[at-l] 'Nother Newbie

[atl@xzlzx.com (Richard)]

Hi!

I hiked the lower portion of the LT (Sherburne Pass to MA line) last
September with a cell phone for "emergency use only".  I got reception on
peaks near towns and ski areas but not in valleys. Since shelters are rarely
at peaks, when I did make a call (checking in after 9/11) I'd do it at
midday peaks rather than mornings/evenings.  I'd guess similar, if sparser
coverage would occur in northern Vermont until you get past Mt. Mansfield,
at which point who knows.

Richard
ATsomeday




----- Original Message -----
From: "Kurt Bodling" <KAB@concordia-ny.edu>
To: <at-l@mailman.backcountry.net>
Sent: Tuesday, March 12, 2002 10:25 AM
Subject: [at-l] 'Nother Newbie


> I've been lurking for a few days, wondering whether I'd stumbled into
> the right list, or not.  But seeing Denise's self-intro and the
> responses, I figure maybe it's not always full of arguments about
> semi-obscure Trail politics and so on.
>
> So who am I?  My name's Kurt.  Born and raised in the East.  On
> the faculty now at Concordia College in New York.
>
> Been wanting to do a thru-hike since high school (which was back
> before some of your were born!) and haven't been able to find the
> time between school and family and work.  A couple of life
> transitions later, and I've been day hiking the AT here in New York
> for a while.  I live about an hour from Bear Mountain and about the
> same from the RPH cabin.
>
> I looked ahead last summer and decided that this coming July
> would be a time I could finally do an extended backpacking trip.
> But obviously not the whole Trail.  So I thought, well, there's always
> Vermont.  The Long Trail's 270 miles divided by a month comes to
> about 10 miles a day.  Makes sense to me.  And now it's turned
> into a fundraiser for the college, with faculty and staff pledging so
> much per mile, or lump sums, or whatever.  (And probably some
> betting I'll be eaten by a moose before I finish.)  Brings both
> external motivation and a couple of un-wanted burdens.  (Like, the
> first question most people ask is "You ARE bringing a cell phone,
> aren't you?")
>
> So here I am.  Will be asking for a couple gear suggestions and so
> on in the next month or so.  For now, what's the deal with the cell
> phones?  I've never used one; the college's development officer
> would provide one so they can track my progress on a map on their
> wall; would there be any reception in the Green Mountains anyway;
> should I just refuse it, or "accidentally" lose it?
>
> Take care,
>
> Kurt A.T. [really!] Bodling
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