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Nomaderwhat
12-03-2011, 23:16
I'm starting to ponder a thru hike again. I was planning a thru in 2010, but logistically it never worked out. My brother did a SOBO thru-hike in 2010, and had me jealous the whole time. I was able to meet up along the way, but alas, I want to hike. So the plus side of me hiking this upcoming season would be that I can use all of his gear, and I have someone that close to me who can give me all the tips and support I need. I'm currently unemployed (would have to sell my car to do the hike), so I have the time. The downside is that I'm fat. Like 5'10 260lbs fat. I get my jogs in, but I have fairly regular joint pain, and have never really hiked more than a 15 mile weekend. Any of you out there as big as I am? Obviously I'm gonna wanna lose some of the poundage before I embark, but I eat like a rhino.

bert304
12-04-2011, 08:54
First off 5' 10" tall and 260 is not that big in my opinion. I am 6' and 260. To slow down the joint pain I take osteobiflex, I also eat dried cherries during my hikes. A 15 mile weekend is not bad, it is two 7.5 mile days. The longer you hike on your thru you will gain miles everyday, just don't put a time frame on your self. Take frequent breaks or slow down your pace.

Nomaderwhat
12-04-2011, 10:29
Thanks for the encouragement! I heard cherries were good for gout, is that why you take them? Also, is osteobiflex OTC?

Jim Adams
12-04-2011, 10:59
I am 5'6" and 240lbs and like to think that I am horizontaly endowed. lol
You should be fine if you don't push it in the beginning. Just walk comfortaby until you are ready to stop...take breaks...don't worry about miles. You will lose weight and get stronger everyday...just don't injure yourself trying to hike someone elses hike.

geek

Nomaderwhat
12-04-2011, 12:13
I saw a couple trail journals where guys started real fat, and didn't end up much thinner. I know that you gorge on foods when you're in town, but even my brother lost over 40lbs on his thru. How could one manage to hike 2000+ miles and not lose a significant amount of weight I wonder? Hmm..

DapperD
12-04-2011, 12:17
I'm starting to ponder a thru hike again. I was planning a thru in 2010, but logistically it never worked out. My brother did a SOBO thru-hike in 2010, and had me jealous the whole time. I was able to meet up along the way, but alas, I want to hike. So the plus side of me hiking this upcoming season would be that I can use all of his gear, and I have someone that close to me who can give me all the tips and support I need. I'm currently unemployed (would have to sell my car to do the hike), so I have the time. The downside is that I'm fat. Like 5'10 260lbs fat. I get my jogs in, but I have fairly regular joint pain, and have never really hiked more than a 15 mile weekend. Any of you out there as big as I am? Obviously I'm gonna wanna lose some of the poundage before I embark, but I eat like a rhino.My advice would be that if you truly want to try your hand at thru-hiking, and it has been a dream for a while to do so, then do it. Start out slow, take your time, and as you begin to get in better and better shape, you will naturally gain strength and confidence as you make progress. In my opinion, however, you need to attempt to get out now as often as possible with the gear you intend to take for the trip and start hiking with your pack as often as possible. A complete physical checkup with a doctor would also be something you may want to consider. I believe it would be good to train by including some steep long climbs, if possible, and begin to hike them regularly. There are many overweight people who go out and attempt thru-hikes, some are successful, others aren't. Just remember, the beginning (if hiking Northbound) down in Georgia and N. Carolina is going to be a kicker:D And plan to have enough money for your hike to be successful, somewhere around $5000 would be good. The only thing I don't know about in your situation is the "fairly regular joint pain" that you experience. If I was you, I would really attempt to make an honest assessment of this as to wether or not a thru-hike will be truly feasible for yourself. If you feel you can successfully deal with the joint pain issues while undergoing something as strenuous as thru-hiking, then go. But thru-hiking is very strenuous and can be hard on the joints. And the only other reservation I have about you is when you say you are currently unemployed and will have to sell your car to do the hike. Maybe this is not such a good thing to do. You will need a vehicle when you get back. Finding work without having the means to get there will be fruitless. Anyway, I remember reading about a guy who was also overweight and wanted to thru-hike who posted a thread similar to yours you may find interesting:http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?69365-Help-a-fat-guy-please He also had a journal he was keeping online. Although he wasn't totally successful in his thru-hike, he did go and you may find it interesting:http://postholer.com/journal/viewJournal.php?sid=e579b010e6e5e288bd7986a75c404a b8&event_id=941 Good Luck

