosen to still follow his own path. The part that I the greatest respect for is that it looks like he chose his goals based on what was important to him. I'm not so able to tune others out. If as many folks gave me so much grief about something, I'd keep doing what I was doing just to spite everyone. Instead, he is going for a more 'pure' hike (whatever that means to him), and is trying for a faster pace, things that he got a lot of s--t for not doing last time while still hanging on to some other things that the elite here are still smacking him around for. Kudos to him for doing what feel right for him.
I'm really sorry FaithWalker has had to leave the trail. If everyone listened to the voice of reason and didn't try things that there was no way to finish then not a lot of cool things would get accomplished by anyone. She sounds like an awesome person, and I hope I get to meet her someday.
Worldwide
01-03-2009, 08:53
I hope it doesn't seem like I am condemning the guy. However, I do find humor in what he carries. I love eccentric types and people that do their own thing.
From what I gathered he finished the trail right?
That was his goal. How he got to the end is personal choice along with what he has in his pack. When he puts out the effort to hike and does it his way that is what I think counts. He may have some hang ups with TP and bottled water. Hell I got a ton of hangups and weird things I do. I just think it is great he completed the trail, and can say eff off to all the people that gave him crap and didn't finish what they set out for!
She's got a big heart though. Kudos for trying.
trying knowing you're gonna fail....
While there are no warm and fuzzy conversations in my future with either of them, I do wish them the best.
Better to give it a whirl. Dreams etc.
oh well..........at least she hiked a few miles..........and now it is in her blood......:o
Anyone know how many they hiked? TJ says 670 but they've only been out a 10 days or so.
minnesotasmith
01-03-2009, 12:00
Anyone know how many they hiked? TJ says 670 but they've only been out a 10 days or so.
We made it to Porter's Gap near Talledega on Wednesday 12/31/08. Think that is about 15 miles south of Cheaha State Park, maybe 52 miles from Flagg Mountain. Went into Talladega to clean up (had 4 days of rain in middle of the 10 days we'd been out). We took the dog of a bus company's bus (15 hours overnight, predominantly spent sitting in bus terminals waiting on connections) back to relative's house in NW FL to retrieve my vehicle, so can drive to other relative's house to shrink mail drops still at his house to one-hiker size. Am also waiting on first relative above to return from out-of-town trip to be able to transport me to Porter's Gap (with Faithwalker there to bittersweetly see me off as well).
I am glad Faithwalker gave a thruhike what I consider a decent try. We took no zero days WRT hiking during our 10 days, if you don't count our unintended (but not worthless) afternoon on the Alabama Trail on our starting day. She is physically quite strong in a lifting sense, with a stoicism and endurance that often have exceeded mine, including on our day hikes earlier this year in Colorado and Utah. I wish beyond words she had been able to finish in Maine with me, to see for herself firsthand all the views, terrain, distances, and good people the Trail includes. She did get a taste of that, though. It is unquestionably better that she listened to her body earlier rather than later, so does not injure herself longterm, keeping future options open. She intends to visit me along the Trail at certain points during my continuing hike, about which I am quite happy. She has also been fully involved first-hand what is involved in setting up extensive mail drops with specific dietary requirements, trail journaling, etc., and is considering offering these as paid services for other hikers. (She is a long-experienced transcriptionist for medical facilities and book authors, among her other accomplishments.)
We are in the meantime working on the 1st relative's lawn (raking, removing fallen limbs, applying lime/fertilizer/trace elements) and other volunteered chores as partial recompense for their hospitality and upcoming 2nd of two 4-hour drives to central AL. I made green tomato and eggplant baked tempura last night, after a Thai buffet for lunch yesterday. I will try to talk her into going to a midnight showing of the venerable sci-fi movie "Heavy Metal" at the local discount theater tonight (if we can stay awake that long). There can be compensations for unexpected times off the Trail. ;) I expect to be back on the Pinhoti by Friday.
I am humbly appreciative of the many people who have offered or rendered assistance to us so far, both on the Internet and the many kind locals we met in 10 days. These have ranged from informational, logistical, material, and encouragement. The eminently forgettable other sorts, well; they weren't hiking, when we were... :D
P.S. on the undying TP/water issues:
I buy the generic, smaller rolls of TP (cheaper and easier to fit in a pack) that are at most half the size of name brand ones, so need at least twice as many of them. It's pretty simple math. There were also two of us, and we were set up to go as much as 10 days between resupply points. My pack was still over a dozen pounds lighter (est.) than when I started at Amicalola in Feb. 2006. I don't ever ship water, though have dropped off some distilled water when stopping by a future maildrop place for some other reason, such as when in 2006 I hit Mountain Crossings to buy some last-minute equipment about 3 days before I began my 2006 successful AT thruhike attempt. I did make two useful water caches of a gallon each on the Pinhoti the day before being dropped off at Flag Mtn., carrying out the containers to proper disposal.
Bulldawg
01-03-2009, 12:11
Anyone know how many they hiked? TJ says 670 but they've only been out a 10 days or so.
There are several places to bail to Talledega, but my contacts say between 50 and 65 miles. At least it was a blistering pace!!
There are several places to bail to Talledega, but my contacts say between 50 and 65 miles. At least it was a blistering pace!!
Isn't a road walk starting at Flagg Mountain? Hard on the feet, hard on the heart. Not the best place to start a hike, especially if you're a newbie.
merlot? cabernet? chardonnay?
Don't forget the cheese and crackers!!:D
Mother's Finest
01-03-2009, 14:46
Minnesota Smith
You got it man. You don't need to explain your TP situation to ANYONE. My wife just watched Scarface for the first time in her life about a month ago. While Tony Montana is certainly not someone to aspire to re-create in real life, he does give some very important life lessons.
Namely, F*%& Em if they don't like what you are doin.
peace
mf
Worldwide
01-03-2009, 15:00
Keep it up MS! Don't sweat my TP comments. It is just a way for me to pass time as I rest before my hike.
depends on whether fw decides she wants to finish. being alone in the woods for awhile, he might think otherwise. do you have a pretty mouth?
I think it was pronounced "purdy"
Never knew U could slack pack nearly the entire state of Maine, including the 100 mile wilderness, until I saw MS do it! Guess those six rolls of TP he was carrying just got to be too much of a burden on those knobby knees! BUT, YES, he did hike the hike! Good to see him out on the trail.
fancyfeet
01-03-2009, 22:09
I know I can't swim the English Channel, and I'm not going to try.
She should have known she couldn't do it - with that list of ailments, the odds of success were ZERO.
Oh, baloney. If you can walk, you have a chance. I personally hike with osteoarthritis (neck, shoulder and toes), obesity, high bp, asthma, anterolisthesis (unstable c-spine), piriformis syndrome (like sciata - different nerve in hip), pinched nerve in left knee, neuroma (inflamed nerves) in feet and a HEAVY PACK! And I hike alone. (Cue George Thoroughgood...)
Granted I've never thru'd, but I've got ~1400-1500 miles under my belt.
And to tell you the truth, when I hike for any decent length of time, I feel better than ever. So...better to give it a shot than sit home and whine that you can't do it.
I couldn't swim the English Channel either, but if I had the opportunity, I just might be crazy enough to give it a go.
Plus 1 on that...well said!:D
Oh, baloney. If you can walk, you have a chance. I personally hike with osteoarthritis (neck, shoulder and toes), obesity, high bp, asthma, anterolisthesis (unstable c-spine), piriformis syndrome (like sciata - different nerve in hip), pinched nerve in left knee, neuroma (inflamed nerves) in feet and a HEAVY PACK! And I hike alone. (Cue George Thoroughgood...)
Granted I've never thru'd, but I've got ~1400-1500 miles under my belt.
And to tell you the truth, when I hike for any decent length of time, I feel better than ever. So...better to give it a shot than sit home and whine that you can't do it.
I couldn't swim the English Channel either, but if I had the opportunity, I just might be crazy enough to give it a go.
Bulldawg
01-03-2009, 22:28
Good Lord, all these people so young with all these medical issues. What did you folks do in your 20s?
The best advice I got on the AT when I first started long distance hiking was "keep persisting"
It takes many people 6-8 weeks to get their thru-hiking trail legs and used to the routine.
Good Lord, all these people so young with all these medical issues. What did you folks do in your 20s?
lol
Lone Wolf
01-03-2009, 22:41
Good Lord, all these people so young with all these medical issues. What did you folks do in your 20s?
fast food, single parents, video games, crack...
Good luck MS and FW.
Panzer
minnesotasmith
01-03-2009, 23:10
Isn't a road walk starting at Flagg Mountain? Hard on the feet, hard on the heart. Not the best place to start a hike, especially if you're a newbie.
The first 34 miles of the Pinhoti are road walking, with all but the first mile or so and the Trammel Motorway paved. The latter has a highly ironic name, given its status of being dirt and in the Talledega Forest, if surprisingly high in houses. The last 8.4 miles or so before Bull Gap, on AL 148, were particularly busy.
fancyfeet
01-03-2009, 23:11
fast food, single parents, video games, crack...
