View Full Version : Where are the SOBO/MEGA folks now?
Is there a MEGA "bubble"? Anyone know where they may be now?
warraghiyagey
08-30-2009, 17:56
Hiking south. . .
Hiking south. . .
. . . oh . . . http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/smiley-sad030.gif
buff_jeff
08-30-2009, 20:11
I passed a bunch on my last section. I'd say a lot of them are in the CT-NJ range right now.
wcgornto
08-30-2009, 22:01
Is there a MEGA "bubble"? Anyone know where they may be now?
I am in Vernon, NJ. Doing 20's and moving quickly.
I estimate that there are no more than two to three dozen ahead of me. I was about #85 when I started, but there has been a lot of attrition.
I don't know how many are behind me, but I started June 14 and I believe that July 1 is a bigger SOBO start date than mid-June.
My journal is on postholer.com for anyone who is interested in reading such things and my trail name is Wanderlust.
truthisnature
08-30-2009, 22:05
On Saturday, August 29th I met a sobo thru hiker with his dog at Caledonia. Said he started like June 2nd or 3rd.
I passed a bunch on my last section. I'd say a lot of them are in the CT-NJ range right now.
That's what I was afraid of. Bummer. Guess I will gave to use a different name when I head out soon. :)
I'm a Sobo this year and I was the 11th to sign in at Harpers on the 28th. There were 8 of us to sign in on that day. I guess that would be the SOBO bubble. My buddy and I are taking 2 zeros in D.C. before we continue hiking. (less than 1000 to do now)
For a rough comparison to last year (and I suspect most years, as it seems reasonable to think that in 1160-odd miles pace variations will mostly wash out), I was right around the twenty-hiker mark last year on September 2 (either #19 or #21, can't remember which) when two of us passed through, with another couple two days or so behind us.
We host 1 or 2 southbounders every night from about July 15th through the first week of September here in Manchester Center, VT.
I'm near Bear Mt, NY at the moment, there is a loose mob of us, maybe 10 or 15 spread out over 100 miles, a few more actual small groups of young guys meandering behind (if they are still on the trail!)... ah, the pleasures of Southbounding; empty shelters, not having to justify why you aren't running with the pack to Katahdin, abundant wildlife now the trail is quieter... it all feels dead flat after Maine & NH!:eek:
SonrisaJo
09-01-2009, 13:49
There are 9 of us right around Great Barrington and a few are a couple of days ahead of us.
-Someday & Hungry Creepster
Wrangler88
09-01-2009, 16:27
Any southbounders met/seen two guys named Chris and Kirtley? They're both about mid twenties. Ones from Memphis, the other Mississippi. They were hiking together last time I talked to them. I hiked with them through the 100 mile wilderness. Was just wondering if they were still on the trail or how they were doing.
modiyooch
09-01-2009, 16:35
I hiked in 4 different states July 23-Aug 18 and jumped around nh, me, ma, nh,vt,ma. Anyway, during that time I ran into sobos frequently whether I was at the Kennebec or Tyringham, MA
Any southbounders met/seen two guys named Chris and Kirtley? They're both about mid twenties. Ones from Memphis, the other Mississippi. They were hiking together last time I talked to them. I hiked with them through the 100 mile wilderness. Was just wondering if they were still on the trail or how they were doing.
Kirtley (Trailname= Boss) is in Vermont and going strong. Here is a picture of him:
http://www.trailjournals.com/photos.cfm?id=483255
There are 9 of us right around Great Barrington and a few are a couple of days ahead of us.
-Someday & Hungry Creepster
Hey Someday,
Glad to see you're in Mass. Enjoyed your visit to Green Mountain House.
Wrangler88
09-01-2009, 19:00
Kirtley (Trailname= Boss) is in Vermont and going strong. Here is a picture of him:
http://www.trailjournals.com/photos.cfm?id=483255
Yep, that's him!
Glad to here he's doing great. That's awesome.
vipahman
09-06-2009, 21:06
Saw Creepster, Genius, Peeps in CT.
Jack Tarlin
09-06-2009, 21:16
Been a few SOBO's still heading thru Hanover recently, and quite a few people that have flipped and are now heading South, in fact we have one at the house tonight (Yes, Virginia, we do take in Southbounders!).
And plenty of folks still streaming North, tho it should get very quiet here in about a week or so. It takes most folks 34-39 days to finish from Hanover, so time is starting to get a bit tight for those wanting to finish by 15 October.
I was going SOBO in NY today - just out for a couple of days - and some lady asked if we were thru-hikers. I turned to my brother and said, 'wow, do we stink that bad already?' :)
rambunny
09-09-2009, 15:55
We have our 1st SOBO this Friday-he left Maine in May- Strider-Happy Hiker Hollow-A full service hiker home in Atkins Va.
wcgornto
09-21-2009, 15:22
I signed in today in Harpers Ferry. I am number 50. Eleven who signed in ahead of me had start dates later than me. So, I think there are still another 50 or more behind me. Just a guess.
My friend and her boyfriend left Katahdin 14 days ago, headed south
Ghosthiker
10-04-2009, 19:38
I met a hiker climbing out of Dicks Creek, today. He said he left Katadin in May. Name was Lone Gun Five. The way he was headed up to Powell Mountain, he seemed to have his trail legs. He was moving along.
warraghiyagey
10-04-2009, 19:40
Anyone seen 'Lucky' a big red-haired irish dude we met in Maine this summer? He should be in Virginia by now. . .
Father Dragon
10-04-2009, 19:44
I met a SOBO named Chew Chew(i think that was his name) near Mcafee's Knob on Friday. He said he started in July.
blackyjones
10-08-2009, 15:11
im in damascus at the moment and in the middle of a bubble of about 25 or so of us. atleast 10 within 5 days ahead of me, over 10 within 4 days behind me, im thinking its probably the biggest bubble at the moment.
My friend and her boyfriend left Katahdin 14 days ago, headed south
They just took a day off at Franconia Notch. Looks like they got nailed with a pretty good snow storm recently going thru the Whites. Still plugging.
Walking Thunderbird
10-14-2009, 14:30
Re: Rambunny
Thunderbird here. Made it to Springer yesterday (in 75 days!, started July 31). Spent the last night at the same shelter as Strider, who left at 5:30am and finished about half an hour ahead of me (I ran into he and his dad coming down from Springer). We both signed in at Amicacola, and we were numbers 4 and 5 to sign in that had started this year. There's another SOBO not far behind us, but I think most of them are still a ways away.
Can't believe it's over. It was an amazing ride.
Thunderbird -- SOBO '09
tndrfoot
10-18-2009, 17:19
i was on roan this weekend and seen 5 sobo it was like 0-20degF with the winds over big hump and sobo guys had no gloves no pants i told him be careful i think he thought i was full of it but his eyes got big when i got a drink an i had to break the ice in my water to get a drink
Quite a few in Damascus this weekend.
rambunny
10-19-2009, 14:26
We had 9 last week here at Happy Hiker Hollow full service hiker home.
modiyooch
10-19-2009, 19:42
We had 9 last week here at Happy Hiker Hollow full service hiker home.
have you seen tiger or the two aussies?
Brass Rat
10-20-2009, 10:35
I met 2 SOBO's at Wayah Bald on Saturday. They told me there were 6 SOBO's ahead of them.
wcgornto
10-25-2009, 15:53
have you seen tiger or the two aussies?
I am at Happy Hiker Hollow today (Octoner 25th). Tiger and the Aussies are 5 to 7 days ahead of me.