Muskrat Creek Shelter to Winding Stair Gap

Friday 3/27 and Saturday 3/28

Friday:
AT Miles = 12.5 / 91.8
Other Miles = 0 / 13
Total = 12.5 / 104.7

Saturday:
AT Miles = 15.9 / 107.7 (I've passed the 100 mile mark!)
Other Miles = 0 / 13
Total Miles = 15.9 / 120.6

These posts are going to be a bit out of order. I have a post for
Thursday, the 26th, on my phone but for some reason Sprint has no
service in Franklin, NC, where I am tonight, so I can't send it. I'll
send it as soon as I get service again.

As a brief re-cap, I left Hiawassee, Georgia Thursday morning in the
rain, and on Thursday afternoon passed into North Carolina.

I am going to combine Friday and Saturday as they kind of blend
together in my mind. I left Muskrat Creek Shelter Friday morning after
a soggy night. It didn't actually rain overnight, but the humidity was
about 100% as we were in thick cloud all night. The tarp over my
hammock kept any rain and the water dripping from the trees off of me,
but the saturated air flowing through the hammock left everything very
damp.

Sometime during the night some animal ran under my hammock and I
actually felt him or her rub against the bottom of the hammock - and
my back - as it passed. There were some people sleeping in the shelter
that had a dog, so I think odds are it was the dog, but I'm not sure.
Mr. Ed thought it was funny to think it was a bear cub teasing his
mom. I hope not!

I started the day on Friday dressed for rain (shorts and T-Shirt with
rain jacket and rain skirt over them). After an hour or so it was not
raining and I was warming up so I took off the rain jacket and wrap.
Of course, about 15 minutes later it started to rain, and rained all
the rest of the day. After a long day of walking through the rain I
made it to Carter Gap Shelter. It was only about 3:00 PM, and I used
up as much time as I could getting water, cooking and eating dinner,
and cleaning up. It was cold standing around in wet clothes so about
5:30 I found a spot tucked behind some rhododendron bushes and out of
the wind to set up my hammock, then changed into dry clothes and
climbed in with my book. I managed to stay awake almost 'til 8:00PM,
then I was off to dream land. Just before I went to sleep I glanced
away from my book and out the netting of my hammock to see a rabbit
wandering through. I guess the hammock just doesn't register to
animals, since it's up in the air off the ground.

This morning (Saturday) I was awake about 6:00 and lay in my hammock
until about 6:30 when the first bit of light started to show itself. I
was up with my headlamp to eat breakfast and break camp, then I was
off on the trail at 8:08 (I usually glance at my watch every morning
when I start to hike). When I woke up this morning I decided that my
goal for the day was to get to Winding Stair Gap and get a ride into
Franklin, so I could have a hot shower, a dry motel room, and a nice
dinner. Within 20 minutes of starting my hike the rain started, and it
got heavier and heavier as the morning progressed. I was set on making
my miles, but I was also enjoying the day and the bits of scenery I
could see. As any of the photographers out there know, when it is
raining colors and very saturated and the diffuse light makes details
very interesting. There were a million shades of green. In a few
places there was a particular kind of tree that grows kind of short
and gnarly, and the trees were all covered with a green moss that was
very striking.

I stopped briefly at Big Spring Shelter, 6.8 miles from the day's
start, just to get out of the rain so I could dig some food out of my
pack. It was too cold to stand still for very long so after wolfing
down a couple of Pop-Tarts I was back out into the rain and pressed on
non-stop until I reached Winding stair Gap at 15.9 miles.

When I was maybe 4 miles from Winding Stair Gap the rain started to
ease and I could see some breaks in the clouds to the west. Soon the
wind was roaring as the high pressure started to push in, and the
cloud and fog that had enveloped us for the last three days started to
get torn away in shreds. When I finally reached Winding Stair Gap it
was 2:14, meaning that I had covered 15.9 miles in 6 hours and 6
minutes. My feet surely feel it!