Hey, LW...crack makes you skinny, not fat!
Maybe hiking together in springtime along the AT somewhere would be a better way to experience long distance hiking than trying to start in the dead of winter, even if it was in the deep south. It's by no means too late to work that out. It ain't gotta be all or nothing and the important thing should be spending time together. That's my .02.
fancyfeet
01-03-2009, 23:29
Good Lord, all these people so young with all these medical issues. What did you folks do in your 20s?
All too common progression...
As a teen, I was invincible. Fast driving, sports and generally showing off leads to accidents leads to injuries leads to arthritis, neck, hip, shoulder problems later on...
As a 20-something, I was fit and broke. College loans come back to haunt you. Menial jobs keep you on your feet, but don't pay much...
Now, as a 30-something, a "good" desk job keeps you tied to your desk, long days keep you too tired to be active. And so, while your piggy bank gets fatter, so do you...
I've got to get out of this rat race!
Bulldawg
01-03-2009, 23:40
All too common progression...
As a teen, I was invincible. Fast driving, sports and generally showing off leads to accidents leads to injuries leads to arthritis, neck, hip, shoulder problems later on...
As a 20-something, I was fit and broke. College loans come back to haunt you. Menial jobs keep you on your feet, but don't pay much...
Now, as a 30-something, a "good" desk job keeps you tied to your desk, long days keep you too tired to be active. And so, while your piggy bank gets fatter, so do you...
I've got to get out of this rat race!
Yeah? That's why I am just quite simply poor broke hiker trash!
take-a-knee
01-03-2009, 23:43
All too common progression...
As a teen, I was invincible. Fast driving, sports and generally showing off leads to accidents leads to injuries leads to arthritis, neck, hip, shoulder problems later on...
As a 20-something, I was fit and broke. College loans come back to haunt you. Menial jobs keep you on your feet, but don't pay much...
Now, as a 30-something, a "good" desk job keeps you tied to your desk, long days keep you too tired to be active. And so, while your piggy bank gets fatter, so do you...
I've got to get out of this rat race!
Or maybe consider the Zone/Paleo diet and a proper fitness program like this chick:
take-a-knee
01-03-2009, 23:45
Sorry, hit the wrong button:
http://media.crossfit.com/cf-video/CrossFitSouthBrooklyn_DizzyDiane.mov
fancyfeet
01-04-2009, 00:07
Or maybe consider the Zone/Paleo diet and a proper fitness program like this chick:
http://media.crossfit.com/cf-video/CrossFitSouthBrooklyn_DizzyDiane.mov
Oh yeah, that's my weekend workout.
P.s. Be careful calling a woman like that a "chick". Piss her off and there won't be enough of you left for a DNA test.
Hey, LW...crack makes you skinny, not fat!
no, crack means you are fat and need to belt your pants higher
fancyfeet
01-04-2009, 00:28
no, crack means you are fat and need to belt your pants higher
Oops! My bad! Wrong crack...
Sorry, I gotta go play Tetris for a couple hours while my illegitimate rugrats sleep off their supersized Happy Meals.
take-a-knee
01-04-2009, 00:39
Oh yeah, that's my weekend workout.
P.s. Be careful calling a woman like that a "chick". Piss her off and there won't be enough of you left for a DNA test.
This is true.
Oh yeah, that's my weekend workout.
P.s. Be careful calling a woman like that a "chick". Piss her off and there won't be enough of you left for a DNA test.
This is true.
i didn't look. is she a red head?
take-a-knee
01-04-2009, 00:46
i didn't look. is she a red head?
I never looked at her hair.:-?
I never looked at her hair.:-?
just peeked. yep, don't mess with a lady like that. best not to mess with most ladies in fact, but be extra careful with the red heads... um, did the lady in the vid have long hair?
Ron Haven
01-04-2009, 03:04
I never heard of him.Yappy,MS seems to be an ok guy.Mathewski,well I believe he escaped.:D
RITBlake
01-04-2009, 13:54
MS,
When are we going to see a picture of you and faithwalker on trail? You guys have posted plenty of pics of your prepared foods and stocked gear, but we'd like some more 'on trail' photos.
Blake
minnesotasmith
01-04-2009, 14:07
MS,
When are we going to see a picture of you and faithwalker on trail? You guys have posted plenty of pics of your prepared foods and stocked gear, but we'd like some more 'on trail' photos.
Blake
We have two dispo cameras from our hike thus far (with over 40 pics that came out) developed to CDs, but this computer system won't upload them for some reason. They'll be posted on the Pinhoti journal in about a week (when Faithwalker gets to central FL). We took pics of virtually every campsite, Pete and Betty and their place, some of the more decent views (they're actually better than most of non-Blood GA views north of Bull Gap), and of course our send-off.
saimyoji
01-04-2009, 14:35
no,no,no.....we want to see what your lady friend looks like. there are rumblings that she's a total babe. i mean, she must be to have captured your eye. ;)
minnesotasmith
01-06-2009, 01:55
Day 1: Dropped off at Pinhoti southern terminus on Flagg Mountain, via road of same name. Tried to drive up to summit, but stopped from going the last ~300 yards by a locked gate. Was considering walking around, but a pair of informative hunters drove up while transiting Flagg Mountain Road. They told us that the Trail was not yet finished, that it did not yet extend to the summit, starting at a sign by a power line further down the mountain.
Drove down and found a small space for turning in along a very small line of power line poles. There was a single tree on the road just downhill of it with good-condition yellow blazes (AT-style) on either side. We took the obligatory send-off pics and started downhill. About 500 feet further downhill was a green-background sign with yellow letters with an ambiguous symbol that is a hybrid of a "T" and either a "P" or an "A". A few yards in was a kiosk with a vague map along a fairly proper trail with . We thought, "Yay!" They HAVE built a woods trail here, at least to start!" We set off, following the woods trail.
About 15 minutes along, in woods the whole way, we passed a gully with a tiny flowing stream with decent-looking water. Another ~25 minutes brought us through a larger but similar stream. This trail was generally pleasant, with periodic campable spots, and rocky (and acceptably so) only along several higher ridge spines. We wound around, going up repeated but gentle (due to ALMOST universal excellent switchbacking) and came to a ridge with two fallen-in cabins missing about 90% of their roofs and walls. We continued on the trail downhill to where it was very incompletely dug out of the hill and hard to walk. At this point, darkness closing in (yeah, we started hiking pretty late, having driven around to drop off two water caches), with no good place to camp along the trail, we clambered up the adjacent fairly steep hill about 50 yards to a relatively flat largely-abandoned woods road on the same ridge, in sight of the same two collapsed cabins. We camped for the night, forecast to drop to about 21 F, which I believe was optimistic. No precipitation.
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Day 2:
In the morning, to our chagrin, we observed a fine, even new-appearing cabin obviously still in use (if not necessarily that night) not 50' away on the ridge road. We packed and left ASAP, seeing no one, to our relief.
During the night, I'd mulled that we had taken the wrong trail. The woods trail had been too long to take us to the bottom of Flagg Mountain Road without skipping part of the road walk on CR 55. We sheepishly retraced our steps to Flagg Mountain Road to reread the signs, and found out we had been on the Alabama Trail.
We set off downhill on FM Road again, coming to the bridge (where I posed for a campy photo by a "Bridge Weight Limit 9 tons" or some such". Apparent hunters (camo clothes, blaze orange hats, visible long firearms) drove by a couple of times. We took the turn and hiked past the town of Unity (just one church and a few houses), finally seeing good-condition yellow blazes perhaps every 3/4 of a mile, to stealth camp in a plot of piney woods just under a mile west of Weogufka. Faithwalker set up camp while I trudged 20 minutes each way on to Weogufka to retrieve the first of our water caches (just a gallon of distilled water dropped off the day before with leaves and branches covering it). We cooked our first hot trail meal on the Pinhoti, and sacked out to the sound of occasional sound of traffic. Night was still quite cool, though warmer than previous night. Still no precip.
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Day 3: Hiked to Weogufka. Had an interesting experience in the tiny and only store, where there is about as much counters space devoted to selling knives as to food. Bought us each a cold drink and was given a League of the South (secessionist Southern heritage organization) newspaper by the proprieter. The marquee on the catty-corner building announced periodic meetings of the same organization. Hit the post office, which is closed for about an hour at midday. The postmistress came back from lunch 15 minutes early, opening up immediately. I mailed home my down booties, sleeping bag liner, second tent, and second pot (figured that one each of latter two item would be enough for the two of us) and L.O.T.S. newspaper. We hiked on.
