change of plans on start location and i need some planning help

[Gacy]

hello everyone all of your advice thus far has been very well put to use and I thank all of you, but because of funds I will be staring south bound in may instead of north bound in march. I have a quite a few questions because this is basicly reverse of what I was thinking.


1. Transportation- I am thinking about taking a train up there but i am running into some problems on routes of the trains it looks like they only go as far as boston. if anyone else has taken a train there from florida to maine and could let me know what to look for on the internet that would be awesome. now i realize that a train is not going to pull up directly at the baxter state park entrance so i will probably need a bus ticket as well and I was wondering about the availability of that.


2. clothing and sleeping bag- I am just guessing but even in may I would think it would still be cold in maine especially at night. for clothing right now I have a pair of cappilene tops and bottoms, a midweight fleece, a pair of frogtoggs pants and a frogtoggs jacket, smartwool endurance socks and a pair of water proof mid weight gloves. now will this still work as far as clothing goes or should i go lighter. For my bag i have a mountain hardwear 2nd dimmension its a 15 degree bag synthetic now im guessing this will be to warm.


now everything else i have should be able to make the switch perfectly but any advice on those things would be greatly appreciated. Again thank very much.
-Gacy

[Gacy]

sorry i forgot the bannana:banana

[Doc]

I believe that trains from the south come into south station-makes sense. Then you need to get to north station by cab or public transportation which is not direct. There is an Amtrak train which goes to Portland several times a day. At that station there is bus service, but I'm not sure if it goes up to Millinocket where you want to get. Actually it probably will stop in Medway on its way north. There is cab service I think from Medway into the park. It's probably quite easy to hitch in as well from there. Many outdoors people and workers with pickups and not many Lexus and M-B cars.

The real issue is starting in late May. We have had a very snowy winter and Spring will probably be delayed. The major issue is with our state bird, otherwise known as the black fly. The month of June is when they are out and about, making life very difficult during the daylight hours. The good news is that they retire at 7:33 PM each day.

Daily temps for anywhere on the trail can be found in an earlier post about temps. I think it was on thru-hiker somewhere, but I have it written somewhere, so let me know if you can't find it.

As others have suggested, think about a flip, perhaps starting in Harpers Ferry and heading north, then flipping back to HF and go south. Amtrak serves HF if I recall.

Doc

[Peaks]

How to get to Millinocket:

Train to Boston is a good start. Most trains come into South Station. The bus terminal is in South Station. There you need to get the bus to Bangor Maine. It's an express bus that makes only a few stops before Bangor. Change buses in Bangor for Medway. Again, another express and comfortable bus. In Medway, hitch or taxi to Millinocket. Check schedules. Buses don't run that frequently.

May start: I wouldn't count on the trails up Katahdin being open before June 1. Also, in addition to being black fly season, the streams are still high and cold with spring runoff in June.

If you are committed to doing a SOBO, then consider waiting until July.

[TJ aka Teej]

Bus riders to Medway (30 miles from the AT) need to know that the bus doesn't get in until after 7:30PM. The late arrival means getting a motel that night, and booking the Taxi ahead of time to get you into the Park. Some hikers get the Taxi to drop them off outside the Park late at night the day they arrive, where they camp and then hitch to the Trailhead in the morning.
Remember southbound hikers can't stay at the Birches, they need reservations. Try for two nights in a lean-to at Katahdin Stream. www.baxterstateparkauthority.com (http://www.baxterstateparkauthority.com)

[Smooth03]

http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=Amtrak/HomePage

[Jaybird]

why not take a bus all the way to MAINE?

or even fly into BANGOR & get a cab or shuttle from there?



YOu didnt say when u plan to start your SOBO hike...but, it is still fairly cool in MAINE in May & June (especially @ night).

Good luck with yer hike! :D


see u out there: Apr 28-May 5 (w/ "the Model T (http://www.modelt.net) crew") Hot Springs-Erwin
May 6-7 Erwin to Carvers Gap
May 8-20 Damascus to Pearisburg,VA

[Tim Rich]

Gacy,

Why kill yourself on a train or bus when you can fly to Boston from J'ville?

Jacksonville to Boston is on sale through tomorrow one way for $69 plus tax. Flights anytime through June 8.

Go to www.airtran.com - I just pulled up a 5/24 departure and, including your time to connect in Atlanta, you can be there in five to eight hours. delta.com Delta appears to be matching this fare, with their total cost at $84.90. A 1:58 pm Delta departure from Jax, connecting through ATL puts you on the ground in Boston at 5:05 pm.

A bus from Boston will get you from there. The bus lines pick up at Logan, then take you to South Station to buy your ticket and move on from there.

If you decide to flip at HF, Delta 5422 is a nonstop two hour flight (6:15am to 8:20am) Jax to Washington Dulles, total cost $89.20. I'm sure that's in response to the same Airtran sale that ends tomorrow. Don't worry if you don't pull the trigger on this one, they have sales almost nonstop.

Amtrak shows a train/bus combo from Boston to Portland to Bangor for $44.

Best of luck to you on your journey to the trail, as well as your hike.

Take Care,

Tim

[schwenkler]

I'd flip flop. You get to avoid the blackflies and meet some NOBOs. Half the time your destination is the Whites, Maine & Katahdin, and then your destination is NC/TN, Smokies & Springer.

I haven't done it but starting at K seems a bit anticlimactic.

[Smooth03]

I haven't done it but starting at K seems a bit anticlimactic.

Its not so much starting on K but finishing on Springer that might be a bit anticlimatic. And even then I think it just depends on the kind of person you are what sort of hike you are looking for. After walking 2,173 miles I would have cried if it had ended in a parking lot so Springer was heaven for me.
A draw back for me personally to finishing on Mt. K would have been having to share that moment with others. Granted if I had become close friends it probably would have added somethign to it, but I've heard stories of 20+ NOBOs finishing all on the same day and I just don't think I would have liked that. Again, it just sorta depends on what you want. I think a flipflop would have a lot of great aspects and you get to taste the differences in a NOBO and SOBO hike.

[blindeye]

for what it's worth gacy i live in massachusetts and i am heading sobo in july of 2006. you should really consider july instead of may beacause as previously mentioned the black flies will eat you up! just a thought, good luck:D