[at-l] Hiker Hints for 02'ers

[icw39@ncfreedom.net (Clark Wright)]

Here are a couple of thoughts that I've not seen mentioned on the list
recently:

1)  Hiking poles are like cold sinks - keep that in mind in the
glove/mitten department, and in deciding when to send gloves home. 
Mittens are lousy with poles, as are "fat" or "thick" gloves; I like
really thin polypro or thermax or equivalent, plus fleece "millarmitts"
(i.e. fingerless gloves) - preferably with a thin leather or synthetic
pad on the palm.

2)  Carry a cheap ink pen - or two - you might be able to help replace a
stolen or empty ink pen for a shelter register, and you'll always have
something to write with.

3)  I liked reading registers, and loved it when someone left a kewl
Doonsbury cartoon, silly sticker, etc.  If you have a fav cartoon or
saying, you might want to take a couple of copies and leave them here
and there.  I also recall having a blast with some friends at a shelter
where someone had left the page from an old readers digest on
"increasing your word power" - just think about taking something
lightweight and silly (or not so silly) to maybe leave in a shelter
every now and then.

4)  Some people send off for those cheapo mailing labels before leaving;
then you have a small sticker with your
name/address/phone/trailname/etc. that makes it easy to trade info with
others, or stick it in a register if  you want to "go public."  Some
others even had a cheap stamp made up - small and not too gaudy - made
it easy and legible to sign registers.

5)  If you are going white gas, consider the 11 oz MSR fuel bottle; I
did just fine with that, but then again I cooked very efficiently, even
in winter.  I took a 69 cent tupperware 8 oz container, without the lid,
as my bowl, took an 8 ox clear, lexan cup, and only took one lightweight
pot [bought MSR's black coated aluminum 2-pot set, but only carried one
of the pots-the larger one]; I also took the lid, at least in winter -
it saves a ton of fuel, makes a decent plate, and gives you a cover to
carry some other odds and ends inside the pot while packed.  I only took
one lexan spoon, plus had my 30 year old boy scout pocketknife.

6)  I'm not overly religious, but my sister talked me into carrying a
very small, lightweight mini bible that had only psalms and the new
testament; it was kewl to know it was there, and to pull it out when I
was alone at an inspiring view and flip to one of the uplifting psalms .
. . others might consider a small pocket book of poetry, etc.  I found
full length books were too mentally demanding, for my mind was too
focused on the story of nature and fellow travelers around me . . .
others loved having a good book to read, though - even saw a tattered
copy of Homer's "The Oddysy" - which was a trip considering I saw "O
Brother Where Art Thou?" in a hiker town movie theatre while on the
Trail!

7)  Don't skip sunscreen!!!  I repeat, don't skip it; just find one of
those dinky empty platic bottle sets and only take a little.  I became
fond of the version of Avon's skin-so-soft that has sunscreen built in;
thus I had decent insect protection and sunscreen rolled into one; just
used it on back of neck, nose and face.

8)  I highly recommend a simple chapstick with sunscreen too; if you
keep that stuff going on your lips in winter, life will be a lot more
comfortable - I chap like a mother without the stuff.

9)  I ended up sending the filter home; but did buy at Neel's Gap a
one-quart "dip and sip" filter/water bottle, which I carried in a slip
holster reachable without digging into my pack.  In winder, I avoided
the platypus hydration stuff, and just used a Lexan Nalgene and the
dip/sip bottle, and that was enough for me.  Come summer, the dip/sip
went home and a 1.5 litre platypus became my friend.

10)  In summer, get rid of stuff; if nothing else, send the top section
of your internal frame pack home, and any removable side pockets.  Also,
in summer, I liked to add small amounts of gatorade drink mix powder
into my platypus hydration bladder - gave some carbos and electrolyte
juice to the water.

11)  Small amounts of hard candy to suck on are great; ditto the Hi-C
vitamin C fortified gummies - one of my fav trail junk foods!

12)  Don't worry too much if your pack is "too heavy" at the start; half
the fun is deciding what you really "need" as you go along.  I heard SO
much talk about weight and miles, and it's fine - don't get me wrong,
for it gives you common ground on which to build friendships right off
the bat with a bunch of people you probably otherwise would never get to
know.  BUT, don't let all that talk scare you too much, or change you
too much from what is right for YOU - time and your own body will tell
you plenty about that as you walk!  Just remember - many a person has
walked the whole way with 40 plus pounds, and lots "more primitive"
equipment.

13)  Boots/shoes are by far the most important and difficult thing; my
feet grew a lot; I started in my trusty old, heavy winter boots; I was
glad to have them when in the middle of a blizzard or two, starting at
Tray Mtn, and going right thru the Smokies . . . lighter weight was
great after about Mt. Rogers; and tennis shoes are fine for a lot of the
trail once it is warm - but, then things get rocky and tough again up
north [this discussion assumes GA to ME NOBO route].  Listen to a bunch
of people and then go with what is most comfortable for YOUR feet.

14)  Backpacker MAg. just did a huge gear review issue - tons of info on
tents, packs, bags, pads, and shoes.

15)  Hiking poles are worth it, but cheaper ones are fine.  I liked cork
handles and the spring loaded ones are not worth the extra bucks, noise
and trouble in my opinion.  Cutting your own wood sticks also works just
fine if you are up to that.

16)  A cheap baseball hat that you are comfortable with is nice - I
treasure my stinky, dirty AT hat that I bought at the outfitter at
Dahlonega . . . while I own a fancy seattle sombrero, you don't need a
$50.00 hat for the AT . . .

17)  IMHO [others will differ] Gortex is a waste on the AT, except
possibly as a good liner for some boots, and as a shell for winter
sleeping bags.

18)  Buy a couple of pre paid phone cards - best way to call home from
out in the middle of small hiker towns.

19)  Don't worry too much about what you leave Springer with - you've
got several good places to mail stuff home and buy new stuff in the
first week or so of walking.  Neels Gap, Hiawassee, etc.

20)  The new lightweight LED headlamps are great - that was the only
light I ever had with me . .  

21)  If you want something simple in the way of music or news,
radioshack has a really tiny AM/FM radio with earphone - takes one AAA
battery and weighs about 2-3 oz.  Tuning in white noise on one of these
at a noisy shelter can be a godsend . . . 

22)  COnsider cooking/socializing at shelters and then, if the weather
is nice and your body up to it, and the Trail ahead affords the
opportunity, hike on after dinner for a few miles and pitch your tent or
tarp . . . that way you get the best of both worlds!

23)  Get up early at least some of the time - early morning and late
dusk are awesome times to experience the world on the Trail!

24)  Take a camera of some kind, and take pics of PEOPLE you meet; lots
of the distant mountain shots will disappoint you when you look at them
later, but the people, sign, shelter, flower, wildlife and water shots
almost always are great memories!

Hike on and have fun!

thru-thinker