2003 Thru-Hiker Intros

[Footslogger]

HH ...Toot here !! Talk about being out of touch for a while ...I'm just now seeing your note from November.
And, yes, BA Turtle will be there with me. Amazing the way everything worked out. The class she is teaching is over on 5/17 and she is catching the first flight east and meeting me in Damascus. We'll hang there for the rest of Trail Days and then head out hiking together until Waynesboro. Then she has to fly back and get ready for her fall semester classes. Can't wait to see you and the rest of the gang again. Beautiful out here in Wyoming but feel a little isolated from the AT community now and then

The hiker formerly known as "Toot"
GA->ME
2003

[peter2003]

I am going to retire in late March, 2003 and hike north from Springer. I live in northern New England and have hiked the entire AT in Vermont, most of NH, and a lot of Maine, however, the longest I have hiked at one time is about 7 days (have been on longer wilderness canoe trips). So I done't know what to expect other than it is going to both a whole lot of work and fun. I recently hiked about a 60 mile section of the AT around Troutville on my way to the fall gathering and the switch back trails were a little easier when trying to set a pace. I have collected some light wight gear and hope to have my basic pack weight under 20 to start the hike. Of course, food in water of up to 10lbs will be added to that. I will use few if any mail drops and try and buy local food stuff; the exception will be maps and meds which I will have sent along to me. For me it is not written in stone that I hike clear thru from Springer to Katahdin. I will probable leave the trail for a week or so to visit family somewhere along the trail, and may skip a section and continue north; and then go back down south and make the miles up. This arrangement works for me. Good luck to all you 2003's hikers and hope to see you on the trail sometimes.

pete

[Easyhiker]

screw all that treatment (rehab) bull****. Id rather be on the trail and I think the trail is a better cure for an unstable man. Its not like I got anywhere else to go or anything better to do, so the trails a good option (the wells dry here in Chicago). Besides what I am going to do when I get out of rehab, sit in AA meetings drink coffee and meet sleazy toothless chicks (ok yes i know). Been there done that for 3 years when I got out. So im hitting the trail in February and I won't be carrying a cell phone because I wan't to be completly in touch with the wilderness and my surrondings .... actually I don't own one. But I do own a Steinberger guitar made of graphite, yes like Johnny Winter, maybe i'll bring this and a Pignose or headphone set. Oh' **** im starting to sound like a southbounder. Maybe i'll just be a jump arounder. I hope to see some of you on the trail in 2003.

An unstable life is better than an institutional one.

[MOWGLI]

Originally posted by Easyhiker
Besides what I am going to do when I get out of rehab, sit in AA meetings drink coffee and meet sleazy toothless chicks...

My name is TNJED and I'm an alcoholic...

Hey! I met my wife at an AA Meeting and she's neither toothless nor sleazy. Drat!

Maybe you need to go to a different set of meetings. ha ha

[Lone Wolf]

My name is Lone Wolf. I'm a drinker with a hiking problem.

[Easyhiker]

Originally posted by TNJED
My name is TNJED and I'm an alcoholic...

Hey! I met my wife at an AA Meeting and she's neither toothless nor sleazy. Drat!

Maybe you need to go to a different set of meetings. ha ha

I'm banned from all the meetings where the good looking woman are because of my reputaion as a 13 stepper.

[illininagel]

Originally posted by Toot
I'm headed out this time on 3/29. Started out with my partner "BA Turtle" on 3/17 in 2001 and got slammed on day 3 with a horrendous snow storm. Prefer to let the weird March weather blow through a little this time before heading out. Based on my pace in 2001 I am planning on hitting Damascus in time for Trail Days and have no doubt that I will reach Katahdin before Baxter closes.
Anyone else headed out in late March ??

Toot:
If I give the hike a shot this year, I won't be able to get started until very late March or early April. Given that I expect my pace to be relatively slow, is it reasonable to expect to complete the thru hike by early October? I only expect to average about 1.5 mph over the duration of the trail...