I was offered a ride into town by someone at the Gap, and 15 or 20
minutes later I was chatting with Ron Haven and Miss Janet, two
legends on the trail who run a couple of motels and a hostel in town
and go to great lengths to extend hospitality to hikers. I have a room
in one of Ron's motels for tonight and tomorrow night. I'll spend
tomorrow (Sunday) getting all my gear clean and dry and shopping for
food for the next leg, which will be 2 1/2 days up to the Nantahala
Outdoor Center.

--
~~~~~
Allen F. Freeman
allen@allenf.com
www.allenf.com
allenf.blogspot.com

Tray Mountain Shelter to Dicks Creek Gap (Hiawassee)

Tuesday, 3/24 & Wednesday, 3/25

AT Miles = 11 / 67.5
Other Miles = 0.2 / 12.6
Total Miles = 11.2 / 80.0

As I write this it is Wednesday afternoon and I am relaxing in a room at the Hiawassee Inn in Hiawassee Georgia.

Yesterday morning I woke up in my hammock at Tray Mountain Shelter. It had been a very windy night with a heavy fog, and the trees were dripping big fat drops of water on the tarp of my hammock.

I had visions of a hot shower and a big grinder for lunch dancing in my head, so I wasted no time in eating breakfast and packing my gear. By 8:20 I was headed back up the side trail to the AT. (8:20 may not sound like an early start, but Georgia is much further west than Boston is, so the sun comes up nearly an hour later hereabouts.)

It was only 11 miles to the road crossing in Dicvks Creek Gap, but there were a couple of very stiff climbs along the way. It was also a warm and rather muggy day.

I passed a place named "Swag of the Blue Ridge". I've no idea what this name refers to. It looked like any other gap between two peaks, a multitude of which I walk through every day. On my map it is labeled "Blue Ridge Swag." If I get internet access again soon I'll try googling it, or maybe one of my readers could do that and let me know via a comment to this post.

So, I climbed Kelly Knob, descended into Deep Gap, and them back up to Powell Mountain. Finally, I started the long descent into Dicks Creek Gap.

I arrived at the Gap at 1:00PM. There was a local there who asked if I was planning to go into town. When I told him I was he offered to drive me for either $7 or a joint. I told him I thought I would try my luck at hitching instead. It took a total of 3 passing cars and 11 minutes before I got a ride from a gentleman who dropped me off right at the driveway to the motel.

I didn't do much Tuesday afternoon except shower, wash my laundry (NASTY socks!), and eat.

Today, Wednesday, I walked up Main Street almost a mile to find a diner for breakfast, then I walked to the grocery store and bought food for the next 3 - 4 day leg up to Winding Stair Gap and Franklin, NC, about 40 trail miles away. After the grocery store I stopped at the post office and picked up my 20 degree sleeping bag that I asked Jodi to send to me here.

With all my packages in hand I came back to my room, then after leaving everything here I walked up to the library so I coukd post my photos. The link to those in in the previous blog entry. On my way out to walk to the library I ran into Jersey Girl who was also here last night, but I didn't know it. She is heading out of town to stay at the Blueberry Patch hostel tonight. While I was at the library I ran into Leatherfoot. It looks like we'll all be back on the trail tomorrow.

When I left the library it was raining heavily, but it is a short walk back to my motel. Once back, I packed up my zero degree sleeping bag, which has had me roadting every night so far, so I could mail it back home to Jodi. I also made up another box of some of my heaviest clothing, along with some sp;are food and other odds and ends, so that I could mail it to myself at Fontana Dam, just before I enter the Smokies. All that done, I walked back to the post office to send my packages, then stopped at a mini-mart to buy a local paper, and the Subway shop next door for another grinder for luinch.

I love reading small town newspapers. The lead headline is a three page article about the new school gymnasium being built, which notes that at its tallest point it is 36 feet high, and is accomnpanied by several photos to show the progress of construction.

The weather forecast includes a wind advisory until tomorrow night. I guess if the weather is really nasty tomorrow I could head up to the hostel for the night. If not, I'll be b\ack on the trail tomorrow. It's supposed to rain on and off through Saturday.

The North Carolina border is only 9 miles away, so I will soon have completed one state. I look at short-term goals like that because thinking of 2000+ miles or six months is just too daunting. I should be in Franklin, NC either Saturday or Sunday.

Allen Freeman
allen@allenf.com
www.allenf.com

Photos

I got to the library in Hiawassee this morning and uploaded the photos
I have taken so far. These are from the section from Amicalola Falls
State Park to Hiawassee, Georgia. They are located here:
http://www.allenf.com/gallery2/main.php/v/AT2009/AFSPtoHiawassee/

--
~~~~~
Allen F. Freeman
allen@allenf.com
www.allenf.com
allenf.blogspot.com