Around the 8 mile mark or so, not having seen any woods where a needed stealth pee was an option, we started in desperation to turn right on a developed wide gravel road. We'd gotten all of 15' when a man in an SUV pulled up, all full of friendliness and curiousity. We told him of our quest, and he offered any help he could. He ended up taking us to his house to use his bathroom, offering us his backyard to tent when we got that far (he lives about 100' north of the Pinhoti just past the wagon wheel landmark to turn onto County Road 41 at the 12.7 mile mark), and was happy to let us, and future Pihoti hikers, come get water from his outside spigot. After telling his moderately curious wife and nearly completely incurious teenager our story, and agreeing to take him up on his camping spot offer the following night, he took us back to where he picked us up.
We hiked on, the end of daylight (and Faithwalker's ability to hike more that day) drawing to a close. No nearby stealth camping spots appeared. A nonuniformed state trooper (shirt and hat behind him) stopped in his truck to chat with us, volunteering on his return from an errand to tell us of any potential camping spots. Hiking on, not long thereafter, we made a fateful decision in front of a house with a tiny bait shop alongside, Pete's Bait. I reasoned that these were people with whom business could be done.
I approached a man (late 30s?) chatting on the porch on an extension phone and asked if for ten bucks we could tent in his back yard. He took us inside, introducing us to Betty, the mistress of the house. She was pleasant beyond words in a country manner, said she was in favor, but said a final decision had to wait til her husband came home from work (the first man was her son-in-law), and was due in in just minutes. In the interim, she seated us at their kitchen table, pushed coffee and homemade delectable confections upon us with little resistance, and asked us our story. He (Pete) came home, and immediately agreed to let us stay, refusing any money for it. We camped outside in the back yard under a drive-through alcove. It turned out they were having a large family get-together of over 15 people (this being nearly Christmas), and we were brought inside to be stuffed with excellent homemade burgers, salad, and such. We (well, mostly me) told hiking stories to their large and happy extended family as long as anyone would listen, arguably at least as much fun for the teller and the audience.
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Day 4:
The next morning, while we were packing up to leave Pete's and Betty's, two teenaged members of the clan came up to visit us, a sausage-egg-and-cheese biscuit for each of us in hand. Just before we left, Pete and Betty came out, wished us well, pushed a large bag of Chex mix on us, again refused my offer of money, agreed to be mentioned in our online journal as a resource for other hikers (water and place to tent) and we set off.
The day was forecast (Pete told us) to become stormy, and it did so; I estimate over 1.5" fell during the day's hike. We passed the 12.7-mile trail angel's house with no stop, not needing water. We did detour to the Chevron station about 130 yards north for several items, getting neutral but inquisitive silent looks from the clientele. On the way back to the "Trail" from the Chevron station, whom would we run into but Pete and Betty. They'd gotten worried about us, with the weather, bless their hearts. They offered to come pick us up at the end of the day's hiking, take us to their home to camp again, and bring us back again the next day. I happily agreed on the condition that this time they at least accepted some gas money. We hiked to Holman Crossroads (nothing but a highway interection in the middle of nowhere), where about 90 seconds after we stopped Pete and Betty arrived.
This time they put us actually inside their backyard outbuilding, where Pete used to keep his bait business. They ran an extension cord out to the building so we could have light without using our headlamps. The rain continued, and eventually seeped under part of the floor. A nice project for someone wishing to help out future Pinhoti hikers would be to construct and install a flat, raised floor there. I should note that there are several other alcoves in and around this outbuilding that would need no more than flooring and tarping of a single side to be a fine hiker shelter in any weather short of a hurricane or 0-degree blizzard (neither likely there), with subsequent total roofed capacity per night of over 15 hikers.
We were again invited inside to be fed and feted by a slightly-different composition family gathering and dinner. I had the opportunity to give (to willing adults later in the evening) a reading of Robert Service's poem of the far North "The Law of the Yukon". We even were invited to shower and wash our clothes, particularly welcome after the day's dousing.
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Day 5: Pete took us to Holman Crossroads, and against his protests stuck a fifty in his pocket. He offered that if we had any trouble, to call him, giving us his home and cell #s.
We hiked past Hwy. 280, seeing the yellow blazes (usually on telephone poles) ending around CR 511. We turned on inaptly named Trammel Motorway (rural pavement that gave way to good gravel after about a mile) to enter Talledega National Forest. We were surprised at how abundant houses were after the first quarter-mile of forest ended (note: camping in the first 1/4 mile, no later than the power lines, would be easier than up to 3/4 mile or so later). Eventually, housing became bit more scattered. I asked a man with hogs and chickens if we could get water (having seen no sources) from his outside spigot, to which we assented. Darkness closing in, we camped on the west side. Light rain and warmer temperatures came and seemed to last all night.
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Day 6: We hiked further north on Trammel Motorway, the houses ending. Red blazes began appearing at regular frequent intervals on pine trees, with abundant various boundary markings. FS roads came and went, not entirely as the map and guidebook predicted. We came to AL Hwy. 148, relatively low in water, having seen no natural sources. I left Faithwalker with our packs to take a break, walked up what should be (but isn't) the northern continuation of Trammel across Hwy. 148, and went up to the door of the first house on the left side with a large red barn (large, well-kept estate) to ask for water. The gentleman owner not only agreed to let me get water, he pressed several useful items upon me, including a gallon jug of water, only reluctantly going along with my not accepting a large frozen steak to take with us. He offered (which I accepted) to drive me and my full water jugs back to Faithwalker. After a picture and some chatting, he happily agreed to be publicized as a potential water source for future Pinoti hikers. We headed east on AL 148 on a little over two more miles, no blazes to be seen, choosing an area behind a rise (masking us from the road) where trees had been bulldozed on the north side bounded by thicker woods as our dry campsite for the night. No rain fell; temps staying warmer.
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Day 7: We trudged on toward Bull Gap, blazeless, finding throughout our day multiple potential and flowing water sources crossing the road, including just under a mile short of Bull Gap (BG is not far past the 11 mile highway mileage marker). A man pulled over and politely queried us just 3/4 mile from Bull Gap, offering us and other, future hikers water from his house (first drive south of 148 on Hwy 77, green mailbox) We were happy to see our FIRST blue blaze. Trail a touch steeper and rockier than the steepest and rockiest parts of the Alabama Trail we hiked on day 1, but still not bad trail. Blazes were adequate to plentiful. We hiked about 0.7 miles past BG, reassured by resupplying on water at the high-quality stream at 0.3 north of BG, and camped just short of the ridge crest in pines. No rain, warm (rather too warm during the afternoon while still on AL 148).
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Day 8: The Trail was mostly pleasant, like a less-steep version of the Appalachian Trail where nothing (curves, uphills, downhills) ever went on for as long as they do on the AT. We did hit over a mile or so that was trackless but for blazes, rocky with no real trail. Views to the west became often very good, occasionally better than anything on the AT in Georgia save only atop Blood Mtn. The Pinhoti in this section varied considerably with respect to width, flatness, and rockiness. Blazing and switchbacking were nearly always more than adequate; only once did I drop pack to scout ahead to make sure we were still on the right trail. Some aerobatic looping of the Trail was done near steeper summits to maximize switchbacking. We camped about the 6 mile mark north of Bull Gap, climbing up to the adjacent ridge to find a nearly flat spot. Weather continued warm and rainless.
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Day 9: We hiked to Horn Mtn., with me a bit fixated on having a SHELTER (well, with dirt floor and no walls, with the roof far higher up than ideal). With difficulty, we spotted the white blazes indicating the side access trail, or rather where one was supposed to be. We followed with difficulty in early darkness the infrequent blazes that followed no trail up the hill to the picnic shelter. There is a functional (fine by AT standards) privy a way down the hill, visible in daylight from the shelter. The shelter has two good wooden benches with backs. There are about half a dozen concrete picnic tables, sadly with benches either missing, or as ultrarough narrow planks it took 4 layers of Tyvek to sit on without risking destroying our clothing. There is a broken structure that looks like a water fountain not far from the shelter, and a trash barrel by the privy. The brush is fairly high and everywhere except in the central summit between the shelter and fire tower (fenced and with lower steps removed so would be very hard to climb). If the brush were cleared, the picnic table benches replaced, and the shelter floored and walled (latter ideally with plexiglass to not block the glorious view), it'd be a grand shelter, even without a water source. We tented in the shelter, a surprisingly cool if rainless night (lots of wind).
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Day 10: We found water from continuing runoff from a hillside not 0.2 past the power lines. We also encountered our very first other hikers on the Pinhoti, a father/son/BIL trio taking a break at Wormy's Pulpit on the 2nd day of a 3-day hike. We chatted a bit, then continued on to Scott Lake. The switchbacking down the long hill to SL was overall very good, saving only frequently having what I call sagging bends, where the curves actually go downhill below the rest of the trail, so walking a foot or two back uphill (while overall going downhill) was frequently unavoidable. Also, the leaves were often so thick that the occasional (easily avoidable if not concealed by 10"+ of leaves) ankle-buster rock was a nontrivial safety issue. Unlike most of the preceding Trail, fine brush and uncut current-year saplings did not extend into the Trail so much as to make gaiters mandatory. (On much of the Pinhoti north of Bull Gap, hikers not habitually wearing gaiters to near their knees would eventually become anemic, the brush was so persistent.) However, horse pollution was frequent the last mile or so before Scott Lake.
