[at-l] Questions for Former Thru Hikers

[athiker at smithville.net (Felix J. McGillicuddy)]

Carol Donaldson wrote:

>1- Did you use zip up jacket(s) or would zip-neck pullover have worked as well?
>

An inner fleece that zipped into an outer shell...each could be (and, 
were) worn separately.

>
>2- What was your most treasured piece of equipment during your hike and why?
>

Probably my 'walkman'...I like music.


>3- Fleece or fill for a jacket or pullover/zip neck?
>
Fleece


>
>4- How did you treat water?
>
With respect.  (it was a drought year)

>  Iodine, Aqua Mira, Filter (what brand)?  Would you change for another Thru Hike?
>

Started with a Sweetwater (I think) pump of some sort...went with bleach 
about halfway thru...Next time...just bleach, if anything.


>
>5- Did you take a vest as well as a jacket/pull-over?
>

Negative

>
>6- Did you use two sleeping bags?  One for spring and fall and one for summer?  If so, when did you send back your spring/fall bag and when did you get it mailed back to you?  Also, was it down or fill?  What did each bag weigh?
>

I used three bags...summer, fall and winter...started with an old 
Coleman holofil bag (which I currently sleep under every night), went to 
a 10? Campmor down bag (I forget where) then to my -10? Campmor down bag 
(I forget where again.)

>
>7- What is the least expensive item that you'd never be without (doesn't have to be most treasured) on a Thru Hike?
>

Hell, I can never remember what I take when I hike....expensive or 
otherwise. Let's see....least expensive....not without...not a clue.

>
>8- What is the most expensive item of its type (not necessarily the $400 sleeping bag but perhaps the $800 sleeping bag; not the $100 wrist watch but perhaps the $300 wrist watch; not the $250 tent but perhaps the $650 tent) that you carried on your Thru Hike?
>

Well, none of my gear is/was what would be considered 'state of the 
art', by any stretch. The most expensive thing I took was also the 
heaviest: My old Gregory Spire pack. All 7.5 lbs. of her.

>
>9- What items were usually in your Bounce Box?  How often did you Bounce and how often did you send items home as 'no longer needed for an enjoyable hike?'
>

Hmmm...bounce box had scissors, tweezers, matches, toothpix, chapstick, 
bandaids, tape,  usually some food-stuff that I had too much of to 
carry, envelopes/paper/pens/stamps, extra baggies and trash bags...maps. 
I only sent stuff home a few times. Mainly sleeping bags and maps. Seems 
like there was a tent exchanged, too. (from a two-man to a 
one-and-a-half-man to a one-man.)  As for 'how often' to bounce...just 
get a feel for how fast you're traveling and how often you're needing 
the stuff. You don't want to spend $8 to mails something twice if all 
you need out of it is a fifty cent candy bar. 

>
>10- How many Zero Days did you have on your Thru Hike?  Would you have more or less the next time?
>

8...and, I'd definitely, definitely have less. And, I'd try to have some 
of those be in a shelter as opposed to in a town. 

>
>11- Did you blue blaze to the 'vista sights' along the Trail or did you just 'hike straight to Katahdin'?
>

Hmmmm....My hike to Katahdin was on day one...but, on the hike to 
Springer, I stopped if I felt like stopping. I didn't if I didn't. I 
NEVER took a blue blaze to a vista that was over .2...maybe none over 
.1...from the trail. And, the farthest I can recall going was up to see 
the monument at High Point, NJ....which I think is only a couple hundred 
yards. 

>
>12- Did you ever waver in your decision to Thru Hike while hiking?  If so, what did you do that kept you focused on Katahdin?  If not, do you have an explanation as to why you never wavered?
>

Never wavered...(I wasn't focused on Katahdin, either).  I never wavered 
because I was thru-hiking. If I'd stopped, then I wouldn't have been 
thru-hiking.

>
>13- Describe hiking through the Presidentials -- what is the terrain, elevation gain, etc like and what are the Huts like?
>

The Presidentials are kewl because of the massiveness of them. (I'm 
thinking of the Presidentials as the stuff above treeline...mainly north 
of Mizpah and south of Pinkham). You get a real feel of your 
insignificance when walking across some of those boulder fields. And, 
the most incredible natural thing I ever experienced was on Mt. Madison. 
The Huts...hmmm...I'm not a fan. I think I could tolerate them more, or 
accept them more easily, if they'd simply build a shelter on the back 
side of them...doesn't even have to be a shelter...just build a roof in 
a corner somewhere...so that hikers could stay there with minimal 
contact/interaction with the 'Croo' and the money-paying public that has 
become the golden egg of the AMC.  Build a shelter so that hikers can 
continue to do what they've been doing for 300, or 1800, miles 
(whichever the case).  The 'terrain'...hard to explain. Above tree line 
is fenomenal. Lots of big rocks. I don't recall much elevation change 
once you get up on the ridge...but, gettin' there and gettin' down are 
things you'll remember. (I think. I forget.)  The climbs up/down Wildcat 
and into/out of Carter Notch are as difficult as anything on the trail 
(with the possible exception of climbing into/out of Mahoosuc Notch).

>
>14- Describe Mahoosuc Notch and Mahoosuc Arm in terms that won't scare the beegeebees out of those of us just planning to Thru Hike in the next couple of years, but give us an honest evaluation of the conditions we'll be hiking in when we get there.
>

Hmmm...I don't like the Notch. At least I don't like 'hiking' in it. I 
don't mind the climb into/out of. That's just part of it....fisically 
challenging. As for the 'Notch' itself...I think it's nonsensical to run 
the trail through there if it doesn't have to. And, I think I wouldn't  
even mind that so much if they'd try to make it a little easier to tell 
where the hell they want you to go. There are times, too damned many 
times, that you can stand and look at a blaze and not know if it's for 
northbounders or southbounders. It doesn't have to be like that.

>
>15- What were your thoughts as you topped Katahdin (if you can share them)?  What did you think as you touched the sign and realized your Thru Hike was over?
>

When I topped Katahdin I thought..."5 more months and 2160.3 miles to 
go" . (http://felixhikes.tripod.com/AT/katkiss.jpg)   Now, when I 
touched the plaque on Springer, I thought, "It's frickin' freezin'. 
Let's get the hell out of here". 
(http://felixhikes.tripod.com/AT/theone1.jpg)

>
>16- Describe one way in which your Thru Hike changed you from the person you were pre-hike.
>
I think I'm the exact same person only I've thu-hiked...and, I have the 
memories from it. I'm not a better person. I'm not a worse person. I 
don't enjoy things more, or less. I'm just some guy who hiked a long way 
one time. No big deal.

(and, for the record...the word I thought wasn't 'frickin')