Time is Getting Short

[Jack Tarlin]

I see that it's now February already, which means that with every passing week, we're going to be losing folks here at Whiteblaze.

This is not, of course, a bad or a sad thing, because I'm of course referirng to the folks who'll be leaving us to hit the Trail.

I know that dozens of folks out there are actively planning a thru-hike or other long-distance trip this year, and that many of you will be leaving in the next few weeks.

I just wanted to take a moment and encourage those folks, especially the ones who never post, to speak up if they've any last-minute problems, questions, doubts, whatever.

I think a lot of folks don't post for fear of being seen as a rookie or total newcomer, or they're afraid of getting jumped on by allegedly "more knowledgable" folks.

And some of the regulars here can be pretty opinionated and strident, myself included.

I just wanted to say that for most folks, even if they've got all sorts of outdoor experience, their A.T. thru-hike is very frequently their first foray into the world of long-distance backpacking, and it's a very different world from you already know. When I first got on the Trail for a long hike ten years ago, I thought I pretty much knew everything I had to; I very shortly learned that one of the keys to success out there was to systematically forget a lot of what I thought was correct, and the importance of keeping an open mind to new ideas.

There are ALWAYS things we can learn from other folks, and I think that's one of the great things about this website.

So, in closing, I just wanted to encourage the folks who are leaving soon to share any questions, problems, difficulties. There are NO stupid questions here. (Tho on occasion, there might be some debatable responses!)

Anyway, for the folks who are leaving soon, very best of luck with your travels; please let us know how you're doing with your final planning and preparations, and let us know if there's anything you need a hand with before you leave.

In the end, that's what this website is all about.

[WalkinHome]

Jack has spurred me to offer my annual unsolicited advice column. These are things most folks don't think about or forget to write about.


Some lessons learned:

Most important first – Dryers. The dryers you will use on the trail are mostly gas. They can get very hot. Synthetics (poly/plastic things) will usually do OK for one cycle. Keep an eye out regardless. The second cycle will definitely melt some sock liners, stiffeners in certain hats, sleeping bags (yikes) etc.

Pictures – start early; take lots of pics of people. Lots of pics of shelter life, the woods, etc but be sure and start early on people and write their names down. You will thank me later for this. Take too many pictures then a few more.

Chaffing – Had this problem early on and took too long to find a solution. All the creams and ointments in the world are great for AFTER the fact. Much pain. Even not wearing underwear does not work all the time as the salt builds up on your pants and chafes you anyway. Spandex was my cure. No rubbing, light, durable, good support and dried pretty well (overnight in the sleeping bag when damp usually did the trick). Be advised I wore long pants the whole way.

ATM/Debit Cards – In the south (I don’t know why) my Debit card would not work as a debit. It would go OK as a credit but no extra cash at the supermarket for me. In the north, no problem.

Registers – Read them, many tidbits of info here for your future. Write in them, if anyone is trying to get hold of you this will help a lot. It is a good security measure as it narrows down the search area significantly.

Caffeine – Be careful. Your body is not used to high doses (daily coffee drinkers can ignore this) of caffeine and drinking a lot in town etc WILL keep you up all night. Be advised that iced-tea in the south is real tea and has caffeine.

Four W’s – Water, Weather, Weight and Where is the next blaze. Order varies with mood and situation of hiker.

Half-Gallon Challenge – Don’t do like my friend Mousetrap (2000). Ate a half gallon, froze his tongue, ate a cheeseburger and fries and burned his tongue.

What goes in the pack wet comes out of the pack wet.

Zen the trail - you cannot bend it to your will - if you try it will crush you.

Be Safe

Walkin Home 2000

[Mountain Dew]

... :clap

[MadAussieInLondon]

Jack, will you be working in any outfitters again this year? I now I picked your brain a few times in Hot Springs last year...

[VAMTNHIKER]

Best of luck to the "Class of 2005"...

..may you find enjoyment in the small things...

... and treasure the fellowship of the trail!

Looking forward to hearing about the ups

... and the downs!

[Jaybird]

GOOD LUCK to all the THRU-HIKERS in the "CLASS OF 05".


i hope to meet many of you WB.net folks while i'm out there for 3 weeks myself: April 28-May 2

Apr 28-May 5: (w/ "the Model T crew") Hot Springs to Erwin
May 6-7 Erwin to Carvers Gap
May 8-21 Damascus to Pearisburg


Hey JACK...r u talking about me again? :D

[peter_pan]

Have a great hike....see you'll at Trail Days.