We camped just before the first ford at Scott's Lake, where there were abundant campsites as kind of a wide side trail to the left. The water in the stream feeding joining the outflow (latter is apparently the Cascade) from Scott's Lake is one of the freest of sediment I've ever seen, very good water from the looks of it. The lake looks fishable, but the stream joining the bottom of the Cascade is just a bit small IMO to likely have fish very often.
Cooler night, no rain.
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Day 11: There is a dirt road joining the Trail just after the second ford, so 4WD access probably, ATV access always, would likely exist (better on dry days; I saw two large and DEEP puddles on the dirt access road where it coincided with the Pinhoti). I consider Scott Lake to potentially be a nice place to car camp and fish for a few days. The first ford was safely rock-hoppable, but the second was not. The hike to Porter's Gap/AL Hwy. 77 was pleasant and well-graded. The Pinhoti Trail Guide is incorrect, right is NOT the direction to Talledega, but left. Left goes to Ashland or some such.
To Talladega was a hard hitch, even in good weather with a trailhead sign, taking over an hour. There are two hotels within a block of the Super Wal-Mart, a Super 8 (cost: 62.00/night) and the McCaig (40.00/night). The latter did not have laundry. I don't know if the Super 8 did or not. Apparently the nearest laundromat is 3 miles away near City Hall. I handwashed my stuff and decorated the hotel room with hiker clotheslines.
There are two decent Chinese buffets within a block of the Wal-Mart, exactly the same price. I went in and looked at both; the King Buffet was a bit better. The Golden Eagle, half a block on the cross street, was the other one.
There are also TWO dollar stores, so this is a good place to resupply, excepting only the laundry issue. Perhaps someone resupplying in Talledega could get a ride from the trailhead first to the laundromat, then take a taxi to the hotel?
No rain.
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Day 12: There is NO Greyhound bus service to Talladega. Closest is Anniston or Birmingham. Took Hay's Taxi for 40 bucks to Anniston's Greyhound station. 3 hours waiting there, and 15 more en route (2/3 sitting in terminals, awaiting transfers), and we made it to NW FL. Back to the Trail as soon as some stuff is taken care of, like redoing mail drops.
RITBlake
01-08-2009, 12:47
You should just post these to your trailjournal, especially if this is a rough draft. That's a lot of text people arn't going to read.
Two Speed
01-08-2009, 14:06
We made it to Porter's Gap . . . carrying out the containers to proper disposal.Minnie, I still think you're a bonehead, but you may have a keeper on your hands. Good luck and Happy Trails.
Mother's Finest
01-08-2009, 15:21
You should just post these to your trailjournal, especially if this is a rough draft. That's a lot of text people arn't going to read.
Speak for yourself broseph.
I like reading Minnies thoughts, here or at TJ
peace
mf
Speak for yourself broseph.
I like reading Minnies thoughts, here or at TJ
peace
mf
The only problem I have is that it's stretches the board. I hate that!
Jack Tarlin
01-08-2009, 15:29
With eleven and a half thousand posts, Sly, I'm not sure that you should be the one talking about stretching the board. :rolleyes:
RITBlake
01-08-2009, 16:13
Speak for yourself broseph.
I like reading Minnies thoughts, here or at TJ
peace
mf
A. This isn't the place to post a personal journal, it's a thread.
B. Please don't call me broseph
With eleven and a half thousand posts, Sly, I'm not sure that you should be the one talking about stretching the board. :rolleyes:
Great, another thread becoming a p*ssing contest. Take it offline.
Bulldawg
01-08-2009, 16:19
With eleven and a half thousand posts, Sly, I'm not sure that you should be the one talking about stretching the board. :rolleyes:
I'd say 10,215 ain't that far behind on the streching!!:cool::cool:
Speer Carrier
01-08-2009, 16:41
Thanks for the write up MS. It sounds like you ran into nothing but friendly and helpful folks in that part of Alabama.
D'Artagnan
01-08-2009, 16:47
I'd say 10,215 ain't that far behind on the streching!!:cool::cool:
Ding!
Johnny Thunder
01-08-2009, 17:25
A. This isn't the place to post a personal journal, it's a thread.
B. Please don't call me broseph
Looks like you two should bro-down.
Or maybe we should review the Bro-code...
With eleven and a half thousand posts, Sly, I'm not sure that you should be the one talking about stretching the board. :rolleyes:
It appears you're not up with Internet lingo. It means the normal window is expanded so you have to scroll back and forth to read it. I have a widescreen monitor and it's still a PITA.
Also, if I'm not mistaken if he didn't put so many dashes in-between days, word wrap would work as normal.
Test...
Day 1: Dropped off at Pinhoti southern terminus on Flagg Mountain, via road of same name. Tried to drive up to summit, but stopped from going the last ~300 yards by a locked gate. Was considering walking around, but a pair of informative hunters drove up while transiting Flagg Mountain Road. They told us that the Trail was not yet finished, that it did not yet extend to the summit, starting at a sign by a power line further down the mountain.
Drove down and found a small space for turning in along a very small line of power line poles. There was a single tree on the road just downhill of it with good-condition yellow blazes (AT-style) on either side. We took the obligatory send-off pics and started downhill. About 500 feet further downhill was a green-background sign with yellow letters with an ambiguous symbol that is a hybrid of a "T" and either a "P" or an "A". A few yards in was a kiosk with a vague map along a fairly proper trail with . We thought, "Yay!" They HAVE built a woods trail here, at least to start!" We set off, following the woods trail.
About 15 minutes along, in woods the whole way, we passed a gully with a tiny flowing stream with decent-looking water. Another ~25 minutes brought us through a larger but similar stream. This trail was generally pleasant, with periodic campable spots, and rocky (and acceptably so) only along several higher ridge spines. We wound around, going up repeated but gentle (due to ALMOST universal excellent switchbacking) and came to a ridge with two fallen-in cabins missing about 90% of their roofs and walls. We continued on the trail downhill to where it was very incompletely dug out of the hill and hard to walk. At this point, darkness closing in (yeah, we started hiking pretty late, having driven around to drop off two water caches), with no good place to camp along the trail, we clambered up the adjacent fairly steep hill about 50 yards to a relatively flat largely-abandoned woods road on the same ridge, in sight of the same two collapsed cabins. We camped for the night, forecast to drop to about 21 F, which I believe was optimistic. No precipitation.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day 2:
In the morning, to our chagrin, we observed a fine, even new-appearing cabin obviously still in use (if not necessarily that night) not 50' away on the ridge road. We packed and left ASAP, seeing no one, to our relief.
During the night, I'd mulled that we had taken the wrong trail. The woods trail had been too long to take us to the bottom of Flagg Mountain Road without skipping part of the road walk on CR 55. We sheepishly retraced our steps to Flagg Mountain Road to reread the signs, and found out we had been on the Alabama Trail.
We set off downhill on FM Road again, coming to the bridge (where I posed for a campy photo by a "Bridge Weight Limit 9 tons" or some such". Apparent hunters (camo clothes, blaze orange hats, visible long firearms) drove by a couple of times. We took the turn and hiked past the town of Unity (just one church and a few houses), finally seeing good-condition yellow blazes perhaps every 3/4 of a mile, to stealth camp in a plot of piney woods just under a mile west of Weogufka. Faithwalker set up camp while I trudged 20 minutes each way on to Weogufka to retrieve the first of our water caches (just a gallon of distilled water dropped off the day before with leaves and branches covering it). We cooked our first hot trail meal on the Pinhoti, and sacked out to the sound of occasional sound of traffic. Night was still quite cool, though warmer than previous night. Still no precip.
----------------------------------------------------------------Consider yourself educated Jack.
Jack Tarlin
01-08-2009, 18:31
Actually, Sly, I'm delighted that I'm evidently not up on the latest Internet lingo.
But golly, thanks for the "lesson." :rolleyes:
Actually, Sly, I'm delighted that I'm evidently not up on the latest Internet lingo.
But golly, thanks for the "lesson." :rolleyes:
No problem, anytime "my friend"
Looks like you two should bro-down.
Or maybe we should review the Bro-code...
This will probably lead to a bro-hug and end in a bro-mance.
RITBlake
01-08-2009, 20:25
Looks like you two should bro-down.
Or maybe we should review the Bro-code...
I'm not sure why, but I just lol'd reading this!
saimyoji
01-08-2009, 21:22
Actually, Sly, I'm delighted that I'm evidently not up on the latest Internet lingo.
But golly, thanks for the "lesson." :rolleyes:
No problem, anytime "my friend"
awww...isn't that cute. :D
This will probably lead to a bro-hug and end in a bro-mance.
Hopefully, they will get a room.:eek:
Hopefully, they will get a room.:eek:
then they can take off their bros ;)
Mother's Finest
01-09-2009, 06:41
I am always ready to get bro-down with a brother
RIT Blake (Broseph, Brosiah, Kindest of all Bro's) a bro-hug is in order.
