Help wanted

[Cripgun]

I am in the planning and logistics stage for a Through hike on 2010 and am looking for some assistance and looking for a female partner . I have been hiking for decades, but never attempted a hike like this before due to working. Now that I am retired I felt it is a good time.

One thing i am not sure of is what the longest number of days i will go without resupply for food. would it be 5 days or longer? I know that i will be going through various weather changes and am planning equipment change drops at certain points in the trip such as changing weight of cloths, sleeping bags, boot changouts, etc., but the biggest issue is my pack, internal or external. I have hiked with both and am in a quandary as to which one and size. The other one is which stove. I have a pocket rocket and a whisper lite. I am not sure about the availability of fuel availability, disposable of spent cartridges if taking the pocket rocket, and weight concerns. Any comments and assistance i receive will be most helpful.
As far as experience hiking is concerned, I have done mostly trips two weeks or less, but have hiked all over the world. Spending 15 years in the Navy helped me on that point. my favorite place to hike i must say is the AT through my area of PA. I regulary do hikes from Buttermilk falls, NJ to route 64 in PA. I also hike Hickory Run state park alot and out around Center County, PA.

[Hikes with a stick]

As far as the hiking partner is concerned... Match.com. Worked for me

[ShelterLeopard]

I am in the planning and logistics stage for a Through hike on 2010 and am looking for some assistance and looking for a female partner . I have been hiking for decades, but never attempted a hike like this before due to working. Now that I am retired I felt it is a good time.

One thing i am not sure of is what the longest number of days i will go without resupply for food. would it be 5 days or longer? I know that i will be going through various weather changes and am planning equipment change drops at certain points in the trip such as changing weight of cloths, sleeping bags, boot changouts, etc., but the biggest issue is my pack, internal or external. I have hiked with both and am in a quandary as to which one and size. The other one is which stove. I have a pocket rocket and a whisper lite. I am not sure about the availability of fuel availability, disposable of spent cartridges if taking the pocket rocket, and weight concerns. Any comments and assistance i receive will be most helpful.
As far as experience hiking is concerned, I have done mostly trips two weeks or less, but have hiked all over the world. Spending 15 years in the Navy helped me on that point. my favorite place to hike i must say is the AT through my area of PA. I regulary do hikes from Buttermilk falls, NJ to route 64 in PA. I also hike Hickory Run state park alot and out around Center County, PA.

Hey Easton PA! I'm about ten minutes from Phillipsburg, NJ (so, we're neighbors).

Pocketrocket- I have had trouble with my whisperlite international occasionally, and it is bigger, more hastle, and messier than the pocketrocket. The pocketrock is the easiest, cleanest stove and I love it. It isn't hard to find canister fuel along the trail, and you can even mail it to yourself if you label it correctly (you'll have to ask your PO- I don't remeber what you need to write).

As for a pack, I am deeply in love with internal frame packs. I'm using a Jansport Klamath 72- kinda big, and slightly heavy, but durable, until I get to Harpers Ferry, then I'm switching to an Osprey Exos 58 or 46- light, very comfortable, but holds less weight. (Because I'll be switching out winter gear for spring there, so I'll have a lot less to carry)

As for mail drops, I'm going to do around twenty. For the most part, I'll be getting them every 5-10 days. For the first couple weeks I get one after five days, one three days later, and one five or seven days later again, just to get me started. After the first month though, I'll be mailing a lot less stuff to myself and just stocking up in grocery stores.

[Captain]

It isn't hard to find canister fuel along the trail, and you can even mail it to yourself if you label it correctly (you'll have to ask your PO- I don't remeber what you need to write).
.

"surface mail only" they cannot be shipped by plane so if your going to have them mailed you have to be sure to give yourself a couple extra days for the package to post office hop across the states

[Heater]

As far as the hiking partner is concerned... Match.com. Worked for me

You hike with a Matchstick?

[Jack Tarlin]

Cripgun:

If you check out the "Articles" section of this website, you'll find all sorts of useful information on such things as Re-Supply points; how long it'll likely take to cover a particular stretch of Trail; where to swap out gear; where and how to send yourself mail while en route, and all sorts of other stuff. There's even a full-length article about cannister stoves and fuel availability.

As for advice on finding a good hiking partner, I'll leave that one up to other folks; I try to stick to subjects I actually know something about.

[dreamsoftrails]

good luck with finding a pre planned female hiking partner. or any female hiking partner for that matter!

don'

[Blissful]

Go with the pocket rocket. You can mail a canister to yourself, it has to go surface only and the PO likes for you to put the "no airline" symbol sticker on it. I only mailed it a few times. It was readily available on the trail.

Buy your pack the last thing after you have all your gear. Many say the ULA packs worked for them. My son used Osprey and I saw a lot of them out there in '07. I used Gregory.

[Cripgun]

At my age, finding any partner is a challenge. My wife usually goes with me but cannot go on this one for a variety of reasons, mainly medical. She is going to be my support and send me packages as I need them. I really do not want to do this alone, and I believe in yin and yang, so that is why I am looking.

[Captain]

At my age, finding any partner is a challenge. My wife usually goes with me but cannot go on this one for a variety of reasons, mainly medical. She is going to be my support and send me packages as I need them. I really do not want to do this alone, and I believe in yin and yang, so that is why I am looking.

if no lady speaks up captain will go with ya

[Cripgun]

Matchstick??

[Captain]

Matchstick??

noooooooo me captain