Waking up before 3am this morning was not easy. My body rebelled from the mere 2.5 hours of sleep it got that night and sluggishly pulled its way out of bed. I spent the night visiting my sister and brother-in-law whome convinced me to stay up far too late watching biodome... ok so maybe that's not completely true. It didn't take a lot of convincing on their part, but watch bio dome we did.
The hours following my rude awakening were spent a bit frozen as the reality of where I was heading that day came crashing down around my ears. The 1.5 hour car ride to the airport sped by far too fast, before I knew what was happening I was handing my boarding pass to a very bored fellow with a scanning gun. The flight was cramped as they tend to be for anyone with legs taller than that of a gnome, and the bounce box I was using as a carry on (loaded with my first days of food) got tattered battered and torn to shreds and my peanut butter had to be tossed as it was not a welcome passenger aboard a bowing 747. After a brief mix up with where my bag ended up, I hoped the Marta Rail system and headed to North Spring Station.
From there a hop skip and a jump to the hikers hostel and many words of wisdom from the very experienced and personal "Nature Boy." I now sit using the hostel computer looking forward to our escapade into town in a couple hours from supper. Subway here I come! As well as walmart for a new box :/.
After getting my gear together and looking at my bounce box, I realized how useless it might just be. The only items contained in this box so far are the left over food items I won't need to get me to Neel's Gap. Once I get to Mountain Crossing's and pick it up, draining it of my excess food, and doing a bag shake down test, I may end up dropping it all together and just packing the extra ounce in charger weight. But only time will tell.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
And Time Marches On... Through April
Glancing at the date it reads Tuesday April 12, 2011... TUESDAY APRIL 12 ALREADY????!!!?!!!
The night seems to be flying by faster than the hours of the day. I could have sworn minutes ago the clock read 6pm... it's now well past 10. What a crazy notion time is, my last night in my house for quite some time is racing towards bed time and then poof! My time here is done for the next 5 months.
Tomorrow afternoon (once I finish re-going over my gear, packing, unpacking, washing, re packing and pacing for a while in anticipation...) I will be heading to the local grocery to pick up my first 5 days of food. The hike from the A.T.'s approach Trail to Neel's Gap is roughly 38 miles; this can be easily accomplished in 3 to 4 days. The extra day~ of food is just a precaution should I get held up. I am thinking lots of oatmeal, GORP, granola bars, hot cocoa mix, jerkey, candy, dried fruit, some top ramen, and a jar of peanut butter will set me just fine. I may add a few packets of the Gatorade / Crystal lite / Propel for replenishing those nice little electrolytes.
Once the shopping is done and packed up well, I will be leaving home to spend the night at my sister and brother in law's house. They live far closer to the airport and therefore will let me get a few extra hours sleep Wednesday night. From there it is a hop skip and a jump to the airport early early early A.M. and I will be Georgia bound. How did this trip creep up SO FAST? Am I really prepared for all that is about to befall me?
The usual pre-journey jitters have set in. Mentally going over gear, arrangements, points to remember, things to do again and again looking for some detail that might have been missed. I have this tendency to procrastinate, worry, and then finally say screw it and go for the plunge. Most of the time this works out just fine, I am sure this time will be no different. Being psyched up over something people have been doing for generations, with far less than I have now, seems a bit silly. The trail has been traversed for decades, with far less gear than is "required" now; which is a point I have to frequently remind myself of. None the less, being prepared is always a plus. But really how prepared can you be for a REAL ADVENTURE!?
I suppose I have delayed in this long enough, but the time has come for my completed gear list. This is the list of all gear I will be taking with me, broken down into sections.
