Review my plans, SOBO 05 Itinerary

[petmac]

Okay so with ya’ll saying that may 20th was a bit too early for my SOBO 05 hike for this year, In my previous thread sounthbounder questions (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=8071), I have confirmed reservations for June 4th to start.


If you would not mind looking over the following attachments and replying with your honest opinion(s) I would be immensely thrilled.

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[TJ aka Teej]

I have confirmed reservations for June 4th to start.
I'm tenting at Katahdin Stream on the 2nd and 3rd, then heading down to Monson to head north back to Abol Bridge, maybe to the Birches. See you up there, petmac!

[Panzer1]

I would rather have a warmer sleeping bag. I would prefer a bag rated to 20 degrees. I never really believe the bag ratings. I think that they exaggerate.

The pack looks a little heavy. Most people are going with lighter packs these days. (I shouldn't talk though, my pack is heaver than yours)

I like the mapdanna. I think I will get one to replace my bandanna. I guess you could get by with only this. But I would just use it as a bandana. I would still bring a proper set of maps and guide book. The real maps have more info on them. I think the extra info is worth the extra weight.

The tent is in the proper weight range. Although it looks like it may be hard to get into and out of. Have you seam sealed it?

I have never used a MIOX. I have head they work well.

I like the kettle and utensils.

Stove: I have never used this stove. But I have read that a 2 time thru hiker who is on the trail right now named "Jaws" does not like it. See his gear remarks at:
http://trailjournals.com/gear.cfm?trailname=1984
He has just switched to a new alcohol stove. If you read his journal he goes into details of why he does not like it.
Just the same I think you will get by with your stove. I'm just being picky.

The Gabel multi grip looks like a real good trecking pole.

Platypus - are you bringing any Nalgene bottles? "Jaws" said he had 2 platypus and they both got holes in them. See his January 4, 2005 posting.

Where is the rest of your gear?

Good Luck.
Panzer

PS I hope your pack cover is not really that bright red color.

[Smooth03]

Gear:
-Pack might be a bit heavy but you can always do like I did and lose the fanny pack, put your sleeping pad inside and then lose the side straps.
-I don't know anything personally about Gabel Poles but all I have to say about poles is Leki, Leki, Leki, Leki. Its not that their poles are necessarily better than others but more that they are quick to send repair parts when something breaks. Also, a small gear store in BFE will have leki parts but might not have Gabel.
-I used Platypus agree with the comment made before; they do leak. A plus side is that they will refund it for free, but that won't do you any good when it breaks on a 95 degree day. So that one is sort up in the air. In terms of a nalgene bottle I say an emphatic "no" to. Expensive, heavy, and hard to clean. When you go in to town once a week buy a 32 ounce gatorade or powerade bottle. Its the same size as a nalgene, gives you something to drink, weighs a tad less(of course now I'm being anal) and most importantly doesn't have to be cleaned ever. Not necessarily as eco-friendly, but if you figure you'd be buying the gatorade anyway....
-A suggestion for the rain cover is to buy the Hunter Orange cover sold by the ATC. Its a bit obnoxious but the first time you hear a gunshot down South (and you will hear LOTS!) you will wish you had a bright orange pack cover. I ended up wearing an orange hat and tying orange tape to my bag for when it wasn't raining and did have one guy say to me "Thought you was a Hog" and had a 14 year old kid jump out from behind a rhododendron thicket with his gun thinking I was a hog.(perhaps my smell?)
http://www.atctrailstore.org/catalog/iteminfo.cfm?itemid=401&compid=1

Mail Drops:

I'm not meaning to be negative here, but you really need to rethink your drops. You've obviously done a lot of work here and that enough shows that you should be successful in your hike. So here are my comments.

Your drops are spaced a little too close together. I think its smart and realistic that you don't have them spaced too far apart with the idea that your going to start doing 14 miles a day in Maine, because as you realize you wont. But that being said going in to town every 35 miles is really too frequent. Now one caveat I would say is that if the trail takes you right through the town (like Caratunk, Hanover, Cheshire, Dalton) its not such a pain to get a mail drop. But when you have to hitch in to town, find the post office, eat a huge lunch, call home (etc), then hitch back out, you've used up almost half a day of hiking. I guess instead of going on and on I'll list part of my mail drop schedule so you can compare a bit and then decide what you'd like to do.

Monson
Stratton
Gorham
Glencliff
Killington
Bennington
Great Barringington

From Stratton to Gorham I remember being overloaded so you might ignore that stretch.

Anyway, just my piece of advice. For Maine I would plan on 8-9 miles a day (if you're an average hiker). I averaged 8-9 in Maine; 13 in NH, and 17 in Vermont, for comparison.

Good luck with everything. Sounds like your planning well and listening to others advice(re: changing your start time) which is good.

Email me with any specific questions!
Smooth
MEGA 2003

[petmac]

thanks for the posts folks, i don't have time to reply now but keep your opinion coming.

[Jack Tarlin]

Many (in fact most) of the places that you are scheduling drops at have excellent markets (Stratton, Rangeley, Gorham, Hanover, Manchester Center, Killington, Bennington, Salisbury) While you might want to get maps, lettters, and other personal stuff at these places, there's no need have any food sent here, unless you're on a specialized or restricted diet.

There is a lot of information in the "Articles" section of Whiteblaze that deals with mail-drops, re-supplying, packaging drops, etc. You might find this useful.

[petmac]

Jack and Smooth, I am following your advise with the mail drops. I was under the feeling that I was using an immense or over abundance of mail drops. Am going to rewrite my mailing list. Thanks



And as for my gear, yea, it is only a run down of what I am dead set on packing to start off my journey. Thank for letting me know about the Platypus popping, and there return/fix policy. Its great to here that there are good companies out there.



TJ aka Teej, I would love to put faces behind these WB member names. I’ll see y’a there.

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[Panzer1]

I have confirmed reservations for June 4th to start.
I think there is another whiteblaze member also starting SOBO on that date.
Her name is "Nameless/Pink"

Panzer

[pabo]

Checking in to say I'll be doing a June 4th or 5th start. Good luck, fellow sobos!

[Lilred]

Checking in to say I'll be doing a June 4th or 5th start. Good luck, fellow sobos!

Best of luck on your hike. Are you keeping a journal online? Have fun!! :clap

[Nameless]

I'm starting June 8, I hope to see you around!

Pink