Happy 2012!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Happy New Years!
This is how it's done on the trail. It's 8:30 (hiker midnight), a nalgene and aluminum pot for cups. Now we just need a stove to explode for our fireworks!
Happy 2012!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Happy 2012!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
I must be crazy
I took the last day and a half off as zeros, but will be back on the trail this afternoon. I'm trying to setup myself so I can do something crazy again; I'm going to redo a 24 hour hike. I really wanted to break 60, and I think I can. This time, however, I'll pick the terrain to be more supportive of an attempt, and I won't do it on a whim. I'll be trimming down my pack weight and removing many non-essential items, and only carry what I need. I will also be flexible with a start time to allow myself to get as much sleep as possible. I'll keep you posted on how it goes, and I hope everyone has a happy and safe New Year!
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Just NC and GA left
Well, it's official. Me and my pack have now hiked 2000 miles. The term for someone who has completed the entire trail is a "2000 miler". It's not exact (or even that close to the actual distance), but the trail was first estimated to be that distance, and since the actual distance is always changing, it's easier to just stick to one value. So while I'm not a 2000 miler just yet, I'm getting closer every day.
I just came out of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park when I emerged at Fontana Dam last night. It's a beautiful and fairly remote section that runs along at fairly high elevation. I just reached the highest point on the AT, Clingman's Dome, so I guess from here on out it's all downhill!
I ran into some cool people yesterday, and enjoyed the limelight of being a thru hiker. Many people respect and admire the feat, and it's fun to share the experience. It was also nice to talk about gear with a few guys, including one planning for a thru next year. I also ran into a guy who I met in Maine who completed his thru this year, so that was pretty neat.
However the rain that had been coming down all day turned into snow, and the trail was trickier to find than normal. I probably didn't help that I was night hiking, yet again, in the stuff. It was also very cool to pass the section that I hiked with my good buddies David and Jason for our spring break trip in 2005 (I think). Unfortunately I had to do most of what we did at night, so I wasn't able to see it the same way. It brought back fond memories of the thru hikers we met then, and how beautiful it was.
The rain and the wet snow however really chilled me, so it was very nice to meet up with ohMEGA at the end of a long day so that I could get dried out. This is a really nice way to finish the trail; having a warm, dry place to escape to after getting soaked is the only way to manage with the chills of winter. Well I'm not "thru" until I'm through, so it's time to get back out there. Happy trails!
Here is one of those awesome views I was talking about. Notice how close to the edge of a cliff you can be! Also, since there were no other hikers this day, I was the only person to see that view that day! Kind of cool and now I can share it with you!
I just came out of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park when I emerged at Fontana Dam last night. It's a beautiful and fairly remote section that runs along at fairly high elevation. I just reached the highest point on the AT, Clingman's Dome, so I guess from here on out it's all downhill!
I ran into some cool people yesterday, and enjoyed the limelight of being a thru hiker. Many people respect and admire the feat, and it's fun to share the experience. It was also nice to talk about gear with a few guys, including one planning for a thru next year. I also ran into a guy who I met in Maine who completed his thru this year, so that was pretty neat.
However the rain that had been coming down all day turned into snow, and the trail was trickier to find than normal. I probably didn't help that I was night hiking, yet again, in the stuff. It was also very cool to pass the section that I hiked with my good buddies David and Jason for our spring break trip in 2005 (I think). Unfortunately I had to do most of what we did at night, so I wasn't able to see it the same way. It brought back fond memories of the thru hikers we met then, and how beautiful it was.
The rain and the wet snow however really chilled me, so it was very nice to meet up with ohMEGA at the end of a long day so that I could get dried out. This is a really nice way to finish the trail; having a warm, dry place to escape to after getting soaked is the only way to manage with the chills of winter. Well I'm not "thru" until I'm through, so it's time to get back out there. Happy trails!
 |
| ohMEGA dropping off the homeless man at Newfound Gap. Don't give us change; we prefer Snikers |
 |
| The view from Clingman's Dome, highest point on AT |
 |
| Mollie Ridge shelter where David and I tried to kill Jason. He was too tough though |
Sunday, December 25, 2011
Merry Christmas
So where's your favorite thru hiker? I don't know, probably at home. But where's Reboot? Well I'm taking a zero with my family and ohMEGA. They've come up to Franklin, NC near where I was supposed to come out of the Great Smokey Mountain National Park. The plan was for me to do the 110 miles from Hot Springs to Fontana dam in 4 days, but bad weather and tough terrain kept me from finishing the section on time. Since there is no road for the last 40 miles, I decided to take a zero to spend time with them instead of spending Christmas in a shelter. I'll get back on the trail and try to make up the miles soon, but my new expected finish date is probably January 2.
