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Mulungu
02-10-2013, 05:36
While walking the trial we also don't want to miss out on seeing some of the must see places in the vicinity and want to visit some of the must visit towns or attractions along the way.

if this means taking slightly longer to walk our walk then so be it. We would hate to be told "did you see that in hot springs" or" just 10 miles west if Damascus there was a place that was must see" and we missed it.

I think there are probably thousands of fantastic things to see and do, so I am sure we will miss some, but having a list now that I can do some Internet surfing would help.

please remember we are hiking so all the places need to be able to be reached by public transport at a reasonable cost

come on people time to boast about your great country and help a South African make the most of our visit.:)

rocketsocks
02-10-2013, 05:56
First off, I don't know about all the little jewels along the way....never been to many places along the trail.
And secondly...good for you not worried about time constraints or blue blazes, start times and stop times. I hear many here say the only thing that matters is the finishing, and I strongly disagree, but a lass...to each there own. Have a great time exploring your world.


if your going to start out by way of Dahlonega it's a neat little town (not on the trail tho, bout 20 miles away I think). When I was there it was for different reasons other than the trail, but that's a story for another day.

Jeff
02-10-2013, 08:39
A few miles west of Manchester, VT we have an abandoned marble quarry that is now a fantastic swimming hole with cliff diving. It's a busy spot on a hot summer day.

Mulungu
02-10-2013, 09:33
Awesome thanks

Mulungu
02-10-2013, 12:32
Spending our first night at the hikers hostel

10-K
02-10-2013, 12:37
A few miles west of Manchester, VT we have an abandoned marble quarry that is now a fantastic swimming hole with cliff diving. It's a busy spot on a hot summer day.

Manchester Center is a must see! Man I love that town.

Dogwood
02-10-2013, 13:59
Mulungu, welcome to WB. You also have some great sights to experience in S. Africa. It's on my bucket list.

Here's a link to a thread and one of my posts here on WB where we were discussing this topic recently.

http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?92034-What-is-there-to-see-and-do-on-your-thru-hike-off-the-trail&p=1407498&highlight=Harpers+Ferry%2C+waterfalls#post1407498

Mulungu
02-10-2013, 14:21
Mulungu, welcome to WB. You also have some great sights to experience in S. Africa. It's on my bucket list.

Here's a link to a thread and one of my posts here on WB where we were discussing this topic recently.

http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?92034-What-is-there-to-see-and-do-on-your-thru-hike-off-the-trail&p=1407498&highlight=Harpers+Ferry%2C+waterfalls#post1407498

2 comments
1 when in South Africa send me a message we will be glad to advise assist in any way. We are amazed at the friendship and help offered to us as we get ready to do this walk

2 I agree with your thoughts about exploring and walking. We have been invited to green port for 4 July to celebrate.
we will try and see as much as we can and try to walk as far as we can in the time we have

Dogwood
02-10-2013, 15:00
Thanks for the offer Mulungu. The plants in S Africa are amazingly unique and rare to me. I'm drawn to the coastlines and mountain ranges too.

If you are amazed now wait until you actually get on the AT. The amount of trail support and number of trail angels and businesses that cater to hikers is astounding. You will not be the only non-Americans hiking the AT. On my AT thru-hike I met hikers from 14 different countries. Make sure you get lots of other worthy things to experience ideas that other posters listed on the thread I linked. Others and myself are mostly doing what has been done for us. Keep PAYING IT FORWARD! Enjoy The Journey My Friend. If I can be of any further assistance contact me, perhaps through a PM or Email.

Mulungu
02-10-2013, 15:08
Thanks for the offer Mulungu. The plants in S Africa are amazingly unique and rare to me. I'm drawn to the coastlines and mountain ranges too.

If you are amazed now wait until you actually get on the AT. The amount of trail support and number of trail angels and businesses that cater to hikers is astounding. You will not be the only non-Americans hiking the AT. On my AT thru-hike I met hikers from 14 different countries. Make sure you get lots of other worthy things to experience ideas that other posters listed on the thread I linked. Others and myself are mostly doing what has been done for us. Keep PAYING IT FORWARD! Enjoy The Journey My Friend. If I can be of any further assistance contact me, perhaps through a PM or Email.

thank you will do

Dogwood
02-10-2013, 15:09
One more thing. If you have the time, are flexible, don't mind wandering a bit off trail occasionally doing non hiking things, and a bit of funds(nothing crazy expensive though), you can, and I would advise this for foreigners, make your hikes also traveling treks. It mixes things up and can enrich your hiking abroad. Just don't be sucked in by the "town vortexes."

