Spirit Bear
05-23-2013, 08:05
I just finishedup hiking from Neel gap and went about 10 miles into north Carolina. Ihiked from springer to Neel gap last July. Last July I was beat,the hills the first 30 miles crushed me. I had to much weight, my bootstore my feet up and I had knee problems by the time I hobbled into Neelgap. This past week I hiked the rest of Georgia,which I thought was more difficult than the first 30 miles, however I didn'tthink overall GA was that bad. Every up and down it seemed wasrewarded with some nice flat miles with softtrail. I'm still new at this but I know, KNOW Icould have gone another 100 miles easily. My body wasstarting to get in hiker shape towards the end. I had zero blisters, noknee problems and know ankle problems. My take onhiking is this after the first 88 miles of trail.
1. Keepyour base weight under 20lbs if you can get it that low (mine is just over15lbs)
2. Do notover pack food or water, in GA you will pass a water source maximum I think 6miles. I only carried 2, 1 liter smart water bottles and that wasplenty. For food, you can go into towns to resupply every 20miles if you want, so don't carry 10 days of food with you. You can resupplyat woody gap-(20), Neel gap (31), Unicoi Gap (52), Dicks Creek (70),standing Indian, NC (88). Keep your overall pack weight under30lbs. Mine never got over 24lbs the 2nd trip.
3. Youhave to be able to get a good night's rest. I switched to a hammock andthat works for me, I slept a solid 7-9 hours every night. Anyslight muscle soreness I had the night before was healed up fine by themorning.
4. Youmust be content with yourself walking for 8-12 hours a day.
I am new tohiking but after the first 88 miles of trail on the AT from springer I have figuredout some things. I do think, know I could hike to Maine, thehardest part now is carving out 6 months of my time to just break away from mymatrix life I am in. Hoping to thru hike in 2014 or2015. But my take, Georgia was not that difficult. The hardest climb is out of bly gap, once you get into NC Ithought.
1. Keepyour base weight under 20lbs if you can get it that low (mine is just over15lbs)
2. Do notover pack food or water, in GA you will pass a water source maximum I think 6miles. I only carried 2, 1 liter smart water bottles and that wasplenty. For food, you can go into towns to resupply every 20miles if you want, so don't carry 10 days of food with you. You can resupplyat woody gap-(20), Neel gap (31), Unicoi Gap (52), Dicks Creek (70),standing Indian, NC (88). Keep your overall pack weight under30lbs. Mine never got over 24lbs the 2nd trip.
3. Youhave to be able to get a good night's rest. I switched to a hammock andthat works for me, I slept a solid 7-9 hours every night. Anyslight muscle soreness I had the night before was healed up fine by themorning.
4. Youmust be content with yourself walking for 8-12 hours a day.
I am new tohiking but after the first 88 miles of trail on the AT from springer I have figuredout some things. I do think, know I could hike to Maine, thehardest part now is carving out 6 months of my time to just break away from mymatrix life I am in. Hoping to thru hike in 2014 or2015. But my take, Georgia was not that difficult. The hardest climb is out of bly gap, once you get into NC Ithought.