View Full Version : Class of 2005 is very Quiet?
Butch Cassidy
11-11-2004, 13:24
:-? No new post on the Class forum for 4 days. I have followed Whiteblaze,Trailjournals, and Trailplace for years. This year seems to have less activity than previous years. Is it because we are few in number, less excited, or already said it all? I know of about 10 people starting late Feb. early March, I'm sure there are a lot more. I would love to read more from our class to get a feel for who is out there with me. :cool: The Paladin
gravityman
11-11-2004, 15:20
It really seems like we are a quiet bunch! Hopefully not out there on the trail though!
Gravity and Danger Pee will be out there hiking on March 1. We are super excited! No idea how we are getting to the trail yet. The wife really wants to stay at the Lodge because we did that on our first attempt in 01 and it left a lasting impression. We are stoked to make friends!
Gravity
SalParadise
11-11-2004, 17:06
It must be too early yet for many people to start thinking of next spring. Everyone's probably still busy with homework or their jobs or whatever it is normal people do. But I bet the hiker numbers will be up next year; it was such a perfect season this year.
Magic City
11-11-2004, 17:07
I haven't been quiet, overall; I've been posting in several of the other areas on Whiteblaze, but I haven't posted recently in the 2005 area. I'm not sure why, but I guess it's because I've been busy with other things and haven't really come up with much new to add, as it might pertain to my 2005 hike, which I do still intend to begin.
i'm heading out april 2nd. i've had some e-mails from 3 others starting that weekend. 1 lives 45 mi. from here & we've meet twice to talk gear & plans. my gear is ready , except food i plan to mail drop , if it's paid for , i can't run out of cash , i want another pair of boots , o.t. just paid for them , i've been wanting to leave since the day i started to plan this last feb. & i check this every couple days when i get to borrow a computer, 142 days for me
Chickety
11-11-2004, 19:44
I'm excited alright, it's all I can think about right now, but to be able to hike in March.........I have to pay off my car........so that means nothing but WORK for me right now! work, work, work! (well, with a little hiking now and then)
Papa Razzi
11-11-2004, 23:58
Oh, I'm excited enough. But I didn't stumble across this site until a few days ago, hence my previous period of silence. Counting the days till March... I'll be heading out sometime after the ides.
hey CHICKETY , i used to live in w.franklin, n.h. still have friends there & hope to meet them in hanover.
is everybody doing the approach trail ? i've been asked.
also the last assault //day packs or back packs?
JimSproul
11-12-2004, 23:39
Hey Robo -
I hope to get a ride to forest service road 42 but since I plan a Feb 1 start that may be a problem so I may have to do the approach trail.
I climbed the approach trail three times in 2003. In the Spring you can see quite a bit through the trees. Other than the first mile it is not too hard. Just mostly UP.
I have family in the Manchester / Londonderry area. If I have time when I get to Hanover I may go see them. Altuough if the milage gods smile on me I might like to get in a little extra miles of the Long Trail while I am in the area.
I have not hiked or camped in New England since the mid 1970's. I seem to recall some brown hair in my reflection at that time! Hope to be able to score a nice cold bottle of Moxie somewhere up there.
See ya up the trail
sleeveless
11-12-2004, 23:54
Hi there all! I too live in NH Chickety but I have children older than you. I plan on a start around March 10. I am very excited and have not thought of much else since Feb. I am working on equiipment and clothing decisions now. When that is finalized I will start on the food issues. I have a big determination to get to Maine. Let's hope my feet and knees cooperate. I have started a journal on Trail Journals but it is pretty dull compared to some.
sleeveless
11-12-2004, 23:56
Robo, I forgot to say I plan on doing the approach trail also.
is everybody doing the approach trail ? Another New Hampshirite checking in. From Portsmouth. I'm planning on doing the Approach Trail. Want to walk under the stone arch. My plan is to start from Amicalola March 19 and be on Springer summit the morning of March 20. The vernal equinox is 7:34 the morning of March 20. Spring on Springer. Get it?
SalParadise
11-14-2004, 21:58
I'm thinking to leave Mid-March. Gotta leave early because I just get the feeling that next summer is going to be hot, hot, hot!
I plan to skip the Approach Trail next year. I see no reason whatsoever to hike miles that I don't have to.
Now I laugh at how new to hiking I was my first day on Springer last year. I remember someone telling me they had lost their bottle of alcohol, and for the longest time I couldn't figure why in the world anyone would hike all the way up Springer with a full bottle of booze.
Flash Hand
11-15-2004, 01:54
Another New Hampshirite checking in. From Portsmouth. I'm planning on doing the Approach Trail. Want to walk under the stone arch. My plan is to start from Amicalola March 19 and be on Springer summit the morning of March 20. The vernal equinox is 7:34 the morning of March 20. Spring on Springer. Get it?
We will hike on Approach Trail but few weeks before you.
Catch me if you can =)
Flash Hand :jump
Chickety
11-15-2004, 07:43
Yea NH!!
Frosty...........Spring on Springer is our plan too!
Me and my love, Neighbor dave :)
See ya there!
hey jim,
if you want me to drink moxie you'll need to bring a gun. i bought 1 thinking it was root beer //// big surprise ///
Yea NH!!
Frosty...........Spring on Springer is our plan too! :)
See ya there!Hey, Chickety! How ya doing? I finally finished the Monadnock Sunapee Greenway. May do it again as a series of day hikes before the weather gets too cold. Love that trail.
How are you getting to Springer? I was thinking of taking AMTRAK, spending a night in a hostel, then getting shuttled to Amicalola.
3/20/2005, 7:34 a.m. Be there or be square.