Sleeping Equipment:
hammock: Warbonnet Black Bird Hammock 1.1dbl
tarp: Big Mamajamba
bag: Mountain Hardware Flip 25-40
bottom insulation: Therm-a-rest prolite plus
extra: DIY SPE (do it yourself segmented pad extender.)
extra: Peregrine ground cloth (trimmed to size)
Pack:
pack: L.L Bean White Mountain Pack
pack cover: Dick's Sporting Goods generic pack cover.
waterproofing: Contractor bag liner
Black Diamond ergo cork trekking poles
Clothing:
Bottom
Base Layer: Capeline 2 briefs
Base Layer: Mountain Hardware stretch layer
Pants: North Face Paramount Convertible Pants
Rain: Marmot PreCip Pants
Camp: North Face Impulse flight series
Top
Base Layer: Capilene 1 T-shirt (different design)
Insulation 1: Capilene 3 mid-weight crew
Insulation 2: Northface Natchez fleece vest
Head
UV/Insect shield Buff
UV/Insect shield Bandana
live simply cap with visor
freaking sweet wolf ear DIY wool hat (Special thanks to Jaz)
Feet
2x Smartwool Med cushion socks
1x Smartwool light cusion socks
Merrel Moab Ventil Mid
Walmart brand croc rip off camp shoes :)
Health, Hygiene & Safety:
First Aid:
diotame
diamode
antacidibuprofen
acetaminophen
antihistamine
glaciergel
moleskin
alcohol swab
bandaids
buterfly closures
after cuts wipes
triple antibiotic ointment
towelettes
safety pins
gauze
other:
Headlamp (LED, regular, and red light settings)
a sweet whistle! (thanks to my awesome brother)
Compass
Tooth Brush
Dr. Bronner's all-one soap
Camp towel
Deet/UV sunblock
duck tape
Water & Food Preparation:
water:
filtration: Katadyn Vario
Storage: Nalgene 1l
Storage: 2litre water bladder with bite valve
food:
DIY Soda can stove
denatured alcohol
DIY wind screen & pot stand
Aluminum pot
MSR pot handle
Misc:
The A.T. Guide
Journal
Pen/Pencil
Trowel
Biodegradable TP/wipes
Camera
iPhone (will be kept off except in town for wifi to update blog, as well as calling to check in at home. The occasional music indulgence can't hurt either.
earbuds
Wow! What a list to have comprised and gathered in the past 6 months. I can't believe everything that fits inside this pack It all fit's really nicely as well, which is a huge relief. Now how to get it all packed solidly inside the pack so it can fit on the plane. THAT is tomorrows venture. I will update you all with how travel towards Georgia goes, as well as my night in the hiker's hostel. For now, good night
also, I must remember to pick up ear plugs!
The night seems to be flying by faster than the hours of the day. I could have sworn minutes ago the clock read 6pm... it's now well past 10. What a crazy notion time is, my last night in my house for quite some time is racing towards bed time and then poof! My time here is done for the next 5 months.
Tomorrow afternoon (once I finish re-going over my gear, packing, unpacking, washing, re packing and pacing for a while in anticipation...) I will be heading to the local grocery to pick up my first 5 days of food. The hike from the A.T.'s approach Trail to Neel's Gap is roughly 38 miles; this can be easily accomplished in 3 to 4 days. The extra day~ of food is just a precaution should I get held up. I am thinking lots of oatmeal, GORP, granola bars, hot cocoa mix, jerkey, candy, dried fruit, some top ramen, and a jar of peanut butter will set me just fine. I may add a few packets of the Gatorade / Crystal lite / Propel for replenishing those nice little electrolytes.
Once the shopping is done and packed up well, I will be leaving home to spend the night at my sister and brother in law's house. They live far closer to the airport and therefore will let me get a few extra hours sleep Wednesday night. From there it is a hop skip and a jump to the airport early early early A.M. and I will be Georgia bound. How did this trip creep up SO FAST? Am I really prepared for all that is about to befall me?
The usual pre-journey jitters have set in. Mentally going over gear, arrangements, points to remember, things to do again and again looking for some detail that might have been missed. I have this tendency to procrastinate, worry, and then finally say screw it and go for the plunge. Most of the time this works out just fine, I am sure this time will be no different. Being psyched up over something people have been doing for generations, with far less than I have now, seems a bit silly. The trail has been traversed for decades, with far less gear than is "required" now; which is a point I have to frequently remind myself of. None the less, being prepared is always a plus. But really how prepared can you be for a REAL ADVENTURE!?