The Smokies are a beautiful section of trail. Unfortunately, I've gotten some heavy rain, but the temperatures haven't dipped too low, and the views have been awesome. I'm hiking up to some of the highest peaks, and will summit Clingman's Dome, the tallest point on the AT, the day I get back on. Getting up to these elevations has required a good deal of climbing up, but it's pretty cool when you can hike to above the clouds. The trail has been very empty though, so I've only been sharing these views with the two wild boar that ran into me (they weren't aggressive).
You may be wondering how I've been able to blog so much recently. OhMEGA has been running awesome support for me, and I've been able to meet up and get the latest and greatest trail news too you. I wanted to thank her for making this last stretch so much easier and enjoyable. I may not go fully insane after all.
Thank you all for the love and well wishes. I wanted to give a big shout out to my friend Sarah in Boston for cheering me on the whole way. Also it was great to see ohMEGA and my family for the holiday. I want to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas.
The Smokies are a beautiful section of trail. Unfortunately, I've gotten some heavy rain, but the temperatures haven't dipped too low, and the views have been awesome. I'm hiking up to some of the highest peaks, and will summit Clingman's Dome, the tallest point on the AT, the day I get back on. Getting up to these elevations has required a good deal of climbing up, but it's pretty cool when you can hike to above the clouds. The trail has been very empty though, so I've only been sharing these views with the two wild boar that ran into me (they weren't aggressive).
You may be wondering how I've been able to blog so much recently. OhMEGA has been running awesome support for me, and I've been able to meet up and get the latest and greatest trail news too you. I wanted to thank her for making this last stretch so much easier and enjoyable. I may not go fully insane after all.
Thank you all for the love and well wishes. I wanted to give a big shout out to my friend Sarah in Boston for cheering me on the whole way. Also it was great to see ohMEGA and my family for the holiday. I want to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas.
 | |
|
 |
| This is my backyard. |
 |
| Some people think it would be sketchy to go into a little dark shack in the woods for a rainy night. Notice the cage to keep the hikers from getting out. |
 |
| Frosty and I built a castle and had a snowball fight. |
 |
| Climbing out of clouds and being above them made me feel like an airplane. Except I'm faster. |
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Only one state I haven't hiked in... Big G!
I'm now hiking in an area that's near the border of TN and NC. It goes back and forth so it's tricky to know exactly where you are at a given time. Some parts of the trail are even the actual border! That means left foot is in NC while the right is in TN! Sooo crazy I know! They have some big hills here too. I haven't had to do multiple 1000 foot climbs in a while, but it feels good again.
I just had a birthday and for my present I got... rain all day and 40 degree weather! But seriously, it wasn't that bad. How come? Because ohMEGA was able to meet up with me and rescue me to Uncle Johnny's hostel AND the next day, ohMEGA, my dad, and my good buddy from college Jason were able to come join me on the trail and hike for a bit this weekend! Awesome! They must be crazy for wanting to come out and sleep in a shelter with mice in 20 degree weather. I mean, seriously, who likes doing that stuff? They must have lost their minds. OhMEGA hooked me up with some awesome birthday sweets (which I ate greedily in the laundromat while wearing my raingear [this is what all hikers wear during laundry sessions]). Jason also hooked me up with some beer, which no bears came to pick a fight over fortunately. OhMEGA also got me an awesome Golite down jacket so I will be able to survive the cold for the rest of the hike. You guessed it; it's super light and yet still warm! What more can a hiker want? It was great to hike with company and show them all how I've been living for the last few months.
Want to live a little in the life of Reboot? Me neither, but I've been bored and made some videos for you if you're feeling like trying out being a wild, mountain person for about 4 minutes.
This was after a full day of rain and then the weather dipping into the 20's up on Chestnut knob.
Here's a video of me while I cross a stream that was flooded. Some PG-13 language near the end (sorry about the slip up).
A big shout out to Larry, Manywaters, Dave, Steve, Otto, Sacco, and Pipe Maker for making my trip feel more like a thru hike than a solo adventure. Conversations with fellow hikers are what makes the trail special and feel like a family. Also thank you my buddy David's mom Ms. Lynn for sending some wickedly awesome cookies! I could get used to this kind of diet to keeps the pounds on! Happy trails folks and if anyone else is crazy and wants to come camp out, let me know and it'd be great to meet up! Plus I need decoys for when the bears come.
