(un)Packing Fears ~ Getting Home (temporary)

[Kittyslayer]

So what are the practical ways to get home (Indiana/Kentucky) for a few days while on the trail?

This would likely be unplanned for a family emergency such as serious illness or death. I am thinking I need to get to a large enough town to be able to rent a car, drive home, and then return the rental car and hop back on the trail.

[chknfngrs]

Yep. Also depends on where you are, planes trains and automobiles all. Shuttles etc. knowing what your options are is huge.

[HankIV]

In most of New England would try to fly or train. There are directs from Portland to O'Hare for most of Maine, pretty easy to get to Boston from most of New Hampshire and Vermont. Also not hard to get to NYC from VT. Probably from MA thru northern half of VA, would do the rental car. Roanoake, Asheville and Knoxville all have direct flights to O'Hare as well.

Amtrak goes thru a few Northern IN towns via the Lake Shore Limited, which goes from Chicago to NYC and Boston, splitting in Albany

Capitol Limited out of DC, which goes right thru Harpers Ferry, continuing on to Chicago, and traversing IN on the way. .

Cardinal out of DC, goes to Chicago via a southern loop that with stops in Culpepper, Charlottesville Manassas and Staunton

[peakbagger]

Maine is probably the toughest, the only bus routes run along I 95 to Portland. Unless someone is up for long multiple hitches, the only other option is hire a private shuttle. Most shuttle firms offer this service but it could be $500 trip to Portland or Bangor airport, maybe a bit less to get to the towns along interstate 95 where there are bus stops that head to Portland. The whites do have bus service from Gorham and Lincoln. Hanover NH has bus service.

[LoneStranger]

As with most problems on trail, money is easiest solution. Throw enough money at problems and they tend to go away.

With social media being what it is today finding a local to act as a trail angel has become much easier though. If you find a FB group for the area, just mentioning the need is usually enough for someone to jump in with an offer of help. At least the hiking groups I know in New England work that way.

[Daybreak]

Gorham, NH has quick bus service to the Boston Airport via Concord and/or Manchester(airport). The bus from the Millinocket area connects to a Bangor Bus to the Boston Airport. There is a bus from Bennington VT to Albany and train service from Pittsfield MA to the Albany area or to Boston then connect via short subway ride and intra-airport bus or sometimes a direct bus to the specific terminal. Most of these only run once a day so timing is critical but they are cheap. Last time I used them, trains were cheaper with a reservation. Buses didn't take reservations but sometimes you needed to notify them to stop or get a price (Lima, ID @3 AM)

In my experience, you are unlikely to get a rental for your needs except at commercial airports (or in the same town) from a national company. I noticed a couple of places you could hitch to or get close to an Enterprise location rental in the White's. However, I doubt they will rent to a non-local. Via phone, the local shuttler will likely have the best immediate information on where you must go to get to a rental facility/airport and how to get there including which side trails you can be picked up on or hitch from. If unavailable they frequently have alternative shuttlers or can find an angel.

For those who don't travel much:

I would make sure I had the appropriate apps on my phone and have the account set up. e.g. Uber/Lyft may be available in some places and may be needed in others for quicker transfers. Expedia and the like also have phone #s where perhaps you can speak to a real person.

Most airports(and some smaller towns) also have independent airport shuttle services. Some are in competition with the buses, trains and commuter planes with more availability. If flying avoid the commuter flight at the end of your trip or back it up with a rental car reservation. In my case, I found a one-week rental was about the same as the commuter flights. Depending on the issue, already having a return flight booked and a needed rental return can be good or bad.

[BillyGr]

In my experience, you are unlikely to get a rental for your needs except at commercial airports (or in the same town) from a national company. I noticed a couple of places you could hitch to or get close to an Enterprise location rental in the White's. However, I doubt they will rent to a non-local. Via phone, the local shuttler will likely have the best immediate information on where you must go to get to a rental facility/airport and how to get there including which side trails you can be picked up on or hitch from. If unavailable they frequently have alternative shuttlers or can find an angel.

Not sure why they wouldn't rent to anyone who wants to pay for the rental - many would charge extra fees if you wanted to drop the vehicle someplace else, but that may not be an issue either as it sounds like the original poster would rent to return home, then return the car and return to the trail, so that would be a round trip type rental.

Many people have rented cars while travelling, and it is somewhat known that prices can often be lower if you rent from someplace not at/near an airport, so people do do that as long as the area has a way to get to these rental spots.

[Daybreak]

Not sure why they wouldn't rent to anyone who wants to pay for the rental - many would charge extra fees if you wanted to drop the vehicle someplace else

I know of many reasons. My point is you should not assume they will always rent to you especially independent places.

but that may not be an issue either as it sounds like the original poster would rent to return home, then return the car and return to the trail, so that would be a round trip type rental.

The OP asked So what are the practical ways to get home (Indiana/Kentucky) for a few days while on the trail?