I suppose I have delayed in this long enough, but the time has come for my completed gear list. This is the list of all gear I will be taking with me, broken down into sections.
Sleeping Equipment:
hammock: Warbonnet Black Bird Hammock 1.1dbl
tarp: Big Mamajamba
bag: Mountain Hardware Flip 25-40
bottom insulation: Therm-a-rest prolite plus
extra: DIY SPE (do it yourself segmented pad extender.)
extra: Peregrine ground cloth (trimmed to size)
Pack:
pack: L.L Bean White Mountain Pack
pack cover: Dick's Sporting Goods generic pack cover.
waterproofing: Contractor bag liner
Black Diamond ergo cork trekking poles
Clothing:
Bottom
Base Layer: Capeline 2 briefs
Base Layer: Mountain Hardware stretch layer
Pants: North Face Paramount Convertible Pants
Rain: Marmot PreCip Pants
Camp: North Face Impulse flight series
Top
Base Layer: Capilene 1 T-shirt (different design)
Insulation 1: Capilene 3 mid-weight crew
Insulation 2: Northface Natchez fleece vest
Head
UV/Insect shield Buff
UV/Insect shield Bandana
live simply cap with visor
freaking sweet wolf ear DIY wool hat (Special thanks to Jaz)
Feet
2x Smartwool Med cushion socks
1x Smartwool light cusion socks
Merrel Moab Ventil Mid
Walmart brand croc rip off camp shoes :)
Health, Hygiene & Safety:
First Aid:
diotame
diamode
antacidibuprofen
acetaminophen
antihistamine
glaciergel
moleskin
alcohol swab
bandaids
buterfly closures
after cuts wipes
triple antibiotic ointment
towelettes
safety pins
gauze
other:
Headlamp (LED, regular, and red light settings)
a sweet whistle! (thanks to my awesome brother)
Compass
Tooth Brush
Dr. Bronner's all-one soap
Camp towel
Deet/UV sunblock
duck tape
Water & Food Preparation:
water:
filtration: Katadyn Vario
Storage: Nalgene 1l
Storage: 2litre water bladder with bite valve
food:
DIY Soda can stove
denatured alcohol
DIY wind screen & pot stand
Aluminum pot
MSR pot handle
Misc:
The A.T. Guide
Journal
Pen/Pencil
Trowel
Biodegradable TP/wipes
Camera
iPhone (will be kept off except in town for wifi to update blog, as well as calling to check in at home. The occasional music indulgence can't hurt either.
earbuds
Wow! What a list to have comprised and gathered in the past 6 months. I can't believe everything that fits inside this pack It all fit's really nicely as well, which is a huge relief. Now how to get it all packed solidly inside the pack so it can fit on the plane. THAT is tomorrows venture. I will update you all with how travel towards Georgia goes, as well as my night in the hiker's hostel. For now, good night
also, I must remember to pick up ear plugs!
Sunday, April 10, 2011
A Hanging on Haunted Hill
Big Shakedown hike #2
Yesterday was spent in a scramble of packing my bag for a bit longer overnight adventure. My father and I decided a hike followed by a night outdoors along local trail was absolutely necessary to test and really get to know my gear. It was afternoon before we headed out, our destination, the famed Catherine's Hill.
Catherine's Hill is located on the Black's Woods road in Downeast Maine. The legend of this site is a bone chilling story involving the specter of a (sometimes) headless woman who haunts the area and the road below. Legend states if you see this woman while in your vehicle, you must stop and offer it a ride, or face the consequences! DUN DUN DUN! It is also said that while staying overnight on this hill that you respect the area, taking nothing and leaving nothing (the essence of leave no trace...easy enough), or, once again, face the consequences! DUN DUN DUN... again!
