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cleanshave
03-31-2011, 10:37
I spend at least a half an hour managing email everyday. I wont be able to do that from the trail. So I spent most of the morning tracking down and shutting off email notifications for everything from Meetup.com, Google Alerts and Yahoo Groups.

I haven't heard anyone else really talking about this or how they plan on managing email from the trail.

My inbox is a monster and needs constant pruning. I'm hoping the changes I made today will limit that to a large extent.

Looking for any hints or tips that other people have used.

d.o.c
03-31-2011, 11:08
blow up your computer...

WingedMonkey
03-31-2011, 11:15
Set up an on trail only email account. How many people really need to reach you?

10-K
03-31-2011, 11:16
I work remotely 3 weeks out of the month and own an internet related company so email is critical.

What I have done is allow my office manager to check and answer my email when I'm hiking, leaving anything that only I can handle in my inbox.

Then, when I am at a hostel or hotel I check my email and deal with what's there.

So.... my suggestion would be to get someone to check your email for you and prune out the garbage, non-essentials and other things that don't need your intervention leaving only those that do in your inbox.

Montana Mac
03-31-2011, 11:17
I carried a Blackberry Storm and used it for email, sending pictures and updating my Trail Journals. Most places I had good coverage.

DripDry
03-31-2011, 11:18
+1 on setting up a separate account. Use rules to forward anything you really need to see from other accounts.

Blissful
03-31-2011, 12:57
You're doing the right thing shutting off e-mails. You can also put a vacation alert on your e-mail that will go to the sender. Not much you can do about Spam, just delete when you get to town. Another option is to have a trusty homebound person manage your e-mail for you.

kyhiker610
03-31-2011, 13:35
the people who manage emails in town should also keep in mind that there are other hikers just wanting five minutes to check their own email, say hello to their families and update blogs.

i got blocked out of using a computer in franklin, nc last year because another hiker was "working" for over 2 hours on the one and only computer.

Sly
03-31-2011, 15:18
the people who manage emails in town should also keep in mind that there are other hikers just wanting five minutes to check their own email, say hello to their families and update blogs.

i got blocked out of using a computer in franklin, nc last year because another hiker was "working" for over 2 hours on the one and only computer.

That's just rude. While 5 minutes isn't normally enough, you should only have 15-30 minutes with people waiting.

One possibility of maintaining your email (without a device) is having a USB thumb drive with Thunderbird and download it all. Of course, having a free web email like Gmail without limitations is also convenient.

myotheralt
04-01-2011, 22:31
I am going to be taking some classes (my funding is dependent on maintaining student status), so I will have to work for a couple hours each town visit. My solution is to bring my computer (gasp! the weight!!). But I will also be doing some field project stuff and cant really wait until I get back home to visualize the datas I am collecting on the way. For my internet, I am bringing my phone and using its internet.

I will be updating my blog, clearing my emails, catching up on my reddits (http://reddit.com/r/motorcycles+campingandhiking+photography+penpals+g uns), amd probably a little facebook. Oh, yeah, I would also have to turn in some homework.

myotheralt
04-01-2011, 22:35
I am going to be taking some classes (my funding is dependent on maintaining student status), so I will have to work for a couple hours each town visit. My solution is to bring my computer (gasp! the weight!!). But I will also be doing some field project stuff and cant really wait until I get back home to visualize the datas I am collecting on the way. For my internet, I am bringing my phone and using its internet.

I will be updating my blog, clearing my emails, catching up on my reddits (http://reddit.com/r/motorcycles+campingandhiking+photography+penpals+g uns), amd probably a little facebook. Oh, yeah, I would also have to turn in some homework.

myotheralt
04-01-2011, 22:36
Um, can someone fix my double tap? sorry.

cleanshave
04-02-2011, 22:00
Thanks for the advice guys.

I managed to cut spam and non neccesary email to a minimum, sadly email will be required on the trail as most of my income to pay for the hike is coming from online ventures, and without computer savvy people at home to prescreen stuff I'm stuck on my own.

My answer seems to be to work most of the email stuff through the smartphone, hit wifi spots when possible and have my netbook shipped to me when a critical project needs to be finished. Complicates logistics, but I kind of like the challenge of running everything from the woods.

Real Digital Nomad type challenge.

The Cleaner
04-02-2011, 22:45
Used to be one of the main reasons for hiking the trail----to get away from it all:eek: Now hikers want to "Have their cake and eat it too".....and their cell phones ,ipods,spots and all kinds of other stuff.IMO the trail was a better experience when all this stuff was not around......and you were left to take care of yourself and your fellow hikers.Used to be GA to MA.Now it's GA to Franklin to NOC to Fontanna to Gatlinburg to Standing Bear to Hot Springs to Hemlock Hollow to Uncle Johnny's to Greasy Creek Friendly...and on and on...Next thing will be Helicopter pads at shelters so all the hiking execs can get back to the office when needed...

Montana Mac
04-03-2011, 09:42
Used to be one of the main reasons for hiking the trail----to get away from it all:eek: Now hikers want to "Have their cake and eat it too".....and their cell phones ,ipods,spots and all kinds of other stuff.IMO the trail was a better experience when all this stuff was not around......and you were left to take care of yourself and your fellow hikers.Used to be GA to MA.Now it's GA to Franklin to NOC to Fontanna to Gatlinburg to Standing Bear to Hot Springs to Hemlock Hollow to Uncle Johnny's to Greasy Creek Friendly...and on and on...Next thing will be Helicopter pads at shelters so all the hiking execs can get back to the office when needed...

