What's the craziest thing you've seen on Springer?

[Johnny Thunder]

This morning Matthewski called to remind me that I had 47 days left to go and to impart some more pre-hike advice. Mostly he told me how to avoid some of the usual Springer-area problems...

He said how I shouldn't try to tell other hikers how do do their thing. How someone's going to have to sleep cold before they realize that there's a drawstring in their bag. Or, burn their eyebrows off from overpumping before they figure out how to use their stove the right way. He said something about how if you tell someone how to avoid their problems then they're going to latch on to you. Just like that old Samuri tradition where if you save someone's life you're responsible for them for the rest of their hike.

I didn't really understand that last part but I was eating Crunch Berries and he does talk a little mishpel'd...

So, besides the usual piles-of-abandoned-gear-gas-stove-fireballs-balled-up-Levi's-hidden-under-bushes stuff what amazing things have you seen in those first few miles?

He also told me to find this year's Minnesota. Who's it going to be?

[hobojoe]

This morning Matthewski called to remind me that I had 47 days left to go and to impart some more pre-hike advice. Mostly he told me how to avoid some of the usual Springer-area problems...

He said how I shouldn't try to tell other hikers how do do their thing. How someone's going to have to sleep cold before they realize that there's a drawstring in their bag. Or, burn their eyebrows off from overpumping before they figure out how to use their stove the right way. He said something about how if you tell someone how to avoid their problems then they're going to latch on to you. Just like that old Samuri tradition where if you save someone's life you're responsible for them for the rest of their hike.

I didn't really understand that last part but I was eating Crunch Berries and he does talk a little mishpel'd...

So, besides the usual piles-of-abandoned-gear-gas-stove-fireballs-balled-up-Levi's-hidden-under-bushes stuff what amazing things have you seen in those first few miles?

He also told me to find this year's Minnesota. Who's it going to be?

Cooking pizza in the registry drawer at the terminus. under the benton macaye plaque.

[Dances with Mice]

He also told me to find this year's Minnesota. Who's it going to be?

This is your Quest. No one can help you.

[Wonder]

I saw Baltimore Jack sneaking a chicken into The Dudes pack in the parking lot........

[Johnny Thunder]

I saw Baltimore Jack sneaking a chicken into The Dudes pack in the parking lot........

...his hair was perfect.

[the goat]

...his hair was perfect.

nice, lmao!

great zevon reference!

[BR360]

This is your Quest. No one can help you.

That is funny!! I spewed Coke!!

[Jack Tarlin]

Well, it's not like it was a live, uncooked, chicken......

[Smile]

Presentation is everything

[GGS2]

Well, it's not like it was a live, uncooked, chicken......

I wondered about that... Did you follow him up the trail to help him eat it?

[Blissful]

I'd tell the hikers this too - not crazy per say but true - the winds at Springer Mtn shelter blow at least 45 mph, right over the tenting area. I didn't believe it when someone told me at Black Gap. Until my tent blew over three times during the night (I was a newbie with a new tarptent). It's a natural wind tunnel for some reason.

[briarpatch]

Cooking pizza in the registry drawer at the terminus. under the benton macaye plaque.

The registery is under the National Scenic Trails Plaque, not the hiker Plaque. And the hiker on the plaque isn't Benton MacKaye, its Werner Hall - an early GATC member. The hiker plaque was sculpted by George Noble in the early 1930s, and there were originally 3: Springer Mtn., Blood Mtn., and Unicoi Gap. The ones at Springer and Unicoi are the only ones left.

I found the picture of Werner that was used by the sculptor to make the plaque in the club records a couple of years ago. Even the pant's wrinkles and creases match the plaque, its pretty cool looking.

[hobojoe]

The registery is under the National Scenic Trails Plaque, not the hiker Plaque. And the hiker on the plaque isn't Benton MacKaye, its Werner Hall - an early GATC member. The hiker plaque was sculpted by George Noble in the early 1930s, and there were originally 3: Springer Mtn., Blood Mtn., and Unicoi Gap. The ones at Springer and Unicoi are the only ones left.

I found the picture of Werner that was used by the sculptor to make the plaque in the club records a couple of years ago. Even the pant's wrinkles and creases match the plaque, its pretty cool looking.

memory fuzzy at best.....

[briarpatch]

memory fuzzy at best.....

I know the feeling.

[gungho]

I will dropping off my wife,Roots at springer in April,I am looking forward to seeing the crazy things people attempt to take on their hike. I have read some doozies on trailjournals.

[Nean]

I saw a guy "helping" a young lady up the ladder in the shelter.

[Nean]

I saw a guy "helping" a young lady up the ladder in the shelter.

Now that I think about she may of been coming down the ladder....hard to say fer sure!

[fiddlehead]

I was with a group of hikers sitting at the plaque one time when a hiker (with a big pack by the way) came up to us and asked if we knew were the Appalacian Trail might be.

Someone pointed out where the last blue blaze was, then the plaque and then the first white blaze. He thanked us and was about to move on when someone asked if he was going to hike to Maine. He said he hoped so and then someone said: "Try to remember that you got lost at the very first blaze"

[fiddlehead]

Here's a picture from a very memorable day for me on Springer (completion of my SOBO in 02)

Over 100,000 miles of hiking experience in this pic.

http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/show...searchid=13208

[Flush2wice]

I saw midgets fighting on Springer a couple years ago. It was crazy- here's a link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4Wm4DXkcj0