Blue Mtn Shelter to Tray Mtn Shelter

Monday, 3/23

AT Miles = 7.8 / 56.5
Other Miles = .3 / 12.3
Total Miles = 8.1 / 68.8

After yesterday's tough workout I slept a bit late this morning and was almost the last one to leave camp this morning. The day started with a couple of hard climbs, and I was not predicting where I might end up at the end of the day.

The climb out of Unicoi Gap was a tough one, then I crossed Rocky Mountain and descended down into Indian Grave Gap, then up and over until I climbed down into Tray Gap. In Tray Gap there was a man named Bill who had set up a gas grill and was cooking cheesebrgers for all the hikers. He also had a couple of coolersa full of soda, and some folding chairs so we could sit and relax while eating.

I sat there for well over an hour chatting with Bill about marathoning, and he told me he is heading up to Boston in a couple weeks to run the Boston Marathon.

After finally saying goodbye to Bill I struck out up Tray Mountain. At the summit there was a great view down into the valley where Hiawassee is.

Now I am at Tray Mountain Shelter. There are four other hikers here, Jersey Girl, John Nascar, Turtle, and Leather Foot. Oh, I don't think I've mnentioned it yet, but a couple of days ago I was dubbed with the trailname of MonkeyWrench, due to the monkeywrench flag that flies from the suspension line of my hammock.

I got into camp at around 2:00pm and have enjoyed a lazy afternoon. Now we have a little fire going and are sitting around chatting until it's time to go to bed, which will be in about an hour or so.

Tomorow I have 11 miles to hike to Dicks Creek Gap. From there I will hitchhike into Hiawassee and hopefully get a room at the Hiawassee Inn for a couple of nights. A lot of hikers are heading for the Blueberry Patch Hostel, but I am feeling like partaking of some luxury so am opting for a motel room.

I hope to get internet access at the library on Wednesday, so that I can upload my photos. Once I do I'll post a link here so you'll know.

Allen Freeman
allen@allenf.com
www.allenf.com

Neels Gap to Blue Mountain Shelter

Sunday, 3/22

AT Miles = 18 / 48.7
Other Miles = 2.5 / 12
Total = 20.5 / 60.7

Staying at the hostel at Neels Gap was a nice break from hiking. I don't sleep very well in a bunk room with a bunch of other people, some of whom inevitably snore, but the comraderie with the other hikers staying there made up for the lack of sleep.

Here's something for you, Denis. On Saturday evening we were watching "Deliveranbce" in the hostel common room while Pirate, the hostel caretaker, was wearing a shirt that said "HIKE FASTER, I hear banjo music."

I left Neels Gap at 7:30 Sunday morning and settled into a nice rythm climbing out of Neels Gap, enjoying the early morning sounds. When I was a half hour out of the Gap, maybe a mile and a quarter, I finally realized that the hat that was supposed to be atop my head was instead still hanging on a hook in the bunkroom back at the hostel. There was nothing to do except turn around and head back down. That little misadventure added about an extra 2 1/2 miles to my day. My Dad used to tell me that just because my head came to a point didn't necessarily mean I was sharp. I guess he was right.

