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  1. #21
    Getting out as much as I can..which is never enough. :) Mags's Avatar
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    The BMT was a great way to revisit the southern Apps. Awesome work by the BMTA on this gem of a trail!
    Paul "Mags" Magnanti
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    The true harvest of my life is intangible...a little stardust caught,a portion of the rainbow I have clutched -Thoreau

  2. #22
    First Sergeant SGT Rock's Avatar
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    In case anyone has read this and hasn't gone to his journal yet - you need to. It is one of the best reading journals I have seen in a while. Excellent writing 10-K.
    SGT Rock
    http://hikinghq.net

    My 2008 Trail Journal of the BMT/AT

    BMT Thru-Hikers' Guide
    -----------------------------------------

    NO SNIVELING

  3. #23
    PCT, Sheltowee, Pinhoti, LT , BMT, AT, SHT, CDT, TRT 10-K's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Trailbender View Post
    Sounds good, I am going to do the BMT instead of the beginning of the AT when I get on there. The vagrancy thing, were they pretty easygoing about it or did they give you a hard time? It seems like towns near the trail would be used to seeing hikers, from what you said, Reliance would be a good first resupply. I ordered Sgt Rock's guide, sounds like it will be quite useful.
    No, they didn't give me a hard time at all - didn't even ask to see ID.

    They asked me what I was doing and I told them I was hiking the BMT - I asked them if they knew about the "Hiker Crossing" signs on the highway about 2 miles from where we were... He said he did and I said that's where I was headed.

    I actually asked if they'd mind giving me a ride down there but they said they had to get back to the office.

    The PO at Cherry Log is a fine place for a resupply - Reliance is about a hundred miles up the trail. I tried not to carry more than 15 lbs at any given time so I didn't want to go that long before resupply though I did wind up around 18 lbs going into GSMNP with 5 days of food.

  4. #24
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    From your Posthole:

    I cut off the trail to go to Martin's Dixie Depot where I ran into the owner, a nasty little man, giving a lady hell over where to best get cell reception to call for help about car trouble. I heard him tell her she could drive off a cliff if she didn't believe him..... When I got close he said, "We're closed and we're going to stay closed and if you voted for Obama you can thank yourself that we're not open." I said I just wanted some water and he said, "We don't have any.". Nasty little man....
    The whole place is for sale, maybe that's why his fuse is so short. Know any deep pockets looking for a new home?

    The trouble I have with campfires are the folks that carry a bottle in one hand and a Bible in the other.
    You never know which one is talking.

  5. #25

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    Quote Originally Posted by SGT Rock View Post
    In case anyone has read this and hasn't gone to his journal yet - you need to. It is one of the best reading journals I have seen in a while. Excellent writing 10-K.
    I agree SGT Rock...except for the point where he starts off with "a shuttle for a 3 hour trip to the ER ... but more on that later" and then leaves you hanging on page 4 with "to be continued" and we never hear the gory details. Is this like a TV show, where we have to wait a week for the continuation? The suspense is killing me! It's like he thinks he should be working or something after 2 weeks on the trail. Hmmmm....perhaps we do have to take a back seat and wait. (JK 10-K! .... Great journal...can't wait to read the continuation!)

  6. #26

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    Glad you had a good hike and ended up home safe. What's the next trip?! I know you're already thinking about it!

  7. #27
    PCT, Sheltowee, Pinhoti, LT , BMT, AT, SHT, CDT, TRT 10-K's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by royalusa View Post
    I agree SGT Rock...except for the point where he starts off with "a shuttle for a 3 hour trip to the ER ... but more on that later" and then leaves you hanging on page 4 with "to be continued" and we never hear the gory details. Is this like a TV show, where we have to wait a week for the continuation? The suspense is killing me! It's like he thinks he should be working or something after 2 weeks on the trail. Hmmmm....perhaps we do have to take a back seat and wait. (JK 10-K! .... Great journal...can't wait to read the continuation!)
    I'm up to entering GSMNP now....

