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dr magooo
02-19-2009, 16:20
I have been reading a few articles as im considering doing a through hike either in july southbound this year or next year northbound and most of them mention staying in hostels at some times on the trail.
I would have thought that this defeats the object of doing a thru-hike, to get away from society for a while, living in the wild.
It seems that by staying in a tent or a shelter on the trail lots of money could be saved that would be spent in towns.

Is staying in town sometimes necessary?

MOWGLI
02-19-2009, 16:25
Is staying in town sometimes necessary?

Hardly. It can be fun though. And sociable. And re-energize your spirit. Especially after several days of bad weather and/or bugs. But it is hardly needed. If a long hike required lots of town stays, we'd probably still be looking for the first CDT thru-hiker. It has become the norm on the AT, but not out of necessity.

Good luck!

fiddlehead
02-19-2009, 16:26
Sure it is necessary.
One of the big things about walking 10 hours a day, 6 days a week, is how much you sweat and how bad you need a shower. And a laundry. And a high protein, filling meal.

It's not the bed that you need, it's not that you aren't getting a good night's sleep, or need to see other people, It's the smell, and clamminess, and empty feeling in your stomach that makes you crave town.

Sly
02-19-2009, 16:29
I would have thought that this defeats the object of doing a thru-hike, to get away from society for a while, living in the wild.


Since the AT has tons of people and crosses a road every few miles, it's not really living in the wild. Like FH says you need to get clean some time, and washing your clothes and bathing in springs or creeks doesn't cut it.

Lone Wolf
02-19-2009, 16:32
I have been reading a few articles as im considering doing a through hike either in july southbound this year or next year northbound and most of them mention staying in hostels at some times on the trail.
I would have thought that this defeats the object of doing a thru-hike, to get away from society for a while, living in the wild.
It seems that by staying in a tent or a shelter on the trail lots of money could be saved that would be spent in towns.

Is staying in town sometimes necessary?

hostels are usually crowded and a little dirty. the last thing you wanna do on a day off is spend it crammed in with a bunch of other hikers. get a motel room by yourself. you'll wanna do this omce in awhile. you'll see

Slo-go'en
02-19-2009, 16:34
You don't NEED to stay in town or a hostel, but you need visit them to resupply, wash, ect. And once your at a hostel or in a town, the tempation to spend the night is great. Overwhelming in fact. The main object of a thru hike is simply to walk from here to there. Hostels and towns make that feat possible. Or at least a whole lot easier!

Sly
02-19-2009, 16:35
Hostels a little dirty? Not compared to how you arrive. I thought hostels were OK my 1st hike, and especially if you're trying to save money and don't have a partner, but I agree, motels are better.

MOWGLI
02-19-2009, 16:38
You don't NEED to stay in town or a hostel, but you need visit them to resupply, wash, ect. And once your at a hostel or in a town, the tempation to spend the night is great. Overwhelming in fact. The main object of a thru hike is simply to walk from here to there. Hostels and towns make that feat possible. Or at least a whole lot easier!

That's what I was trying to say.

Frick Frack
02-19-2009, 16:39
You will not need a town or hostel stay but you want one. Everyone hikes for different reasons but part of the hike for my wife and I was visiting the towns (and cold beer, warm food, laundry machines, hot showers). You are still on foot & exploring so whats the big deal?

Lone Wolf
02-19-2009, 16:42
Hostels a little dirty? Not compared to how you arrive.

i was being nice. they usually stink like hell with 15 hikers and their stinky gear crammed in a room

Frick Frack
02-19-2009, 16:42
Hostels a little dirty? Not compared to how you arrive. I thought hostels were OK my 1st hike, and especially if you're trying to save money and don't have a partner, but I agree, motels are better.

My wife & I were fortunate because motels were almost as cheap as hostels for the two of us. Hostels are more of a genuine experience but generally we preferred the privacy & cleanliness of a hotel.

Lone Wolf
02-19-2009, 16:44
i was being nice. they usually stink like hell with 15 hikers and their stinky gear crammed in a room

especially hostels that aren't staffed with a caretaker like The Place. hikers at times live like friggin animals in that place

dr magooo
02-19-2009, 16:44
Im suprised at how many responses i received in such short time. Impressive forum.
When i do my hike, i intend to stay on the trail for 99.9999% of the time and not spend any nights in hostels or motels. Two reasons for this being that im going to be doing it on a tight budget, and i want to experience what it is like to live outside of society for half a year, to see if my perspective on things change.