Slo-go'en
12-04-2011, 15:56
The better shape your in when you start a thru-hike, the more enjoyable it will be and the better the chances of sticking with it. Since your unemployed, there is no excues not to be going outside every day and being active. Do as much walking as possible - walk everywhere. Pretend you don't have a car, in fact, sell your car now. Walk to the supermarket. Get a bike and ride that too. Go to the beach and swim. Heck, your in Tampa, no lack of walking and bike paths around there.

If you eat out at fast food, stop it! Just eliminating fast food as a regular part of your diet will make a huge difference. Literally. It will also save a ton of money. Fast food isn't exactly cheap anymore.

You have about 5 months to whip yourself into shape - go to it boy!

Nomaderwhat
12-04-2011, 16:49
I'm flying up north for a couple weeks to see some friends and family. Once I return to Florida, and Christmas is over, I have a lot of decisions to make. Money is certainly an issue to consider, but I'm single with no children and don't have to spend for gear. I'm sure there are many people who wish they had as much freedom. If I'm suppose to do this thru-hike, I will. If I'm supposed to hike for 4 weeks, and then fly out to live with a friend in Colorado like I had been contemplating, then I'll do that. As for my weight, I've been going for long walks, and hittin' the gym, but I can't imagine any of that prepping me for a hike in the mountains. Florida unfortunately doesn't have those. Are any of you guys hitting the trail this year? **side note** I guess the question I should've originally posted is "How many of you fatties have finished a thru-hike?" haha.

Juice
12-04-2011, 20:33
Like others have said, don't let the weight be an issue. Just listen to your body, the only person I compete with should be myself. I used to weigh 270 some years ago and have gotten my weight down substantially since then. As far as some hikers not loosing any weight over the course of their hike, the only thing that comes to mind is IME the higher pounds were easy to come off. When it comes to losing the last 15 or 20 it becomes another matter entirely. It's possible those hikers were fairly thin to begin with. But then again, everyone's body is a little different.

Flounder940
12-04-2011, 21:43
Nomaderwhat, I'm kind of in the same boat as you. 5'9 260 lbs, and wanting to attempt a thru hike this coming spring. I started training a couple months ago with the intentions of getting in better shape and losing some of my extra weight. Plantar Fasciitis put the kibosh on that. After getting custom orthotics, I believe my foot pain is behind me and I am about to start out slow with the training again. I'm not going to be anywhere close to being in good shape come the time I leave Springer. My plan is to start slow and not push it. If I start out putting up five mile days, so be it. As long as I am on the trail, it's all good. Any day out on the trail with aches and pains is better than sitting in a cubicle dreaming of being out on the trail (for me at least).

Flounder940
12-04-2011, 21:45
BTW- given the title of the thread, your trail name should be Farley........just throwing that out there.

Nomaderwhat
12-04-2011, 22:17
BTW- given the title of the thread, your trail name should be Farley........just throwing that out there.