I just had a birthday and for my present I got... rain all day and 40 degree weather! But seriously, it wasn't that bad. How come? Because ohMEGA was able to meet up with me and rescue me to Uncle Johnny's hostel AND the next day, ohMEGA, my dad, and my good buddy from college Jason were able to come join me on the trail and hike for a bit this weekend! Awesome! They must be crazy for wanting to come out and sleep in a shelter with mice in 20 degree weather. I mean, seriously, who likes doing that stuff? They must have lost their minds. OhMEGA hooked me up with some awesome birthday sweets (which I ate greedily in the laundromat while wearing my raingear [this is what all hikers wear during laundry sessions]). Jason also hooked me up with some beer, which no bears came to pick a fight over fortunately. OhMEGA also got me an awesome Golite down jacket so I will be able to survive the cold for the rest of the hike. You guessed it; it's super light and yet still warm! What more can a hiker want? It was great to hike with company and show them all how I've been living for the last few months.
Want to live a little in the life of Reboot? Me neither, but I've been bored and made some videos for you if you're feeling like trying out being a wild, mountain person for about 4 minutes.
This was after a full day of rain and then the weather dipping into the 20's up on Chestnut knob.
Here's a video of me while I cross a stream that was flooded. Some PG-13 language near the end (sorry about the slip up).
A big shout out to Larry, Manywaters, Dave, Steve, Otto, Sacco, and Pipe Maker for making my trip feel more like a thru hike than a solo adventure. Conversations with fellow hikers are what makes the trail special and feel like a family. Also thank you my buddy David's mom Ms. Lynn for sending some wickedly awesome cookies! I could get used to this kind of diet to keeps the pounds on! Happy trails folks and if anyone else is crazy and wants to come camp out, let me know and it'd be great to meet up! Plus I need decoys for when the bears come.
 |
| Reboot and ohMEGA Christmas dressing (shoes are green!) |
 |
| Jason wore out the thru hiker. Next time go easy man, will ya? |
 |
| Which way to the strip mall? |
 |
| They left a trace! 500,000 of them! So much for LNT |
Monday, December 12, 2011
New state
It's official now. Here's the mug for all the fans; both of you
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Location:Government Rd,Damascus,United States
3 states to go!
Sorry for the long delay. It's hard to blog when you hike 12 hours a day. After spending a wonderful Thanksgiving break, getting back on the trail was tough. I gained a few pounds back that I had lost, but my legs had already started getting used to the comforts of society and my "trail legs" had wandered off. The first few days back on were hard, slow, and discouragingly tough. I was trying to catch up to my friends, but was having a tough time making up the miles. As I reached my first town since getting back on, Daleville, I got two texts; one good news and one bad news. The good news one was from my friend Sharpie who lives in Blacksburg and said that it would be great to meet up when I came through his area. OhMEGA and I hiked with him and his wife, Bubs, and had a really great time hanging out with them. I was really looking forward to seeing them again.
The second text however, was from my friends who I was trying to catch, Scramblin Man and Tumbleweed, saying that due to a hip injury and the cold, they were getting off of the trail for the season and will finish it in May. This was a major bummer. After hiking about 1400 miles basically solo, having them for company was a major plus and something to look forward to. By the time I was able to reach them they were already back home in Florida. I miss having their company out there, and even when they were ahead, I felt like I wasn't completely alone in the woods. I hope they're doing well and recuperating.
I was able to meet up with Sharpie and Bubs as well as my friends Kate and Michael. Hanging out with them felt like spending time with family, and it was a wonderful break. I even got to see the Blacksburg Christmas parade! I'm very gracious for the hospitality they showed me and it was really nice to spend time with them.
Hiking on, I ran into some nasty cold weather though. It's snowed a few times, but I got two days of solid rain with the rain on the second day turning into snow as a cold front plummeted the temperatures. As I was climbing a tall mountain that day, I stopped for 2 minutes to open a Snikers bar, and my fingers were so cold, I was having trouble. A few moments later I started shivering because I stopped. I realized then that hypothermia was a serious risk at this point, and when I reached the shelter at the top, I called it a day at only 10 miles. It was the right call however, as hiking on could have been a dangerous.
In an attempt to see how stupid I can be, I decided to try and do a 24 hour hike. I wanted to see how far I could go in a single day. I had already done the 44 mile 4 state challenge, but I wasn't completely drained after doing that and could have gone further. So I did. Starting from Partnership shelter near Mt. Rogers National Recreation Area headquarters, I left at 3:30 in the morning and started hiking. I had a full moon, so it was nice conditions (not considering it was hardly 20 degrees out) and I hike all day. I climbed up multiple 1000 foot climbs during the day, and up Mt. Rogers and Whitetop mtn, the highest and second highest peaks in VA (the trail doesn't summit either). At elevation there was more snow accumulated, and much of it had turned into ice which slowed me down and made the hike more difficult. I kept hiking well into the night, but at 2:40, with 50 minutes still to count towards my 24 hours, I needed to sleep and pitched my tent. My legs still had something to give, but I was extremely sleepy and generally tired and had to stop short. In the end, I did 58.1 miles. I was really hoping to do 60, and had the trail been more forgiving, I probably could have. Oh well, I'm not going to try that again for a while.
