View Full Version : Class of 2014 Thru Hiker Registry
alxflwrs
04-02-2013, 23:10
Hello All!
It seems like it's just around the bend doesn't it! Everyone in class of 2013 seems to be either on the trail, or frothing at the mouth to get there. I know my start date is over a year away and I'm still thinking about it every day, getting outside and training to prepare.
So, let's all get to know each other here on WhiteBlaze.
Please know there are a few groups on Facebook for the Class of 2014, and if you're interested, feel free to interact there, and here. Both are wonderful communities.
Class of 2014 Group on Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/groups/56380495208/
Appalachian Trail Thru-Hiker Class 2014
http://www.facebook.com/ATClass2014?fref=ts
Don't ask me why there's many groups, as I like to consolidate groups and threads as best I can.
So, if you'd like please include: (all optional, but it'd be nice to have as complete as possible)
Name
Trail-name
Start date
Approach Trail (yes/no)
Chris F. here
Nearly 90% sure on a trail name, but haven't bit the bullet.
First week in May, 2014 (Graduate U. of Florida May 4)
Yes on the approach
capehiker
04-03-2013, 01:34
Name: Tom W. (also on the Class of 2014 FB page)
Trail Name: not yet- will let it happen organically
Start date: May 1st
Approach Trail: Undecided
Journaling/ YouTube: I plan on using Trailjournals and posting random videos on YouTube.
Extra: 15 years after being bitten by the AT bug and a few states section hiked, I'm excited to attempt a thru hike.
Stir Fry
04-03-2013, 01:55
Name: Michael Trafton
Trail Name: Stir Fry
Start date: March 30 2014
Home Town: Concord NC
Approach: Yes
Carol A.
04-03-2013, 06:12
Name: Carol A.
Trail Name: Not yet
Start Date: March 30 or early April.
Approach Trail: No
Can't wait for the journey to begin.
scooterdogma
04-03-2013, 07:19
Name: Robin M.
Trail Name: Not yet Named
Start Date: Mid-March
Approach Trail: No
Thinking of doing a flip-flop ... NOBO Springer to Harper's Ferry, SOBO Katahdin to Harper's Ferry
Looking forward to not section hiking, it will be so wonderful to only get my trail legs once ;)
forrest!
04-03-2013, 10:13
I hate to jinx it by declaring myself on here so early, because that is what happened in 2013. I posted for April 1 SOBO, then my retirement got delayed, so I changed to June SOBO, and retirement got delayed again. But this time I am pretty sure, God willing and the creek don't rise, that I will be going SOBO in June 2014.
Name: Sam S
Trail name: Forrest
Start Date: SOBO June 22nd 2014
Approach Trail: not applicable to SOBO - but I have already hiked it 3 times...
I plan to go this year to Maine and hike the 100 mile wilderness at the exact same time as my thru next year - for practice. Starting from Abol Bridge though - saving the big K for 2014.
Forrest
Name: Matthew Smith
Trail Name: Will let happen organically on the trail
Start date: March 30
Home Town: Madison, Maine
Approach: Yes
Will be going NoBo so I can end up in my home state!
Name Dennis N.
Trail-name none yet
Start date April 1
Approach Trail Maybe
Autummyst
04-03-2013, 11:26
Hi everyone :)
Name: Kristin. Hiking with my boyfriend Eric
Trail name: we are both going to let it happen naturally on the trail
Start Date: Mid to late february. We are hiking through to the International Appalachian Trail in Canada, so have to get an earlier start (we've been getting gear for winter conditions)
Approach Trail: Yes
Autummyst
04-03-2013, 11:41
oh and here's our blog and facebook page:
http://hike2014.wordpress.com/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Trail-Mix-and-Dirty-Underwear/136812963127754
virginia jen
04-03-2013, 13:26
Name: Jen F (also in Class 2014 Facebook Group)
Trail Name : Don't have one yet
Start Date: SOBO Early June (1st week)
Hometown: Free Union, VA (outside of Charlottesville, closer to the mountains)
couting down the months!
ArtificialSunshine
04-03-2013, 15:04
Name: Cassandra
Trail Name: Have no idea but can't wait to find a good one!
Start Date: Tentatively late Feb 2014 (at least that's when my boyfriend wants to go, we're still in negotiations)
Approach Trail: Not sure
Hometown: Winston-Salem, NC
I've been enamored with the idea of doing a thru-hike for the past year, and this year I'm working toward making it a reality. Every day I sit in my office with no windows and daydream about the hike!