Haha, that was why I named it that, I'm not quite as big as he was, but sometimes I feel like I am. If I do this hike, I'll be sure to keep "Farley" in mind for a trail name. Anyways, yeah man.. when I was gonna do this hike last time, I had major foot issues (look at my old posts from 2010). I wasn't sure if it was gout (what the doctors think), or maybe something else. Good news is that I haven't had a flare up or serious foot pain in a couple years.. but then again, I haven't done any major hiking either. I started reading a trail journal that "DapperD" mentioned above, about a real big guy hitting the trails. He basically did real small miles for the first few weeks, without any major issues it seemed. But then his journal stopped. So maybe he never finished? But he was like 375. I get around just fine, the only thing I worry about is my feet and knees. I can suffer through pain for sure, but I don't want to tear anything in my first week ya know? I imagine the pain of flying home with my tail between my legs would be the worst pain of all. I have no intention of telling people I'm a thru-hiker until I damn well am one!

DapperD
12-05-2011, 08:24
Haha, that was why I named it that, I'm not quite as big as he was, but sometimes I feel like I am. If I do this hike, I'll be sure to keep "Farley" in mind for a trail name. Anyways, yeah man.. when I was gonna do this hike last time, I had major foot issues (look at my old posts from 2010). I wasn't sure if it was gout (what the doctors think), or maybe something else. Good news is that I haven't had a flare up or serious foot pain in a couple years.. but then again, I haven't done any major hiking either. I started reading a trail journal that "DapperD" mentioned above, about a real big guy hitting the trails. He basically did real small miles for the first few weeks, without any major issues it seemed. But then his journal stopped. So maybe he never finished? But he was like 375. I get around just fine, the only thing I worry about is my feet and knees. I can suffer through pain for sure, but I don't want to tear anything in my first week ya know? I imagine the pain of flying home with my tail between my legs would be the worst pain of all. I have no intention of telling people I'm a thru-hiker until I damn well am one!Yeah, I figured you might find it interesting to read his journal. He is a really big guy, and decided to try thru-hiking. I think he made it to just past the GSMNP. What was interesting was how the first beginning days were described by him as being exhausting and nearly "pure torture" hiking in the rain on the second day out. This really goes to show that the beginning days are tough. Being in decent shape pays big dividends in the beginning of the hike. I think since you are from Florida, unless you can get to somewhere where you can climb some actual mountains to prepare for your hike, it might be wise to work out on a stair master or something similar in order to try to condition yourself for the climbs. Being unprepared for long, step mountainous climbs will definately be a shock if you are not ready for it.

JAK
12-05-2011, 10:25
I would back off on the jogging. Nice thing about being overweight is that you can get into the zone with walking alone. A heart rate monitor should confirm this. Make up for the lack of hills in Florida by taking stairs where you can, as part of your day to day living. Walk up escalators if there is nobody in front of you. If you do any strength training you should be able to focus on the upper body, as your lower body should already be getting a pretty decent workout. Try and walk regularly, 1-2 hours a day, and more on hikes. Maybe introduce some jogging as your weight comes down, like maybe 30min per week for every 10 pounds you drop below 250, but your heart rate monitor should indicate when that becomes neccessary.

Using the Heart Rate Monitor:
1. Assume your maximum heart rate, MaxHR, is 190, given your age, until you can test it safely.
2. Test your resting heart rate, MinHR, in the morning. It will be high until you lose more weight.

For burning lots of calories, if you have the time, just do lots and lots of walking. At 260 you will likely find your heart rate quite elevated just by walking, even without hills. I would guess you would be up to at least 50% of your VO2 Max, or Heart Rate Reserve. 60-80% is ideal for endurance training, but 50-60% is great for burning calories and laying a foundation for endurance training because you can do so much more exercise, if you have the time. Enjoy your walks. Go on weekday or weekend hikes when you have the time.

If your resting heart rate is 80, and your max is 190, your heart rate reserve is 110.
You will be at 50% of your heart rate reserve at 80 + 50% x 110 = 135.
You will probably hit that just with walking. Just average it over your 1 or 2 hour walk.
If its less than that, as you lose weight, throw in a minute of light jogging now and then.