Illininagel

[Footslogger]

Illininagel,
The 1.5 mph pace won't be as much of an issue as how many days you spend in towns. Lots of hikers start in late March/early April and summit Katahdin in September. I look forward to seeing you out there.

[Wander Yonder]

I'm planning to leave March 27 weather permitting. I hope I meet some of you on the trail.

[peter2003]

I am planning to start March 28 or 29 depending how transportation works out. I am coming down from New England: Airfares are about $200, Train $150+, and the hound (Greyhound) a deal at $69. It is possible I may be able to get a ride with another hiker. I was wondering if any previous thru hikers have a recommendation on geting to Atlanta/Springer? I would rather not blow my budget when just starting the hike.

[Hammock Hanger]

NH. I was knocked off the trail in NH with West Nile this past summer. After a summer work commitment I hope to hop back on the AT and fisish it up. -- I had truly dreamed of finishing with my hiking family of 2001...didn't happen. Then high hopes of finishing with my new 2002 friends...didn't happen. So, this year PLEASE will my 2003 friends carry my cripple or lifeless body to the top for me!!!! LOL.
As I will be hooking up with ya all near the end of your journey I hope you will still accept an old hiker lady into your family as it would be a joy to summit with some of you. Sue/Hammock Hanger

[Footslogger]

Hey HH ...when are you planning on jumping on the trail? If it's sometime in August I hope to see you somewhere in NH

[hikerltwt]

Hello,
I am Jonathan and I will be starting my thru-hike of the A.T. the first week of March. I am thirty four and somewhat of a light type hiker.

[hikerltwt]

Hello,
I am Jonathan and I will be starting my thru-hike of the A.T. the first week of March. I am thirty four and somewhat of a light type hiker.

[Jack Tarlin]

You might want to check out the Yahoo Group called HikersRUs (go to www.yahoo.com, then go to Groups, and proceed from there). There are a ton of folks in this group who are planning to leave around the 1st.

[stevec]

Guess its time to introduce myself, I've been lurking for a while now and reading up.

My name is Steve, pretty much a novice hiker but very comfortable in the outdoors and in decent shape. Planning on leaving on or around March 23 and walking north until I either get to Maine or until I decide to stop for one reason or another.

I want to do this for the sake of the trip itself so I'm religiously avoiding doing a whole lot of preplanning in the form of schedules or tying myself to mail drops. I may decide to send a couple care packages based on Baltimore Jack's posts but I think I'm going to buy along the way as much as possible. I really want to be able to dictate my own pace, stop when I want to stop, watch a sunset, take a side trail to check something out without the pressure of having to be at a certain place at a certain time. I'm planning passing as many white blazes as I can, but I'm not going to obsess on walking past every single one.

Getting away from that pressue is why I want to be out there in the first place. I'll start on Springer and end up where I end up

[hikerltwt]

Hello,
I am Jonathan and I will be starting the A.T. between the first and eighth of March 2003. I tend toward the lighter side of equipment and such and have done the typical gear purchase discard purchase then make some gear routine so if I could be of any assistance to people wanting to lighten up feel free to ask! Lighter hiking need not be the spartan affair most envision.
With forethought and planning and learning to recognize want from need it is indeed posible to get to under ten pounds and have everything needed for 0 farenheit and above. A synergistic system working together can provide everything you need but the most importantant equipment you can have is free updatable and always works with minimal maintanance.......your mind! And remember as Jardine said......"If I don't have a piece of equipment I don't need it!"

[Chickenfeet]

Hi, I'm Lydia. Blazinbrush (Ned) and I are planning to start March 1st. I AM SO EXCITED. See you guys out there!

[PushingDaisies]

Originally posted by easy
I might go hiking again ........... but i'll be damed if anyone knows im on the trail, except for those that have meet me before ..... im going to go by the trail name, Tasty Puppet

Tasty Pup

Ok Easy, If you're going to tell us that you are using that name, then people WILL know if you are out there. Or do just want to watch the chaos around you as everyone is asking each other if they have met Tasty Puppet yet? LOL

[brother_ron]

hi friends, i'm brother ron and i'll be starting 4/1.