Name: Carol Donaldson
Trail-name: Coosa [Auntie Coosa]
Start date: April 3, 2014 ... expected end date: October 3, 2014 [my 70th Birthday]
Approach Trail (yes/no) No. Already hiked this at least half a dozen times when I lived in North Georgia
Hometowns: Murfreesboro, TN and Catonsville, MD
Website: Chasing the Trail http://chasingthetrail.blogspot.com
Name: John K. (Part of the 2014 AT FB Group)
Trail Name: None yet (hoping to get it on the trail)
Start date: March 15th is what I am thinking
Approach Trail: Most likely yes
About four years ago I knew virtually nothing about the AT. One night I watched 'Southbounders' on Netflix and it piqued my interest. Over time (and through quite a bit of research) I determined a Thru Hike is what I wanted to. I can't wait! :D
From_Accident
04-03-2013, 18:37
Name: Wil
Hometown: Accident, Maryland
Trail-name: I don't know yet, might let it happen organically on the trail not sure
Start date: Anytime between march 1 and 14
Approach Trail: not sure yet
After having to wait to Graduate College super excited for it!!
Name : Soheil (I will hike with my dog Delta ) Nobo
Trail Name: Kookork
Home Town: Toronto, Canada, Originally Iranian.
start date : early to mid April
Approach trail : yes
Now it is official. eh.
wind2wings
04-04-2013, 09:31
Name: Rebekah
Trail Name: Red
Hometown: Washington State (temporarily in Ohio)
Start Date: April
Approach Trail:No
I plan on taking the non traditional approach of hiking southbound to Springer from Harper's Ferry and then northbound from Harper's Ferry to Katahdin.
BrewBaker
04-04-2013, 09:46
Name: Bret B.
Trail name: none yet
Start date: June 2014 as soon as the wife graduates graduate school
Approach: south bound hike, so no
Name: Ellie
Trail Name: "Hummingbird" most likely since I am often called that now. Just love those tiny birds!
Hometown: Santa Monica, California.. originally from the Berkshires in Massachusetts.
Start Date: Plan to leave California on April 1st.. "Fools" day.. Ha
Approach Trail: Deciding on that.. Any reasons why I shouldn't miss that starting point?
Good Luck with your planning.. Maybe we'll meet on the trail!
Crusinsusan
04-04-2013, 13:10
Name Susan
Trail-name CrusinSusan (http://crusinsusan.blogspot.com/) (hope to use this frozen blog to journal my AT trip)
Start date still debating, what with all the snow this year!
Approach Trail (yes/no) Nah.
Have NEVER been overnight backpacking. Must be out of my mind!
Austin 2014
04-04-2013, 15:04
Name: Stacey
Trail Name: TBD
Start Date: NOBO late March/early April 2014
Approach Trail: probably not
Name: Eric. Hiking with my girlfriend Kristin
Trail name: We'll see.
Start Date: Sometime in mid to late February. As Kristin posted before me, we're also hiking the IAT through Canada, so we'll be getting an early start.
Approach Trail: Yes.
Website: http://hike2014.wordpress.com/
Hey guys, I'm the "Eric" in Kristin's earlier post.
MrParadise2014thru
04-04-2013, 20:17
Name: Michael
Trail Name:
Start Date: NOBO Late March 2014
Approach Trail: Yes
Name: Ellie
Trail Name: "Hummingbird"
Approach Trail: Deciding on that.. Any reasons why I shouldn't miss that starting point?
The AT 'starts' at Springer Mountain. If you want to hike to it from the South, get a shuttle to drop you off at Nimblewill Gap and hike in from there. http://n2trailhiking.com/HikePages/HikePage.aspx?HikeID=704
Coosa
Name: Val
Trail Name: none yet!
Start: Early March
Approach Trail: yep
See you all on the trail next year! I can't wait!
Comet Omega
04-05-2013, 08:47
Name: Jay
Trail Name: Comet Omega to start, but will get an AT trail name by who knows who!
Start Date: NOBO Late March or Early April
Approach Trail: Undecided
It'll be here before you know it!
Name: Erik, hiking with my wife Ai Leng
Trail-name: Dreamtine and Noodles
Hometowns: Philadelphia, PA and Singapore
Start date: first or second week in April
Approach Trail: no
Austin 2014
04-05-2013, 17:06
Name: Jay
Trail Name: Comet Omega to start, but will get an AT trail name by who knows who!
Start Date: NOBO Late March or Early April
Approach Trail: Undecided
It'll be here before you know it!
It's nice to know a fellow Austinite will be out there on the trail!