There are many reasons to take a one-way rental(or fly...)and worry later about getting back. I would at understand the after the fact issues/cost of converting to a one-way rental.

• Sometimes they are cheaper as some markets need cars.
• Cost differences. There is a point where 2 one-ways are cheaper.
• Unknown or unknowable return date.
• Delays do to extended illness, additional illnesses, unknown date of funerals...
• Desire and pressures from family to stay home or stay longer.
• Close family may dump other problems on you. Remember you are the person who now has "free time"
• Stress of two long hard drives on top of perhaps a short stay and lack of rest, while dealing with difficult issues
• Maybe you get sick, Maybe you make someone sick.

Many people have rented cars while travelling, and it is somewhat known that prices can often be lower if you rent from someplace not at/near an airport, so people do do that as long as the area has a way to get to these rental spots.

You are absolutely correct. IMO most of these are within an hour of the airport and only in larger markets hence not near the trail. Probably can get a rental in Gatlinburg since it is a major tourist town. But being only an hour from the airport, I would attempt to fly with a back-up rental. There is probably an airline shuttle service/uber and taxi to the airport(1ish hour drive)

I did find some in the White mountain area (Littleton and Norway Me??). Some sites will book them while some won't and you go in circles. There seem to be Enterprise locations that Enterprise doesn't list on their web site. Google lists some agencies on their map that don't exist . I would definitely confirm any little places with a phone call.

[Traveler]

So what are the practical ways to get home (Indiana/Kentucky) for a few days while on the trail?

This would likely be unplanned for a family emergency such as serious illness or death. I am thinking I need to get to a large enough town to be able to rent a car, drive home, and then return the rental car and hop back on the trail.

For what its worth, this will be an expense regardless how you do it. If you fly, given the current conditions of air travel, there can be delays due to weather or other reasons the airline(s) may have a difficult time getting you to Ft Wayne (assume this would be the destination) which may interfere with the ability to get home before the event that called you off the trail. If however, you want to take a break, it would be best to find either a regional airport with scheduled airline service having a 90% or higher rating for the flight(s) you need to take. A quick look at pricing from a typical rural airport of Rutland VT to Ft Wayne is approximately $600 - $900 dollars on American.

There are more options for car rentals than flights, especially near travel holidays if this will be a spur of the moment trip for a family emergency. These rates will change from a premium cost in areas not well served by rental car companies, to a more competitive cost in areas that are. For example Enterprise car rental in Rutland VT at $62.00 per day (may be mileage caps at that rate) may be less in Manchester NH, or the metro NYC region. So if budget is an issue, you need to beat $600 at the low end for airfare. At $62 per day you will have roughly 10 days of the rental car, however if there is a mileage cap where you get X number of miles with the rental, followed by a charge for each mile beyond, you should look for a national chain like Budget, Alamo, etc.

From Rutland Vt (using this as the benchmark city), you will be approximately 760 miles from Ft Wayne, or a 12-hr drive (one long day drive). Air travel delays with oversold airlines may take several days to get you to your destination if there are problems like storms, etc. IMHO, you would be better off with a car to store your gear in and be in command of your movement if the family emergency is time sensitive. Renting the car to return to the place you are renting from (with unlimited mileage) will be the better option, probably requiring 50-gallons of fuel with a small economy car (approximately $200), meals you will have with you or can stop for cheap food along the way, spending the night may be easily done car camping (guessing on this), which you have all your gear to accommodate.

So, approximately 24-hours of travel time from Rutland to IN and back (less from NJ or other points south) that can be done in two 12-hour travel days gives you approximately 8-days at the family emergency site before you start to increase the cost of the rental. I would suggest this be the plan should an emergency occur that pulls you off the trail and returns you to where you left it.

[Kittyslayer]

From Rutland Vt (using this as the benchmark city), you will be approximately 760 miles from Ft Wayne, or a 12-hr drive (one long day drive). Air travel delays with oversold airlines may take several days to get you to your destination if there are problems like storms, etc. IMHO, you would be better off with a car to store your gear in and be in command of your movement if the family emergency is time sensitive. Renting the car to return to the place you are renting from (with unlimited mileage) will be the better option, probably requiring 50-gallons of fuel with a small economy car (approximately $200), meals you will have with you or can stop for cheap food along the way, spending the night may be easily done car camping (guessing on this), which you have all your gear to accommodate.

Car rental is probably the approach I am leaning towards. Rent and return in the same location, just need to get from the trail to the rental place (and back). Like most things, a wallet full of $50 bills and a credit card can solve most problems. Hope I remember how to drive after ## days on the trail.

I simply abhor air travel and being treated like crap by the airlines. In addition my likely destinations are Fort Wayne, IN or Bowling Green, KY, neither of which have daily connections and if I flew to Indy or Nashville I am still renting a car to my final destination.

THANKS for everyone's input.