[at-l] [backcountry.net e-lists] thru-hikers live on GORP

[KBerger466@aol.com]

GORPS's first thru-hikers -- some of whom you all know -- are coping with 
desert heat, lack of water, and the inevitable aches and pains of breaking in 
in southern New Mexico  on ther CDT. Sarah Heidenreich and Adrianne Gass have 
started their thru-hike. You can follow them, see how they're doing, ask them 
questions, and learn how their gear does at www.GORP.com (They are featured 
on the home page right now) 

Over the next few months, we're sponsoring 9 hikers on the three Triple Crown 
Trails. We've got four more starting next week (two on the CDT and two on the 
PCT).

Nina, from the AT-list, is participating  -- but she doesn't start till June. 

Nimblewill Nomad, who is going to hike the entire Eastern Continental Trail 
from Cap Gaspe to the Florida Keys (including, of course, the AT) is also 
onboard (starting in late May). He's promised to give us all the straight 
dope on how well his 15 pounds of lightweight gear handles 4,400 miles of 
rugged and varied trail conditions, from melting snow in the Canadian tundra 
to subtropical Floridian swamps. Should be REALLY interesting.  

Jen Whitcomb (Yahoola) from the AT is also participating as she tackles the 
PCT.   

Every week, the hikers will post an update -- we're not publishing blow by 
blow journals, but the hikers will let you know the highlights of the last 
week or so, and will answer questions direct from the trail. (Although if 
they get a LOT of questions, they might not be able to answer all of them -- 
you all, I'm sure, will sympathize that they can't spend their entire town 
day typing!) They'll also be testing and checking out gear.  

If anyone is one any other e-lists that might be interested in this project, 
please feel free to copy this post (and I'd appreciate it if you'd let me 
know you did so I don't annoy everyone with duplications.)

The general URL is www.gorp.com (you can always find the thru-hikers by going 
to GORP, clicking on hiking; they'll be heavily featured on the hiking page.)

The specific URL's are: 
for the Triple Crown intro page:
http://www.gorp.com/gorp/activity/hiking/thruhike/thruhike_intro.htm

for Sarah and Adrianne's page: 
http://www.gorp.com/gorp/activity/hiking/thruhike/shag_cdt.htm

If anyone has any ideas on how to improve the pages, please let me know -- if 
there's something we should be covering, I'l be happy to add it. We will be 
adding gear lists for all the hikers.

And I'll keep you posted when the next hikers start.

I think this is going to be a lot of fun!

Karen Berger
GORP.com
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