I would feel like i was cheating if i stayed in a motel or a hostel.

Lone Wolf
02-19-2009, 16:46
Im suprised at how many responses i received in such short time. Impressive forum.
When i do my hike, i intend to stay on the trail for 99.9999% of the time and not spend any nights in hostels or motels. Two reasons for this being that im going to be doing it on a tight budget, and i want to experience what it is like to live outside of society for half a year, to see if my perspective on things change.

I would feel like i was cheating if i stayed in a motel or a hostel.

cool. do it your way

Ender
02-19-2009, 16:47
I would feel like i was cheating if i stayed in a motel or a hostel.

There is no such thing as cheating when it comes to hiking. Do whatever makes you happy... and if that's staying in the woods every single night, then do that! :)

Frick Frack
02-19-2009, 16:54
Without town stays and all the food & beer I would have withered away to the size of the Geico lizard and would have never been seen again...&/or the wife would have divorced me.....

Ox97GaMe
02-19-2009, 17:09
You are likely going to need to stay in towns, especially early in your hike. There is a lot to do in town to prep for your next week in the woods; laundry, shower, good meal, mail drops?, groceries. All this could take anywhere from 4-6 hrs out of your day. And then there is the time to hitch in and out of town. Sometimes, you are able to find campsites that are within an hour hike of the road to town, but that is not always the case. By the end of my hike, I was getting to where a town stop could be limited to just over 2 hrs. I wasnt required to stay in town at that point, but they were good to just take a 0 day and rest my feet. :)

Rockhound
02-19-2009, 17:15
Im suprised at how many responses i received in such short time. Impressive forum.
When i do my hike, i intend to stay on the trail for 99.9999% of the time and not spend any nights in hostels or motels. Two reasons for this being that im going to be doing it on a tight budget, and i want to experience what it is like to live outside of society for half a year, to see if my perspective on things change.

I would feel like i was cheating if i stayed in a motel or a hostel.
If you want to live outside society the AT aint the place. The 2 years prior to me hiking in 07' I saw maybe 3 or 4 people on an average day. I saw a hell of a lot more than that on the trail. There is an other thread on here that even talks about the social aspect of the AT. Also you will want to shower and do laundry occasionally. Spending $15 or $20 every week or two to stay in a hostel that provides these services is not cheating. HYOH but I would have to say if you don't stay in a few hostels during your hike you are cheating yourself out of part of the trail experience.

Slo-go'en
02-19-2009, 17:26
When i do my hike, i intend to stay on the trail for 99.9999% of the time and not spend any nights in hostels or motels.

Thats easy to say from the comfert of your own home. And your not the only one to have said that. But I wonder how many who said that actually do once the reality of the trail sets in. :-?

Rockhound
02-19-2009, 17:30
Thats easy to say from the comfert of your own home. And your not the only one to have said that. But I wonder how many who said that actually do once the reality of the trail sets in. :-?
I'm sure Shaffer and Espy even enjoyed a warm bed, shower and home cooked meal on occasion. No "hostels" when they hiked but I'm sure they ran into some hospitality from time to time.

Rockhound
02-19-2009, 17:32
I'm givin' 3 to 1 odds that this kid takes a bunk at Mountain Crossings. Any takers?

dr magooo
02-19-2009, 17:33
If you want to live outside society the AT aint the place. The 2 years prior to me hiking in 07' I saw maybe 3 or 4 people on an average day. I saw a hell of a lot more than that on the trail. There is an other thread on here that even talks about the social aspect of the AT. Also you will want to shower and do laundry occasionally. Spending $15 or $20 every week or two to stay in a hostel that provides these services is not cheating. HYOH but I would have to say if you don't stay in a few hostels during your hike you are cheating yourself out of part of the trail experience.

didnt realy think of it that way to be honest, i guess the social experience of the trail would be good too, sharing stories with other hikers, and staying clean would also be nice.
Especially as im really planning on heading southbound, i guess most of me just wants to use this time to contemplate whether i am built for a 9 til 5 life or if hiking around the world and getting small jobs to pay my way is the best option.:-?