Name Tom Mantooth
Trail Name Cherokee
Home town Garland,Texas
Start date about 15 March 2014
Approach trail No
I would like to have someone to hike with me. I am 76 years old but will be in good hiking shape by the time I leave for the trail. I have been out to the trail once before and knows what I am in for. I have also read trail journals and every book I can find about the trail. I know books do not fell the whole story but they do give you and good idea of what to expect. The trail journals are even better and tell a good story of the good and bad of the trail.
I would love to hear from any one man,woman or couples that would like to hiker with me. I am afraid if I go by myself I will give up to easy I could never do that if I am hiking with someone. I want to do this very badly and like to meet with some who wants to the same as I do. We can keep in touch with each other here or contact me at
[email protected] I will get back to anyone who contacts me again man,woman or couples.We could meet at the Hiker Hostel the night before and make our last plan there. I hope that I hear from you who would like to hike the trail with me. Lets see what happens.
Tom
alxflwrs
04-06-2013, 12:23
I would like to have someone to hike with me....
Tom, you sound very prepared, and I am excited to meet you out on the trail! While you may find that friend on here, or elsewhere, leaving March 15 you have an almost 100% guarantee there will be a lot of hikers leaving with you, and several of which would likely be going your pace. Also, the hiker hostel might already be full for March 15, just a thought.
lauren&austin
04-06-2013, 19:16
Name: Lauren C.
Trail Name: none yet.
Start date: March 11, 2014
Hometown: Cincinnati, OH
Approach: Yes
Comet Omega
04-07-2013, 07:49
It's nice to know a fellow Austinite will be out there on the trail!
Hook 'em! Have a friend from Austin out there this year...brrrrr!
Name: Erik, hiking with my wife Ai Leng
Trail-name: Dreamtine and Noodles
Hometowns: Philadelphia, PA and Singapore
Start date: first or second week in April
Approach Trail: no
Sorry for the typo, it is actually Dreamtime.
JeffBliss
04-07-2013, 22:40
Name: Jeff Bliss (creative user name, right?)
Trail Name: I don't have one. I figure it will get assigned naturally!
Hometown: Albany, NY but I'm originally from Illinois
Start Date: I don't have this set in stone yet, but my lease expires February 28th, 2014. So somewhere in the time frame!
Approach Trail: Deciding on that one. Need to do some more research.
Little bit about myself. I heard about the AT while living in Illinois. Ever since moving out here to NY I have gotten rapidly more into hiking and after a couple years of some serious hiking I decided to finally make this dream a reality (or at least attempt to make it a reality!) Is anyone else here from the Northeast? Any Adirondack/Catskills hikers?
I'm looking forward to meeting everyone here!
zac39452
04-09-2013, 12:16
Hey everybody my names zac and im really looking forward to seeing yall all out on the trail. i dont have a trailname yet, probably wont get one till im on the trail. Im looking to start as soon as i graduate junior college so ill be starting some time in may. i probably wont do the approach trail since ive already hiked most of it last summer! Cant wait for the journey to begin!:banana
Firefighter503
04-09-2013, 13:50
Well, I am tentatively planning a 2014 hike. All depends on what is going on with work (Middle East). If I hike in 2014, it will be NOBO in May or SOBO in June. Won't know until then.
Name: Justin
Trail Name: None
Hometown: Northern Virginia
Start Date: Unknown
Approach Trail: If I go NOBO, nah. Did it in 2011 on a 650 mile section/attempt. Doesn't add anything to the trail in my opinion.
Double Wide
04-09-2013, 23:35
Name: Michael B
Trail Name: Double Wide, but will likely change it to Oddlot
Hometown: Nashville TN
Start Date: March 11, 2014, NOBO. Will probably push my start date back a week or two
Approach Trail: Hell no.
Gonna be hiking with my brother, hopefully, and I don't believe he has a trail name yet, but I can't wait to give him one. We've planned on starting March 11th, but with all the crappy weather this year, I think I'd like to start a little later.
DavidDillow
04-11-2013, 19:23
Name: David, Trail Name: Leaning towards Dreamseeker but not 100% yet. Hometown: Urbana, Ill but have lived in S. Fla. for the last 25 years. Start Date: March 1, Approach Trail: Will probably sign in at Amicalola Falls office, get my pack weighed for historical sake and then get dropped off at FS42 parking lot. Back track up to Springer and then head north. Gear is ready to go. Made my own quilt, backpack, tarp, and sleep net (Thank you Ray Jardine) everything else has been researched and will continue to be for the next 11 months. So looking forward to "sleeping in the dirt" as Big Agnes says and meeting lots of new free spirits. Remember all.........pack light!!!!! You feet and knees will love you for it. :)
I am closing this thread. You you want to be added to the 2014 registry please go to this url
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?94399