Do they DnD on the trail? A potential solo thru-hiker's lament.

[bilbobaguette]

I have been given a substantial gift. A week ago I realized that I am in a perfect position to carry out one of the biggest things on my to-do list. Ever since I read "A Walk in the Woods" in high school I have wanted to hike the Appalachian Trail. That was almost ten years ago. Holy cow, I'm 25? How did I get here so fast? I am currently floating in the post college graduate slump, living with my parents trying to figure out where I'm supposed to go next and how I'm ever going to pay off these student loans. I have come to the realization that with the exception of the aforementioned loans of doom, I do not have a single financial or personal burden tethering me to any one place. I'm single, I don't have any children, pets or property to concern myself with. I am a free agent. And this agent has a blank line on his dossier. I intend to fill that line with "somewhere in the mountains between Georgia and Maine".

I've got the gear. With the exception of a good raincoat, a camp stove, a sharp knife, and maybe some company, I am pretty well equipped. I intend to do a few practice runs before to determine those certain questions. Hammock or tent? Wool or down? Blundstone's or trail runners?

I've got the experience. While I never made it to Eagle, I scouted with the best of em and took away what was necessary for survival. Tons of hiking, including 10 days at Philmont. Also, most of my formative years were spent in the woods, walking about for no reason other than I had nowhere else to be. I also prefer to sleep on the floor. This drives my mother crazy for some reason and most people find it strange. I've never understood why.

I've got the trepidation. Can I really do it? Can I reeeeally do it? Can I do it alone? Will I be mauled by a bear or murdered by a repeat offender? (I'd take my chances with the bear, people are crazy)

I do have a few individuals I've met in my travels who share my dream of taking the AT journey. At the moment I am planning on a solo trip as I have yet to rally anyone to my cause. A brother and a couple of good friends would make excellent trail buddies, but a thru-hike is a monumental commitment and I haven't set my expectations too high.

This post is largely soliloquy, though I do feel a great need to voice my plans on sympathetic minds. Thus, if you happen to have read my paltry discourse up to this point, you are rewarded with a few genuine questions. What is the most and least amount of money you have heard someone spend over the course of a contemporary thru-hike? Do you know of a solo hiker who had a good time? Does anyone play Dungeons and Dragons on the trail? How frequently does one experience "wi-fi"? When was the last time somone froze to death on the AT? Do any 2012 thru hikers desire a tagalong with a degree in baking and pastry arts?

Thank you, many readers.

[BrianLe]

Search for existing threads on all of your genuine questions --- certainly they've been addressed. I don't recall the high/low money figures. Starting solo is in fact recommended, you'll soon have hiking companions unless you're aggressively anti-social. Thru-hikers don't have the sort of time to play time consuming games, generally, unless maybe you can sort of do it in your head as you walk. Wi-fi is definitely out there, to include some times when cell service is not (in trail towns, of course). I'm not aware of anyone having compiled a list of where it's at (Halfmile has a list of some places on the PCT, surely someone on the more populated east coast trail can step up ...).
Freezing to death isn't a high risk on the AT; in general it's not that risky a trail, especially if you hike in more "normal" thru-hiking times.

Again, for more complete answers, search the site, look at FAQ stuff on it. I don't mean to be negative with that comment, I just think you'll get more complete answers to sort through vs. the smaller set that will reply to just this particular thread.

[leaftye]

Come out to Backpackinglight. If your gift is substantial enough, you might want to revise your gear a bit to reduce the load and increase your enjoyment. Start walking or hiking 5 or more miles nearly every day. Your feet won't thank you, but they'll scream at you if you don't. These two things will take a lot of suffering out of the early part of your hike, and the suffering is what causes a lot of people to think a lot about going home. Why allow yourself to suffer on such a beautiful trail when you could be having a pleasant walk in the woods? You'll want to sort out your food too. Walking all day requires an amount of food you've probably never consumed before, so it can really help to know what works for you, especially when your cold and tired.

[lunatic]

Welcome to WB. If you do a search for "Gear List" I believe you will find a long list of posts that will show you what others have used and give you ideas for your remaining gear questions.

You can do it. You just have to start. I went directly to the couch from a cubicle in 2009, 30 pounds overweight and having never done more than 4 days/nights in a row of hiking/camping. 5 months later I was standing next to the Katahdin sign.