The trial was absolutely amazing as it wound its way up the hill. It consists of mostly level terrain with one long steep uphill jaunt towards the beginning. Once on top (just shy of the 1000ft mark) the view is breathtaking, several granite bald spots offer an uninterrupted view of Downeast Maine. The forest below stretched out before us like a rolling sea of evergreen, spotted with lakes and ponds, and patched with trees still gray leafless. We could see for MILES around, the carpet of black's woods faded misty blue to the horizon, interrupted when one of the many bays along the coast jutted in far enough to be seen. A most wonderful hike with such a rewarding site, how could it be topped?
We hiked just a bit beyond the pictured balds, to a section just off the trail that was clear enough to set up camp. Two trees well enough spaced to hang my hammock and a relatively flat spot of earth for my Dad's tent. Set up went rather well and quick, despite a few snags. The ground, while looking quite earthy, was only a few inches deep before the granite shelf below made itself present. Staking down my tarp as well as Dad's tent was near impossible; though with some Jimmi-rigging and Jiggery pokery we got it all set up. The trees I used were spaced a bit too close together for an ideal hang causing a very slack ridge line. Once camp was set up, Dad set up a small camp fire; while I tested out my DIY soda can stove and cooked a dehydrated meal for us. Chicken and potatoes, they came out absolutely delicious! This set my mind at ease knowing my stove would work just fine for my coming months of hiking.
Sprawled around the fire, the sun sank behind the hill and the temperature began to drop... drop... PLUMMET. Reviewing this morning the temperature dropped below 24 for most of Downeast Maine, the hill we were camped on combine with the windchill must have dropped it below that. It wasn't 9pm before I was grateful for the fire to be doused and to crawl into my sleeping bag.
The major item I was testing on this trek was my DIY SPE. (do it yourself, segmented pad extender). Special thanks to Mum who was awesome enough to use her textile know-how to fashion it up for me. Once inside the hammock nestled down I tossed a bit trying to get my pad to fit comfortable beneath me. NOT EASY! I attribute a lot of the sliding and slipping to my very loose hang, but future use and experimentation should lead to this being a lot easier. I tugged my wool wolf ear hat down (a fantastic gift from an incredibly talented friend!) wrapped my sleeping bag around me top quilt style and found myself rocked to sleep. With how easy I was falling asleep I would have assumed an amazing solid nights sleep. This was not what I would get.
As the night wore on the temperatures continued to drop, I woke to my feet being absolutely frozen! Through shifting around I found the culprit to be my ever slippery nemesis, Therm-a-rest. It had shimmied it's way up and to the side causing my feet to hang off the end. leaving only my bag (rated 25-40) to keep them warm... needless to say, it failed my feet in that regard. My torso was warm, my skull as well. My face got a bit chilly but slipping my bag further up around my face helped with this. It was too late to get my feet heated up to comfortable temperatures again, which caused a few more wake ups in the night but nothing too major.
Aside from frozen feet and slipping pad issues, I slept rather well. I woke at 6 am well rested and ready to greet the sun. With a handful of GORP a few strips of jerky and a swig of water it was back to the bald to explore and soak in the fresh morning views. Refreshing my spirits and further sinking in the joys I will be experiencing when this is my life for the summer; the east facing bald we had camped on provided just what I needed. The sun crept over the horizon as I looked down at the frozen lakes and ponds, bringing with it a renewed warmth for the coming day. A light mist still clung just below the treetops on the ground below, slipping around the surrounding hills and valleys. Wood peckers could be heard on all sides, hammering away to their morning breakfast. Chipmunks playing tag darted around the rock face and into the safety of the trees. A FANTASTIC way to wake up! I don't know as though I could ever tire of it. This topped what I had seen the evening before, I now know that sites can get even MORE amazing when seen early morning. I resolve to wake up early during my hike along the AT, if only for the reason of having more moments like those.
Returning to camp Dad had started another small fire and was in the process of roasting up some dogs for breakfast. We lingered for a short while packing up our gear and making sure we left nothing behind, before beginning our trek back to the truck, and headed for home. Catherine's hill... while lacking in specters, is indeed haunted with gorgeous views and a sense of longing for the larger adventure to come.