[Footslogger]

Pictures – start early; take lots of pics of people. Lots of pics of shelter life, the woods, etc but be sure and start early on people and write their names down. You will thank me later for this. Take too many pictures then a few more.===========================================
I would add one thing to the above piece of advice from WalkinHome ...get contact info on the hikers in addition to their photos. Wish I had a way to get/stay in touch with many of the hikers from 2003.

'Slogger
AT 2003

[Grampie]

Jack..Nice post...I hope it helps a lot of folks.

[walkin' wally]

Nice posts by Jack and Walkin Home. Now that folks are starting to leave on their hikes I wish I was going too. I envy them. I have to wait a few more years before it is my turn.
Maybe later in the season I will meet some of you in the 100 mile wilderness in "my" section.

Good luck :sun

[Oracle]

Most important first – Dryers. The dryers you will use on the trail are mostly gas. They can get very hot. Synthetics (poly/plastic things) will usually do OK for one cycle. Keep an eye out regardless. The second cycle will definitely melt some sock liners, stiffeners in certain hats, sleeping bags (yikes) etc.
My mom owns a coin-operated laundry, and most coin-operated gas dryers have an adjustable temperature setting on them. Set the temperature to it's lowest setting, and you shouldn't have too much problem.

Good luck to all of the thru-hikers. I'll be starting my section hiking of the trail this weekend at Springer (as the weather is predicted to be nice this weekend).

[wacocelt]

Awesome post Jack as well as some sound advice from Wally!


Good luck to all of the thru-hikers. I'll be starting my section hiking of the trail this weekend at Springer (as the weather is predicted to be nice this weekend).

Hope you enjoy your section and that the prediction holds true. Be well!

[Chickety]

Thanks for the good advice........

The Debit card info is good to know, never thought that it would be a problem, I'll bring more cash and less card! :)

[DMA, 2000]

More good advice:


Take good care of your wallet. Never let it out of your sight and keep it in a front pocket. While most people you'll meet are more than trustworthy, there are a few bad apples out there. You don't want to be far from home with no money, plastic, or ID. It's a very awkward position. (Thank God I'd for some reason brought a checkbook on my hike and knew hikers who trusted me enough to take one for cash).

And ignore any advice about using a ziploc bag in lieu of a wallet. Those things are inconvenient, transparent, and fall right apart. Use a real one...so what if it weighs a few ounces more.
This post would not be complete without an additional warning to utterly shun Chad Wayne Terry of Abingdon, VA. If he's a free man now, that is.

[Youngblood]

Some of this years nobos may be in position to watch something pretty neat, the Tour de Georgia finishes at Brasstown Bald which is the highest peak in Georgia and is about a 6 mile blueblaze from Chattahoocee Gap, 46.3 miles from Springer. The following article is from this mornings Atlanta Journal newpaper:

651-mile race lacks Armstrong

By KAREN ROSEN
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 02/03/05

The third Dodge Tour de Georgia will look very much like last year's race with one notable exception: Lance Armstrong has no plans to ride.

The Tour unveiled the 650.9-mile route Wednesday for the six-stage race April 19-24. Only two of the 10 host cities are newcomers to the event: Fayetteville and Blairsville. Just like in 2004, a stage will travel about 140 miles from Dalton to Dahlonega, while another stage will feature an intimidating finish atop Brasstown Bald Mountain.

But don't expect Armstrong, who won the 2004 Tour de Georgia as preparation for his record sixth straight Tour de France victory, to make that daunting climb this year. He said he wants to race the "classics" in Europe, which include Belgium's Fleche-Wallone on April 20 and Liege-Bastogne-Liege on April 24. Despite Armstrong's achievements, cycling purists feel he needs to win the classics to rank alongside Eddy Merckx.

"Those are monuments to the sport," said Dan Osipow, spokesman for Armstrong's Discovery Channel team, which is under new sponsorship after nine years with the U.S. Postal Service. "He's talked about wanting to accomplish more than the Tour de France and have other victories listed on his résumé."

And Armstrong checked off the Tour de Georgia on his first try.

Even with its biggest star in Europe, Discovery Channel will be one of 15 teams in the race. Team entries and rosters are not yet finalized, but Jittery Joe's-Kalahari, which is based in Athens, will again be the hometown team.

"We're lucky that Lance was here last year because he made so many more new fans for us," said Jittery Joe's-Kalahari captain Tim Johnson, who competed in the first two Tours with different teams. "They can come to it this year even if Lance isn't there and have a good time. . . . I hope."

One difference from last year is that the day in Rome will have only a time trial. Last year the time trial was preceded by a 78-mile stage race.

Alpharetta fought to remain the host city for the finale after a turnout of more than 70,000 last year.