Southerner
02-10-2013, 19:17
Here are a few cool places in Virginia not too far off the AT. I'm sure there are cool things in other states, too, it's just the trail state I am most familiar with. Maybe if people familiar with sites (and sights) in other states do the same thing, you could have the mother of all lists from which to select. :)

Virginia Creeper Trail -- Heading north out of Damascus, the VCT is much prettier than the corresponding section of the AT that needlessly climbs steep, short mountains without views. The VCT crosses the stream dozens of times on old train trestles, goes through laurel-lined gorges, and through a quaint mountain community (Taylors Creek). You will naturally pick the AT back up as it joins the VCT to go over Whitetop-Laurel Gorge on the Luther Hassinger Bridge.

Roanoke -- The city is undergoing a bit of a cultural resurgence to bring it more on par with Asheville, NC. There's a new art museum, they have a farmers' market, a group of history, natural history, and science museums called Center in the Square, a transportation museum if you like trains, and lots of neat shops, galleries, and restaurants. They also have all of the modern ammenities if you want to catch the latest movie or that sort of thing. The AT goes through the city's northern suburbs (Va. 311, US 220, & US 11 crossings), so it shouldn't be too hard getting into the city. If you stay at a hotel in the city, the hotel may even provide a shuttle service.

Peaks of Otter -- I have no idea why the AT skips this area along the Blue Ridge Parkway north of Roanoke, but you don't have to! Sharp Top, the shorter but more prominent peak, is arguably the most spectacular viewpoint in Virginia. If you don't feel like hiking the steep 1.5-mile trail, you can ride a bus most of the way. The area also has a pretty lake, a good restuarant, and a lodge. The restaurant and lodge closed recently due to vendor contracting issues, but apparently the NPS received several bids for new vendors, and the place will likely be open again by summer.

Natural Bridge -- Thomas Jefferson probably said it best, "It is impossible for the emotions, arising from the sublime, to be felt beyond what they are here: so beautiful an arch, so elevated, so light, and springing, as it were, up to heaven, the rapture of the Spectator is really indiscribable!" Thomas Jefferson, Notes on the State of Virginia 25 (William Peden ed., 1982). Natural Bridge is a few miles south of Glasgow, which is considered a trail town. There's also a hotel and restaurants there.

Charlottesville -- The city is about 25 miles east of the AT at Rockfish Gap, but hitching is quite possible at the gap. The city is home to UVA, has a great downtown mall with shops and stores, and there's probably a way to get out to Monticello, Jefferson's unique home, southeast of the downtown. The vibe is somewhat reduced when most of the students aren't in session (May-August), but it's still probably worth the effort.

White Oak Canyon -- While adding more hiking miles, especially a steep down and up, probably doesn't sound great, White Oak Canyon has about six good-sized waterfalls that would be awesome on a hot day. The falls trail diverts from the AT near Skyland in Shenandoah Nat'l Park. If you really wanted to go crazy, you could add Old Rag Mountain, one of the coolest mountains in Virginia that can be accessed from the bottom of White Oak Canyon. Between the two out-and-back, however, that would probably be a full day off-trail.

Luray Caverns -- Though a bit on the touristy side, the caverns are still quite incredible. They claim to be the largest caverns in the eastern US (though the term "largest" is probably being used in a nuanced manner). Luray is considered a trail town (even though a lot of people skip it because supplies are so plentiful in season in Shenandoah Nat'l Park).

Have a great hike!

HikerMom58
02-10-2013, 19:36
Southerner ... you are very good at pointing out great places to visit in my "neck of the woods". :D

I can arrange a shuttle for Mulungu and his wife to visit the city of Roanoke, if he would like that.... Don't forget about the beautiful view from the Roanoke Star at night. :) Don't forget about a meal at the Homeplace right before McAfee Knob. Good stuff!! :>)

Southerner
02-10-2013, 19:48
Thanks, HikerMom! Oh, and one mistake I noticed in my post is that "Taylors Creek" should be Taylors Valley under the Virginia Creeper Trail. I have family from Taylors Creek, Ga., so I always slip on that one.

rickb
02-10-2013, 19:57
The exhibit of Brad Washburn photos at the AMC Highland Center is World Class. Be sure to pick up the audio tour headsets.