I guess i wont really get my answer until i start the trail.

Lone Wolf
02-19-2009, 17:33
I'm givin' 3 to 1 odds that this kid takes a bunk at Mountain Crossings. Any takers?

hell no! talk about cramped and smelly

Lone Wolf
02-19-2009, 17:36
didnt realy think of it that way to be honest, i guess the social experience of the trail would be good too, sharing stories with other hikers, and staying clean would also be nice.
Especially as im really planning on heading southbound, i guess most of me just wants to use this time to contemplate whether i am built for a 9 til 5 life or if hiking around the world and getting small jobs to pay my way is the best option.:-?

I guess i wont really get my answer until i start the trail.

if anything a SOBO hike teaches you toughness. there ain't a hostel and outfitter every 30-50 miles to pamper you

garlic08
02-19-2009, 17:36
I have met and greatly respect hikers who never sleep under a roof on a 2000+ mile hike. They spend that six hours in town getting cleaned up and supplied, then head back out on the trail. They even refuse offers of free lodging, just on principle.

I didn't meet anyone on the AT or CDT doing that, but I met two married couples on the PCT with that goal, and they were successful. I don't have the moral strength or conviction to do it. I enjoy sleeping in a clean dry room once in a while, and I budget for it.

Blue Wolf
02-19-2009, 17:36
I give it maybe 10 days he will be somewhere in a hostel or a motel.......

Sly
02-19-2009, 17:45
if anything a SOBO hike teaches you toughness. there ain't a hostel and outfitter every 30-50 miles to pamper you

You're right, the hostels are every 30-60 miles. :D

Rockhound
02-19-2009, 17:45
South bound would be less crowded and I was only kidding about placing odds about you staying in a hostel but somehow I feel you'll stay in more than one. On a tight budget there are 3 I would not miss. Back Home Again Cafe in Rutland. They welcome work for stays and I think they even prefer it over the $15 or $20 suggested donation. The Catholic Church hostel in Pearisburg VA. and Kincora at Dennis cove rd. near Hampton TN. Both are run on donations. Give em' at least $5 more if you can.

dr magooo
02-19-2009, 17:46
well ive started my preparations and hopefully can summon up enough cash to start a SOBO thru-hike in early july.
I really want to try and do it without the influence of society too much, as garlic said, just stopping in towns to resupply and clean.
If i can do this then i firmly believe i can do anything, and my next target would be to do the PCT, CDT, and the AT one after another.

I know i may sound like a kid with wild dreams, amongst a forum of experienced hikers. But it is people with dreams and the courage to complete them that have changed this world.

The 4 minute mile was "impossible" a while ago, then when the first person did it, a flurry of people also did it too. It shows that it is our mental attitude that holds us back, not our physical capabilitys.

I just hope and believe that i have the mental capacity to complete this hike and move on to the next adventure.

Lone Wolf
02-19-2009, 17:49
well ive started my preparations and hopefully can summon up enough cash to start a SOBO thru-hike in early july.
I really want to try and do it without the influence of society too much, as garlic said, just stopping in towns to resupply and clean.
If i can do this then i firmly believe i can do anything, and my next target would be to do the PCT, CDT, and the AT one after another.

I know i may sound like a kid with wild dreams, amongst a forum of experienced hikers. But it is people with dreams and the courage to complete them that have changed this world.

The 4 minute mile was "impossible" a while ago, then when the first person did it, a flurry of people also did it too. It shows that it is our mental attitude that holds us back, not our physical capabilitys.

I just hope and believe that i have the mental capacity to complete this hike and move on to the next adventure.
it's just walkin'. not gettin' tired of the same thing day in, day out is the hard part

Ender
02-19-2009, 17:50
I really want to try and do it without the influence of society too much, as garlic said, just stopping in towns to resupply and clean.
If i can do this then i firmly believe i can do anything, and my next target would be to do the PCT, CDT, and the AT one after another.

You know, if the solitude is that important to you, you should really consider doing the PCT first. It's really no harder to plan for, and towns/hostels are fewer and farther. There is no reason at all you have to start with the AT.

Sly
02-19-2009, 17:52
You know, if the solitude is that important to you, you should really consider doing the PCT first. It's really no harder to plan for, and towns/hostels are fewer and farther. There is no reason at all you have to start with the AT.