"We wanted it badly," said Janet Rodgers, president of the Alpharetta Convention and Visitors Bureau, "for the economic value, the community value and with all those people coming out to watch it, that shows the interest is there."

Stan Holm, executive director of the Tour de Georgia, said the event's objective is to move around the state, but the large spectator base, proximity to mountains and experience level of former cities favors North Georgia. If the Tour eventually expands to 14 days, then it could dip into South Georgia.

The Discovery Channel team had suggested moving the Tour to May, but Holm said it likes the April dates.

"It's two weeks after the Masters," he said. "The world is focused on Georgia, things are in bloom and the bugs aren't out."

[Footslogger]

Living out in Wyoming now ...the wife (BadAss Turtle - AT 2001) and I can only manage to get away and do the section from Kincora to Damascus this year. But that will at least give us a chance to meet and get to know some of this years AT group.

That said, I just want to add my personal best wishes to the AT Class of 2005 for safe and healthy hiking. I do hope that the weather gods are good to you ...or at least better than they were to us in 2003. Can you say RAIN ???

All the best ...

'Slogger
AT 2003

[rocket04]

And ignore any advice about using a ziploc bag in lieu of a wallet. Those things are inconvenient, transparent, and fall right apart. Use a real one...so what if it weighs a few ounces more. Or you could make one out of duct tape like Baltimore Jack...

[Jack Tarlin]

Actually, Rocket, I'm not that talented. That wallet was made by my friend Jester.

* * *

I just wanted to take a few minutes to note that it's pretty cool that this thread turned into a "last minute advice/tips" thread for the 2005 hikers, and I hope it continues that way; I thought WalkinHome's post, for example, was tremendous.

So while we're on the subject of some last minute advice, here's a thought from someone who's been there before:

I remember ten years ago when I was planning my first long hike on the A.T. and I was COMPLETELY overwhelmed, mainly by information, literature, trail guides, memoirs by former hikers, you name it. And this was BEFORE the Internet, which has not only become an invaluable tool for planning a thru-hike, but it's also greatly multiplied the ammount of data and information for potential thru-hikers.

The good news is that there's a helluva lot of useful information out there. The problem is that there's so damned much of it, and that so much of it is contradictory. (And some of it, quite frankly, is out-of-date, and has little practical application for present-day thru-hiking).

In any case, it's easy to get swamped with all of this stuff, all of this "vital" information and advice that you simply MUST be aware of lest your trip be doomed.

Nonsense.

The right way to look at it is this: Yes, there's a great deal of useful information out there, and it's a great idea to read and discover as much as you can: Your chances of having a successful trip are helped immeasurably if you have a realistic idea of what it's going to be like before you're actually out there.

But at the same time, it's possible to over-prepare for a thru-hike. At a certain point, you simply have to say "Enough is enough." You've made your gear decisions. You've planned a rough schedule. You've got a tentative list of your town stops. You've put your town life in order, i.e. boxed up your stuff, rented out your apartment, given the cat to your sister, etc. After a certain point, you've done all you can realistically do.

After that, you simply have to let things happen and put an end to your preparations. And remember, planning a thru-hike isn't rocket science. This is a hiking trip, folks. Admittedly, it's a lengthy and complex one, but keep things in perspective: Once you're out on the Trail, you'll quickly discover which of your decisions were good ones, and which ones might need to be tweaked a bit. You'll re-evaluate your gear, your mileage, your diet. You'll realize how different a long-distance hike is from any of your previous outdoor adventures. You'll learn from observing other people, too. There's ALWAYS something new to discover out there.

And you'll make mistakes and have problems, too. But these will mostly be minor things, and you'll deal with them. Things will very quickly fall into place, and in a very short time you'll be perfectly comfortable with your new life on the Trail, and it'll be hard to imagine that you were ever anywhere else.

It's kind of like the school play back in high school.......remember them? Everyone worked and studied and rehearsed, but you always had this awful nagging suspicion that you hadn't done enough, and that opening night would be this titanic, horrible, embarassing disaster. Lo and behold, on opening night everything worked out great, barring a few minor flubs or mis-cues, and afterwards, you thought of how silly you'd been for being so worried and
concerned.

A thru-hike is like that. There comes a point where you've stuffed yourself with your planning and preparation, and there's simply no reason to stuff any more. You're maxed out with the planning, and it's leaving you exhausted. Just like taking part in a play, there comes a point where you have to acknowledge that your costume is done, you've memorized your entrance and exit lines, you know your dialogue.

Now it's curtain time.

And believe it or not, the show is going to work out just fine.

But unlike the theater world, in this one, we don't say "Break a leg!!"