Yesterday was spent in a scramble of packing my bag for a bit longer overnight adventure. My father and I decided a hike followed by a night outdoors along local trail was absolutely necessary to test and really get to know my gear. It was afternoon before we headed out, our destination, the famed Catherine's Hill.
Catherine's Hill is located on the Black's Woods road in Downeast Maine. The legend of this site is a bone chilling story involving the specter of a (sometimes) headless woman who haunts the area and the road below. Legend states if you see this woman while in your vehicle, you must stop and offer it a ride, or face the consequences! DUN DUN DUN! It is also said that while staying overnight on this hill that you respect the area, taking nothing and leaving nothing (the essence of leave no trace...easy enough), or, once again, face the consequences! DUN DUN DUN... again!
The trial was absolutely amazing as it wound its way up the hill. It consists of mostly level terrain with one long steep uphill jaunt towards the beginning. Once on top (just shy of the 1000ft mark) the view is breathtaking, several granite bald spots offer an uninterrupted view of Downeast Maine. The forest below stretched out before us like a rolling sea of evergreen, spotted with lakes and ponds, and patched with trees still gray leafless. We could see for MILES around, the carpet of black's woods faded misty blue to the horizon, interrupted when one of the many bays along the coast jutted in far enough to be seen. A most wonderful hike with such a rewarding site, how could it be topped?
 |
| Granite bald on top of Catherine's Hill |
 |
| #2 |
 | |
| ME atop the "haunted' Catherine's Hill |
We hiked just a bit beyond the pictured balds, to a section just off the trail that was clear enough to set up camp. Two trees well enough spaced to hang my hammock and a relatively flat spot of earth for my Dad's tent. Set up went rather well and quick, despite a few snags. The ground, while looking quite earthy, was only a few inches deep before the granite shelf below made itself present. Staking down my tarp as well as Dad's tent was near impossible; though with some Jimmi-rigging and Jiggery pokery we got it all set up. The trees I used were spaced a bit too close together for an ideal hang causing a very slack ridge line. Once camp was set up, Dad set up a small camp fire; while I tested out my DIY soda can stove and cooked a dehydrated meal for us. Chicken and potatoes, they came out absolutely delicious! This set my mind at ease knowing my stove would work just fine for my coming months of hiking.
Sprawled around the fire, the sun sank behind the hill and the temperature began to drop... drop... PLUMMET. Reviewing this morning the temperature dropped below 24 for most of Downeast Maine, the hill we were camped on combine with the windchill must have dropped it below that. It wasn't 9pm before I was grateful for the fire to be doused and to crawl into my sleeping bag.
The major item I was testing on this trek was my DIY SPE. (do it yourself, segmented pad extender). Special thanks to Mum who was awesome enough to use her textile know-how to fashion it up for me. Once inside the hammock nestled down I tossed a bit trying to get my pad to fit comfortable beneath me. NOT EASY! I attribute a lot of the sliding and slipping to my very loose hang, but future use and experimentation should lead to this being a lot easier. I tugged my wool wolf ear hat down (a fantastic gift from an incredibly talented friend!) wrapped my sleeping bag around me top quilt style and found myself rocked to sleep. With how easy I was falling asleep I would have assumed an amazing solid nights sleep. This was not what I would get.
As the night wore on the temperatures continued to drop, I woke to my feet being absolutely frozen! Through shifting around I found the culprit to be my ever slippery nemesis, Therm-a-rest. It had shimmied it's way up and to the side causing my feet to hang off the end. leaving only my bag (rated 25-40) to keep them warm... needless to say, it failed my feet in that regard. My torso was warm, my skull as well. My face got a bit chilly but slipping my bag further up around my face helped with this. It was too late to get my feet heated up to comfortable temperatures again, which caused a few more wake ups in the night but nothing too major.