PCT southbound or CDT either way.

dr magooo
02-19-2009, 18:09
The thing is ive wanted to do the AT for a while now, and changing plans to do one of the other trails first is not something i want to do.
Im not against meeting people and the social aspect, just not in towns at hostels.
Im hoping that this will be the best experience of my life so far.

Ender
02-19-2009, 18:15
The thing is ive wanted to do the AT for a while now, and changing plans to do one of the other trails first is not something i want to do.
Im not against meeting people and the social aspect, just not in towns at hostels.
Im hoping that this will be the best experience of my life so far.

It will be one of the best experiences of your life, or at the very least one of the most memorable.

One thing about towns... you start hiking with a bunch of people you really like, they are going to want to pull into town and stop for a day, or two. And unless you don't want to end up way ahead of them, you'll have to stop as well.

Of course, if you don't mind jumping from group to group, that's not really a concern.

Either way, just enjoy the trip... it's only walking after all.

Doxie
02-20-2009, 17:42
I enjoyed my hike immensely...but my biggest regret is skipping some of the towns. We only stayed in about half the towns everyone else did because we were trying to get done around Labor Day to get back to our jobs. We passed up most of our friends, many of them we left in Hot Springs and never saw them again. We luckily summited with two of the best friends we had made on the trail, but there are so many people I would have loved to have gotten to share that with--some of which were only a week or so behind us. If I had it to do over I would have given myself another month to finish for that reason. We missed out on meeting some really great people altogether because we passed them up while they were in town.

For the towns we did stay in, we didn't really care about sleeping in a bed. Once you're used to your sleeping gear, a bed isn't all that great. But I agree with an earlier post, sometimes it's really hard to hike to the road, get a hitch into town, do laundry, take a shower, resupply, hitch back, and get to a camp spot in one day. And in some towns it's hard to find a shower and/or laundry without stay--or it ends up costing just as much as if you did stay. You can stay dirty to save money in that case, but when the sweat crystals start poking you in the back and your dirty socks start standing on their own and giving you blisters, that will be hard to do. If that's your goal, good luck to you, but it's going to be logistically difficult in some towns. And no one, NO ONE, would say that staying in a hostel a couple of times is cheating. Good luck :sun

jersey joe
02-20-2009, 18:27
You can certainly minimize the number of nights that you spend in towns by hiking in and hiking out...I just went to trailjournals to see exactly how many nights I spent in the woods on my thru hike. I forgot that they have a stats page that summarizes the info...
Number of nights in a Shelter85Number of nights in a Tent15Number of nights in a Hammock0Number of nights Under the Stars0Number of nights in a Hotel4Number of nights in a Hostel3Number of nights in a House4

Spirit Walker
02-20-2009, 18:41
One thing you may not appreciate now is how HUNGRY you get when hiking long distances. After about 2 weeks, the hiker hunger kicks in and you becomes starved for food that is different from what you are carrying in your pack. You want orange juice and salad and meat and ice cream and pizza and . . .

A quick in and out of town doesn't really satisfy the starving rat within you.

As others have said, it is also really nice to take a break from hiking all day every day and do something different. A movie, a rafting trip, a visit to DC or New York, a day of doing nothing - can keep you moving up the trail. If you take your day off on the trail, you end up not feeling like it's a real break.

Plus you do get awfully stinky if you don't get clean. It's not fair to use a hostel's facilities and not pay the fee to stay there.

Blue Jay
02-20-2009, 18:49
especially hostels that aren't staffed with a caretaker like The Place. hikers at times live like friggin animals in that place

Yes, but it's worth putting up with 15 stinky hikers and their gear because the Caretaker is just so damn handsome at The Place.

Nearly Normal
02-20-2009, 18:58
Im suprised at how many responses i received in such short time. Impressive forum.
When i do my hike, i intend to stay on the trail for 99.9999% of the time and not spend any nights in hostels or motels. Two reasons for this being that im going to be doing it on a tight budget, and i want to experience what it is like to live outside of society for half a year, to see if my perspective on things change.

I would feel like i was cheating if i stayed in a motel or a hostel.

I would say you plan to hike your own hike.
You might set a trend.
Change your hike if and when it suits you.