I'd suggest going on your own. You meet people and make new friends as you go, but your pace and what you do along the way will ultimately be determined by you and not anyone else. I saw several couples and friends who made it the entire way but I saw far more who didn't.

I agree with BrianLe, I don't know that many people play "time consuming" games out there. I saw mostly card games, word games, and trivia games. Maybe checkers and chess at hostels.

I found WI-FI in quite a few towns but I wouldn't rely on it.

Good luck making your final decision. I'll be out there again in 2012 several times for different sections; maybe we'll run into each other.

-L

[lunatic]

I actually went directly to the TRAIL from the cubicle in 2009; although, at that time I probably made a pit stop at the couch first because I was out of breath. :)

[Two Tents]

Most amount that I've heard tossed around as a high end average was 6000. The low end was very frugal with staying out of towns as much as possible average was 2000. You could go higher and lower but that would not be the norm. Solo hikers having fun, yes, quite a few. Games aren't something one usually has time to do. Wi-fi is out there but spotty. Hypothermia would be the reason for freezing to death on the AT. If all goes well and I can swing it I'll be leaving Ga. April first and you can bake and do pastry goodies and I'll take all the ones you don't want! Good luck and you are in the perfect spot to go for it. Keep asking what you feel you need to know.

[Jim Adams]

Go alone...if you start in March, you will meet new friends EVERY day and will have to go out of your way to be alone BUT you will always have your own decisions to be happy with instead of compromising with someone elses. More than anything, try to keep it fun...there will be times when it isn't fun, when it will be a struggle but tomorrow is another day, with a different view, a different town and different people. Go alone and meet new friends and as the old saying goes...you can pick your friends. Most hikers that start with a "partner" don't finish with that partner if they finish at all. Go alone and when you are tired of the "new" friends that you are hiking with, just hike ahead or take a day off and meet a whole new bunch of "friends".
The important thing is just go!
See ya in Georgia!

geek

[max patch]

When was the last time somone froze to death on the AT?

In 1984 a hiker died of hypothermia at the Tray Mtn shelter in GA.

[Blissful]

Concerns prevail on an adventure of the unknown such as this, but it is desire and determination that will see you through the difficulties that will inevitably come your way.
You won't be alone either, not NOBO anyway. Maybe on the hike duinrg the day in some places.

[Fiddleback]

Arrange for payments on your student loans while you're gone and then hit the trail. There's no better time...

FB

[Sailing_Faith]

I Believe that you can safely conclude from this thread that the only ones who play DnD on the trail were either eaten by bears, killed by repeat offenders, or froze to death...

Best to keep walking. :welcome



With your expertise;


....a tagalong with a degree in baking and pastry arts?
...

You are unlikely to lack friends for long... :)

[chief]

You gotta love it when people say, aside from mommy and daddy providing housing and my student loans, I'm free. Yeah, you're free to get a job so you can pay rent and start making loan payments. Or instead, you are free to go hiking, putting it all off for another six months. Just be careful, time has a way of making parents less tolerant of slacking children and of course, compound interest never takes a vacation.

[blackbird04217]

I'd watch out deferring your loans for a hike, the interest will still accumulate. If anything you should try putting as much as you can towards those things now, at the start, and then take it easier at the end. Just my two cents. Also, after hiking it will take time to find a job. Certainly different industries here, but it took me a year out of college to land my first "stable" job. And I hiked the trail 2 years after that because the company didn't have future projects, so it was beneficial for both parties. I expected a 6 month hike with 6 month job search. I got a 6 month hike and a 10 month job search. [over 14 months for something stable]. Again, different industries, but coming from college it can be a challenge to get a job, and deferring your loans- are expensive. I didn't defer to hike, but I had to defer for that first year without a job, and that was a wakeup call, $8k tacked to the end of my loan in accumulated interest over that time; that doesn't account for the interest that gets added from that additional bit since.

Hike if you can afford the loans while doing so, but remember; you owe someone money, and the money you owe gets more and more each day you don't pay. You can not completely escape student loans like some other debts. There are lessons I wished I learned before taking out a loan, and I wish it was mandatory to take a class/test before taking out any substantial amount of money- ESPECIALLY for college. Good luck with your adventure, I am sure it will be a blast.

PS: Food and supplies only cost me $1150. I set out to start with $2500, but at the first town stop, when things balanced out; I didn't have but $1400 to make it work.