SalParadise
11-16-2004, 18:22
How are you getting to Springer? I was thinking of taking AMTRAK, spending a night in a hostel, then getting shuttled to Amicalola.
3/20/2005, 7:34 a.m. Be there or be square.[/QUOTE]
I was thinking of taking Amtrak this year, but problem was it was just as expensive as flying and you end up laid over in D.C. forever. Then again, trains are really cool. There are a few hostels that will pick you up at the airport/Amtrak terminal.
Sounds like a good date to leave, Frosty, just don't expect me to get up that early.
Chickety
11-16-2004, 19:09
Frosty -
No idea how we're getting there yet! Had one offer of someone to drive us............ guess we'll see as the time gets closer! Almost at the 4 month mark!! Yea!!
I was thinking of taking Amtrak this year, but problem was it was just as expensive as flying and you end up laid over in D.C. forever. Then again, trains are really cool. There are a few hostels that will pick you up at the airport/Amtrak terminal.Antrak typically isn't cheaper than flying, buyt Ilike it better. Fare is $107 from Boston to Gainesville. Leave 9:35 am Mar 17, arrive 7:30 am Mar 18. For another $113, I can get a sleeper from NYC to Gainesville. There is NOTHING better than sleeping on a train. I haven't made reservations yet, but am thinking about it. When the time gets closer, they may be a few hikers from New England without transportation so that we could chip in and rent a car one way. Flying is my last resort.
Sounds like a good date to leave, Frosty, just don't expect me to get up that early.I like to start early.I don't usually set an alarm (this may change on a thruhike), but if I wake up at 5:00 to pee, I like to just break camp and start walking. I have been known to sleep in until 7:30 or 8:00, but my preference is to start walking in the dark and watch the woods become light.
Totally Different Subject
11-16-2004, 23:13
Hey gang! Hope to meet you all next year. I am planning on beginning the last week of February. Still have not yet nailed down a specific date. My Mom would like to see me off from the Lodge. And I'd love to eat that buffet breakfast one more time.
I've been to Springer twice this year. Once from the Amicaola Falls (Approach Trail) and once from the Forest Service road. Guess which one was more pleasant???
Robo asked about hiking Mt. Katahdin with a day pack or his backpack. I climbed Mt. Katahdin in early September this year with a day pack. It worked out nicely. Without having 2000+ miles on my legs at that point hauling a 30 lb pack up Katahdin would have killed me. However, some thru-hikers aren't about to leave their backpack at the bottom while others are not so adament about not putting the last 11 miles on their pack.
You won't really need to decide until your there.
Regarding rides: I am sure if you post your requested itinerary at one of the forums, somebody will be able to help you out.
Best of luck....with the wait! See you all out there in 2005.
Totally Different Subject.
Totally Different Subject
11-16-2004, 23:19
Robo, you mentioned purchasing food for mail drops. There is a forum that deals with this topic specifically. Check it out and you will find that few thru-hikers actually send regular food/mail drops these days. In fact, there are only a handful of places on the AT where you couldn't resupply every 3-5 days.
The downsides are that you may not be able to always purchase the type of food you'd love.
However, I have talked to thru-hikers who have actually saved money eliminating postage and going the resupply on the trail mode. Also, what you are preparing to send now, may not be enough to keep you going 1,2 months into the hike.
Many thru-hikers who regularly receive mail drops wind up leaving alot of the food in hikers boxes.
Just some food for thought.
TDS.
SalParadise
11-16-2004, 23:27
Frosty, a tip I heard once about long-distance Amtrak trains is that typically they aren't fully booked, so very often once you get going you can ask the man if you can just move into one of the sleeper cars since there are some open. Most often it's no problem at all, though I suspect a good tip helps. Met someone once who did that all the time.
Man, I don't know if you've hiked sections of the AT yet or not, but there really is nothing more beautiful than the Trail in the early morning. All the colours are brighter from the dew, the birds are all out, and everyone else is still at the shelter so you have the whole morning to yourself. Then again, it's nice when someone starts hiking first, because then they can clear all the spider webs from between the trees for the rest of us.
it's nice when someone starts hiking first, because then they can clear all the spider webs from between the trees for the rest of us.Yeah, that would be me. I'm 6'5" and after I pass, no one worries aobut spider webs. I did part of the Florida Trail last year and the webs were so thick I had to walk with my hiking pole in front of me to clear them. The spiders were pretty damn big, too. Big yellow suckers. Ugh. Get the shakes just thinking about one of those falling down the back of my shirt.
Flash Hand
11-17-2004, 16:03
Yeah, that would be me. I'm 6'5" and after I pass, no one worries aobut spider webs. I did part of the Florida Trail last year and the webs were so thick I had to walk with my hiking pole in front of me to clear them. The spiders were pretty damn big, too. Big yellow suckers. Ugh. Get the shakes just thinking about one of those falling down the back of my shirt.
When someone hiked past me, a few minutes later, I'd say 30 minutes or so, theres still some more spider webs. I always wondered, how the hell did spiders can be able to jump from tree to tree across the trail even 1,000 times its size. Could be some kind of kanagroo breeded spiders?.
Flash Hand :jump
SalParadise
11-17-2004, 19:35
Yeah, that would be me. I'm 6'5" and after I pass, no one worries aobut spider webs. I did part of the Florida Trail last year and the webs were so thick I had to walk with my hiking pole in front of me to clear them. The spiders were pretty damn big, too. Big yellow suckers. Ugh. Get the shakes just thinking about one of those falling down the back of my shirt.
I'm 6'5", too, so even with people going ahead of me, I'd still get 'em in my face, but they were a very small bother. Don't think I ever had any spiders land on me, though. Had a black snake fall on me once, but never a spider.