Friday, April 30, 2010
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Damascus VA
Well alot has happened since I last posted in Hot Springs.
But probably the biggest change since then is that I've upped my mileage by a lot. Since Hot Springs I've only had two 11 mile days, everything else has been 15 miles and up. My two biggest days to date so far have been 21 miles and 22 miles. To give a rough estimate I did alittle under 200 miles in 10 days. So by the time I got to Damascus I was dead tired.
Damascus is a nice little town, its extremely hiker friendly. I got in on the 24th and am hiking out today. The extended stay was nice because it gave my body a chance to rest up. Also my friend Meg from Australlia come to visit so we got to catch-up over the last few days since I haven't seen here since summer camp last year. We stayed at a hiker hostel which was nice so she was able to get a taste of the hiker community. So like I said we just hung out and caught up. Two days ago we went to the park and set up my hammock cause the weather was beautiful. Yesterday we caught a movie. It was a very relaxing time. But now I'm ready to start hiking again.
Hope all is well!
But probably the biggest change since then is that I've upped my mileage by a lot. Since Hot Springs I've only had two 11 mile days, everything else has been 15 miles and up. My two biggest days to date so far have been 21 miles and 22 miles. To give a rough estimate I did alittle under 200 miles in 10 days. So by the time I got to Damascus I was dead tired.
Damascus is a nice little town, its extremely hiker friendly. I got in on the 24th and am hiking out today. The extended stay was nice because it gave my body a chance to rest up. Also my friend Meg from Australlia come to visit so we got to catch-up over the last few days since I haven't seen here since summer camp last year. We stayed at a hiker hostel which was nice so she was able to get a taste of the hiker community. So like I said we just hung out and caught up. Two days ago we went to the park and set up my hammock cause the weather was beautiful. Yesterday we caught a movie. It was a very relaxing time. But now I'm ready to start hiking again.
Hope all is well!
Wise Words
"Never quite during an up hill or when its raining, only quite when you realize you're not having fun anymore"
-Geek (former thru-hiker)
"Don't forget to look up, cause if you do you're only going to be able to tell your friends and family that you saw nothing but rocks, twigs, dirt and leaves"
Walking Man (section hiker)
"Its not about the miles, its about the smiles"
Homeward (former thru-hiker)
-Geek (former thru-hiker)
"Don't forget to look up, cause if you do you're only going to be able to tell your friends and family that you saw nothing but rocks, twigs, dirt and leaves"
Walking Man (section hiker)
"Its not about the miles, its about the smiles"
Homeward (former thru-hiker)
Lets Talk About Gear
Ok ok ok,
I know awhile back I told everyone that I was sending home a piece of gear but didn't say exactly what is was. So I figured I've kept everyone waiting long enough and I'll finally say what it is.
Well......I sent home my tent (I can see all of your shocked faces right now). No, it didn't break or anything like that. Actually when I was in Gatlinburg I bought a Hammock (the faces have become more shocked). Now I know there are some of you out there thinking "Well aren't you going to get wet when it rains?". This hammock is meant for camping/backpacking so it comes with a rain fly. I've slept in it in one rain storm so far and me and my gear stayed completely dry.
I absolutely love the hammock. Its probably one of the best gear purchases I've made. Its so much lighter and takes up so much less room in my pack then my tent did. Also its extremely comfy, I've slept so much better in my hammock then I had in my tent/shelters. The first two nights I didn't sleep that well only because I wasn't use to it. But ever since then its been great.
Whats great about it is that I no longer have to worry about finding a flat spot or have a nights sleep ruined because of that one rock I didn't see when I was setting up. Now I can set up almost anywhere on the trail (as long as there are trees). What I also really like about the hammock is that if you do need to set it up in the rain I can set up the rain fly first and then do everything else under there. So the hammock doesn't get wet and I have to sleep in a wet hammock that night. This is unlike a tent because with tents if you're out there by your self the rain fly goes on last.
So I've officially joined the Hammock Revolution.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Hot Springs NC
Rolled into Hot Springs about 9:30am yesterday, small town but its nice with a few things to do. Stayed at Elmer's Hostel. Its a really cool place. The hostel is actually an old Victorian style house, very neat. And all the meals are vegetarian....so i might or might not have had to go out last night for a burger. but the food was extremely good regardless.
We got out of the Smoky Mountains about 5 days ago. We had beautiful weather the whole way through. Did get some rain on the last day......and it didn't just rain, it RAINED. guess its what i get for a previous 10 days of nothing but sun. so i rolled up to the shelter that night wet head to toe. but i did have some dry clothes to changed into which is nice and key.
the following day we decided to go only 3 miles and stop/stay at Standing Bear Farms. Its this hostel pretty much on farm land in the middle of the woods. Another very cool place. Whats interesting about it though is that its run completely on the honor system. so you keep track of you expenses and pay when you leave. i just thought it was a very unique way of running a place.