Dogwood
02-20-2009, 21:12
I have been reading a few articles as im considering doing a through hike either in july southbound this year or next year northbound and most of them mention staying in hostels at some times on the trail.
I would have thought that this defeats the object of doing a thru-hike, to get away from society for a while, living in the wild.
It seems that by staying in a tent or a shelter on the trail lots of money could be saved that would be spent in towns.

Is staying in town sometimes necessary?

If you decide to stay in town fine, but is it always necessary NO. Towns tend to suck a hiker into the vortex. Depends on the situation. Also, depends on what you are willing to do to avoid staying in town. After about five(5) months on the PCT and other trails last yr. I stayed in a hotel or hostel exactly 4 times.

Dogwood
02-20-2009, 21:43
...I really want to try and do it without the influence of society too much, as garlic said, just stopping in towns to resupply and clean.
If i can do this then i firmly believe i can do anything, and my next target would be to do the PCT, CDT, and the AT one after another.....

I know i may sound like a kid with wild dreams, amongst a forum of experienced hikers. But it is people with dreams and the courage to complete them that have changed this world.

The 4 minute mile was "impossible" a while ago, then when the first person did it, a flurry of people also did it too. It shows that it is our mental attitude that holds us back, not our physical capabilitys.

I just hope and believe that i have the mental capacity to complete this hike and move on to the next adventure.


All good affirmations and what may be the start of concrete actions, but slow down Kimosabe. Take it one trail at a time. Still got 5,000,000 million or so steps on the AT to take first and you have not yet gotten past the first physical step. Absolutely, the right mental attitude can very often overcome physical conditions. You can look at successful thru-hikers like Bill Erwin and many others who have done exactly that, but make no mistake completing a thru-hike also entails a physical aspect. By Erwin's own accounts he said he fell more than 2000 times. He had the mental will to keep getting back up, but anyone of those falls might have resulted in him being physically injured to the extent that he couldn't continue.

I truely admire your goals, but also recall that it is often a journey to achieve a goal. And sometimes the journey becomes larger than the goal itself. Enjoy the journey! I wish you All the Best!

Lilred
02-22-2009, 10:28
There are some places that are just a 'don't miss' in my opinion. Elmer's in Hot Springs comes to mind. Standing Bear is another.

Lone Wolf
02-22-2009, 10:29
elmer's ain't a hostel

Lilred
02-22-2009, 19:19
elmer's ain't a hostel

No, I don't suppose it is. But it is for hikers and it is relatively inexpensive. I'm glad I got to stay there. It's one of my favorite places on the trail, so far....

Rockhound
02-22-2009, 19:27
Had a good time at Elmers too but went to the Smokey Mt. Diner to eat. Rose petals and alfalfa sprouts didn't quite cut it for me.

Lilred
02-22-2009, 19:34
Had a good time at Elmers too but went to the Smokey Mt. Diner to eat. Rose petals and alfalfa sprouts didn't quite cut it for me.

The food we had that night at Elmer's was excellent. I was leary at first too, but I'm glad I stayed. Gourmet vegetarian. It was delicious!! Also ate at the diner and it was good too.

Rockhound
02-22-2009, 19:38
Not sayin' it was bad. just not my cup-o-tea. And actually I did eat breakfast there. Good pancakes.

Lone Wolf
02-22-2009, 19:41
No, I don't suppose it is. But it is for hikers and it is relatively inexpensive. I'm glad I got to stay there. It's one of my favorite places on the trail, so far....

between 1986 and 2000 i stayed there over 60 nights

Sly
02-22-2009, 19:45
I'm givin' 3 to 1 odds that this kid takes a bunk at Mountain Crossings. Any takers?


hell no! talk about cramped and smelly

I stayed the other night and thought it was a great little hostel. It's been recently remodeled with a new tile bath room. Pirate, with vacuum cleaner and can of Oust in hand, was the perfect host and kept the place spotless.

Rockhound
02-22-2009, 19:45
between 1986 and 2000 i stayed there over 60 nights
Well I guess Elmers' is not a hostel then because we all know Lone Wolf does not stay at hostels. There all cramped and crowded and smelly and dirty......

