View Full Version : I Can't Believe I Hiked the Whole Thing!
I just finished thru hiking the Long Trail SOBO, from June 25 through July 22nd, 27 days. Perhaps for most of you that doesn't seem like a big accomplishment, but this 67 year old body is quite pleased that I was able to finish.
It was the most amazing, and difficult thing I've ever done. I tried a NOBO last year but had to stop at Rt. 4, as I was unprepared. This year I lightened up considerably, limiting my pack to 23 pounds (5 days food, 2L water), although it rained so much I didn't need to carry much water. I couldn't have done this hike without going lighter.
Along with my small items, i carried a Zpacks Exo 50L pack at 14 oz., an 11 oz. Darien UL Dream Hammock, an 8 oz Hammockgear cuben tarp, a 20 degree top and bottom quilt, which I'm glad I had, a 5 oz. Zpacks rain jacket and rain skirt, wore one pair of socks with my LaSportiva Wildcats, and wore the same wool tee shirt and nylon shorts the entire time. I did have another set to sleep in at night.
Thanks to Steve Merrill for the shuttle from St. Albans to the North Troy Inn where Sami, the owner graciously waited up for me to arrive at midnight. She made breakfast the next morning, and I'm sure she could be a professional cook. She even drove me to the trailhead in the morning.
Starting at Journey's End, it rained every day for two straight weeks. There is a marsh just north of Jeffersonville that I walked across in water up to my knees.
Stayed at Nye's Green Valley B & B. Marsha and Dave love hikers, and she got up at 5:00am, just to make me the best raspberry/apple pancakes in the world.
Other resupplies included the Best Western in Waterbury, and the Inn at the Long Trail. Of course Jeff's Green Mountain House Hiker Hostel in Manchester Center is a gem on the trail.
Who was it that first blazed the trail up and over Mt. Mansfield? They had to be either crazy or drinking. I've never seen anything like that.
23366
Pedxing - I saw your entry in a shelter log at the lower end of the trail, can't remember which one.
Looking back, this hike was one of the highlites of my life. I love this trail. Thanks to all members who posted helpful info on the trail.
HikerMom58
08-12-2013, 19:49
Congrats Deacon!!! That's very cool!! :sun
Drybones
08-12-2013, 20:08
I just finished thru hiking the Long Trail SOBO, from June 25 through July 22nd, 27 days. Perhaps for most of you that doesn't seem like a big accomplishment, but this 67 year old body is quite pleased that I was able to finish.
It was the most amazing, and difficult thing I've ever done. I tried a NOBO last year but had to stop at Rt. 4, as I was unprepared. This year I lightened up considerably, limiting my pack to 23 pounds (5 days food, 2L water), although it rained so much I didn't need to carry much water. I couldn't have done this hike without going lighter.
Along with my small items, i carried a Zpacks Exo 50L pack at 14 oz., an 11 oz. Darien UL Dream Hammock, an 8 oz Hammockgear cuben tarp, a 20 degree top and bottom quilt, which I'm glad I had, a 5 oz. Zpacks rain jacket and rain skirt, wore one pair of socks with my LaSportiva Wildcats, and wore the same wool tee shirt and nylon shorts the entire time. I did have another set to sleep in at night.
Thanks to Steve Merrill for the shuttle from St. Albans to the North Troy Inn where Sami, the owner graciously waited up for me to arrive at midnight. She made breakfast the next morning, and I'm sure she could be a professional cook. She even drove me to the trailhead in the morning.
Starting at Journey's End, it rained every day for two straight weeks. There is a marsh just north of Jeffersonville that I walked across in water up to my knees.
Stayed at Nye's Green Valley B & B. Marsha and Dave love hikers, and she got up at 5:00am, just to make me the best raspberry/apple pancakes in the world.
Other resupplies included the Best Western in Waterbury, and the Inn at the Long Trail. Of course Jeff's Green Mountain House Hiker Hostel in Manchester Center is a gem on the trail.
Who was it that first blazed the trail up and over Mt. Mansfield? They had to be either crazy or drinking. I've never seen anything like that.
23366
Pedxing - I saw your entry in a shelter log at the lower end of the trail, can't remember which one.
Looking back, this hike was one of the highlites of my life. I love this trail. Thanks to all members who posted helpful info on the trail.
Sounds like a great hike Deacon and some memories made...that's what life's about. You look like you got a few more miles left in you...what's next?