Instead, we say "Hit the Trail! Have a great trip! And let us know how it all works out."

Best of luck to everyone in this year's thru-hiking class; it has been a privilege and a pleasure to get to know so many of you here at Whiteblaze, and I know you're going to have a great time out there.

[Lion King]

The Time You Spend Out Here Is Worth More The The Time It Takes, So Take Your Time.

Lion King

[lobster]

Go in a bank and ask whether that bank charges for a cash advance using your debit. Some banks charge $5 and some don't charge. That way you get all the money you want and don't get the ATM fee.

[vtpete]

Here are a few things I learned from my 2003 hike:

1. I never had a problem with my ATM card but tended to carry at least $200 cash at all times to carry me over in the out of the way places that don't accept credit. You can also get cash back at most US Post Officers.

2. I came realize that the most important part of a town stop was meals consummed to supplement the AT meals and or snacks. I also would recommend going all the way into town if you have a choice vs staying near the trail where it is hard to resupply and find restaurants.

3. A small cell phone was very helpful to keep in touch back home and make reservations at some of the hostels/motels.

4. If I had to do it all over again I would hitch into Gatlinburg (very easy hitch) to allow a light pack thru the Smokies. A lot of my friends went in and they all believed that it was a great stop.

5. Hitch from Dickey Gap into Troutdale and stay at the at the chruch hostel; the town and Troutdale Tradding Post with its Blue Grass music on Friday night was one of my highlights on the trail.

Hope the info helps you get up the trail.

vtpete

[rumbler]

Cheap hotels and hot showers have amazing powers of reinvigoration and motivation. Never think you aren't enjoying the trip before you have had a chance to dry out, clean up and eat.

[Nightwalker]

And ignore any advice about using a ziploc bag in lieu of a wallet. Those things are inconvenient, transparent, and fall right apart.I used the same one for months. It finally got to where I couldn't see through it any more and I changed it out. Maybe a different brand of bag? People even got to joking about my "hiker wallet."

[Jack Tarlin]

Frank, tons of people use ziplocks as wallets.

It's only when you're still doing so in January after you're back home that you should start to be concerned.

[Nightwalker]

Frank, tons of people use ziplocks as wallets.

It's only when you're still doing so in January after you're back home that you should start to be concerned.
Jack, man, there's a lot of reasons I love ya, but that silly bone is definitely one of 'em.

:D

[foggy-bottom]

Good Luck Class of 2005:jump

[Youngblood]

Some of this years nobos may be in position to watch something pretty neat, the Tour de Georgia finishes at Brasstown Bald which is the highest peak in Georgia and is about a 6 mile blueblaze from Chattahoocee Gap, 46.3 miles from Springer. The following article is from this mornings Atlanta Journal newpaper:

651-mile race lacks Armstrong

By KAREN ROSEN
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 02/03/05

The third Dodge Tour de Georgia will look very much like last year's race with one notable exception: Lance Armstrong has no plans to ride.

The Tour unveiled the 650.9-mile route Wednesday for the six-stage race April 19-24. Only two of the 10 host cities are newcomers to the event: Fayetteville and Blairsville. Just like in 2004, a stage will travel about 140 miles from Dalton to Dahlonega, while another stage will feature an intimidating finish atop Brasstown Bald Mountain.

But don't expect Armstrong, who won the 2004 Tour de Georgia as preparation for his record sixth straight Tour de France victory, to make that daunting climb this year. He said he wants to race the "classics" in Europe, which include Belgium's Fleche-Wallone on April 20 and Liege-Bastogne-Liege on April 24. Despite Armstrong's achievements, cycling purists feel he needs to win the classics to rank alongside Eddy Merckx.

"Those are monuments to the sport," said Dan Osipow, spokesman for Armstrong's Discovery Channel team, which is under new sponsorship after nine years with the U.S. Postal Service. "He's talked about wanting to accomplish more than the Tour de France and have other victories listed on his résumé."

And Armstrong checked off the Tour de Georgia on his first try.

Even with its biggest star in Europe, Discovery Channel will be one of 15 teams in the race. Team entries and rosters are not yet finalized, but Jittery Joe's-Kalahari, which is based in Athens, will again be the hometown team.

"We're lucky that Lance was here last year because he made so many more new fans for us," said Jittery Joe's-Kalahari captain Tim Johnson, who competed in the first two Tours with different teams. "They can come to it this year even if Lance isn't there and have a good time. . . . I hope."

One difference from last year is that the day in Rome will have only a time trial. Last year the time trial was preceded by a 78-mile stage race.