My destination for the day was Low Gap Shelter, but I arrived there at 1:45, which was too early to stop, so I decided to keep walking until 4:00pm and see where I was.

As it turned out where I was at 4:00pm was on a beautiful piece of trail, but there was no water so I had to keep going until I reached Blue Mountain Shelter at around 5:00pm. Blue Mountain is 18 miles from Neels Gap. Adding in the extra 2.5 miles I walked to retrieve my hat, I hiked a total of 20.5 miles, my first ever 20 miler!

Allen Freeman
allen@allenf.com
www.allenf.com

For Cassie

This one is for Cassie, since she wished a blister upon me! Love you too Cassie.

Allen Freeman
allen@allenf.com
www.allenf.com

Slaughter Creek to Neels Gap

Saturday, 3/21

AT Miles = 3.2 / 30.7
Other Miles = 0 /9.5
Total Miles = 3.2 /40.2

Well, I masnaged to spend the night at a place named Slaughter Creek on the slope of Blood Mountain, and seem to have escaped with all limbs intact.

It was a cold night last night. Slaughter Creek is in a gap and the wind was roaring through. I finished dinner and had all my gear stored away by 7:00, and even though there was an hour of daylight left, I crawled into my hammock to get warm. I spent some time reading and listening to my little radio, then once the sun set I was off to sleep.

The wind never let up and the temperature must have fallen to just below freezing. There were ice crystals in some of the frozne mud along the trail first thing this morning, but it wasn't cold enough for any of the water in my bottles to freeze.

I got up a couple of times during the night and could see the lights inb the town of Dahlonega down in the valley below.

Todasy's hike was a quick 3.2 miles over Blood Mountain and down iknto Neels Gap. There is an outfitter and a hiker hostel in the gap right where the trail passes. In fact, the trail actually passes through a breezeway between the 2 buildings.

I've bought enough food for the next four days, which should get me to Dicks Creek Gap from where I will hitch into Hiawassee to picvk up my other sleeping bag that Jodi is mailing to me, and I will stock up for the next leg.

There was a group here cooking burgers for all the hikers, and after three of those my stomach feels quite happy.

I was hoping for internet access here so I could upload the photos I've taken so far, but it doesn't look like they have it so that will probably have to wait until Hiawassee, four days from now.

Allen Freeman
allen@allenf.com
www.allenf.com

Gooch Mtn Shelter to Slaughter Creek

Friday, 3/20

AT Miles = 12.5 / 27.6
Other Miles = 0 / 9.5
Total Miles = 12.5 / 37.1

I like mornings. In the morning everything is quiet. The air is cool, the birds are singing, and the early morning light shows the world at its best. Also, in the morning my feet don't hurt.

I thoroughly enjoyed cruising along the trail this morning. I even saw one tree showing the first buds of spring. I think it is going to be great watching spring arrive day by day.

The spring equinox arrived at 11:44 this morning, and I greeted it seated at an overlook on Big Cedar Mountain in the Blood Mountain Wilderness area. What could be better?

By noon time my feet were starting to ache, and then the day turned a bit into just "getting there". But now I am cozily set up on the west side of the ridge near Slaughter Creek. How's that for a name to lull you to sleep at night?

It is getting quite chilly this evening so I think I will crawl into my hammock and read or listen to my little radio. It should be a great night for sleeping.

Tomorrow I have only 3.2 miles into Neels Gap. I think I will get there early, get a bunk in the hostel, and relax for the bulk of the day. I will buy supplies for the next four days there, which will get me to Hiawassee, GA.