Matthewrozon
08-12-2013, 20:31
Congrats Deacon. I'm on my way to start my NOBO E2E in less than a week! Can't wait
shelterbuilder
08-12-2013, 20:40
Congrats, Deacon. I hope that I can retire by 67 and get in a few nice long hikes before the ol' body begins to wear out. Of course, my Dad always used to say that you'll rust out long before you'll wear out, and from the look of things, you have no fears of rusting out!
Teacher & Snacktime
08-12-2013, 20:41
Congratulations! Yeah, I'm jealous. :)
Congrats! I'm going to be finishing in a few weeks but I'm still jealous...
Slo-go'en
08-12-2013, 21:10
Yeap, the long trail has "no mercy" and having it rain every day for 2 weeks doesn't make it any easier! Congrats on sticking it out and making it all the way :)
I also enjoyed a stay at Nye's B+B. I had the room with the Peter rabbit theme...
cool........................
Meriadoc
08-12-2013, 22:24
Congrats Deacon! :)
That's a HUGE accomplishment on many levels in my opinion! 1) you learned from you past experiences 2) you stuck it out with the ups and downs and the rain 3) you came back and aced the test 4) you showed gratitude and appreciation by mentioning all those places, supporting people, and gear companies
You also did it by starting at, IMHO, the harder end to start at, Journeys End, the LT Northern Terminus. Despite all the recent hoopla, and not intending anything derogatory about this hiking approach, ALL thru-hiking IS NOT about speed. It's mostly, IMHO, about what you did! What you did is also a recipe for success in life in many endeavors
How did all the gear work for you? I got my eye on some of the pieces in your LT hiking kit.
Congrats Deacon. So what are you going to accomplish for you 70th birthday?
rocketsocks
08-12-2013, 23:30
Good for you Deacon, I've never hiked that trail, but I have done things that at first I didn't think I'd be able to do...feels great dosen't it...again, congrats on stickin it out.
Different Socks
08-13-2013, 00:38
Congrats to you!! Considering how tough that trail is, doing it at 67 is an amazing thing!
Great job Deacon, congrats! I do recall reading your WB entries from your last years hike. I'm starting Sept 5th nobo, hoping to make it all the way this year. Last year injury bumped me off at App Gap near Waitsfield. You sound like you really planned this year's hike well and made the gear/clothing/shoes adjustments to enable you to do it. You are an inspiration to all of us hoping to hike well into our 60s or beyond.
Great seeing you on both hikes of the LT. Every new year on the trail we all get a little bit smarter.:)
lostinfflood
08-13-2013, 06:14
Congrats!. You are an inspiration. I'm 60 with two arthritic knees contemplating a nice hike in a few weeks. It's easy to come up with excuses why you "can't do it". Your experience tells us why you CAN do it. Nice work.
Rocket Jones
08-13-2013, 08:36
Congrats Deacon! Great inspiration for us whippersnappers. ;)
speedbump
08-13-2013, 08:47
Congratulations ! This is an accomplishment !
Congrats! Great accomplishment!
How did all the gear work for you? I got my eye on some of the pieces in your LT hiking kit.
Congrats Deacon. So what are you going to accomplish for you 70th birthday?
Of all the items I listed, I really did not like the Daren UL Dream hammock. The fabric is so thin, you sink down into it and its hard to move around. Because it weighs only 11 ounces, I was willing to put up with that. I much prefer my Warbonnet Blackbird, but its 28 oz. also, the hammock is 11 feet long and just barely fits under my 11 ft. tarp. I actually got wet one night from water running down the end of the hammock. Never happened with the WBBB.
Everything else worked great for this particular hike. I cooked my dehydrated dinners (boiled water only) on a Foster Caldera Keg using a 1 gram Esbit stove. The cone, pot, stove, and screw together plastic containers weighed 5.6 oz. I lined my Zpacks pack with a cuben pack liner to keep the quilts dry.
For filtration, I used a Sawyer Squeeze. The black bag that comes with it blew out, so I had to use one of my Evernew .9L bottles as the dirty bag.
I started without camp shoes, but since it was so wet and I had so many blisters, I really needed them. I had my wife overnite my Waldies to me.
My hat was a baseball style straw hat. Found it on Amazon. It was the only hat I ever wore that didn't get too hot.
I wore the Zpacks rain skirt in the mornings to prevent wet vegetation from getting my shorts soaked.
slbirdnerd
08-13-2013, 15:37
Thanks for sharing, awesome! Congrats!
So the wheels of evolution as a hiker and as a person continue to spin. THX for that info Deacon.
