AT and nothing to lose live or die

[thomasmbass]

well old fart this is not a joke at all im sorry if your small brain cant comprehend that we are for real but this is our dream. im his lady and yes we are overweight and hiking in fall/winter but we have decided to go south and have more money than you said. obviously you people have no concern for others feelings. he was asking for advice like how to tell what time it is if your watch dies, or tips on keepng warm but not making the load super heavy. i think you all should be ashamed of yourselves for judging instead of helping or not saying anything at all. didnt your mama raise you better. if you dont have anything nice to say, then dont say anything at all. -sincerely thomas m. bass' lady lauren.

[thomasmbass]

im sorry to all that hike to call themselves better than other people. im not going to hike to look down on people like you do, im going to hike to explore the world, myself, relationship, and other things. the fact that im about to be homeless etc. is coincidental and more motivation to fulfill my dream of hiking long distance. so all you negative nancys can shove it!!!!!!

[hikerboy57]

if you're serious about doing this during the winter, I suggest you read the book "not without peril" to help you avoid potentially lethal mistakes and keep you alive.In th

[Kookork]

well old fart this is not a joke at all im sorry if your small brain cant comprehend that we are for real but this is our dream. im his lady and yes we are overweight and hiking in fall/winter but we have decided to go south and have more money than you said. obviously you people have no concern for others feelings. he was asking for advice like how to tell what time it is if your watch dies, or tips on keepng warm but not making the load super heavy. i think you all should be ashamed of yourselves for judging instead of helping or not saying anything at all. didnt your mama raise you better. if you dont have anything nice to say, then dont say anything at all. -sincerely thomas m. bass' lady lauren.

My momma told me stop people from falling into a deep hole if you can but dont be silent knowing that he or she(and in this case both) would not listen,do your job, I listened to my mommy and have great respect for everyone who is trying to stop you. You are there to enjoy after all. There is no fun there for anybody at this time of the year. I would say the same thing to my brother.

[nitewalker]

im sorry to all that hike to call themselves better than other people. im not going to hike to look down on people like you do, im going to hike to explore the world, myself, relationship, and other things. the fact that im about to be homeless etc. is coincidental and more motivation to fulfill my dream of hiking long distance. so all you negative nancys can shove it!!!!!!

people are trying to make you realize that a novice adventure into the southern appalacians during november, december and january could have horrible consequences.

[kanga]

by being condescending and omnipotent-ish. amen.

[Hoop]

Thomas and Lauren, don't be offended - it's an internet forum, after all, so take it easy; everyone's fair game. Seems you're inexperienced in winter hiking, so do yourselves a favor and listen to the mean people advising you to Stop, Look and Listen. Whatever problems you're dealing with - is shivering in the woods the best alternative?

[hikerboy57]

winter hiking involves a bit more planning than other times of year, and the mountains in winter can be unforgiving of mistakes.without a watch under cloudcover, there arent many ways to judge the correct time.How to stay war,m? well thats a tough question. for one thing, no cotton anything, for another a good tentand bag might help, as well as base layer ,fleece and shell, a layering system that will keep you dry. You need to keep your head feet and hands the warmest, as your body steers your blood to your torso where warmth is needed the most. You need to be aware of the first signs of hypothermia, which can kill in above-freezing temperatures. the people here arent trying to make fun of you, theyre trying to make sure you know exactly what you're attemptiing, and how difficult it can be. you may be blessed with great weather, and in spite of the odds, somehow complete your hike, but when I hike I like to stack the odds a bit more in my favor.

[Trailbender]

How can someone get food stamps on the AT?

I think you can get them as being homeless, and you could be looking for work as well. I considered doing it, just so I could hike continuously. It would honestly be worth it, to just be able to hike all the time. Best bet would be stay in Virginia, it is the longest section of the AT, and do odd jobs if you can get them.

I talked to my caseworker about that very thing. I said I would be traveling up the AT looking for work, he said whenever you get where you are going, send the paperwork to have them cut off, then reapply in the state you are in, if you are still eligible. I only applied when I was about to become homeless and had like 200 dollars to my name. I am currently working, but it is only part time, so I still get a modest amount.

[futureatwalker]

You wrote:

just want to hear some ideas on how to stay alive and etc.

i dont know if i can get any thing under a 40 degree sleep bag but i can improvise

OK, here's my tip: you need a much, much warmer sleeping bag.