JT is right. I broke the Bro-code.
peace
mf
Johnny Thunder
01-09-2009, 09:42
I am always ready to get bro-down with a brother
RIT Blake (Broseph, Brosiah, Kindest of all Bro's) a bro-hug is in order.
JT is right. I broke the Bro-code.
peace
mf
I'm pleased to announce that there is currently a compendium of Bro-Code-related information aptly titled, The Bro Code. Published by Barney Stinson, Dougie Howser's character on "How I Met Your Mother."
it includes...
Article 1...If two bros are walking and one's hand accidentally graces the undercarriage of the other both bros will walk on ignoring the event ever transpired.
Article 2...Upon entering a public bathroom a bro will a. look forward and never speak while using the urinal and b. upon noticing more than 2 other bros in line will make the obligatory "what is this? ... The chick's bathroom" comment.
Article 3... A bro will take timely measures to alert his bros of a girl fight.
The list goes on.
Mother's Finest
01-09-2009, 20:41
I'm pleased to announce that there is currently a compendium of Bro-Code-related information aptly titled, The Bro Code. Published by Barney Stinson, Dougie Howser's character on "How I Met Your Mother."
it includes...
Article 1...If two bros are walking and one's hand accidentally graces the undercarriage of the other both bros will walk on ignoring the event ever transpired.
Article 2...Upon entering a public bathroom a bro will a. look forward and never speak while using the urinal and b. upon noticing more than 2 other bros in line will make the obligatory "what is this? ... The chick's bathroom" comment.
Article 3... A bro will take timely measures to alert his bros of a girl fight.
The list goes on.
God Help Me
Cool AT Breeze
01-09-2009, 22:55
If you are a hiker there is no help for you.
FaithWalker
01-10-2009, 22:31
Minnesotasmith began the Pinhoti Trail, 1/09/09, where we left off last week at Porter's Gap. The departure was bittersweet, but, with my blessings he is continuing the Pinhoti trail and will soon be starting the Appalachian trail.
Check out the online trail journal for comment and picture updates in two days.
More to come....
Great news! Please keep us posted,very interesting.
Minnesotasmith began the Pinhoti Trail, 1/09/09, where we left off last week at Porter's Gap. The departure was bittersweet, but, with my blessings he is continuing the Pinhoti trail and will soon be starting the Appalachian trail.
Check out the online trail journal for comment and picture updates in two days.
More to come....
Minnesotasmith began the Pinhoti Trail, 1/09/09, where we left off last week at Porter's Gap. The departure was bittersweet, but, with my blessings he is continuing the Pinhoti trail and will soon be starting the Appalachian trail.
Check out the online trail journal for comment and picture updates in two days.
More to come....
Kudos on getting out there and giving it a go!
Bianchi Veloce
01-11-2009, 10:03
Minnesotasmith began the Pinhoti Trail, 1/09/09, where we left off last week at Porter's Gap. The departure was bittersweet, but, with my blessings he is continuing the Pinhoti trail and will soon be starting the Appalachian trail.
Check out the online trail journal for comment and picture updates in two days.
More to come....
MS is blessed to have a lady like you in his life. Thanks for the update.
FaithWalker
01-11-2009, 23:11
MS and Faithwalker pictures are uploaded to trailjournals.com. I will continue to update the trail journal ( I am kinda backlogged, currently ), please be patient.
BTW, I, Faithwalker have natural, long, red hair-buttock length but not noticeable in the pictures. (In case anyone was curious).
RITBlake
01-12-2009, 12:35
link please?
RITBlake
01-12-2009, 12:39
Nevermind, I found it, and it's 100x better then I thought it would be.
http://www.trailgallery.com/photos/8162/tj8162%5F011109%5F204532%5F413008.jpg
RITBlake
01-12-2009, 12:45
Also interesting that you (faithwalker) cover your face in nearly every photo
http://www.trailgallery.com/photos/8162/tj8162%5F011109%5F204532%5F413008.jpg
Who's that muslim chick hiking with Minnie? :banana
Minnesota and Faithwalker married? She refers to MS's mother as MIL (in the TJ photo section). If so, congratulations.
FaithWalker
01-12-2009, 14:01
Also interesting that you (faithwalker) cover your face in nearly every photo
IF you read the post or journal you would see that I stated, "It was a windy/chilly day", therefore I was cold and wearing what made me comfortable enough to get warm.
Faithwalker, was that a camp pic or were you hiking while wearing the knit hat, scarf, jacket, gloves, ear muffs, leg warmers, gaiters, and base layers?
Jack Tarlin
01-12-2009, 14:51
Personally, I'm quite taken with the matching gaiters, a piece of gear I've somehow managed to avoid wearing or purchasing, tho now that they're evidently available in Day-Glo colors, I might have to re-think this obvious oversight. Plus, the Lawrence of Arabia thing wrapped around the head, reminiscent of the French Foreign Legion's efforts in Morocco circa 1909, is also quite striking.
Minnesota Smith.
A fashion God is born......
Who's that muslim chick hiking with Minnie? :banana
... the Lawrence of Arabia thing wrapped around the head, reminiscent of the French Foreign Legion's efforts in Morocco circa 1909, is also quite striking.
Yup, it all makes sense. :D
Rockhound
01-12-2009, 19:49
There's a new book out, "Through a Hikers Eyes" and in it the author meets a hiker going by the name Mississippi Smitty. I wonder if this was actually Minnesota Smith and he misremembered it or just changed some names to protect the innocent.
There's a new book out, "Through a Hikers Eyes" and in it the author meets a hiker going by the name Mississippi Smitty. I wonder if this was actually Minnesota Smith and he misremembered it or just changed some names to protect the innocent.Who said anything about Minnie being innocent? :D
I want to thank you Minnesota Smith and FaithWalker for making my day, you both uplifted me tonight!
The card was awesome and most inspiring, it moved me deeply.......
minnesotasmith
01-14-2009, 00:20
Hello to all you hikers. I have a cabin about 1.5 miles south of Adams Gap and along with Minnesota Smith and his vast knowledge of hiking and hikers, we are going to establish a hiker's box and a contact number for the hikers who may need some assistance along the way. I am excited to be a part of doing something like this and looking forward to meeting more nice people like Ol' Minnesota. It is cold in Alabama and will continue to be so for most of a week with lows in the single digits. Not something that we Alabamians are accustomed to experiencing. If you are in the area, contact Minnesota and he will give you means of contacting me. May you all have a wonderful and prosperous New Year.
My best,
Gerald White (The man at THE WHITE HOUSE)
I have never met Minnesota Smith. Haven't read all the posts concerning him as I don't have the time. But from what I have taken the time to read it seems he may be misunderstood. He works hard to earn the money to take his trips. He does make some choices that I would not. But is seems that he does not depend on anyone else to help him out and does not let other opinions influence him.
Best of luck Minnesota.
The Solemates
01-14-2009, 10:35
I But is seems that he does not depend on anyone else to help him out
I do not want to make this a negative post or seem condescending of him, so if it sounds that way I apologize beforehand, but I've seen the opposite trend. Like the post above in which he is staying with someone on the trail, he relies heavily on hand-outs many times, and in many of his posts he complains about not having special treatment as a hiker (like the many posts he has made on trail conditions, amenity availabilities, etc). In my opinion, a truly independent hiker would fly much lower below the radar than he does.
Regardless, I respect the decisions he has made to be able to hike. I wish him the best times.
Jack Tarlin
01-14-2009, 18:16
He stayed with me while on his hike, was totally self-reliant, asked for nothing, expected nothing, was thankful and appreciative for what he got, and was a fine guest. He certainly wasn't in "hand-out" mode when he last visited Hanover, and assuming I'm around when he arrives this year, he's more than welcome to come by again.
Which I must say does NOT apply to everyone who's come down our driveway........ :eek:
FaithWalker
01-17-2009, 21:01
Minnesotasmith called Friday from Hernandes Peak. He is on the way to Blue Mountain Shelter for the night. The weather is forecasted to be between 0-3 degrees without wind chill factor in that area.
Stay tuned for more news as it becomes available. :rolleyes: FW
joshua5878
01-17-2009, 21:16
I do not want to make this a negative post or seem condescending of him, so if it sounds that way I apologize beforehand, but I've seen the opposite trend. Like the post above in which he is staying with someone on the trail, he relies heavily on hand-outs many times, and in many of his posts he complains about not having special treatment as a hiker (like the many posts he has made on trail conditions, amenity availabilities, etc). In my opinion, a truly independent hiker would fly much lower below the radar than he does.
Regardless, I respect the decisions he has made to be able to hike. I wish him the best times.
Why?
There's a new book out, "Through a Hikers Eyes" and in it the author meets a hiker going by the name Mississippi Smitty. I wonder if this was actually Minnesota Smith and he misremembered it or just changed some names to protect the innocent.