JAK
12-05-2011, 10:38
Try the zone diet, which is 30% protien, 40% carbs, and 30% fat. I think it is too high in protien, unless you are losing weight, but it is a great diet while you are losing weight. If limit your eating to only 2000 kcal for every 3000 kcal you burn, then the zone diet becomes 20% protien, 27% carbohydrates, and 53% fats as percentages of the calories burned, because the extra 1000 kcal is coming from your body fat. Since the vast majority of your calories will be burned at less than 60% Heart Rate Reserve, you should be burning twice as much fat as carbohydrates, so the carbs do need to be limited to accommodate this, and your blood sugar and food cravings will be greatly reduced if you limit the carbohydrates to no more than the body needs to burn. Good luck with that, because I'm still trying to make this work myself. Not saying it is easy. Try to learn the difference between feeling hungry and actually needing food. It is tempting to over eat on long walks, but it is seldom neccessary. If you are not losing weight, you are eating too much. Plot your daily weight each morning, and watch the trend over several days. Cheers.

Hoofit
12-05-2011, 10:52
Hey there Nomad, you ain't fat, you're obese!!!
Just kidding, hey man, do the trail, you'll never regret it and you will lose plenty of that lard, no madderwhat...
I was out of work when I set off in 2010 and made it to Penn., before the Lyme Disease wiped me out. So I am going back in March to continue/complete the hike. I spend everyday thinking about it .
I also was 250 pounds and 5 feet 11 inches, pretty similar and got down to 200 pounds in three months! And ate tons of snicker bars along the way.Isn't it great. You too can pig out and lose weight at the same time!!!
As for prior exercise, do lots of walking and backpack with thirty pounds or so in the pack.
Jogging can really put a strain on those knees so limit that to one/perhaps two days a week.
You'll find that as you lose weight, your knees will start to hurt less.
Of course, there is no fitness substitute for hiking other than, you guessed it , hiking, particularly the hilly side of hiking.
Good luck with it...

Nomaderwhat
12-05-2011, 12:58
Hey there Nomad, you ain't fat, you're obese!!!


Correct, BUT as per my BMI.. I am not yet "Morbidly" obese. Which means there is a whole other rung of fatties that I'm not a part of. Ha! Joking aside, it's hard for me to get my heart rate up from -walking- at this point because of the jogging and lifting I have been doing. I'm more burly than lard-ass. But the knee thing is for real, so I think I am going to cut out the jogs and stick with the long walks. I do belong to a gym, so I'll throw in some elevation on the treadmill. Hey Hoofit, you just had to go and throw the whole Lyme Disease thing out there. That's scary, how did you know you had gotten it while you were hiking? Did you wear a hat? Yikes.

stonedflea
12-05-2011, 13:32
i had to sell my truck to hike this year, and depending on what kind of vehicle you have and what asking price you've got set on it, i would recommend giving it at least eight weeks to sell. you may get really lucky, but i had a f150 with a 30 gal. tank i was trying to sell back when gas was almost $4/gal, so no one was really in the market to buy a gas guzzler. :) i had planned on starting April 1, but had to push my start date back almost 3 wks because of finances in dealing with selling my truck. just a heads up of something to think about that isn't trail related but can have an impact on your hike. :)

and i'm not going to say, "don't worry about your weight," because obviously, the more you lose, the healthier you'll be, but as far as your weight ending your hike, i don't think it will. just start out slow! a TON of hikers that i know just did 8 miles their first day out. i met a guy my second night out on the shelter who had started at springer that day. he was wearing a knee brace by the time he reached neels gap. don't rush, take plenty of breaks, and you'll be fine. :) i was passed by many people each day when i was taking a snack break on the side of the trail with my socks & shoes off.

perhaps take glucosamine supplements like someone else suggested?

and i took advantage of really nice streams whenever i could by taking a nice, long break with my shoes and socks off and soaking my feet. i swear, if you take a 30 minute break and take the time to take your shoes off and soak your feet somewhere, you'll feel like a brand new person when you put your socks and shoes back on. :)

corialice81
12-05-2011, 13:47
I was a fatty pre-thru and finished! I lost over 50 lbs on my thru and I've been able to keep it off for the last two years.

