hiking partner for early July , 100 miles, virginia

[quads4life]

I'm in the early planning stages, but the initial plan is approx, 100 miles in Virginia, with Mcafees notch as a must see. I'm 55, male and in moderate shape. No pro backpacker, but tons of will. This will be my first , but I have to start somewhere.

[Patchy]

At any time of the year there are folks out enjoying the trail. July in VA is no exception. You will meet many interesting, wonderful folks out there. No need to worry about a partner. It's one of the great things about this trail.

[Gambit McCrae]

At any time of the year there are folks out enjoying the trail. July in VA is no exception. You will meet many interesting, wonderful folks out there. No need to worry about a partner. It's one of the great things about this trail.

Agreed, good thing about going solo is at any point you can choose your own itinerary VS someone else's.

[GraniteBear]

Have completed Hampton Tenn to Bland Va. I live about and hour and half drive from Marion Va. 100 mile stretch would begun and help me notch a few more miles. Let me know your thoughts.

[quads4life]

Just curious... if your first multi-day hike was solo? If so.. were you sorry you didn't have a veteran backpacker with you?

[John B]

Just curious... if your first multi-day hike was solo? If so.. were you sorry you didn't have a veteran backpacker with you?

Absolutely not. It was great no having to listen to the "you should do this/shouldn't do that" stuff every step of the way. Imagine having some of the multi-thousand post 'veterans' opining/critiquing/suggesting on every single thing you do. Go it alone and make a few mistakes -- none of them will be critical, and you can laugh at yourself later.

[Sandy of PA]

My first multiday hike was not solo, I was only 11 years old. As an adult, I prefer to go solo. If I join up with someone I have to be careful not to push myself too hard trying to keep up. I like to get up early, and hit the trail without any hot food, then stroll along all day. Stop and have a hot lunch, a big rest, then stroll some more. I can still go 15 miles but it takes me 10 hours to do it. Most others don't walk so slow.

[Squeeky]

My first multiday hike was not solo, I was only 11 years old. As an adult, I prefer to go solo. If I join up with someone I have to be careful not to push myself too hard trying to keep up. I like to get up early, and hit the trail without any hot food, then stroll along all day. Stop and have a hot lunch, a big rest, then stroll some more. I can still go 15 miles but it takes me 10 hours to do it. Most others don't walk so slow.

I love this post.
I'm the same way. I am 40 years old,former long distance runner,and I'm reasonably fast hiker I guess,but I love to get up before everyone else,go with a RTE breakfast,just hike at a steady pace,taking big break during day and finishing off rest later.....big miles but leisurely doing it.

[Sondance Kid]

Keep me posted on your plans. I'm looking to hike in VA sometime in June/July 2017. I thru-hiked in 2009 and continue to section hike a couple of times a year. Last year I did the Smokies and a section hike with a first-timer in MD/PA. In the past, I've done a number of section hikes with the Nashville Backpackers, a great group of hikers headed by Rain Man. I'm a senior hiker (over 60) from MD who simply enjoys the great outdoors in the company of other hikers, regardless of age, race, creed, or musical tastes. My e-mail is [email protected].
Paul Travers AKA The Sondance Kid

[mishinitto]

I'm looking to hike the Virginia portion this summer, I'd love to find a few people to trek with.

[quads4life]

mishinitto, email me at [email protected]

[abigail_s]

Hi, I am also looking for someone for Virginia from Waynesboro to Harper's (or close to it) somewhere between June 2nd to June 22nd
I have limited hiking experience but I'm pretty athletic. Looking for a hiking partner more to give my mom peace of mind

[V Eight]

Absolutely not. It was great no having to listen to the "you should do this/shouldn't do that" stuff every step of the way. Imagine having some of the multi-thousand post 'veterans' opining/critiquing/suggesting on every single thing you do. Go it alone and make a few mistakes -- none of them will be critical, and you can laugh at yourself later.

I just saw this post and felt I had to respond.
I have hiked with a few of the types of people stereotyped above. From my experience, you are completely off base with your assumption. Most “veterans” as you call them couldn’t give a rats a$$ what you carry or how you carry it. They didn’t care in the ‘70’s when I was learning to hike, carrying canned food,a one burner Coleman stove & half a gallon of fuel wearing blue jeans & cotton t-shirts, with a load the would make Tipi Walter proud.

When I got back into hiking 10/12 years ago, not one single person on the trail told me “should do – don’t do” anything. That includes a couple of people with some of the highest post count on this board. I was just another hiker working things out for myself. I had a chance encounter with Baltimore Jack in Franklin, NC. Jack heard me tell another hiker about a Hypodermic situation I had gotten myself into just a couple days before. I did not know who Jack was at the time, but there were several hikers sitting around swapping stories. When I was done with my story, Baltimore Jack quietly asked me what I had learned going through that. I told him the things I would be doing different from now on. He grabbed a (Sergeant Rocks) bottle of Markers Mark off a table and offered me a pull from the bottle. I obliged and thanked the both of them and that was the end of it.

That is pretty much what you can expect from 99.99% of” veteran” hikers you meet actually on a trail. Always remember the internet is not always reflect reality.
/RANT

John B none of this is aimed specifically at you, as I do not know what you may have experienced, please don’t take offense.


V8

[Gambit McCrae]

Just curious... if your first multi-day hike was solo? If so.. were you sorry you didn't have a veteran backpacker with you?

Nope, plenty of folks on the trail. There is nothing too technical about the AT. Walk until you don't want to anymore, and choose either continue walking, or sleep.

[Pablo R]

hey thinking about doing a trip in VA for me has to be in september