    As I've written I've remembered a lot more - I guess my last entry will be "Cool things I forgot to mention".

  8. #28
    PCT, Sheltowee, Pinhoti, LT , BMT, AT, SHT, CDT, TRT 10-K's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by WingedMonkey View Post
    From your Posthole:

    The whole place is for sale, maybe that's why his fuse is so short. Know any deep pockets looking for a new home?

    I normally don't comment on people with an attitude figuring everyone has a bad day but that he was yelling at a lady traveling alone with her daughter over cell phone reception I thought was a bit much.

    Belittling someone in front of their children is more than I can bear.

    He was, and is, a nasty little man in my book. Sorry.

  9. #29
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    Quote Originally Posted by 10-K View Post
    I normally don't comment on people with an attitude figuring everyone has a bad day but that he was yelling at a lady traveling alone with her daughter over cell phone reception I thought was a bit much.

    Belittling someone in front of their children is more than I can bear.

    He was, and is, a nasty little man in my book. Sorry.
    No reason to say you are sorry, you just reported facts. Maybe why he has to get out of the business.
    The trouble I have with campfires are the folks that carry a bottle in one hand and a Bible in the other.
    You never know which one is talking.

  10. #30
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    I have been waiting for you to complete your trek, hoping you would give a good write-up. I was not disappointed; glad to hear it went so well, in spite of your complications.
    The most exciting phrase to hear in science, the one that heralds new discoveries, is not "Eureka!" but "That's funny..." Isaac Asimov

    Veni, Vidi, Velcro. I came, I saw, I stuck around.

  11. #31

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    Sounds like fun! Given recent history at Cherry Log, you can't be surprised that you were questioned, especially if you were seen at the PO before it opened. The folks there were very friendly, and one of the stores was interested in attracting more hikers. Anyone Northbound planning on picking up a maildrop late in the day should be aware that you're marking yourself as staying at the shelter not too far from here (and the only legal spot Northbound for miles).
    You were lucky that Noland was so shallow. The footing on the Northern crossing is very poor and as you noted, it's a very swift current.
    I was surprised about campsite 98. I stayed there alone on a Friday night in early May and it didn't have a lot of evidence of high impact like some other sites did (90, 74, 38).

    Does anyone know how to convince the park service to put in two more bridges or at least officially mark the blue blaze loop as a high water alternative? I'd also love to know what it takes to get a bridge, highline for packs or high water trail around the slickrock crossing before someone ends up dying there.

  12. #32

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    Quote Originally Posted by Bati View Post
    Given recent history at Cherry Log, you can't be surprised that you were questioned, especially if you were seen at the PO before it opened.
    What's the "recent history of Cherry Log"?

  13. #33
    First Sergeant SGT Rock's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bati View Post
    You were lucky that Noland was so shallow. The footing on the Northern crossing is very poor and as you noted, it's a very swift current.
    I was surprised about campsite 98. I stayed there alone on a Friday night in early May and it didn't have a lot of evidence of high impact like some other sites did (90, 74, 38).
    98 was pretty run down when I stayed there. I did have it to myself though.
    Does anyone know how to convince the park service to put in two more bridges or at least officially mark the blue blaze loop as a high water alternative? I'd also love to know what it takes to get a bridge, highline for packs or high water trail around the slickrock crossing before someone ends up dying there.
    The first part would be more money for trail maintenance, not just more money. Last year they got a big infusion of stimulus and it was spent on fixing roads and old buildings that had been ignored for years.