I didn't set out on the AT in an effort to lose weight. In fact, I never even stepped on a scale until I returned home.

I focused on fun and friendships and MOST IMPORTANTLY, I listened to my body. I started out SLOW with a ridiculous amount of breaks. I would not allow myself to go over 12 miles/day for the first three weeks. I never ever was concerned with what I was eating just that I packed out enough food until the next resupply.

With this being said, I would try to drop as much weight as possible before the hike just to make the experience as pleasant as possible (especially at the end of the day) and reduce risk of injury. Also, WALK and WALK and WALK and WALK and make sure you WALK with the pack weight you intend to carry.

I did experience knee pain early on (runner's knee) but I elevated my knee at night, took vit I, iced/heated, and it slowly went away. I also took glucosamine and chondroitin throughout the hike in drink mixes and had no permanent injury. I also used hiking poles, which saved my knees. I talk about my ailments in my journal: www.trailjournals.com/corialice.

Good luck!

Tinker
12-05-2011, 14:03
Most Americans are fat, by any other nation's standards, and we tend to look at other people who have worse trouble than we have with weight problems and comfort ourselves by saying in our heads, "Well, at least I'm not as fat (overweight, portly, chunky -add your favorite P.C. word) as he/she is." This is a dangerous self-delusion. Fwiw, I'm 5'10-1/2" and weigh 220 lbs. (a little less when I pay attention to what I'm eating - and that's exactly the problem - I eat what I want, when I want!!!). Before this changes (and it has, slowly), I will have all the problems that come with being FAT (I'm not afraid to use that word about myself). I have knee and ankle pain from time to time (one knee had been hit by a car when I was 19 and has never been the same), I've experienced gout symptoms in the big toe four times in the past year and one time in the knee, and I'm on 10mg. Linisopril for high blood pressure. I have flat feet, too, which usually results to soreness there, too.
Something HAS to change (and I'd be fooling myself if I thought that "getting away from my current life" is change enough). It's finally gotten through my thick skull that a DAILY change of diet is in order (and LONG overdue). I've cut down drastically on foods which can trigger (in bold, because they really don't cause gout) gout attacks, have begun to actually stop myself from eating too much AND too often.
Op and others, do yourself a favor and take an honest checkup from the neck up to see what needs to change in your life to make it a better, longer, and happier one.
YOU matter.
The hike is just a hike.

Brady
12-05-2011, 14:08
As a fellow floridian I feel your pain about nowhere really to train. I'm heading off from Springer somewhere between mid March and April 1... I'm a good 6'4'' 275 and built like an ox.. since south florida is lacking in hills, i've been hiking with a 20lb pack 2-4hrs on my days off up and down this landfill that has been turned into a park.. if the incline is hurting too much, i just take the trail around it with a more 'user friendly' grade to it... i'm sure they have similar parks in tampa...

the only thing im really worried about is finding a sleeping bag big enough that doesnt way 4-7lbs

JAK
12-05-2011, 14:36
Waist line measurement is a real eye-opener for me. It's been as high as 46". Now it is 42". It should be like 36". I'm 6' tall. Percentage body fat is another one. My lean body mass is 150. At 225 I was 1/3 fat. That is scary. I am now 210 and still have about 45 pounds of excess fat. That is about 160,000 calories. That's going to take alot of work. I suppose I could think of it as money in the bank. What's 45 pounds of butter worth? At least there is one aspect of my life where I am not in debt. lol

Hoofit
12-05-2011, 15:20
In answer to your question Nomaderwhat, I went down the keys to fish for a couple of weeks and rest my knees and my wife saw a big bullseye on my lower back - otherwise I would never have known until it got much worse.
This time I will use lots of "Deet" and be more careful...
Don't let the fear of Lyme Disease stop you, you can die crossing the street as they say...