[Lion King]

Go hike, you would have loved my buddy WHAT? he actually carried D&D Dice, and yes you can have a heck of a good time as a solo hiker, thats the only way I have ever rolled.

You will merge with this group and that and make tons of friends but can still do your own thing.

[bilbobaguette]

I am thrilled to hear such hoorah for solo hiking. That puts one of my biggest woes at ease.


Come out to Backpackinglight.

Err, what or where is Backpackinglight?


I Believe that you can safely conclude from this thread that the only ones who play DnD on the trail were either eaten by bears, killed by repeat offenders, or froze to death...

I would argue that anyone with the patience and persistence to play a game that could take years to complete would make an excellent hiker, though they WOULD have a hard time defeating a brown bear with imaginary fireballs. :)

The reason I brought up D&D was mostly curiosity. I do recall moments while on the trail from scouting where we would have traded a roll of toilet paper for a checker board or a set of dominoes. Though at 16, we probably would have been equally content with a tv and a nintendo 64.

Wi-Fi isn't mandatory, mostly a convenience. I am considering bringing a kindle along, which can store zillions of books, but it might be nice to pick up some new material along the way. Also, I have read that a lot of people expect to read on the trail and don't, but I have learned from my own experience that I prefer to hike with at least one paperback in tow.

To put the money thing to rest, I'll manage my finances so that the rest of you don't have to worry about it. It's understandable that I haven't included my entire biography here, but for the record I have been out of college for a while and have worked an executive title with a comfortable salary and cushy benefits for a couple years. I moved home for medical issues, another personal topic. If you'd like to comment on that I'd be happy to expunge more details.

[Malto]

The reason I brought up D&D was mostly curiosity. I do recall moments while on the trail from scouting where we would have traded a roll of toilet paper for a checker board or a set of dominoes. Though at 16, we probably would have been equally content with a tv and a nintendo 64.

You will be more likely to trade a roll of TP for a Snickers bar.

[leaftye]

Err, what or where is Backpackinglight?

backpackinglight.com

[LDog]

Do any 2012 thru hikers desire a tagalong with a degree in baking and pastry arts?

There's a good bit of info out there on how folks bake with your basic backpacking stove and a lightweight pot. I'm thinking Mike Clelland's book "Ultralight Backpackin' Tips" gets into it a bit. Or maybe it was Allen O'Bannon's "Allen and Mike's Really Cool Backpackin' Book" Both address trail cooking among other things, are worth reading, and you can download them to your Kindle.

See you out there,

[DapperD]

It sounds like you are in a position to live your dream. If you can continue to deal with your student loans while you are hiking, and have the funds to hike, than it sounds like it would be a great chance to do it. As you noticed, the years do indeed go by quick. I personally believe that there are positives and negatives to both hiking the trail when one is young and as compared to when one becomes older. Personally I think that youth has a great advantage as far as recovery ability and resistance to burnout is concerned. When one is young and in good health, generally the body is usually stronger, and the ability to push oneself day after day physically is easier to ask of it to do. You ask the body to deliver physically day after day and it usually does, just as long as you give it the fuel and rest that it requires. When one gets older, the body's ability to recover from hard, physical exertion begins to diminish. It's ability to recover from demanding physical exertion day after day is just not quite as efficient as it was when one is younger. Also a lot of the times when one gets older, they unwittingly accumulate physical injuries and ills (especially if they have worked blue collar type jobs their entire lives and/or been steadily physically active and exertive) , thus making the hike even more difficult and demanding. But in defense of the older long distance hiker, as it is not all gloom and doom, a lot of times even though they may lack that endless boundless energy that the young are blessed with, they can a lot of the times exhibit better overall determination and discipline, since they have lived longer and have been able to acquire more life skills. And if they have maintained an active lifestyle, and have kept themselves in good overall condition and remained somewhat injury free, a lot of the times this can give the older hiker an advantage over the younger one. But overall, I still think the best time to thru-hike is when one is still young, and preferably before they have aquired a family, home, great paying job they don't want to give up or lose, major life responsibilities, etc. This is why I believe it would be smart for you to thru-hike now. If you really want to hike, then do it. Waiting to thru-hike sometimes is necessary, however, and there really isn't anything some of us can do about that, but if you can go now, have the gear and funds you will need, and currently have minimal commitments going on in your life otherwise, than in my opinion it is not wise to put it off. The years will only continue to go by fast:-?.