Alpharetta fought to remain the host city for the finale after a turnout of more than 70,000 last year.

"We wanted it badly," said Janet Rodgers, president of the Alpharetta Convention and Visitors Bureau, "for the economic value, the community value and with all those people coming out to watch it, that shows the interest is there."

Stan Holm, executive director of the Tour de Georgia, said the event's objective is to move around the state, but the large spectator base, proximity to mountains and experience level of former cities favors North Georgia. If the Tour eventually expands to 14 days, then it could dip into South Georgia.

The Discovery Channel team had suggested moving the Tour to May, but Holm said it likes the April dates.

"It's two weeks after the Masters," he said. "The world is focused on Georgia, things are in bloom and the bugs aren't out."
I just read in todays Atlanta paper that Lance Armstrong is going to participate in this years Tour de France. This was also in the paper:

"Armstrong will start his season with the Paris-Nice stage race in March. He will then race in the Tour of Flanders on April 3, before seeking to defend his title at the Tour de Georgia in the United States later that month, the statement said."

You won't get to many changes for something like this on your AT adventure.

Youngblood

[gravityman]

Frank, tons of people use ziplocks as wallets.

It's only when you're still doing so in January after you're back home that you should start to be concerned.

Or get ones of these (http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/spinfold_ultralight_wallet.html)

After seeing this, my wife made us each one, and it is SO NICE to have a real wallet without the weight!

Gravity

[Nightwalker]

Frank, tons of people use ziplocks as wallets.

It's only when you're still doing so in January after you're back home that you should start to be concerned.
Uh, Jack. I just noticed that it's still in my pocket. I hike off and on year-round, so I use a zip-lock year round.

You northern guys have the best fall foliage, but we have 12-month 3-season hiking down here in SC.

:D

[smokymtnsteve]

for a wallet I use a nylon pouch that has a cord attached, that I tie, that I then tie to my belt loop. so I never carry a traditional wallet, ever, but I also wear my keys on a cord around my neck.

carrying a wallet in your hip pocket is bad for your spine or so says my chiropracter, and Dr. Nicole is Always right and such a goddess.

[Slimer]

just a couple of things that crossed my mind........


1. Take lots of pics of people, and shelter life.
2. Keep a detailed journal
3. forget about busting out big miles: take the time to enjoy whats around you!
4. Be sure to lay down and take a nap on top of a mountain from time to time(best nap I've ever had)
5. Take the time to sit down and admire the chipmonk thats staring at you.

[sleeveless]

I thought that I had my equipment and plans going along fine. Well, maybe just loose plans but now that it's down to the count down I am rethinking my food and I want to eat more grains, nuts etc. with tuna and chicken and drop the Lipton type meals. I know it will be more work. I want to know if anyone out there has some hints for cooking grains or preparing them for cooking. So much work so little time. Help!
Sleeveless

[Nightwalker]

Thanks for the good advice........

The Debit card info is good to know, never thought that it would be a problem, I'll bring more cash and less card! :)
Try selecting "ATM" as card type. Works for me.

[Nightwalker]

I thought that I had my equipment and plans going along fine. Well, maybe just loose plans but now that it's down to the count down I am rethinking my food and I want to eat more grains, nuts etc. with tuna and chicken and drop the Lipton type meals. I know it will be more work. I want to know if anyone out there has some hints for cooking grains or preparing them for cooking. So much work so little time. Help!
Sleeveless
First: Try to calm down.

Second: It isn't too late to get a dehydrator from Wal-Mart. They're cheap and easy to use. Very addictive as well. Don't try to dry everything you're gonna use, just add-ons. Veggies just about go away, and they add lots of trace elements to the easy-to-use Liptons/Knors/Zatarans stuff. They also add taste.

You can also dry sausage and hamburger and stuff. That works better in the oven on "Warm," which is about 150F. Cook it on the stove, drain the grease, weigh the meat, weigh a dry towel, put it on a towel in the oven. When it's dry, weigh the meat and weigh the towel. The meat lost weight, the towel gained. What the towel gained was saturated fat. Deduct that from the original weight of the meat.

You really ought to get a cheap digital scale at Office Max for about 30 bucks. They weigh up to 5 lbs/2.2 kg by .1 oz/1 g. A decent scale is a stress reducer.

Keep asking questions and stop worrying. You sound like I did last year!

And yes, those tuna packs are a very good thing.

:D

[sleeveless]

Franklooper,

Thanks for the advice. I will be giving the dehydrator a try. I ordered one from TiinMan and it should be here tomorrow. I guess I will have to give my husband lessons so that he can dehydrate stuff and mail it. Well, sounds good anyway.