Allen Freeman
allen@allenf.com
www.allenf.com

Stover Creek Shelter to Gooch Mountain Shelter

Thursday, 3/19

AT Miles = 12.3 / 15.1
Other Miles = 0.7 / 9.5
Total Miles = 13.0 / 24.6

While hiking today I kept thinking of things I wanted to talk about today, but now, at the end of a tiring day, I can't think of any of them.

It was another beautiful day. I actuakky wish it weren't so sunny, as there are no leaves on the trees yet and I am getting a bit burnt.

The day started off by hiking along old roadbeds that folowed Stover Creek, and it was tyhe perfect way to ease into the day. The first seven miles were easy, gentle walking. Then, after sucking me in to a complacent mood, the trail threw Sassafras and Justus Mountains at me. They were both steep and gave me a good workout. I definitely earned my dinner tonight!

When I got to Cooper Gap, between Sassafras and Justus Mountains, a previous thru-hiker with the trailname of The Prophet, along with his dog Noah, was parked at the road crossing with his pickup truck and giving out Dr Pepper and Budweiser. I didn't think a beer would be a good idea with a steep climb facing me, so I settled for a Dr Pepper (wouldn't you like to be a pepper too...).

The shelter and campsite tonight is jam packed; there are 11 hikers in the shelter and 7 or 8 tents pitched around the shelter.

Just as I was cooking my dinner tonight a brief shower rolled through, but the sun is out again now and it is a beautiful evening. I hear there is a 30% chance of rain tonight, so I'll be sure to get everything rigged for rain before going to bed.

I am now 15.1 miles from Neels Gap, whichis my next resupply. There is a hostel there as well. I thinjk I will stop a few miles short of Neels tomorrow night, then get in to Neels early on Saturday. I can then do my shopping, check out the hostel and decide if I want to stay over or keep heading up the trail. That way if I do stay over I'll hyave most of the day to relax.

Allen Freeman
allen@allenf.com
www.allenf.com

Stover Creek Shelter

Wednesday 3/18
AT Miles = 2.8
Other Miles = 8.8
Total Miles = 11.6

Today was a perfect day to start a thru-hike. After days and days of rain, today was warm and sunny with a bit of haze. After a hearty breakfast at the Hikers Hostel in Dahlonega, six hikers piled into the truck to be shuttled to the trail. Only two of us had chosen to hike the Approach Trail from Amicalola Falls State Park. The trail starts at the stone arch behind the Visitors Center, then follows the paved trail up along the falls, which includes seven hundred and something stairs. Whew!

After I got out of the state park the trail turned quiet and lovely. It is quite different than New England, which I think of as mud, roots, and rocks. Here the trail was dry and smooth for easy walking. It was only the elevation gain that made the hiking hard.

I left Amicalola Falls at about 10:20 and arrived at the summit of Springer Mountrain at 1:50, much faster than I expected. I hadn't yet picked a final goal for the day. I could have stopped at the Springer Mountrain Shelter just 0.2 miles from the summit, but with about 6 hours of daylight left it seemed that pushing on a little further made sense, so I continued on the 2.8 miles to here, Stover Creek Shelter.

It's about 6:30 now. We've got blue skies and a gentle breeze, and the evening is starting to cool off. My hammock is hung out behind the shelter, and I think it is going to be wonderful sleeping weather tonight; fresh and chilly.

There is a fire going started by one of the3 other hikers. There are a half dozen hikers in the shelter, a few in tents 50 yards away, and me in my hammock.

The weather forecast I saw this morning before leaving the hostel called for a 30% chance of rain tomorrow, then sunny and warm for the rest of the week.

While hiking today I was thinking that so far this feels like just another weekend hiking trip. I wonder how long it will be before it starts transitioning from a hiking trip into a life-style.

Allen Freeman
allen@allenf.com
www.allenf.com

Hikers Hostel, Dahlonega, Georgia

Not all that much to say today. The flight from Boston to Atlanta went off as scheduled, my backpack was not lost, I did not get turned around navigating the MARTA train, the shuttle from the hostel was only a few minutes late, and I arrived here safe, sound, and in possession of all of my stuff. What more can one ask?