Toolshed
12-05-2011, 19:58
I am going to take a different position here. Start working your muscles harder - Especially lower body. While walking is good, you need to also build a little mass on your lower extremities (I am not speaking of bulking up, but just working/stressing them in ways walking won't).

Start doing lunges as you are walking, that will get your heart rate up and build some upper leg muscle. also start walking up and down stairs or lighthouses, grassy sides of interstate ramps, etc... Do heel raises, walk on the sand (or jog). All of this will stress your system and get your HR a bit more than just walking. As you build some muscle mass (and the lower body has the most) you will burn more calories at rest.
Start jumping rope or doing some squat thrusts - all of these will help you with a calorie burn. you also need to stretch out well. I think stretching is the most under-rated part of an exercise. hold and steady, not bounding and jerking.
If you are hitting the gym, cut back on rests between sets. If you are on ellipticals, start doing cycles. I see more folks on ellipticals not pushing themselves, but just pedaling at a comfortable rate.
All of these will help - I think much more than walking on a flat surface... In addition, bicycling is another great way to increase your endurance and cut down on your weight (also helps you with your balance)

Nomaderwhat
12-05-2011, 23:04
@Tinker: Wow, you've got 30 years on me, and you're in better health than I am! I'm on Lisinopril and atenolol for BP, and allopurinol for gout. I probably have a fatty liver too. Heck, lets throw in some other ailments... I imagine there aren't many better forms of exercise than hiking 12 miles a day!?!

@Stonedflea: I'm selling a car that's pretty good on gas, but I'm sure I won't get anywhere near what I'm asking. I'm gonna be tight on funds, but if I run out of money from having too much fun in town, then I'll just stop hiking. I'm not a purist I suppose.

@Corialice: 50lbs aye? What was your starting weight?

Nomaderwhat
12-05-2011, 23:16
My lazy ass always comes up with an excuse not to push my exercise routine to the next level. In my head I say "well if I'm gonna be hiking 2000+ miles, then why the hell would I want to kill myself with special workouts for 4 months beforehand!". Which is of course a terrible way to look at things. I think that once I commit to hiking this year (I'll be making my decision after Christmas), I will be much more inclined to do the things necessary for a successful hike.

Tinker
12-05-2011, 23:55
Nomaderwhat: "@Tinker: Wow, you've got 30 years on me, and you're in better health than I am! I'm on Lisinopril and atenolol for BP, and allopurinol for gout. I probably have a fatty liver too. Heck, lets throw in some other ailments... I imagine there aren't many better forms of exercise than hiking 12 miles a day!?!"

Your comment is a good one and valid for someone who should start off slowly, being in relatively poor health. Talk to your doctor. He may say that it isn't a good time to attempt something as strenuous as the AT. I would suggest starting at Forest Service Rd. 42, hiking the short distance south to Springer instead of taking the Approach Trail. The approach trail is a bear. I did it in 2006 and probably will never do it again (unless I'm southbound - it would be downhill then).

Here's the hard part: To stay alive tomorrow you'll have to take it relatively easy (compared to someone in better health).
To stay alive for the next few decades, you'll have to take it a little less easy (or easily, actually) tomorrow, the next day, and the next day, etc. etc. than you did today..........AND eat a little better, a little less, and a little less often, too.
I can vouch for it being hard.

I hope the scale backs me up on this, too. It doesn't lie. :D

May God bless your efforts :)