I reached Damascus (where I am writing this), and got an awesome care package from Chuck, a nice hiker I met in SNP. He hooked me up with some awesome dehydrated meals and a charger for my phone. I can't wait to make it down to Georgia to meet up again with him and his son. Since the hostels in town were closed due to the cold, I was going to tent in town, but while doing laundry, a nice guy who had also hiked, Larry, offered to let me crash at his place. He had another hiker living with him who had been sucked into the awesome trail town of Damascus, and it was an unexpected break from the cold weather. It was very generous of him and I'm very grateful for the hospitality the trail continues to show.
I look forward to meeting up with some friends soon and have a resupply package from ohMEGA that I'm looking forward to picking up too! Hopefully the weather can hold and the hiking will be good. It's going to be probably just me out there, but there's still 450 more miles of adventure waiting for me! Happy trails!
P.S. If you want a postcard, send me an address and I'll try to get you one! ohmega1e7@gmail.com
The second text however, was from my friends who I was trying to catch, Scramblin Man and Tumbleweed, saying that due to a hip injury and the cold, they were getting off of the trail for the season and will finish it in May. This was a major bummer. After hiking about 1400 miles basically solo, having them for company was a major plus and something to look forward to. By the time I was able to reach them they were already back home in Florida. I miss having their company out there, and even when they were ahead, I felt like I wasn't completely alone in the woods. I hope they're doing well and recuperating.
I was able to meet up with Sharpie and Bubs as well as my friends Kate and Michael. Hanging out with them felt like spending time with family, and it was a wonderful break. I even got to see the Blacksburg Christmas parade! I'm very gracious for the hospitality they showed me and it was really nice to spend time with them.
Hiking on, I ran into some nasty cold weather though. It's snowed a few times, but I got two days of solid rain with the rain on the second day turning into snow as a cold front plummeted the temperatures. As I was climbing a tall mountain that day, I stopped for 2 minutes to open a Snikers bar, and my fingers were so cold, I was having trouble. A few moments later I started shivering because I stopped. I realized then that hypothermia was a serious risk at this point, and when I reached the shelter at the top, I called it a day at only 10 miles. It was the right call however, as hiking on could have been a dangerous.
In an attempt to see how stupid I can be, I decided to try and do a 24 hour hike. I wanted to see how far I could go in a single day. I had already done the 44 mile 4 state challenge, but I wasn't completely drained after doing that and could have gone further. So I did. Starting from Partnership shelter near Mt. Rogers National Recreation Area headquarters, I left at 3:30 in the morning and started hiking. I had a full moon, so it was nice conditions (not considering it was hardly 20 degrees out) and I hike all day. I climbed up multiple 1000 foot climbs during the day, and up Mt. Rogers and Whitetop mtn, the highest and second highest peaks in VA (the trail doesn't summit either). At elevation there was more snow accumulated, and much of it had turned into ice which slowed me down and made the hike more difficult. I kept hiking well into the night, but at 2:40, with 50 minutes still to count towards my 24 hours, I needed to sleep and pitched my tent. My legs still had something to give, but I was extremely sleepy and generally tired and had to stop short. In the end, I did 58.1 miles. I was really hoping to do 60, and had the trail been more forgiving, I probably could have. Oh well, I'm not going to try that again for a while.
I reached Damascus (where I am writing this), and got an awesome care package from Chuck, a nice hiker I met in SNP. He hooked me up with some awesome dehydrated meals and a charger for my phone. I can't wait to make it down to Georgia to meet up again with him and his son. Since the hostels in town were closed due to the cold, I was going to tent in town, but while doing laundry, a nice guy who had also hiked, Larry, offered to let me crash at his place. He had another hiker living with him who had been sucked into the awesome trail town of Damascus, and it was an unexpected break from the cold weather. It was very generous of him and I'm very grateful for the hospitality the trail continues to show.
I look forward to meeting up with some friends soon and have a resupply package from ohMEGA that I'm looking forward to picking up too! Hopefully the weather can hold and the hiking will be good. It's going to be probably just me out there, but there's still 450 more miles of adventure waiting for me! Happy trails!
P.S. If you want a postcard, send me an address and I'll try to get you one! ohmega1e7@gmail.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)