Hikers ...

[SuperBuickGuy]

glad you had a fun, safe trip

[yellomalibu]

Thanks guys. This may be my new obsession for a while.

[Deaf Bob]

It'll be fun as long as you are young or in some semblence of "in shape" glad you enjoyed your trip... Gonna do the rest in stages? ..

[yellomalibu]

It'll be fun as long as you are young or in some semblence of "in shape" glad you enjoyed your trip... Gonna do the rest in stages? ..

Yep, that's the plan. Trying to figure out another week this year - but it's getting cold, and that gives me pause... being from Florida, I have trouble getting out of a warm sleeping bag when it's finger numbing cold.

We're thinking of heading up to NH or ME this upcoming June/ July - possible do the "100 mile wilderness" in Maine. 100 miles with no towns, cross roads, or resupply stores.

[Deaf Bob]

They call it the "C" trip for a reason..100 miles, 100# packs!

[Thumpin455]

I like the idea of digging two holes adjacent to each other connected at the bottom for cooking. All you need is an E-tool to dig the holes, and sticks will run it long enough to cook about anything. Boils 2 cups of water in five minutes. They are called rocket stoves, and you simply fill in the holes when done, no wildfire danger, and leave no trace friendly. Keep the fire starters, they get the fire going quick and use twigs as fuel. I'm not doing the tent thing, but my ex would know all about them.

[yellomalibu]

Dehydrated food has come a long way. Instant coffee, instant oatmeal, backpackers pantry or mountain house dehydrated meals in a bag - plus foil packs of tuna for lunch - is how we ate this last trip. I had 8 days of food in my pack (didn't think about resupplying in Fontana) and carried way too much water (3.5 liters) and my pack "only" weighed 50 lbs. including the gun. After I got home and unpacked, there was probably a pound of stuff inside that I didn't use.

I can save a pound or two with a lighter sleeping mat. Save about 3 pounds by carrying less water, I can buy a lighter pack to save a few pounds, and not sure if it's legal to carry the gun in Maine - that's about a pound and a half ...

My stove is a GigaPower auto, weighs 3.75 oz, and is only a backup. My hiking partner has a Jetboil - which is the most efficient, fastest system to use. We used less than 2 cans of fuel the whole week. "cooking" uses more fuel, we just bring water to a boil, then rehydrate stuff.

Mine:



his:


E-tool is too heavy! I only brought a plastic garden trowel for digging poop holes - and ended up stepping on the damn thing the second day and breaking it. I need to look for something a little more durable, yet still only a few ounces.

[Beagle]

I have been looking at this guys youtube channel - http://zenstoves.net/ - at least I think that's his page. I don't hike, but I dig this anyway. We get away from power pretty frequently.

I got tickled with some of the philosophy, he spent a page discussing the merits of using natural bee's wax and then "Oh, lest I forget to mention it, Bears are attracted to all things Bee... including the scent of burning bees wax"

Excellent. I'll stick with HEET.

[yellomalibu]

There was a t shirt at the NOC store that had writing in the silhouette of a bear that said:
What doesn't kill you makes you stronger except bears - they'll kill you.

[Grumpy]

Wow, I read through this and that's pretty impressive and I admire you guys (and gals) that can do that. I think I was lacking your adventuresome spirit even in my younger years!

[yellomalibu]

Wow, I read through this and that's pretty impressive and I admire you guys (and gals) that can do that. I think I was lacking your adventuresome spirit even in my younger years!

So was I. That sort of backpacking trip would have interfered with my drinking!

I am 43, my hiking partner is 53. He is a 2 pack a day smoker. If we can do 10 miles a day ... well, I won't say anyone can do it - but putting one foot in front of the other somehow got us there each day. On some of the steep hills, I was taking steps about 10 inches long and resting every 20 or 30 steps ... but somehow we got there.

[Deaf Bob]

Like I said.. As long as you are in some semblence of shape.. Besides round!.. After AT, PCT? What is it called from SBG's to Gail and Loren's? Pacific Crest Trail? beautiful scenery, from what I see from the highway..

[SuperBuickGuy]

Like I said.. As long as you are in some semblence of shape.. Besides round!.. After AT, PCT? What is it called from SBG's to Gail and Loren's? Pacific Crest Trail? beautiful scenery, from what I see from the highway..

it's even better on a quad


I have a jetboil... those things are amazing - but you do need to remember to wear your leather gloves because they get pretty warm on the outside, even with the protective covering.