[LIhikers]

If you are able to hone your baking skills and make pastries on the trail, trust me, you won't be hiking alone :D

[bilbobaguette]

There's a good bit of info out there on how folks bake with your basic backpacking stove and a lightweight pot. I'm thinking Mike Clelland's book "Ultralight Backpackin' Tips" gets into it a bit. Or maybe it was Allen O'Bannon's "Allen and Mike's Really Cool Backpackin' Book" Both address trail cooking among other things, are worth reading, and you can download them to your Kindle.

Thank you, I will investigate this. I have some experience with building mud ovens for survival or just-for-fun situations, though these would be wildly impractical on the trail. Direct heat and a thin walled vessel go against the tenants of baking, but I'm sure it can be done with some success.


If you are able to hone your baking skills and make pastries on the trail, trust me, you won't be hiking alone :D

Baking on the trail does present a variety of issues. Is it common to have access to an oven if you stay at a hostel, or are they fairly bare bones?


backpackinglight.com

This appears to be another trove of valuable information. Thank you very much!

[bigcranky]

Go. Go solo. Take as much money as you can scrape together ($3K minimum.) Have fun.

[LDog]

Direct heat and a thin walled vessel go against the tenants of baking, but I'm sure it can be done with some success.

Allen And Mike's book gets into it quite a bit. A lot of the info in that book comes from their experience instructing NOLS courses, and they get into baking quite a bit. Don't see to many folks in AT forums talking about it tho. The culture seems to prize light-weight packs, hiking from dawn to dusk, consuming required calories, and going to sleep. Not much time for D&D or baking. OTOH I'm a fan of saying screw culture, hike your own hike, and pass the biscuits!

[Grampie]

Sounds like you are ready for the adventure of a life time. Having had a sucessfull thru-hike I would recommend that you find someone in your area who has thru-hiked and talk to him. There is nothing that experience can replace. Reading journals and books are helpfull but having someone that you can ask questions to is very helpfull.
As far as having a hiking partner, don't sweat it. Most of the time these arrangements don't work out. You will meet plenty of folks on the trail and you will soon develope some everlasting friendships. Don't overly prepair. You don't need the latest light weight gear. What you have will work. Don't worry about safty. The AT is a safe place. Mail drops are not required. Buy as you go along the trail. This adds to the adventure. Don't start too early. April 1st. is a good date. You gain nothing by starting earlier and the wether will be nicer.
Take a look at the folks who have thru-hiked. Thirty years ago they all had to carry about 25 lbs more than you have to carry today. They all made it. Folks as old as 85 and as young as 8 have made it. Blinf folks and folks missing a leg have also hiked it. Just keep thinking to yourself, "if they did it I can."
Happy trails to you. Enjou the opertunity of a lifetime.

[lkaluzi]

Don't worry about hiking alone, if you want you can always find a trail family on the trail.
Best of luck!!!

[SassyWindsor]

You might hike a lot of trails alone, the AT is just not one them, pretty much any time of the year. The PCT is a more likely candidate to be solo a lot.

[Lyte-w8-hyker]

I'm in shreveport, I'm going to do a five day section hike if you want a ride to the trail head in Georgia. You could just continue on after I do my section. Do you know anyone in the dallas sierra club? I've done some hiking with some sierra club members from Denton.

[Bucherm]

Rule books and dice= more weight. So no, I wouldn't bet on anyone playing D&D on the trail. And besides, the odds of you hiking at the same pace as the other players in your campaign, or anyone wanting to sit down and do a session at the end of the day, are low. Even if they do do RPGs at home in the "real" world.

[ParkRat09]

Hey man I am 24 and in the EXACT same position in life. I have significant backpacking experience and some AT experience in addition since I live an hour from the trail in TN/NC. I am strongly considering a thru-hike next year so if you're looking for someone to at least start the trail with you I may be on board (especially with your baking skills!).

[sbhikes]

Forget everything they taught you in the boy scouts. It's not going to be a survival situation. It's not even going to be a camping trip. Definitely go visit backpackinglight.com to get some ideas how to shave off some weight. You don't have to do it all, but every little bit helps.

[The Solemates]

get a job, pay your loan off, and stop procrastinating with it. you'll just be screwing yourself otherwise.

[smithjerd]

I can tell I'm off a different generation. It took me reading thru half the posts to realize what DnD is. :)