DapperD
12-06-2011, 00:34
My lazy ass always comes up with an excuse not to push my exercise routine to the next level. In my head I say "well if I'm gonna be hiking 2000+ miles, then why the hell would I want to kill myself with special workouts for 4 months beforehand!". Which is of course a terrible way to look at things. I think that once I commit to hiking this year (I'll be making my decision after Christmas), I will be much more inclined to do the things necessary for a successful hike.I for one don't believe anybody has to exercise themselves into exhaustion to prepare to hike the A.T., let alone do that for 4 months before departure. But it is important to make an effort to get some hiking with a pack in, and the more the better. If a person has real bad health conditions/considerations, then this is something that needs to be honestly evaluated (best by actual medical professionals) beforehand by the person who wants to attempt a hike of this magnitude. If a person with health conditions just decides to go with the after thought of attempting to hike, and not really caring wether or not they are just out for a few days or weeks or whatever, well that is a lot different than somebody who is determined to go the distance while all the while their body is screaming no way:(. The results of that scenario could be dangerous. I was reading an article found here the other day on Whiteblaze, which is very good and was written for other potential thru hikers to benefit from. It is about the benefits of physically preparing for an A.T. hike, and why arriving in good hiking shape to begin one's thru-hike is a wise move, as the beginning of the hike is where being in good shape really matter's for ones enjoyment and possibly even contributes to their ultimate success:http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?13696-Physical-Preparations-for-Long-Distance-Hiking&p=184425

Nomaderwhat
12-06-2011, 00:53
Hey Dapper, thanx for the input and your thoughts! I have indeed seen my doctor (in fact 2 different docs in 2 different states), and they both enthusiastically encouraged me to get my ass on the trail. The one up in PA was a hiker himself. You come across as somebody who likes to be very well prepared, and has all your physical and mental ducks in a row; I however do not. I am a mess, and I will probably end up tumbling onto the trail with a bag that's too heavy, and a bum ankle, with no hope in sight. HYOH. Not worried about anything but gettin' into those woods, and meeting some nice folks. Plus, again, my brother did a sobo thru in 2010, and I'm sure he will mentally whip my ass before I hit the trail, if I hit the trail. Cheers!

DapperD
12-06-2011, 01:15
Hey Dapper, thanx for the input and your thoughts! I have indeed seen my doctor (in fact 2 different docs in 2 different states), and they both enthusiastically encouraged me to get my ass on the trail. The one up in PA was a hiker himself. You come across as somebody who likes to be very well prepared, and has all your physical and mental ducks in a row; I however do not. I am a mess, and I will probably end up tumbling onto the trail with a bag that's too heavy, and a bum ankle, with no hope in sight. HYOH. Not worried about anything but gettin' into those woods, and meeting some nice folks. Plus, again, my brother did a sobo thru in 2010, and I'm sure he will mentally whip my ass before I hit the trail, if I hit the trail. Cheers!Well thanks for the compliments, but basically I mostly just dayhike and dream of someday getting out there to attempt a thru-hike. I had wanted to attempt a thru-hike originally when I first started thinking about it back in the early 90's, but it never came to be. I had little to no money at the time, and I just put the dream aside. I did not, however, forget it, and I began to educate myself by reading all kinds of books about others that had thru hiked, about gear, etc. I eventually discovered Trailplace (http://www.trailplace.com/), and then eventually the Whiteblaze websites. I learned a bunch from both, and bought all the gear I need to do it. I wanted to go in 2009, but with family and home responsibilities, and now the crummy economy, I just was not able to. I still want to go, but I am not sure as to when that will be. Anyway, good luck with your planning, and your potential hike:sun.

Second Half
12-07-2011, 01:01
I'm a good 6'4'' 275 and built like an ox...

the only thing im really worried about is finding a sleeping bag big enough that doesnt way 4-7lbs

At the risk of "thread drift", check out this sleeping bag. 3lb 11oz. and built for us big boys. It's discounted in the REI outlet and until Thursday there's an additional 20% discount. Free shipping, it comes to around $60:

http://www.rei.com/product/812679/alps-mountaineering-clearwater-20-sleeping-bag-long-special-buy

Gray Blazer
12-07-2011, 09:03
I'm 5'10 on a good day. According to the height weight chart I'm supposed to be 7'9". Hiking in the mountains is the best way to lose weight. Take it slow at first. Don't hurt yourself early. You'll be fine and you will love it.