Forget about how much it weighs, you need a 0 degree bag. You can probably pick one up for $70 or so:

http://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/Product___47330

Next, I would get a sleeping pad. This isn't just for comfort, it will be much warmer if you have something between yourself and the ground.

http://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/Product___43008

There are cheaper options, but this is the standard.

Also, sleep with some warm, dry socks, and dry clothes.

If you are serious about this, your biggest challenge is going to be staying warm at night (and in the winter, it's mostly night).

[thomasmbass]

iv been trying to think of a good sleep pad option we found big cooler bags like 18'x18' tape a few of them together as many as it taks to get from head to toe dose any one think this could work if it can keep cold things cold and hot things hot it can do the same for cold ground to warm people ?as well pack size recommendations

[Rocket Jones]

Better than the cooler bags would be blue foam pads from WalMart. Put the pad inside the cooler bags if you want, but you need more than just a couple of thin layers of mylar.

[thomasmbass]

like a yoga mat? at walmart for 10 dollars would that work

[ekeverette]

yes.... they have them at walmart... bit heavy, but they will do ok.

[clsvideo]

like a yoga mat? at walmart for 10 dollars would that work

Go to the camping section of walmart. They have a cheap foam sleeping pad. But yes, it's like a yoga mat. As for pack size recommendations, Sounds like you will need something pretty large like a 75 or 80 liter.

[kanga]

well old fart this is not a joke at all im sorry if your small brain cant comprehend that we are for real but this is our dream. im his lady and yes we are overweight and hiking in fall/winter but we have decided to go south and have more money than you said. obviously you people have no concern for others feelings. he was asking for advice like how to tell what time it is if your watch dies, or tips on keepng warm but not making the load super heavy. i think you all should be ashamed of yourselves for judging instead of helping or not saying anything at all. didnt your mama raise you better. if you dont have anything nice to say, then dont say anything at all. -sincerely thomas m. bass' lady lauren.

1. remember to keep your core warm. your fingers/toes/extremities can get frostbite, so gloves and warm socks are a must, but your body regulates from it's core. don't let your chest get cold or stay super wet when you're not moving. always keep a dry set of clothes in a waterproof bag like silnylon. also, you lose a lot of heat from your head, so a warm fleece or wool cap for camp is very useful.
don't wear cottons, stay with wool blends or synthetics like polypropylene. they stink after awhile, but wools keep you warm even when wet and polys dry quickly from sweat. wear layers. when you're hiking, you can take off your top layers and just wear a shirt, then when you stop at camp or for a break, you can pull on a fleece before your core cools down to much. always conserve your body's natural heat.

2. when you get to camp, pull on your top layers and let your body heat dry the sweat off of your base layers under that fleece or jacket. by the time you've cooled down, your clothes should be dry and you can put on your camp clothes. however, if you're slightly hypothermic or if you're wet from rain, go ahead and put on dry clothes and get warm quickly. a hot drink right when you get to camp, snuggling in a sleeping bag, warm food - these things can help your body get back up to temps if you're not too far gone.

3. get your gear together, make sure it's what you want and how much space it takes up and THEN go get you a pack. nothing worse than buying a pack, then your gear, and then figuring out that they don't fit together.

4. as for telling time, find out what the basic sunset/sunrise times will be for the months you will be out there. pretty much 7 am and 7 pm right now. then, as long as you don't have huge sausage fingers, hold your hand out against the horizon with your fingers running horizontally. don't use your thumb, just the other four. every finger is approximately 15 minutes. so, if you can fit all four fingers between the horizon and the bottom of the sun, you have an hour until it gets dark, so 6 pm right now. also, you need to take into account the mountains directly around you blocking the horizon. the far side of the mountain from the sun will get darker much more quickly than the side facing the sun.

[Slo-go'en]

The best advice on how to stay alive is still "DON'T GO!"

[Six-Six]

i miss punctuation

.

I know I feel better.

[Old Hiker]

‘All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing’

Internet anonymity allows people to much more abrasive than they normally would be face to face. It may also be healthy skepticism about whether you are "real" or not as to why some answers are not polite. I'd like to believe that even the abrasive nay-sayers are concerned with your safety. Please, sift through the dross to find the nuggets and take them to heart before you make any final decisions. Good luck.

[chief]

WILL WORK FOR FOOD
Oh wait, my food is free!
Forget it, can't work either (will lose my free food)

WILL HIKE
Need advice