Not quite that bad but many years ago my brother and I were doing a SOBO of the 100 Mile Wilderness in Maine. It was a rainy day and we were pushing for a shelter. Didn't see anybody see on the trail all day. When we arrived at the shelter it was occupied by a number of gentlemen relaxing in nice dry clothes and sipping what I believe was brandy.

My brother and I, both soaked to the skin and covered with mud, asked these gentlemen where they had come from. The calmly explained that they had been dropped off by the seaplane right on the shore of the lake!

10-K
04-03-2011, 10:04
Not quite that bad but many years ago my brother and I were doing a SOBO of the 100 Mile Wilderness in Maine. It was a rainy day and we were pushing for a shelter. Didn't see anybody see on the trail all day. When we arrived at the shelter it was occupied by a number of gentlemen relaxing in nice dry clothes and sipping what I believe was brandy.

My brother and I, both soaked to the skin and covered with mud, asked these gentlemen where they had come from. The calmly explained that they had been dropped off by the seaplane right on the shore of the lake!

The first time I took my wife on a hike up to Big Bald she huffed and puffed her way to the top, stopping to rest a few times on the way. Finally she reached the summit and just then a Lexus drove up filled with senior citizens... :)

jeremiah j
04-09-2011, 00:16
If e-mail is so important go home.

jeremiah j
04-13-2011, 01:58
Too harsh of a comment, sorry

protargol
04-13-2011, 09:06
Next thing will be Helicopter pads at shelters so all the hiking execs can get back to the office when needed...

Or governors

88BlueGT
04-13-2011, 10:57
I am going to be taking some classes (my funding is dependent on maintaining student status), so I will have to work for a couple hours each town visit. My solution is to bring my computer (gasp! the weight!!). But I will also be doing some field project stuff and cant really wait until I get back home to visualize the datas I am collecting on the way. For my internet, I am bringing my phone and using its internet.

I will be updating my blog, clearing my emails, catching up on my reddits (http://reddit.com/r/motorcycles+campingandhiking+photography+penpals+g uns), amd probably a little facebook. Oh, yeah, I would also have to turn in some homework.

Not that I ever would, but what about a tablet? You can handle everything you need from a tablet, alot smaller and lighter as well! Plus, they have more a 'gadget' feel to them. I know hikers don't like to see these things on the trail but i'd rather see someone on a 7-10" tablet than a full size laptop in a shelter! :rolleyes:

Tablet + MiFi = Netflix everynight! bwuahaha

general
04-13-2011, 17:23
Too harsh of a comment, sorry

i think if i were hiking, and worrying about cell service and e-mail and things like that, i would shoot myself in the face. what a miserable hiking existance.

kanga
04-13-2011, 17:44
I spend at least a half an hour managing email everyday. I wont be able to do that from the trail. So I spent most of the morning tracking down and shutting off email notifications for everything from Meetup.com, Google Alerts and Yahoo Groups.

I haven't heard anyone else really talking about this or how they plan on managing email from the trail.

My inbox is a monster and needs constant pruning. I'm hoping the changes I made today will limit that to a large extent.

Looking for any hints or tips that other people have used.

run over your computer with your car just before you leave.

Roots
04-13-2011, 17:56
run over your computer with your car just before you leave.

works for me...

Reid
04-13-2011, 18:12
The first time I took my wife on a hike up to Big Bald she huffed and puffed her way to the top, stopping to rest a few times on the way. Finally she reached the summit and just then a Lexus drove up filled with senior citizens... :)

I got off trail one time with a few buddies and we thought we heard a waterfall in the distance so we grabbed a bearing and headed that way. We must have hiked 2 hrs. off trail when we came to a huge hill but we could still hear this waterfall. "This thing is huge and we'll be the few who know it's out here," we all thought. We go climbing up this hill and right when we get to the top we see this HUGE waterfall .....and......a parking lot. It was just a spur trail to a waterfall with road access.....3 miles back down the trail. Dang.

Mister
04-25-2011, 17:24
As a professional ****-giver, I am really starting to look forward to pissing off all of the hiking purists who think they get to have an opinion about someone else's laptop use. I was trying to pack light, but now I think I need to hump a generator, lights, and PA system. Rave along the trail! Weee!

Dogwood
04-26-2011, 00:05
If you are thru-hiking for the first time I THINK BY THE END OF YOUR HIKE, IF YOU MAKE IT, CONSIDERING THE ELECTRONIC WITHDRAWL SYMPTOMS YOU MIGHT EXPERIENCE, YOU WILL FINALLY BEGIN GRASPING WHAT IS MEANT BY ADAPTING TO A SIMPLER LIFE THAT SO SO MANY THRU-HIKERS SPEAK ABOUT AND HAVE COME TO APPRECIATE!

BEING ABLE TO ADAPT, AND SOMETIMES THAT ENTAILS LETTING GO OF SOMETHING AND RE-PRIORITIZING, IS EXACTLY WHAT OFTEN SETS APART THOSE WHO REACH/COMPLETE A GOAL/A HIKE AND THOSE WHO DO NOT!