Blind man to thru-hike with talking GPS and no dog.

[K-Man]

WRT road crossings...his article said that he will have an audio tape containing a detailed description of the trail. I assume the text will be coming from those guide books that come with the map sets. Those books are super detailed telling you to "turn right on the road and walk 250ft before crossing into the woods on the other side". I wish this guy luck and hope he makes it to Jerz so I can meet him!!!

[Programbo]

http://www.amazon.com/Blind-Courage-.../dp/0941539865

Mister Irwins hike is a totally different story as he had a trained dog AND constant support from sighted hikers...The question before us is can someone hike the AT who is blind and relies on no help from others and does not have a dog

I am quite sure that the center line of the trail cannot be followed by strictly following a GPS waypoint data regardless of whether your vision is normal or not. However, I think it can be close enough that a blind person can use his other senses to pick up the trail.

Has the entire AT been plotted into some sort of GPS data base so that the GPS would even know you were or were not near the center or even 10 feet from it?

[Appalachian Tater]

WRT road crossings...his article said that he will have an audio tape containing a detailed description of the trail. I assume the text will be coming from those guide books that come with the map sets. Those books are super detailed telling you to "turn right on the road and walk 250ft before crossing into the woods on the other side". I wish this guy luck and hope he makes it to Jerz so I can meet him!!!

I know I had a hell of a time finding the trail on the other side of the road many times. Hopefully he won't have such difficulties.

[Just a Hiker]

[quote=Programbo;432409]Mister Irwins hike is a totally different story as he had a trained dog AND constant support from sighted hikers...The question before us is can someone hike the AT who is blind and relies on no help from others and does not have a dog


I don't think anyone has completed a thru-hike without some sort of assistance, so if he does, he'll be the first......sighted or otherwise. But here is the thing....like every other thru-hiker, he is going to make friends and other aquaintances along the way who will want to assist him if he wants. Also, I have a feeling Mr. Hanson is going to draw a crowd wherever he is on the AT, so he'll probably have more help than he needs or maybe even wants.

Jim

[Panzer1]

I would not blame him if he yellow-blazed around the dangerous parts of the trail. He should just hike the easy/safe parts. I think that would be the best approach. If he does yellow-blaze, no one should hold it against him.

Panzer

[Tin Man]

Has the entire AT been plotted into some sort of GPS data base so that the GPS would even know you were or were not near the center or even 10 feet from it?

The following link has GPS data collected from various sources.
http://www.appalachiantrail.org/site...d_GPS_Data.htm

Here is the usage agreement:

http://www.appalachiantrail.org/site..._Agreement.htm

In short, don't count on the data to be accurate.

[minnesotasmith]

I would not blame him if he yellow-blazed around the dangerous parts of the trail. He should just hike the easy/safe parts. I think that would be the best approach. If he does yellow-blaze, no one should hold it against him.

Panzer

It's simply that he'll just be a section-hiker when he's done, NOT a thruhiker.

[Skyline]

It's simply that he'll just be a section-hiker when he's done, NOT a thruhiker.

Why do you use the condescending term, "just . . . a section hiker"?

[Lone Wolf]

Why do you use the condescending term, "just . . . a section hiker"?

i refused trail magic out of a cooler left in the woods of vermont because it was labeled "for thru-hikers". i was JUST section hiking. it was left by an ex-thru-hiker

[warraghiyagey]

Why do you use the condescending term, "just . . . a section hiker"?

It's a thoughtless condescension that some who have thru hiked used. You would think the experience of a thru hike would actually have abated these qualities in people but for some it lives on as a crass entitlement that is certainly contrary to the energy of the trail.
And, to be sure, there are people who are still planning their thru without yet a day on the trail that are bound with this same entitlement. Sad. Maybe another thru would help. But I met the first NOBO in the 100 mile this year completing his fifth thru. His only communication to me with all his trail experience and to a fellow hiker? That I wrong to avoid the puddles. Not 'have a great hike' or a story of why he enjoys the trail so much. Just a comment about something that works for me that he perceived as wrong. Yup that's all he had to offer.

[Tin Man]

i refused trail magic out of a cooler left in the woods of vermont because it was labeled "for thru-hikers". i was JUST section hiking. it was left by an ex-thru-hiker

I thought everyone was JUST a section hiker until they were thru.

[Lone Wolf]

I thought everyone was JUST a section hiker until they were thru.

nope. me and another guy were refused "magic" at fontana dam one year cuz we weren't thru-hiking all the way to maine even though we started at springer the same as the hikers getting fed

[Tin Man]

nope. me and another guy were refused "magic" at fontana dam one year cuz we weren't thru-hiking all the way to maine even though we started at springer the same as the hikers getting fed

The irony comes in when the admitted section hiker hikes further than the potential thru-hiker who drops out.

[Mags]

Mister Irwins hike is a totally different story as he had a trained dog AND constant support from sighted hikers...The question before us is can someone hike the AT who is blind and relies on no help from others and does not have a dog

Agreed. However someone told him that he couldn't do it either. That's all I am implying.

Quit the naysaying and just wish the person good luck.

[woodsy]

Why do you use the condescending term, "just . . . a section hiker"?

Hey, i picked up on this condescending language too, guess we know who thinks he's the greatest. Although, he did btch alot about trail conditions along the way, maybe not the greatest

[mudhead]

nope. me and another guy were refused "magic" at fontana dam one year cuz we weren't thru-hiking all the way to maine even though we started at springer the same as the hikers getting fed

Was probably tofu pups and gardenburgers. Sorry you were treated shabbily.

[Programbo]

The following link has GPS data collected from various sources.
http://www.appalachiantrail.org/site...d_GPS_Data.htm

"Horizontal accuracy of this data set varies depending on the source data from which it was compiled. All GPS data used to create this data set were collected using Trimble GeoExplorer II, ProXL, or ProXR GPS equipment and post-process differentially corrected. However, in some areas this included only 2D GPS data (which is generally less accurate than 3D GPS data). Though no formal tests were conducted, all portions of the data based on 3D data are assumed to meet National Mapping Standards of +/- 46.5 feet horizontal accuracy at a 95% confidence level. Portions based on 2D data, however, may exceed National Mapping Standards in some areas. All portions of the data based on GPS data are noted within the attribute information."

So even the data for the better parts can be off by 46.5' from center and there are parts that haven`t even been plotted using the best method

But I shall wish the gentleman good luck and Gods speed

[rickb]

Quit the naysaying and just wish the person good luck.

You might be on to something.

If he gets hurt or killed, at least he will have done so while following a dream.

[minnesotasmith]

You might be on to something.

If he gets hurt or killed, at least he will have done so while following a dream.

If he has to be rescued, and an emergency services worker gets injured (or even simply put at risk) while rescuing him from an entirely forseeable calamity, what role in choosing that "dream" did the ranger/EMT have?

IMO, this guy is as irresponsible as a dayhiker with little gear or training bushwacking downhill from the Knife Edge Trail in Baxter State Park, or even more so than someone fording the Kennebec River in the afternoon. There are just some things that are irresponsible to attempt, and this is arguably one of them.

[Mags]

You might be on to something.

If he gets hurt or killed, at least he will have done so while following a dream.

A snarky comment really just helps to prove my point.

Thanks Rick.

Hurt or killed? Sheesh. You sound like my mom before I took off on my first solo backpack.

Has it occurred to you people that maybe, just maybe, the gentleman has done his research and is aware of what he may face.

Again, lets be supportive and not negative.


I understand it is hard for some of you to do. But give it a try.