[at-l] AT-L = 95% Junk

[spiriteagle99 at hotmail.com (Jim and/or Ginny Owen)]

longhaul wrote:
>Leaving March 14 from Springer (will overnight at the lodge Sunday 13th); 
>NOBO
>for convenience and timing -- will do 1st half this spring and 2nd half 
>starting
>May 06 as I have three kids at home I'm pretty involved with (cub scouts, 
>boy
>scouts and a venturing crew for my 14 year old daughter) and don't want to 
>be
>away for more than 3 months at a time.

Sounds like a good plan to me - I left Springer on March 16 (1992) - and it 
WAS winter.  But my kids were grown.  Sounds like you live near DC - if you 
ever want to talk, let us know - we love to talk trail.  Any trail.
You might want to make it to the Ruck.  It's made specifically for people 
like you.

>I expect to use mail drops, BUT one of my questions for the group is to 
>what
>extent that is necessary these days in terms of the availability of 
>appropriate
>food supplies in towns along the way.

Only to the extent that you have special dietary needs.  There are few, if 
any, places where you can't resupply along the way anymore.  Get the ALDHA 
Companion.  I think the new one should be out in Jan.

>I'm about to get a pair of trail runners to use on a hike next month; as 
>noted
>in my original em, I've GOT to come up with a solution to the blisters 
>problem.

I've used Lowas for the last 5 years.  I've had blisters twice that I recall 
using the low-cuts - and never with the boots.  That includes thruhikes on 
the PCT, CDT and 500- 600 miles per year when we're not thruhiking.  I 
recommend them, but YMMV

>I'm desperately trying to get my pack weight down, from my first ever
>back-packing trip in August 2003 of 52 pounds (ooooffff) to something like 
>35
>pounds including water (I need a lot, so use a 100 oz camelback reservoir 
>and
>another liter in a platypus bag) and four days food.  I just bought a 
>gossamer
>pack that weighs 17 ounces, down from my monster Gregory pack of 7 1/2 
>pounds.

35# is too much weight for a 17 oz pack.  The lightweight packs aren't made 
to carry any more than about 30#.  You're talking over a gallon of water 
there (over 7#) - too much for a thruhike.  Especially on the AT where water 
sources are plentiful.  The only place I've carried that much water was in 
the deserts of California and Wyoming.  Camel up at each water source, carry 
two quarts and stop at each water source to resupply.


>I've also replaced my wisperlight with a titanium alcohol stove (I'm 
>curious
>about the best fuel bottles as I'm spilling too much fuel trying to fill 
>the
>darn thing).  I use one titanium pot, one spoon, and a mug w/lid as my 
>kitchen.

Fuel bottle - use a 16 or 20 oz soda bottle.  Cheap, tough, lightweight, 
readily replacable - and you get to drink the contents.

>I'm trying to find a lighter tent than my 7.4 pound  REI Half Dome Plus
>2.  I love the space, two doors, no sleeves/clip on for fast set up, and 
>that
>it's free-standing, but it just weighs too darn much.  My preference for 
>free
>standing is mostly convenience.

Try Henry Shires or Six Moons.  We'll be using one of them for our next 
thruhike (2006).  2# is better than 7# every day of the week.  And it drops 
your pack weight like a hot rock.

>because I have this problem with mice running over me.

Me too.

>I use a Pur water filter, and one of those free-standing scoop bags from
>campmore to collect water in so I can pump more comfortably somewhere other 
>than
>at the stream or spring.

Naaah - look at REI Watersack - $10.95, 4 oz, 2.5 gallon, replacable bladder 
- and you can blow it up and use it as a pillow.
http://www.rei.com/online/store/Search?vcat=REI_SEARCH&stat=7889&langId=-1&storeId=8000&textQuery=watersack

>I own a can of bear (pepper) spay, but not sure if it's really worth 
>packing along.

Nope.

>My thought is it might come in handy with dogs or rabid animals, of
>which one hears relatively little, so why bother.

Use hiking sticks - whether Leki or anything else of your choice.  Saves the 
knees, necessary for some tents - and dogs automatically respect them.

>What I am wondering about is a personal locator beacon cum GPS as a safety 
>device.

Not necessary on the AT - as long as you stay on the AT - if you're injured, 
sit tight and someone will be along to help.  It won't even take long - 
there are a lot of people out there.

>I'm still sorting out other gear, and will shortly be doing a (draft) final 
>list
>that I'd be delighted to have you all tuckerize.  I'll get back to you on 
>that
>-- and food -- in due course.

Bring your pack to the Ruck and we'll be happy to tuckerize it.

FYI - my wife and I hike together and our combined pack weight (with water 
and 4 days food) is less than 35#.

>Plan is, however, to go
>pretty slow out of Springer, less than 10 per day for the first 10 days or 
>two
>weeks at least, until my conditioning allows greater distances.

Good plan.  Keep on hiking.

Walk softly,
Jim