Aside from frozen feet and slipping pad issues, I slept rather well. I woke at 6 am well rested and ready to greet the sun. With a handful of GORP a few strips of jerky and a swig of water it was back to the bald to explore and soak in the fresh morning views. Refreshing my spirits and further sinking in the joys I will be experiencing when this is my life for the summer; the east facing bald we had camped on provided just what I needed. The sun crept over the horizon as I looked down at the frozen lakes and ponds, bringing with it a renewed warmth for the coming day. A light mist still clung just below the treetops on the ground below, slipping around the surrounding hills and valleys. Wood peckers could be heard on all sides, hammering away to their morning breakfast. Chipmunks playing tag darted around the rock face and into the safety of the trees. A FANTASTIC way to wake up! I don't know as though I could ever tire of it. This topped what I had seen the evening before, I now know that sites can get even MORE amazing when seen early morning. I resolve to wake up early during my hike along the AT, if only for the reason of having more moments like those.
Returning to camp Dad had started another small fire and was in the process of roasting up some dogs for breakfast. We lingered for a short while packing up our gear and making sure we left nothing behind, before beginning our trek back to the truck, and headed for home. Catherine's hill... while lacking in specters, is indeed haunted with gorgeous views and a sense of longing for the larger adventure to come.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Why the cold shoulder?
Long pause on update, I was caught up in other preparations. I did manage to spend the night in my hammock, and man! I can see it being very comfortable for my trek I am very happy with the hammock choice for a shelter at the moment, though I can see where some of my early gear purchases (when I was planning on tenting...) will require a bit of jimmy rigging to get them to perform properly. Let's start from the beginning, shall we?
As you saw in the previous post I managed to hang the hammock despite the blizzard... o.k., so maybe that's an exaggeration, snow. Expecting to slog my way through the wet nasty weather through the swampy wet lands between my house and the chosen camp spot, I had decided to don my muck boots and leave the Merrel light hikers at home. This turned out to be an excellent choice, upon arriving at my hang site, I found the soggy mess had accumulated into a four to six inch pond beneath my hammock. Lucky me I had everything set up earlier so this set me back very little.
Once settled into the hammock I found myself quite warm and surprised by the abundance of room the hammock provided me with. It wasn't for sometime the first of a few snags presented itself. Though it kept me dry, the rain fly being assaulted by the elements was extremely loud! I felt as though I were trying to sleep inside a drum. This coupled with first night jitters made falling asleep take an inordinate amount of time. Once the sand man had found me and accomplished his mission, I only awoke a few times. These lapses in N/REM were caused by a sudden freezing shoulder or hip. I discovered the cause to be my pad shifting or me rolling just off the edge of it. Being a larger guy with broad shoulders I barely fit on the pad as it is. The hammock didn't help this matter at all and so a cold shoulder effect, as I dubbed it, occurred. By morning I discovered the pond beneath me had caused moisture to build up under and a bit inside my hammock. Despite these drawbacks, I overall had a decent night of rest, and it gave me a few things to work out.
The following days I spent a good amount of time browsing both Hammock Forums and White Blaze for solutions.
A) Sleeping pad issues: I will be making a SPE (Segmented Pad Extender.) basically sewing a sleeve for my pad to slip into, with wings filled with blue CCF (closed cell foam) to give my shoulders and thighs that bit of extra room I require to keep insulated.
B) LOUD NOISES! this will be a two fold solution, 1: I will get a pair of earplugs to use on nights where the sounds just keep me alert and unable to sleep and 2: Through the daily hiking and extended hours of exercise I will be so exhausted I imagine that falling asleep will be a breeze.
C) Moisture: Pay more attention to the ground contours during stormy wet nights so I don't hang over basins that are likely to fill with water.
Hind sight being 20/20 as always I find myself wishing I had made a few gear purchases differently. I should have decided on a shelter to use before purchasing both my ground pad (a Therm-a-rest pro-lite) and sleeping bag (Mountain Hardware Flip). Both would be great if I were tenting and may still come in nice when I am sleeping in a shelter for the night, though coupled with my blackbird they fall a bit short compared to the ideal. If I weren't so limited on time in this aspect I would look into selling both and picking up an under quilt and a top quilt which would serve my needs a lot better. For now it's DIY fixes which will take place this weekend. Test night 2 coming soon, I have a small hike/camp weekend plan with my father for further shake down testing. I will keep you posted on how it goes.