Lone Wolf
02-22-2009, 19:46
Well I guess Elmers' is not a hostel then because we all know Lone Wolf does not stay at hostels. There all cramped and crowded and smelly and dirty......

yup. they are and you know it

warren doyle
02-23-2009, 13:51
There is neither a need to stay overnight (inside) in town nor to pay for overnight lodging the entire distance.

Rockhound
02-24-2009, 09:32
except when you reach Duncannon

Lone Wolf
02-24-2009, 10:16
except when you reach Duncannon

what's in duncannon? a smelly bar and hotel?

Rockhound
02-24-2009, 10:25
what's in duncannon? a smelly bar and hotel?
No! Trail angel Marys' place. How could you intuit I was referring to anything else?

Lone Wolf
02-24-2009, 10:30
intuit? her place ain't a hostel

Tin Man
02-24-2009, 10:38
Without town stays and all the food & beer I would have withered away to the size of the Geico lizard and would have never been seen again...

getting lots of nutrition/calories is probably the most important reason to stay in or near town. it would be very difficult to carry all you need to gorge on to keep your muscles fed proper.

DavidNH
02-24-2009, 11:50
Dr Magoo,

Necessary or unnecessary? we could debate that for ever. But i can almost guarentee that you WILL stay in towns and hostels are the cheapest places to stay.

First off..you have to go in town to re supply on food and to do laundry.

you NEED rest days. the body takes a beating hiking six days a week 15-20+ miles per day. the rest will revive you and make your hike so much more enjoyable.

You are apparently from Portsmouth, UK. Is that right? The AT is a MUCH harder trail than anything you will find over there. I am willing to lay odds that you won't make it out of Georgia without staying at a hostel!

David

Jack Tarlin
02-24-2009, 20:16
I must concur with an earlier poster who firmly staed that there's no need to stay in town or pay for lodging when you're on a thru-hike.

This is certainly true.

And it sure is much easier if one has a convenient support van waiting for you at the end of each day. :rolleyes:

Truth is, tho, most folks who are actually backpacking the Trail feel the need to take some real *&* and get under a roof every now and then, and there's nothing wrong with this, but I suppose folks carrying a fannypack or less don't get as tired as other hikers do, plus, who needs stuff in town when you have your own personal driver at your disposal?

In any case, most folks will want to pay for lodging at some point on their trips, and are perfectly happy to do so.

Jack Tarlin
02-24-2009, 20:17
Dunno what the asterisks are for in the above post or how they got there. I was attempting to write the abbreviation for "Rest and Recreation".

Sly
02-24-2009, 20:26
Dunno what the asterisks are for in the above post or how they got there. I was attempting to write the abbreviation for "Rest and Recreation".

Seems as though some capital letters have been censored for whatever reason. I think it's Dogwood's fault for always using capital *, and capital *. :p

wow, that's absurd lowercase "you" and lowercase "are" are also filtered. Maybe an admin can chime in. No texting?

maxNcathy
02-24-2009, 21:30
For a month's hike I will sleep:

5 nights in a shelter
3 nights in a hostel
4 nights in a motel
18 nights in my tent

Approximately,

Sandalwood

Dogwood
02-25-2009, 20:24
Seems as though some capital letters have been censored for whatever reason. I think it's Dogwood's fault for always using capital *, and capital *. :p

wow, that's absurd lowercase "you" and lowercase "are" are also filtered. Maybe an admin can chime in. No texting?

Sure, blame it on me. I once voted Republican. Republicans are blamed for everything else these days. Don't you know?; everything wrong is there fault. The country is in the process of being turned upside down. If some capitals are being censored I assure you that shoulnd't be your greatest concern.

SGT Rock
02-25-2009, 20:27
Seems as though some capital letters have been censored for whatever reason. I think it's Dogwood's fault for always using capital *, and capital *. :p

wow, that's absurd lowercase "you" and lowercase "are" are also filtered. Maybe an admin can chime in. No texting?
Got tired of reading posts like this:

"* * going to love it when * get to mtn xing dude."

It's a freaking board not a text message on a phone. Stop being that lazy.

The Weasel
02-25-2009, 23:42
Got tired of reading posts like this:

"* * going to love it when * get to mtn xing dude."

It's a freaking board not a text message on a phone. Stop being that lazy.

You left a comma out after "board." "Phone" should be "telephone." Rock, I am appalled at how lazy you've become! (Teasing back, Ern!):banana