The night after Standing Bear we went 13 miles and camped up on Max Patch Bald. Its basically a top of a mountain that's nothing but a grass field. so you basically have a 360 degree view, it was amazing. there were about 20 thru-hikers up there camping that night so it was a good time. we all ended up cowboy camping up there, so while laying there you had a view of the lit up towns below and the stars above. totally a high point of the trip so far. only down side was there was no tree cover up there so with the elevation and the wind it got pretty chilly that night but i bundled up and slept well and got to wake up to a 360 view and a sunrise.
Yesterday at Hot Springs was really layed back. Got a shower, did laundry and hung out at the hostel for a bit. Then a few of us went to the Hot Springs Spa were you can actually take a dip in the natural hot springs. very nice and very relaxing. then after dinner we went out and had some fun on the town.
Today i plan on hiking out and staying at the next shelter 11 miles away. everyone else i've been hiking with for the past month is taking a zero. its a bit sad to be leaving them all behind but it was going to happen sooner or later. I'm sure I'll see some of them at some point down the road. but its been an amazing time hiking with them and have made some life long memories with them.
Hope everyone is well!
We got out of the Smoky Mountains about 5 days ago. We had beautiful weather the whole way through. Did get some rain on the last day......and it didn't just rain, it RAINED. guess its what i get for a previous 10 days of nothing but sun. so i rolled up to the shelter that night wet head to toe. but i did have some dry clothes to changed into which is nice and key.
the following day we decided to go only 3 miles and stop/stay at Standing Bear Farms. Its this hostel pretty much on farm land in the middle of the woods. Another very cool place. Whats interesting about it though is that its run completely on the honor system. so you keep track of you expenses and pay when you leave. i just thought it was a very unique way of running a place.
The night after Standing Bear we went 13 miles and camped up on Max Patch Bald. Its basically a top of a mountain that's nothing but a grass field. so you basically have a 360 degree view, it was amazing. there were about 20 thru-hikers up there camping that night so it was a good time. we all ended up cowboy camping up there, so while laying there you had a view of the lit up towns below and the stars above. totally a high point of the trip so far. only down side was there was no tree cover up there so with the elevation and the wind it got pretty chilly that night but i bundled up and slept well and got to wake up to a 360 view and a sunrise.
Yesterday at Hot Springs was really layed back. Got a shower, did laundry and hung out at the hostel for a bit. Then a few of us went to the Hot Springs Spa were you can actually take a dip in the natural hot springs. very nice and very relaxing. then after dinner we went out and had some fun on the town.
Today i plan on hiking out and staying at the next shelter 11 miles away. everyone else i've been hiking with for the past month is taking a zero. its a bit sad to be leaving them all behind but it was going to happen sooner or later. I'm sure I'll see some of them at some point down the road. but its been an amazing time hiking with them and have made some life long memories with them.
Hope everyone is well!
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Gatlinburg
Made another unplanned stop and stayed in Gatlinburg last night.....yes I'm still here and will be hitting the trail with everyone extremely shortly.
Back tracking a few days, white water rafting at the NOC was awesome. it was nice to get off the trail and do something else besides hiking for a day. i even got to be the raft guide for alittle bit. but because of my zero day the group i was hiking with ended up being a day ahead of me. so i pulled an 18 mile day to catch up with them and caught them at Fontana Dam. but i was exhausted after that. but it was a good confidence builder to know i can pull off big mile days.
After Fontana we headed into the Smoky Mountains. So far the weather has been fabulous....a bit hot on some days but fabulous. Two nights ago it was nice enough that i "cowboy camped" and slept out under the stars.
Yesterday morning we got up around 4am and caught the sunrise from Clingmon's Dome. it was totally worth the early wake up and bit of night hiking.
we arrived in Gatlinburg around 2pm yesterday. g-burg is about half way through the Smokys. it an extremely tracky place......pretty much the Los Vegas for red necks. but it was a really good time last night just walking up and down the main strip last night with everybody. i'm defiantly having a blast. i should be out of the Smokys in another 3 days and heading into Hot Springs in another 3 after that.
Also i'm sending a piece of gear home today but what it is is a secret :-p hehehehe
Hope everyone is well! Only 1,973 miles to go! :-D
Back tracking a few days, white water rafting at the NOC was awesome. it was nice to get off the trail and do something else besides hiking for a day. i even got to be the raft guide for alittle bit. but because of my zero day the group i was hiking with ended up being a day ahead of me. so i pulled an 18 mile day to catch up with them and caught them at Fontana Dam. but i was exhausted after that. but it was a good confidence builder to know i can pull off big mile days.
After Fontana we headed into the Smoky Mountains. So far the weather has been fabulous....a bit hot on some days but fabulous. Two nights ago it was nice enough that i "cowboy camped" and slept out under the stars.
Yesterday morning we got up around 4am and caught the sunrise from Clingmon's Dome. it was totally worth the early wake up and bit of night hiking.
we arrived in Gatlinburg around 2pm yesterday. g-burg is about half way through the Smokys. it an extremely tracky place......pretty much the Los Vegas for red necks. but it was a really good time last night just walking up and down the main strip last night with everybody. i'm defiantly having a blast. i should be out of the Smokys in another 3 days and heading into Hot Springs in another 3 after that.
Also i'm sending a piece of gear home today but what it is is a secret :-p hehehehe
Hope everyone is well! Only 1,973 miles to go! :-D
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