Still to come: final gear check and reviews, and in one week, take off. I can't believe how fast time is flying!
As you saw in the previous post I managed to hang the hammock despite the blizzard... o.k., so maybe that's an exaggeration, snow. Expecting to slog my way through the wet nasty weather through the swampy wet lands between my house and the chosen camp spot, I had decided to don my muck boots and leave the Merrel light hikers at home. This turned out to be an excellent choice, upon arriving at my hang site, I found the soggy mess had accumulated into a four to six inch pond beneath my hammock. Lucky me I had everything set up earlier so this set me back very little.
Once settled into the hammock I found myself quite warm and surprised by the abundance of room the hammock provided me with. It wasn't for sometime the first of a few snags presented itself. Though it kept me dry, the rain fly being assaulted by the elements was extremely loud! I felt as though I were trying to sleep inside a drum. This coupled with first night jitters made falling asleep take an inordinate amount of time. Once the sand man had found me and accomplished his mission, I only awoke a few times. These lapses in N/REM were caused by a sudden freezing shoulder or hip. I discovered the cause to be my pad shifting or me rolling just off the edge of it. Being a larger guy with broad shoulders I barely fit on the pad as it is. The hammock didn't help this matter at all and so a cold shoulder effect, as I dubbed it, occurred. By morning I discovered the pond beneath me had caused moisture to build up under and a bit inside my hammock. Despite these drawbacks, I overall had a decent night of rest, and it gave me a few things to work out.
The following days I spent a good amount of time browsing both Hammock Forums and White Blaze for solutions.
A) Sleeping pad issues: I will be making a SPE (Segmented Pad Extender.) basically sewing a sleeve for my pad to slip into, with wings filled with blue CCF (closed cell foam) to give my shoulders and thighs that bit of extra room I require to keep insulated.
B) LOUD NOISES! this will be a two fold solution, 1: I will get a pair of earplugs to use on nights where the sounds just keep me alert and unable to sleep and 2: Through the daily hiking and extended hours of exercise I will be so exhausted I imagine that falling asleep will be a breeze.
C) Moisture: Pay more attention to the ground contours during stormy wet nights so I don't hang over basins that are likely to fill with water.
Hind sight being 20/20 as always I find myself wishing I had made a few gear purchases differently. I should have decided on a shelter to use before purchasing both my ground pad (a Therm-a-rest pro-lite) and sleeping bag (Mountain Hardware Flip). Both would be great if I were tenting and may still come in nice when I am sleeping in a shelter for the night, though coupled with my blackbird they fall a bit short compared to the ideal. If I weren't so limited on time in this aspect I would look into selling both and picking up an under quilt and a top quilt which would serve my needs a lot better. For now it's DIY fixes which will take place this weekend. Test night 2 coming soon, I have a small hike/camp weekend plan with my father for further shake down testing. I will keep you posted on how it goes.
Still to come: final gear check and reviews, and in one week, take off. I can't believe how fast time is flying!
 |
| Nested down for the night |
Monday, April 4, 2011
Shake Down
I have finally started my trail journal! WOO HOO!
Included in my gear (which will be further delved into in a future post.) I have included a journal. I will do my best to update this nightly with the days finds and events and upload them as often as I can when I come into town to resupply. These will likely be accompanied by pictures I take along the way, assuming I can obtain computer access in some places and have uploading abilities. So fair warning, posts may be few and far between, but I will do my absolute best.
The mission:
On April 14th of 2011 I will be leaving my home in Maine and heading to Georgia to begin my 2000~ mile trek along the Appalachian Trail. I have long dreamed of this journey and have only this year been able to make it a reality. My hiking will officially begin April 15th 2011 at the approach trial; 8.8 miles of steep uphill terrain (over 2000ft of elevation to the peak of Springer Mountain; the start of the AT. I have set to goal to finish on my 25th birthday, September 14th 2011; which gives me a total of 5 months to complete the trail.