Baro's journal had a couple of entries about Minnesota Smith. (He has deleted it, but I commented on it in another WB thread). So I would guess he has changed the names. I haven't read the book, but the journal was definitely one of the better journals I have read.
http://whiteblaze.net/forum/images/icons/icon1.gif Baro's journal, one of the funniest this year,... (http://whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?p=266353#post266353)
Baro's journal, one of the funniest this year, describes his encounter with Minnesota Smith in this entry and the next.
http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=140101
Nevermind, I found it, and it's 100x better then I thought it would be.
http://www.trailgallery.com/photos/8162/tj8162%5F011109%5F204532%5F413008.jpg
I know what some of you are thinking, why the bare knees, Mr. Smith?
Well I am here to tell you that MinnieSmith SCIENTIFICALLY calculated the exact # of square inches of exposed skin necessary for Vitamin D production based upon his current latitude, longitude, and seasonal weather observations.
That, my friends, is what separates a trail legend from the common riff-raff
IMO*
It's not a good idea to have exposed knees in cold weather. There's no meat to keep them warm, just bone, ligaments and tendons. You're inviting a risk of injury.
*nope, not a doctor
maybe his pants got frightened off by those gaiters?
RITBlake
01-20-2009, 17:12
http://www.trailgallery.com/photos/8162/tj8162_011109_222444_413039.jpg
I'm totally digging the rainbow colored waist belt.
http://www.trailgallery.com/photos/8162/tj8162_011109_222444_413039.jpg
I'm totally digging the rainbow colored waist belt.
But it ain't around her waist. :rolleyes::D:eek:
Shadowmoss
01-20-2009, 19:27
Geez, you guys are getting really petty in your comments. Whatever happened to Hike Your Own Hike? They are sharing their excitement of going on a thru-hike with the group. In return, their health, habits and fashions are being picked apart. Somehow, just 'cause it's MS that makes it fair game.
You might want to think about how all this looks to newcomers to the board, watching actual hikers get held under the microscope like this.
the_black_spot
01-20-2009, 20:28
i think its plain for all to see that MS is not the average hiker, and all the comments are in good fun.
Bulldawg
01-20-2009, 20:33
Is there an update on trailjournals yet?
take-a-knee
01-20-2009, 23:09
i think its plain for all to see that MS is not the average hiker, and all the comments are in good fun.
MS certainly isn't average, neither are a lot of the knuckleheads who've posted on this thread, as in the other side of average.
MS certainly isn't average, neither are a lot of the knuckleheads who've posted on this thread, as in the other side of average.
i only commented on fashion styles. you, on the other hand, are calling people names. isn't that a violation of tos? have a great day..:sun
FaithWalker
01-21-2009, 12:57
MinnesotaSmith on his way to Lower Shoal Shelter tonight, 114 mile marker. Pine Glen Campground by Thursday which is 119.8.
Record "mile" day on Tuesday, 9.3 miles.
Only 65 miles left of the Alabama Pinhoti Trail.
Cool to cold nights with frost. Snow flurries this past Monday.
Trail closed from I-20 crossing at 66.7 on NG map, guide book number 101.0 to AL 281 crossing at 69.0 NG map, 103.3 guide book. Some of the sections, up to 0.3 North of that trail junction not currently good to hike on rainy/night, steep, narrow, long way down. Apparently, nuded for pipeline.
***MinnesotaSmith is keeping an extensive journal, hundreds of words a day, waiting in que to be transcribed by Faithwalker for the trail journal. Please look back periodically this next week. FW
Bulldawg
01-21-2009, 13:00
Please provide a link to his trail journal when you update it!
You know I am guilty of giving MS a bit if a hard time in the first thread last year about his hike but I have got to say he is a class act and I admire the guy. He is welcomed to stay here when he comes thru town and I will make damn sure he eats good!
Lone Wolf
01-21-2009, 13:19
He is welcomed to stay here when he comes thru town and I will make damn sure he eats good!
he might make it by june
I have to let you all in on a bit of info...
MS & FW, you all missed the first section of trail. You started at the wrong location.
As for meeting and making contact with all the 'locals'... are you aware of the number of registered sex offenders that live in the vicinity of the trail? How about burglars and thieves?
Also, your info on the trail being closed north of I 20 is outdated. The trail was reopened in the fall.
Oh, and one more thing... you have taken the wrong road walks on the southern portion of the trail. Not sure how much of a purist you are, but you didnt really hike the southern end of the Pinhoti trail.
good luck on your hike, and if you need the correct info on re-hiking the trail in Alabama, dont hesitate to contact me!
minnesotasmith
01-21-2009, 15:07
I have to let you all in on a bit of info...
MS & FW, you all missed the first section of trail. You started at the wrong location.
As for meeting and making contact with all the 'locals'... are you aware of the number of registered sex offenders that live in the vicinity of the trail? How about burglars and thieves?
Also, your info on the trail being closed north of I 20 is outdated. The trail was reopened in the fall.
Oh, and one more thing... you have taken the wrong road walks on the southern portion of the trail. Not sure how much of a purist you are, but you didnt really hike the southern end of the Pinhoti trail.
1) The official signs saying the Pinhoti in the section between I-20 and AL 281 was closed were still in place there as of when I hiked to the southern end of it at roughly 4:00 PM yesterday, Tuesday Jan. 20th. I think that is rather current information, as since the gov't body overseeing that part of the Trail wanted them down (and not in force), they'd be down.
2) There was a cryptic, unclear note at the northern end of that section that seemed to indicate that some trail work on "the northern end" of the Trail had been completed. As I had followed what any reasonable person would have interpreted as an official relocation, I hold to my position I hiked the current (not past or future) Pinhoti in that area yesterday.
3) Yes, we did do some miles on the Alabama Trail at the beginning, but we first started as close to the summit of Flagg Mountain as we could legally access. If you think that the Pinhoti Trail Alliance guidebook and (not "or") maps Mr. Parkay (WB's top resident Pinhoti Trail map guru IMO) we went by were in error, perhaps you should convince them of it, as currently they don't appear to agree with you.
4) There are numerous registered sex offenders, burglars, etc., in almost any populated area. However, their distribution is not even, with Coosa County in Alabama a low-risk area. If someone is really interested in figuring out such offenders are most and least likely to be located, I recommend Jared Taylor's 1999 reference book about crime. (PM me for where to get it for free if desired.) [Since a moderator brought this subject up, responding directly to it is reasonable.]
Most people we saw living near the Pinhoti gave every indication of being honest and self-supporting, and have been kind towards us in all our interactions. The only negativity I have encountered related to this trail has been on the Internet.
5) The people that have offered or given help to us during our journey (yes, Faithwalker is still fully a part of it, just in a different way right now) have largely volunteered it, and been happy to do so. For every person I have asked anything of (the current weather forecast or some water from their outside spigot has generally been the limit), far more has been freely offered to us. We graciously refused over a dozen offers of rides during our road walking between Flagg Mtn. and Bull Gap, getting such offers practically daily at least. Of the three families who offered to put one or both of us up in their home/camp on the inir property (two of which we took them up on), it was totally their idea 75% of the time, we paid cash to one over their objections, and were repeatedly refused in doing so with the latter. Both want to see us again, have us stay in touch with them, etc. That hardly sounds like panhandling our way across E. Alabama.
Anyway, we will continue on with our journey, hiking our hike, not anyone else's hike, or nonhike, as the case may be.
Lone Wolf
01-21-2009, 15:39
Please provide a link to his trail journal when you update it!
http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=260597
take-a-knee
01-21-2009, 15:51
i only commented on fashion styles. you, on the other hand, are calling people names. isn't that a violation of tos? have a great day..:sun
If and when I call you a name sister, you'll know it. In my neck of the woods, knucklehead is a term of endearment.
Bulldawg
01-21-2009, 15:55
If and when I call you a name sister, you'll know it. In my neck of the woods, knucklehead is a term of endearment.
I honestly wouldn't call Kanga a knucklehead, or your sister, for that matter!!!
FaithWalker
01-21-2009, 16:05
Please provide a link to his trail journal when you update it!
It is "our" trail journal and I have added the link to our signature.
have a great day
FW
FaithWalker
01-21-2009, 16:07
http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=260597
Thank you Lone Wolf
If and when I call you a name sister, you'll know it. In my neck of the woods, knucklehead is a term of endearment.
http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/smiley-taunt013.gif (http://www.freesmileys.org)http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/smiley-hug001.gif (http://www.freesmileys.org)
I honestly wouldn't call Kanga a knucklehead, or your sister, for that matter!!!
yeah, being related to me is prolly not a good thing
yeah, being related to me is prolly not a good thing
Thanks for the cold beer at SORUCK.
It is "our" trail journal and I have added the link to our signature.
have a great day
FW
are you still hiking?
Thanks for the cold beer at SORUCK.
anytime! sorry it was girlie beer.
anytime! sorry it was girlie beer.
It was cold & wet. That's what I needed.
It is "our" trail journal and I have added the link to our signature.
have a great day
FW
I mean this with all sincerity and earnestness, I don't believe it was ever "your" hike.
