Hike from Orlando, Fl. to Cody Wy.

[Renagade Outdoors]

I am in the middle of planning my hike from Orlando Fl. to Cody Wy. This is the main gear I have.
1.Hennessy Hammock
2.Ascend -20 degree Mummy bag
3.Gregory Z65 Backpack
4.hiking boots 2 pair
5.several pocket knives
6.GPS
7.Fly Rod & spinning rod

Any advice on the gear I have or what to expect.. One of my main concerns is staying warm up in Wy with my hammock.

[Luddite]

Where are you going to be walking? Do you have a route?

[Renagade Outdoors]

Up to the American Discovery Trail. Hike west on that till I need to head north into Wy.

[Luddite]

Instead of a -20 sleeping bag you should consider getting under and top quilts for your Hennessey. http://www.jacksrbetter.com/Rectangular%20Quilts.htm

Its the best way to stay warm in a hammock and you could probably save some weight too.
You probably don't need two pairs of boots and several pocket knives.

[James GAME2009]

I would strongly recommend going with a Gregory Z55 pack instead of the Z65. It is significantly lighter and will fit everything you need if you have your systems down. That said, I thru-hiked with the Z65, wishing I had the Z55 after seeing one on the trail. Both are extremely comfortable. Also, get rid of the knives. A very small one blade knife is all you need, and that is not essential.

[budforester]

I would Google the fishing regulations for every state I wanted to fish; non- resident licenses can be pricey. I agree about limiting the knives, but I wouldn't like cleaning all those fish with a tiny Swiss Army one.

[Renagade Outdoors]

Thanks yall have been really helpful. I was going for the z65 because it git my body/back better. I know it will be a little heavier but I would rather be comfortable and walk slow. I really like the quilt Ides I just need to know if they would keep us warm up in the moutains. More on the lines of in Wyoming in the fall temps. can drop pretty good.

[moytoy]

Your trip seems very interesting. It seems to me that you will do some road walking. I personally don't find this objectionable. I do road walks all the time. Just try to follow roads that are not heavily traveled. BTW, the ideas I express here are just that, ideas.
Fishing along the way doesn't seem to be very practical to me, so I'm assuming that the fishing gear is for the fishing in Wy. If that is the case then I would have someone ship it to you when you arrive in Wy. If your' bent on taking hiking boots maybe consider dropping one pair and taking running shoes instead. Several pocket knives? Unlike some I do use tools when I'm hiking. I would consider a multi use tool rather than pocket knives.
When are you leaving and when will you be in Wy. It seems to me that a -20 bag is overkill unless you are planning on wintering in wy and in that case you may need more, like -40 and get on the ground to sleep.
Anyway, good luck and have a safe trip.

[Danielsen]

They'll keep you warmer in a hammock than that sleeping bag will, at the least... since the part under you will be compressed it won't insulate, and you'll lose a lot of heat out the bottom of the hammock. An underquilt doesn't get compressed, so you get your insulation. And if you've got an underquilt, why would you want a full sleeping bag around you? An overquilt is lighter with the same benefit.

[Renagade Outdoors]

Well the Idea of bringing the fishing pole is actually to fish along the trail. I know fishing licenses might be expensive. But I am planning on eating a lot of what I catch.. 'm gonna rough it. Supply in towns yes but I wont eat what I have in my bag if not needed. I was hoping someone could tell me if there is a nationwide fishing license that people could buy... And if not would they really fine me a lot if im only fishing to survive.

[Luddite]

For some inspiration...http://www.amazon.com/Planetwalker-2...=pd_cp_b_0_img

[Graywolf]

For some inspiration...http://www.amazon.com/Planetwalker-2...=pd_cp_b_0_img

Thanks Ludd. Now I have a new book in my library in the near future..

To the OP, Good luck on your trip. Sounds a blast..

[Press]

After hiking all that way, it's only a relatively short hump, 60 m. or so, from Cody over the Absaroka/Gros Ventre? mountains into Yellowstone, and then down to the Tetons. Or maybe you'll want to rent a car at that point and drive over there!

[Memphis Tim]

Sounds like one hell of an adventure. It's hard to give advice without a little more info- experience, your route to the ADT, approx total mileage, time frame, budget, etc but here I go. My AT experience might not translate to your hike but I would actually recommend a three or four week shake down from Springer. It is a great crash course in long distance hiking. I was woefully under prepared but because of so many experienced hikers, hostelers, angels and outfitters in that time I was able to lose 20 lbs from my pack (and my gut) and go from an eight mile per day average to about 17. I don't know if I would have made it on a trail that didn't have so many amenities for the novice hiker early on.
Your gear will reflect the seasons and terrain and will be constantly evolving, that's what mail drops are for. A good rule of thumb about gear (aside from first-aid) is that if you don't use at least once a day- lose it. I don't know about your route but on the AT (partially because it is primarily a ridge walk, also because it could be damaging to the ecosystem) living off the land is just not an option. I think you might quickly find that with the limited time you are able to fish you won't be able to justify the weight of the tackle. You might be better off selecting areas to fish before you leave and bumping your gear ahead. You might also want to think about trading in your heavy boots for trail-runners but that's just my opinion. Hike your own hike.

[Renagade Outdoors]

Thanks for the advice!!! Time is not an issue for me. If it takes 3 years so be it. I plan on walking ny where from 10 -15 miles a day. I have been doing little hikes 2 a week. Averaging about 15-20 miles on flat terrain. I do that with all my equiptment on in about 7-8 hours which I think will give me ample time to go catch dinner..