The UL Darien can be customized. You can get 10 or 11 ft lengths, heavier body fabrics in single or double layers, various widths, etc. The UL Darien is also a Asym so you have to not only get a good hammock pitch(set up) for a comfortable lay but you have to lay in it as it was designed to be laid in.With a thinner silny body fabric you might get more stretch so that might affect the lay too. Add that to a heavy user and you might get undesirable sag. Was water coming down from the slings or tree straps? If so maybe a water stopper knot/ring, cord, deflector cloth(bag) might have helped. As Dream Hammocks says the UL Darien is not a beginner hammock. When you go to the lightest wt incorporated net hammock that may be available you have to expect some consequences.
How did the Zpacks cuben rain jacket work in the humidity? Did you perceive venting or overheating issues with a non breathable material made into a rain jacket?
Deacon let me know what you pl;an on doing with Darien. Give it some more use to iron out the kinks but if you decide to sell it let me know. I may be interested.
THX again for the feedback.
Deacon, was wondering if you were happy with the Sawyer Squeeze on the LT? I was planning on using Aqua Mira, worked okay for me up there last year except for a toilet bowl spring at one particular shelter near VT 11/30 at Manchester Center. You did good surviving that July heat on the east coast. Good info, thanks for sharing.
Deacon, was wondering if you were happy with the Sawyer Squeeze on the LT? I was planning on using Aqua Mira, worked okay for me up there last year except for a toilet bowl spring at one particular shelter near VT 11/30 at Manchester Center. You did good surviving that July heat on the east coast. Good info, thanks for sharing.
Yes, the squeeze worked well. I bought a set of the caps with the nipple on them and connected them together with a short piece of vinyl tubing. Screw one on the clean bag and the other on the output of the filter. That way you don't have to hold the two bags to get the water in; both hands are free to squeeze the dirty bag.
Mountain Mike
08-13-2013, 23:39
You are an ispiratin for all of us to keep young. I had the pleasure of hiking with Brice Hamock onthe PCT year ago. Last time I met up with him at an ALDHAW meeting I asked about his summers hikes. He said he was getting to old for long hikes, nothing over 500 miles for him anymore. I hope I can say that when I reach my eightys!
Mountain Mike
08-13-2013, 23:42
I think he was 82 whwn he made that statement to me & he was a triple crowner two time over at the time.
LT is a kick ass trail, nice job.
Kerosene
08-14-2013, 09:50
My 16-year old newbie brother and I (then 22) did the LT SOBO over the course of 24 days in August 1979, with rain recorded on 21 of those days. We were both probably carrying 45-50 pounds. Unless you were striving for a speed record, just finishing is a true accomplishment. It's a tough trail, especially up north, but very memorable. Congrats.
handlebar
08-14-2013, 10:39
Congratulations, young man. I've been looking at a September thru hike of the LT, but have to wait to finalize plans as there are some family obligations that may require a deferral until next year. If you're anywhere near NE OH, there's an internet-enabled backpacking club. Google NE OH Backpacking Club, for lots of trips to help you keep in hiking shape.
That's a HUGE accomplishment on many levels in my opinion! 1) you learned from you past experiences 2) you stuck it out with the ups and downs and the rain 3) you came back and aced the test 4) you showed gratitude and appreciation by mentioning all those places, supporting people, and gear companies
You also did it by starting at, IMHO, the harder end to start at, Journeys End, the LT Northern Terminus. Despite all the recent hoopla, and not intending anything derogatory about this hiking approach, ALL thru-hiking IS NOT about speed. It's mostly, IMHO, about what you did! What you did is also a recipe for success in life in many endeavors
How did all the gear work for you? I got my eye on some of the pieces in your LT hiking kit.
Congrats Deacon. So what are you going to accomplish for you 70th birthday?
Well said!!! Congrats Deacon; AT thru-hike next? Hike on my friend!
Best thing I've read/heard today.
Congratulations Deacon
MamaBear
08-19-2013, 07:48
A huge congrats to you Deacon! I completely understand your feelings of accomplishment!
oldnevada
08-19-2013, 15:44
Hi Five, Deacon.... whow. Still hope for me!
I just ran into JuJu and Grunt yesterday at Prospect Rock. Finishing last sections of their NOBO E-To-E.
Marmaduke
09-06-2013, 10:22
Congratulations! The LT is not an easy trail (however it is my favorite), no matter how you look at it, especially north........ but there are still some intense climbs before Maine Junction. My hat is off to you! You're now an Honorary Catamount!