The Preparation:
I started planning, researching, and gathering gear 6 months ago in October of 2010. I have recently finished making/purchasing gear, my airline ticket is set, and my reservation at the Hiker's Hostel is in place. I have begun hiking near daily around the area carrying my pack and breaking in my boots. Physically I am still behind where I would like to be, but far from being too hindered to complete the trek. I have also begun "shakedowns" to test my gear and get accustomed to using it.
I am eagerly awaiting to see what Trail Name I might get bestowed while hiking, until an appropriate one is given, I have decided to go by Trail Wolf for the purpose of this blog. It will be updated as necessary in the future.
Hiker's Hostel:
What incredible people they are! I managed to score the last bed they had available for that date, a futon in the basement of the common area. Having grown up living on a futon as my preferred bed of choice, this will be most comfortable and fantastic. Included in their "Thru-Hiker's Special" package is transport from the airport (or rather the Marta North Spring Station) to the hostel, over night stay, breakfast and 8oz of cooking fuel of your choice, and a shuttle to the approach trail or Springer parking lot. I am truly grateful for how easy and convenient they made it for me to get from the airport to the trail.
Tonight: It's chilly and nasty out! Rain has turned to snow and the wind has picked up outside. Currently 36°F~ outside, tonight it is expected to drop to around 33°F. However when I returned home from work I was pleased to find my Warbonnet Black Bird Hammock had arrived! Finally! I ordered it a month ago, and I can now begin to test it out and give it a proper night outdoors! What better way to test it's sheltering abilities than to give it a try in the snow?
Included in my gear (which will be further delved into in a future post.) I have included a journal. I will do my best to update this nightly with the days finds and events and upload them as often as I can when I come into town to resupply. These will likely be accompanied by pictures I take along the way, assuming I can obtain computer access in some places and have uploading abilities. So fair warning, posts may be few and far between, but I will do my absolute best.
The mission:
On April 14th of 2011 I will be leaving my home in Maine and heading to Georgia to begin my 2000~ mile trek along the Appalachian Trail. I have long dreamed of this journey and have only this year been able to make it a reality. My hiking will officially begin April 15th 2011 at the approach trial; 8.8 miles of steep uphill terrain (over 2000ft of elevation to the peak of Springer Mountain; the start of the AT. I have set to goal to finish on my 25th birthday, September 14th 2011; which gives me a total of 5 months to complete the trail.
The Preparation:
I started planning, researching, and gathering gear 6 months ago in October of 2010. I have recently finished making/purchasing gear, my airline ticket is set, and my reservation at the Hiker's Hostel is in place. I have begun hiking near daily around the area carrying my pack and breaking in my boots. Physically I am still behind where I would like to be, but far from being too hindered to complete the trek. I have also begun "shakedowns" to test my gear and get accustomed to using it.
I am eagerly awaiting to see what Trail Name I might get bestowed while hiking, until an appropriate one is given, I have decided to go by Trail Wolf for the purpose of this blog. It will be updated as necessary in the future.
Hiker's Hostel:
What incredible people they are! I managed to score the last bed they had available for that date, a futon in the basement of the common area. Having grown up living on a futon as my preferred bed of choice, this will be most comfortable and fantastic. Included in their "Thru-Hiker's Special" package is transport from the airport (or rather the Marta North Spring Station) to the hostel, over night stay, breakfast and 8oz of cooking fuel of your choice, and a shuttle to the approach trail or Springer parking lot. I am truly grateful for how easy and convenient they made it for me to get from the airport to the trail.
Tonight: It's chilly and nasty out! Rain has turned to snow and the wind has picked up outside. Currently 36°F~ outside, tonight it is expected to drop to around 33°F. However when I returned home from work I was pleased to find my Warbonnet Black Bird Hammock had arrived! Finally! I ordered it a month ago, and I can now begin to test it out and give it a proper night outdoors! What better way to test it's sheltering abilities than to give it a try in the snow?
 | |
| April 4th 2011 WBBB 1.1dbl shake down |
I will update soon with my gear list as well as a review on how my first night "hanging" went.
For now, Peace Love and Hippie stuff!
-TW
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)