Hiking is such an individual thing, and you were being pressured/influenced/whatever you want to call it into wearing the same shoes and the same crazy gaiters, and eating dried cuttlefish, and carrying a heavy-ass log with foam wrapped around it. Think about that for a minute, is that how YOU would have preferred to hike if planning it yourself? I would have been resentful as hell.
I respect MS because he finished the AT and I haven't, but that doesn't mean that when I get the chance to hike it that I am going to buy 65 pounds of cod jerky and wear a dishrag on my head.
You gotta hike your hike, and MS has found the way that works for him, so I say go, man, go, but don't make others hike in your own Smithian style.
theinfamousj
01-21-2009, 21:47
Inquiring minds want to know how much toilet paper MS has with him. That Backpacker article about Mountain Crossings (http://www.backpacker.com/november_08_pack_man_/articles/12659?page=3) has made him a TP-toting legend with the armchair backpacker at my public library and the guy reading Backpacker looked at me with awe when I said, "He's back out on the trail."
"How much toilet paper does he have this time?" he asked.
So I figured I'd pass along the question.
saimyoji
01-21-2009, 22:22
I give this thread about 20-1 odds of not being shut down.
I give this thread about 20-1 odds of not being shut down.
It has been shutdown, sanitized, then reopened, and I'm sure it will be again, many times. You already won. ;)
take-a-knee
01-22-2009, 00:01
It has been shutdown, sanitized, then reopened, and I'm sure it will be again, many times. You already won. ;)
Do I get an assist for shutting this one down?
Do I get an assist for shutting this one down?
why would anyone want to shutdown a thread about the most entertaining thru-hiker likely to hit the trail this year? just saying. :)
Here is the link to the Trail Journals site: http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=256720
Lets try to keep the thread on topic.
the goat
01-22-2009, 11:08
Inquiring minds want to know how much toilet paper MS has with him. That Backpacker article about Mountain Crossings (http://www.backpacker.com/november_08_pack_man_/articles/12659?page=3) has made him a TP-toting legend with the armchair backpacker at my public library and the guy reading Backpacker looked at me with awe when I said, "He's back out on the trail."
"How much toilet paper does he have this time?" he asked.
So I figured I'd pass along the question.
for betting purposes, i think the over/under in vegas is locked in at 6 rolls.*
*of course all of them have the inner cardboard tube removed to save weight.:D
FaithWalker
01-22-2009, 11:21
Inquiring minds want to know how much toilet paper MS has with him. That Backpacker article about Mountain Crossings (http://www.backpacker.com/november_08_pack_man_/articles/12659?page=3) has made him a TP-toting legend with the armchair backpacker at my public library and the guy reading Backpacker looked at me with awe when I said, "He's back out on the trail."
"How much toilet paper does he have this time?" he asked.
So I figured I'd pass along the question.
1/2 to 2/3 of the small generic roll that are half or less the size of the full name brand ones.
FaithWalker
01-22-2009, 11:23
I give this thread about 20-1 odds of not being shut down.
Naturally, it is about hiking and the issues that arise during a hike.
saimyoji
01-22-2009, 12:26
Naturally, it is about hiking and the issues that arise during a hike.
While that may be why the thread was started, that's not where some people will lead the discussion....
...does MS plan to grow a beard this time around?
Lone Wolf
01-22-2009, 14:49
so smitty is slackin' with a moto home? http://trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=260674
FaithWalker
01-22-2009, 15:12
While that may be why the thread was started, that's not where some people will lead the discussion....
...does MS plan to grow a beard this time around?
No he is not going to go more than a few days between shaves on this thruhike, either. He hasn't forgotten the serious dangers associated with a multi-month beard on the trail. :-? :eek: :D
Lone Wolf
01-22-2009, 15:13
He hasn't forgotten the serious dangers associated with a multi-month beard on the trail. :-? :eek: :D
and what are those serious dangers?
Gray Blazer
01-22-2009, 15:16
and what are those serious dangers?
I think it was that some delusional hiker may mistake his face as a part of the female anatomy or something like that. Do I win?
max patch
01-22-2009, 15:37
I think it was that some delusional hiker may mistake his face as a part of the female anatomy or something like that. Do I win?
He explained at the time but the mods deleted his post.
When asked again all he would say was that it was "a fate worse than death."
Let your imaginations run.....
saimyoji
01-22-2009, 15:47
He sent me a PM some years ago with the near verbatim quote. I'll forward it to anyone for a small fee.
He sent me a PM some years ago with the near verbatim quote. I'll forward it to anyone for a small fee.
i'll pay.
He explained at the time but the mods deleted his post.
When asked again all he would say was that it was "a fate worse than death."
Let your imaginations run.....
what? did he get cooties in his beard?
what? did he get cooties in his beard?
Probably heard stories of mice eating food out of beards. :eek:
oh, law! then i wouldn't blame him! mice are the reason i don't do shelters.
and what are those serious dangers?
http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/files/7/2/5/9/matt_tix_in_damascus_005_thumb.jpg
The Solemates
01-22-2009, 17:44
when does MS expect for his trail legs to return? hows he holding up?
Gray Blazer
01-22-2009, 20:17
http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/files/7/2/5/9/matt_tix_in_damascus_005_thumb.jpg
Gasp.....he'll look like Lone Wolf!!
FaithWalker
01-22-2009, 23:08
when does MS expect for his trail legs to return? hows he holding up?
About two weeks max to be where he was in February 14, 2006 when he hit Amicalola to start his thruhike last time. Where he was at Kincora last time, before Franklin this time.
FaithWalker
01-22-2009, 23:16
Ms is hoping his detailed observations and opinions will be of use to future Pinhoti hikers, perhaps even trail maintainers, and he hasn't heard anything on that so far.
Attention: future Pinhoti hikers and current trail maintainers, the time for you to express you appreciation is now! Get with the program!
All kidding aside, good luck MS and I hope that FW can actively participate in the hike. Try to walk as much as you can, FW. You will not be disappointed and you might surprise yourself.
Question: I noticed in the new pics, several pictures of trash, is MS picking up trash as he goes too (the smaller pieces of course wouldn't expect him to hike out w/ the tire)
Ms is hoping his detailed observations and opinions will be of use to future Pinhoti hikers, perhaps even trail maintainers, and he hasn't heard anything on that so far.
its bugging me so i'm just going to say it
I hope his observations and opinions are not anywhere near as rude and disrespectful as they were in shelter registers in 2006. Everytime I read/hear the name 'Minnesota Smith', I remember one entry in particular about a brand new shelter, I had never seen such disrespect, it still pisses me off.
Things may not be done perfectly, but it was done none the less and done w/ very hard work, so one must appreciate it and be thankful it was done in the first place.
MS: I give you props for hiking your own hike, but please if you can not say anything nice about other's hard work then please say nothing at all, its called respect.
Ms is hoping his detailed observations and opinions will be of use to future Pinhoti hikers, perhaps even trail maintainers, and he hasn't heard anything on that so far.
Again top unmet trail maintenance need on trail I hiked today remains raking. The Trail was nearly obscured much of time, to extent that IMO an untrained eye would periodically have to work at following it, with leaves commonly as thick on the Trail as around it. Occasional too-narrow (for full safety, or meeting apparent Southern AT standards) trail was an issue today as well, and not just in the 0.1-0.3 section north of the second AL 281 crossing.
Couple of things.
1. Volunteers don't rake leaves off trails. You need to work to follow the Pinhoti. That's the point of the trail. It's not a mindless exercise.
2. This is not the AT, so he shouldn't be looking for "AT standards" on the Pinhoti. They don't exist.
I hope his observations and opinions are not anywhere near as rude and disrespectful as they were in shelter registers in 2006. Everytime I read/hear the name 'Minnesota Smith', I remember one entry in particular about a brand new shelter, I had never seen such disrespect, it still pisses me off.
Things may not be done perfectly, but it was done none the less and done w/ very hard work, so one must appreciate it and be thankful it was done in the first place.
MS: I give you props for hiking your own hike, but please if you can not say anything nice about other's hard work then please say nothing at all, its called respect.
Hear, Hear!!!
Couple of things.
1. Volunteers don't rake leaves off trails. You need to work to follow the Pinhoti. That's the point of the trail. It's not a mindless exercise.
Huh? don't rake leaves off trails down there? Didn't they hear MS would be coming through? :rolleyes:
The Solemates
01-23-2009, 11:11
this kind of crap is exactly what i was talkiing about in my post #165 on this thread.
all of his "detailed descriptions and trail updates" are focused on whats wrong with the trail when its obvious there is nothing wrong with the trail or how it is maintained.
The Solemates
01-23-2009, 11:20
ive hiked the AL pinhoti. and ive hiked it in fall, when leaves are even heavier than they are now. it is not a hard trail to follow.
As someone involved with volunteer trail maintenance and building, I would actually welcome detailed feedback. The folks who walk the trail are not as familiar with it as the maintainers and builders, and logically would see things differently.