A bit farther off the trail is The Clark -- which is a rather spectacular fine art museum Williamstown, MA. As I understand it the family of the Singer sewing machine fortune located the museum/center there at least in part because they thought NYC might not be secure. They have a great collection -- worth a google -- which could be viewed from a very different eye after months on the Trail.

rickb
02-10-2013, 20:01
I should have added that probably less than 1 in 100 thru hikers ever bother with those two stops. In that sense, they are by definition not "must sees". The usual highlights will be known. just a thought of something you could google. for the right person, they are both very cool.

Dogwood
02-10-2013, 21:52
I'm one of those 1 in 100 thru-hikers Rickb. On my AT thru I hit all those things mentioned by Southerner, HikierMom, and you, almost. I saved The Clark until a LT thru-hike. Didn't recall the name of it until you mentioned and described it. The Clark has this super sized model of a Singer sewing machine and some modernists art works and sculptures.

That's a great list Southerner. During my AT thru-hike the highlight of Shenandoah NP was taking in White Oak Canyon as a side trip after several straight days of heavy rain. The whole canyon had water flowing over the walls. Got dropped off at the Old Rag TH too and hiked back to Skyline Dr. That was memorable in an all day downpour. Luray cCverns are a nice divergence too and you can sometimes get a easy hitch back to the AT in Shenandoah NP to a lodge or at least SkyLine Dr from the caverns because some tourists take in both on the same trip. A couple of places rent bikes in Damascus VA and shuttle up to a high pt on the Virginia Creeper Trail so you mostly bicycle downhill the entire distance. You can peddle back to where you rented the bike or the shuttlers will often pick you up when you are done. It's a GREAT way to experience the VCT. The all you can eat Homeplace buffet is a must for hungry AT thru-hkers too. Gotta hit that Manchester VT marble quarry though. Was planning too but it was raining and cold for the two days I was planning on it.

I've been talking about some of these just off the AT experiences for awhile now. I didn't think anyone else was listening or did many of these things. I have a hard time digesting it when AT thru-hiker wannabees say they are quitting because they are bored. The only way one could quit the AT with that reason is because they lack creativity or aren't aware of all that's worthy to experience on or very near the AT. Thru-hiking the AT, for some, may not only be a hike of a lifetime experience but it can also be a trip of a lifetime experience! Enjoy the Journey!

fiddlehead
02-10-2013, 23:07
Things my Thai family seem to be impressed with when they were in the states:
Washington DC (about an hour from the trail, reachable by bus from just north of Shendoah National Park ) (closest point anyway)
New York city: Only about 14 miles from the trail and you can take a train in near Pawling NY.
White water rafting trip: perhaps you have plenty of this in your country, I don't know. But there are many places along the trail where you can try it. NOC in NC, Nolichucky in TN, French Broad in NC, as well as the Ocoee in GA (not really close to the trail but where our Olympic white water events were held aprox 10 years ago)

Also, I didn't take them but if you are at all interested in American history, the trail goes pretty close to Gettysburg PA, site of a huge battle in our civil war 1860's.
A major league baseball game (not nearly as entertaining as your rugby but a part of America that is well liked and played by most kids everywhere in the US)

If you like touristy places, check out Gatlinburg TN (halfway through Smokey Mtn Nat Park and near the AT), if you don't: Stay away! Has things like Wax museum and Ripley's Believe it or not, etc.

After you finish (if that's your intention) a NOBO hike, and you are heading home from Portland, ME, you don't want to miss $3 Deweys near the waterfront. (to celebrate a job well done!) (and try a lobster dinner while you're in the area. Maine lobster is the best lobster in the world)

Enjoy your hike.

hadsdad
02-11-2013, 00:17
I spent a week in Natural Bridge VA this past summer and went to the Peaks of Otter - Sharp Top and Buzzards Roost with my kids. The views were amazing and the hike was not too bad. Unfortunatly a freak derecho came through later (felt so bad for those caught on the trail!) and cut our vacation short but we enjoyed what we did.

Mulungu
02-11-2013, 00:37
Southerner ... you are very good at pointing out great places to visit in my "neck of the woods". :D

I can arrange a shuttle for Mulungu and his wife to visit the city of Roanoke, if he would like that.... Don't forget about the beautiful view from the Roanoke Star at night. :) Don't forget about a meal at the Homeplace right before McAfee Knob. Good stuff!! :>)

Thanks hikermom. We will most likely take you up on that offer

Rock Lobster
02-16-2013, 13:53
Assuming you make it all the way, I consider the White House Landing a great last stop before Katahdin. A bit pricey for some hikers, but it's a great place to relax and reflect.

Boston is a great city to visit and learn about American History. It has the oldest restaurant and oldest bar in the US, and is very pedestrian-friendly. I recommend the Constitution Trail.