View Full Version : zero day activities
saimyoji
10-22-2004, 21:04
What does everyone do on zero days, on or off the trail?
tlbj6142
10-22-2004, 21:53
Rest. Do laundry. Deal with mail drops (sending/receiving). Get food. Buy/repair gear. Rest. Go home for a wedding or your brother's graduation. Eat like a horse.
Zero days for me seem to be anything but restful. Get to the P.O.,resupply,fix and/or replace gear,shower, find fuel, wash clothes and of course eat my self sick. Usually stresses me out and I can't wait to hit the trail again. Now two zeros in a row, thats relaxing.
Lone Wolf
10-23-2004, 18:29
Beer, Bath, Buffet. In that order.
Sit on my ass and wish I was hiking.
Flash Hand
10-24-2004, 01:58
Beer, Bath, Buffet. In that order.
huh? no sex? strange....
Flash Hand :jump
Lone Wolf
10-24-2004, 09:42
Strange? Obviously you've done no long distance hiking on the AT. Blue-blazing is like masturbation. Everyone does it but no one admits to it. :)
This should probably be in the thru hiker forum, but...
I took no zero days (out of 48) last summer on the AT. But, I did take 3 neros and a couple of half days. Priorities usually include doing laundry and sitting on something soft watching TV and drinking beer. I don't have a TV at home, so this is a little odd.
One thing to think about for zero days is to actually take two of them. That is, walk or hitch into town by noon or so on the first day. Get clean, do laundry, call home. The next day lay around doing nothing. Except maybe eating, drinking, and resupplying. Remember not to act like an arse when you are in town, so take a shower and do laundry before you go into someone's business if at all possible. Don't bring your pack inside.
My favorite way to do a "zero" is to roll into town mid-day after half a days hiking (or a whole if you get up ass early), hang out all day and get your business done. Then hang out for half the following day and hit the trail in the mid afternoon. That way you only pay for one nights lodging, get a lot of opportunities to eat and have a whole 24 hours in town. Still feels relaxing since you're there for 2 days straight. Plus you get to walk back into the woods in the later afternoon/earl evening hours, my absolute favorite time to be hiking.
Tell me again why this thread is off topic and, for that matter, why it is useful to divide the two in the first place.
saimyoji
10-24-2004, 21:32
my first post and it looks like I'm in trouble already. I'm not a thru-hiker, so I didn't feel I should post it in that area. If you want it moved, ok by me. I've been hiking since I was a kid, but nothing real serious: a weekend here and there, mostly in Japan. I live in Allentown now and have been on the trail a few times. I've been learning alot from reading these forums and have become more serious about hiking as a result. I just wanted to ask what people do on their days off, thought it might be an interesting discussion.
orangebug
10-24-2004, 22:03
You are in no trouble. The Off Topic area is usually saved for threads involving religion, politics and other divisive topics.
If this was your first thread, you done good.
BTW, don't let the thru-hikers intimidate you. They know how to binge, but not how to be persistant and dedicated over the years to our sport. :bse
As a section hiker, I don't know what one does on a zero day. I've never had one. I've had late starts to check mail, resupply and do laundry. I've had early days to hit food and hostels. But I've not gotten to do a zero.
Bill...
Strange? Obviously you've done no long distance hiking on the AT. Blue-blazing is like masturbation. Everyone does it but no one admits to it. :)
Do not buy a used tent from this man! :D
minnesotasmith
10-25-2004, 10:44
:rolleyes: "Do not buy a used tent from this man!"
Or a used motorcycle, either... :-? :eek: :o
smokymtnsteve
10-25-2004, 10:55
Do not buy a used tent from this man! :D
maybe you should wash up after shaking hands? :D
Footslogger
10-25-2004, 10:57
Depends a great deal on where you are and why you're taking a zero in the first place. Example ...I took a zero (two in fact) in Glasgow, VA. I was sick as a dog and about the only activities, other than tons of bed-rest, was a walk to the library to check e-mail.
Other than being sick and absolutley needing some rest, one of my main reasons for taking zeroes or neroes was to break up the whole monotony of hiking. I was not interested in distant side-trips so I often used the time to walk around, window shop and talk to the locals. About the only real sight-seeing zeroes I took was in Gatlinburg. It's a pretty touristy town and I found it fun to check out the stores (and the outfitter) and just hang out.
'Slogger
AT 2003