    The last part, I don't know that one would ever be built. If it were, there is a good chance it wouldn't last anyway - that area was once rail bed and you can only find remnants of the old rail bed and bridges with very careful study, most of them have been removed by humans or weather, and the power of that creek when it rises would most likely wipe out just about anything they would build as a trail bridge. That area is wilderness and they won't even let us blaze that section, building structures is not going to happen. A hiker will simply have to be aware of the weather and re-route their trip if they want to keep moving during bad rainy periods. That would most likely involve going over Naked Ground and following that down to Yellowhammer Gap and skipping a large part of the BMT in that area.
    SGT Rock
    http://hikinghq.net

    My 2008 Trail Journal of the BMT/AT

    BMT Thru-Hikers' Guide
    -----------------------------------------

    NO SNIVELING

  14. #34

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    Nice report 10-k. Campsite #57 was pretty beat up the last time I was up there (all the horse traffic I guess). Laurel Gap shelter is depressing but they are remodeling it to look like the rest this fall.

  15. #35
    PCT, Sheltowee, Pinhoti, LT , BMT, AT, SHT, CDT, TRT 10-K's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by SGT Rock View Post
    98 was pretty run down when I stayed there. I did have it to myself though.

    The first part would be more money for trail maintenance, not just more money. Last year they got a big infusion of stimulus and it was spent on fixing roads and old buildings that had been ignored for years.

    The last part, I don't know that one would ever be built. If it were, there is a good chance it wouldn't last anyway - that area was once rail bed and you can only find remnants of the old rail bed and bridges with very careful study, most of them have been removed by humans or weather, and the power of that creek when it rises would most likely wipe out just about anything they would build as a trail bridge. That area is wilderness and they won't even let us blaze that section, building structures is not going to happen. A hiker will simply have to be aware of the weather and re-route their trip if they want to keep moving during bad rainy periods. That would most likely involve going over Naked Ground and following that down to Yellowhammer Gap and skipping a large part of the BMT in that area.
    Regarding Slickrock it would be a major help just to string a rope up across the creek.

    Anybody on the BMT that comes to that crossing over the next few days is going to be waiting a while, that's for sure.

  16. #36

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    there used to be a log across Slickrock Creek right at the crossing that one could brace themselves against but I suspect that log got washed away this year

  17. #37
    First Sergeant SGT Rock's Avatar
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    It got washed away in 2010.
    SGT Rock
    http://hikinghq.net

    My 2008 Trail Journal of the BMT/AT

    BMT Thru-Hikers' Guide
    -----------------------------------------

    NO SNIVELING

  18. #38

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    dang - must be time for me to get my Corona and take it for a hike on that section ;-)

    seriously though I'm worried how bad the trail got hit

  19. #39
    First Sergeant SGT Rock's Avatar
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    Me too. My wife went down to Twentymile today to drop off my truck. She said that the damage along US129 is amazing. Apparently one of those big power line towers that goes over the lake is bent over and there is an obvious path of destruction (maybe a tornado) near Happy Valley. After I get done with this hike I need to get out and check my section.
    SGT Rock
    http://hikinghq.net

    My 2008 Trail Journal of the BMT/AT

    BMT Thru-Hikers' Guide
    -----------------------------------------

    NO SNIVELING

  20. #40

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    There is something we can all do to improve the BMT. Send the park service an email or a letter requesting that they do 3 things, only one of which has any significant cost.

    1) allow BMT hikers to camp at restricted sites in a manner similar to AT hikers. This might encourage hikers to wait another day for the water to recede and it would be nice to have on the 30 mile stretch with no reservation-free spots.

    2) create an official high-water route around the fords by sending northbound thru-hikers left left near campsite 64 onto Springhouse Branch, North on Forney Ridge, briefly down the AT, then back to the BMT on Noland Divide. The extra miles would be easier to do with a changed reservation system

    3)alternatively, put two more bridges in at the dangerous fords on Noland Creek

    Please make your voice heard at the park service, not just here! It's good to warn people here, but much better if we can actually convince the park to make a change. Why wait for the next event to happen at one of the BMT fords during dangerous conditions? We might not be able to alter Slickrock, but these three options in the park are all feasible even with restricted budgets.

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