Inconsistencies in maps, guides, marking, signs, etc., and aspects that impair the hiker's enjoyment, could be things that the volunteers and trail managers could think about addressing. Obviously, some hikers could have a wish list that transcends the available resources or the management paradigm for the trail.
But on balance I think we in the community who love our trails enough to devote many hours to working on them, are further ahead to hear reports such as MS's, rather than hear "Hey, this was great!" when the hiker really felt "I'm never going there again!"
Again top unmet trail maintenance need on trail I hiked today remains raking. The Trail was nearly obscured much of time, to extent that IMO an untrained eye would periodically have to work at following it, with leaves commonly as thick on the Trail as around it. Occasional too-narrow (for full safety, or meeting apparent Southern AT standards) trail was an issue today as well, and not just in the 0.1-0.3 section north of the second AL 281 crossing. Some downhill sloping of trail from time to time. Saw virtually no prepared campsites (fire ring, raked spots) today. Not hard to find potential camping spots south of USFS 518. It became harder north of there as approached I-20. Potential (unimproved) camping spots available at reasonable frequency north of second AL 281 road crossing.i have never in my life heard of someone raking a trail or a campsite. you're in the wilds, did you think you were at a koa? it sounds like you expected somebody to lay down a red carpet before you came through. i think the word for what i'm feeling is flabbergasted?
As someone involved with volunteer trail maintenance and building, I would actually welcome detailed feedback. The folks who walk the trail are not as familiar with it as the maintainers and builders, and logically would see things differently.
But there is a big difference btn feedback w/ respect and w/o respect...
i have never in my life heard of someone raking a trail or a campsite.
Once we were working on a connector trail from a state park to a longer backpacking trail. When the volunteers were done digging the trail and placing the culvert, we were surprised to see a state park maintenance guy come out with a leaf blower. :D
But there is a big difference btn feedback w/ respect and w/o respect...
Also very true...
If you damned trail-maintainers would get off your lazy butts and cut down all the trees, there wouldn't be such a disgusting and confusing layer of leaves over the trail. Also, think of how the views would improve!
Once we were working on a connector trail from a state park to a longer backpacking trail. When the volunteers were done digging the trail and placing the culvert, we were surprised to see a state park maintenance guy come out with a leaf blower. :D
Mountain bikers are fond of blowing leaves off of their trails. The Georgia section of the Pinhoti Trail is open to mountain bikes, and they will sometimes blow the leaves. That ain't happening on the hiker-only sections in Alabama.
MS dissing the trail again? Too bad he missed the trail maintenance workshop at the Southern Ruck. He would have found out that leaf litter is welcome, while fire rings aren't.
Someone really needs to send him a couple books to correct his misconceptions.
http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=27829
MS needs to take a vacation.
As someone involved with volunteer trail maintenance and building, I would actually welcome detailed feedback. The folks who walk the trail are not as familiar with it as the maintainers and builders, and logically would see things differently.
Inconsistencies in maps, guides, marking, signs, etc., and aspects that impair the hiker's enjoyment, could be things that the volunteers and trail managers could think about addressing. Obviously, some hikers could have a wish list that transcends the available resources or the management paradigm for the trail.
But on balance I think we in the community who love our trails enough to devote many hours to working on them, are further ahead to hear reports such as MS's, rather than hear "Hey, this was great!" when the hiker really felt "I'm never going there again!"
You and MS seem to have one thing in common - a thick skin. Good for you that you are open to reading complaints/suggestions. Some of them are actually helpful, and you can disregard the rest.
I have done a little trail building (not looking for a medal) and it is very hard work. The vast majority of the people that enjoy the trails have no idea.
RITBlake
01-23-2009, 14:44
Quote:
Again top unmet trail maintenance need on trail I hiked today remains raking. The Trail was nearly obscured much of time, to extent that IMO an untrained eye would periodically have to work at following it, with leaves commonly as thick on the Trail as around it. Occasional too-narrow (for full safety, or meeting apparent Southern AT standards) trail was an issue today as well, and not just in the 0.1-0.3 section north of the second AL 281 crossing. Some downhill sloping of trail from time to time. Saw virtually no prepared campsites (fire ring, raked spots) today. Not hard to find potential camping spots south of USFS 518. It became harder north of there as approached I-20. Potential (unimproved) camping spots available at reasonable frequency north of second AL 281 road crossing.
Jeez what a baby. Go hike on a treadmill, you might find that more to your liking, no leaves and all, and a nice straight trail.
Hikerhead
01-23-2009, 22:25
Mountain bikers are fond of blowing leaves off of their trails. The Georgia section of the Pinhoti Trail is open to mountain bikes, and they will sometimes blow the leaves. That ain't happening on the hiker-only sections in Alabama.
Someone with the RATC in Roanoke maintains the trail south of the McAfee Knob trailhead on Rt 311 with a leaf blower and a rake. I've seen him in action. First with the leafblower and then he gets any leaves left over with a small rake. You talk about a slick mud hole when it rains, it's like walking on ice. I've complained about this myself. This guy is very nice, he helped me out on a group hike years ago. Unfortunately though, he's getting up there in age and his mind is not quite right anymore. I believe this trail cleaning is the only thing he does now that gives him pleasure. Since he now can't drive. his daughter will drop him off in the morning and pick him up a few hours later. No, it's not good for the trail. Yes, it give him a reason to get up in the morning. One day the trail will have leaves on it and that will be sad.
mweinstone
01-25-2009, 12:14
speaking with the legond most days or once a week. alls good with them. me and bearpaw are in love, bacon exists and stars still shine. alls well from command central. billvill will be treated to a treat this warmer.
FaithWalker
01-25-2009, 12:19
speaking with the legond most days or once a week. alls good with them. me and bearpaw are in love, bacon exists and stars still shine. alls well from command central. billvill will be treated to a treat this warmer.
That is wonderful Matthewski, you both deserve to be happy. Congratulations from MinnesotaSmith and Faithwalker :sun
Raking? ROTFLMAO. That's priceless.
cannonball
01-25-2009, 14:29
Perhaps some mischievious sort could go out and rake a mile or so pathway leading off the main trail and lead MS into a state of being lost.
Perhaps some mischievious sort could go out and rake a mile or so pathway leading off the main trail and lead MS into a state of being lost.
he don't need no help there... but he does like large dogs :D
FaithWalker
01-31-2009, 22:39
8 new trail journal entries done today and 50 more photos to come on Monday, to those interested in knowing. FW
FaithWalker
02-07-2009, 09:12
The trail journal is finally caught up good, bad, or indifferent. The journals are very informational. The photos section has also been updated, now 200 available to view.
Have a great weekend :sun
The trail journal is finally caught up good, bad, or indifferent. The journals are very informational. The photos section has also been updated, now 200 available to view.
Have a great weekend :sun
I'd like to hear a summation of the Alabama section of the Pinhoti Trail from him. Did he like it? What did he think of the Longleaf Pine ecosystem and the lakes? The shelters? Overall impression.
minnesotasmith
02-08-2009, 17:48
I'd like to hear a summation of the Alabama section of the Pinhoti Trail from him. Did he like it? What did he think of the Longleaf Pine ecosystem and the lakes? The shelters? Overall impression.
Shelters still too few (esp. south of Cheaha, where essentially absent) but AL clubs getting much of that fixed fast in northern part of Pinhoti. First 3 sections of Pinhoti don't even have a trail club, according to my official guidebook. Well-made as a rule, with some quirks (see my but capacities mostly way too small and very subject to groups swarming them. Occasionally way too close to roads. No reason Pinhoti can't be moved north of AL 148 for last 10 miles before Bull Gap. No privies/designated BMing areas (excepting only Horn Mtn, and campgrounds). Tent sites around shelters hit or miss. Water often hard to come by south of Scott Lake and some other sections, with a few places water caches not bad idea for all but fastest hikers. Several very fishable-looking lakes, such as Scott and Pine Glen areas, plus some other sections. Only section really in same league as Georgia AT for challenge is Dugger and Oakley Mountain sections. Hills otherwise very short by even GA AT standards. Trail maintenance/construction quality quite variable, though almost always well-switchbacked. Blazing extremely variable in type/quality/frequency, but most of time little difficulty following trail. Views range from nice to nonexistent (like AT in duller parts of the South). Locals totally unaware the Pinhoti exists south of Bull Gap, including an adult Boy Scout leader living 1.5 blocks from it. Mr. Parkay's maps wonderful, even indispensable (but out of date after AL in some sections.) Horse (mainly) and probably ATV trespassing issues in some places. No hostels, though couple campgrounds can substitute for to varying degrees, depending in part on time of year. Best IMO to hike Pinhoti in winter/nonweekend/nonholiday (no bugs, water easiest to get, shelters emptiest where they exist).
I have written a far more detailed commentary on www.trailjournals.com (http://www.trailjournals.com/).
Jack Tarlin
02-09-2009, 15:33
When do you expect to be at Springer?