The hostel is full of excited hikers ready to start their trips in the morning, as well as a few who have been out for a few days and are off the trail for a break.

The weather is wonderful, in the 70s and sunny. I hope this weather holds for a few days.

That's all for now.

Allen Freeman
allen@allenf.com
www.allenf.com

Adventure's Eve

Months ago I added a countdown timer to my desktop, set to count down
until the time my flight leaves Boston bound for Atlanta. At the time
I put it up the day counter contained three digits. Now, the day
counter is down to zero. There are 15 hours, 39 minutes, and 27
seconds left until my flight is scheduled to take off at 9:05 tomorrow
morning. The next time you hear from me, I'll be in Georgia.

I have been watching the weather in the north Georgia mountains. It's
been rainy through the weekend, but the sun is supposed to come out
tomorrow, and it looks like mostly clear and reasonably warm weather
through the coming weekend. That means I should enjoy good weather my
first few days on the trail!

--
~~~~~
Allen F. Freeman
allen@allenf.com
www.allenf.com
allenf.blogspot.com

The Blue Hills

I have been spending my time this week taking care of all the little last-minute details that need to be taken care of before I leave for Georgia. Things like laying in a supply of the foods I eat on the trail so that Jodi won't have to do all the shopping in order to send me my mail-drops, making sure all the things that use batteries have fresh batteries in them, and making sure all the things that need to be charged are fully charged.

I have also been getting out to hike in the Blue Hills reservation as often as I can. I have my backpack packed with all the gear I plan to start my hike with, so I am hiking with all of my equipment, and four days worth of food. It's a little silly hauling this backpack around on day hikes, but it's a good way to get my legs used to carrying the extra weight.

The weather has been what you might call "variable" this week. Last Saturday it was in the 60's, and the mid-50's on Sunday. Then on Sunday night a winter storm rolled in and it snowed all day on Monday. I skipped hiking on Monday and spent the day tweaking some of my gear.

On Tuesday I was back out in the Blue Hills. It was a beautiful morning with the trees coated in snow and ice. By late morning the sun had warmed everything enough that the snow in the trees was melting and it was like hiking in the rain.

I was out in the Blue Hills again today. It was in the high 20's when I started around 8::00Am, with a nice cool breeze blowing up to 30 mph. With all thw wind I decided to stay off the ridges and I explored parts of the park I haven't been in before. Did you know there was a CCC camp in the Blue Hills during the Depression? Well, I didn't. At least, not until today, when I stumbled upon the site pictured below.




They did some awfully nice rock work, which is now out in the middle of the woods and most people will never see it. It's kind of a shame.

Mail Drops

Below is the list of places I will be calling in for mail with the date I expect to arrive at that location. The dates are of course only estimates, and as the projections get further out into the future they are less and less accurate. As the hike progresses I will try to remember to update this schedule to more accurately reflect reality.

April 01, 2009

Allen Freeman
C/O NOC Outfitters
13077 Hwy 19W
Bryson City, NC 28713

Please hold forAT hiker ETA 04/01/2009

April 03, 2009

Allen Freeman
C/O General Delivery
Fontana Dam, NC 28733

Please hold for AT hiker ETA 04/03/2009

April 09, 2009

Allen Freeman
C/O Standing Bear Farm
4255 Green Corner Rd
Hartford, TN 37753

Please hold for AT hiker ETA 04/09/2009

May 02, 2009

Allen Freeman
C/O Relax Inn
7253 Lee Hwy
Rural Retreat VA 24368

Please hold for AT hiker ETA 05/02/2009

May 09, 2009

Allen Freeman
C/O General Delivery
Pearisburg, VA 24134

Please hold for AT hiker ETA 05/09/2009

June 06, 2009

Allen Freeman
C/O Appalachian Trail Conservancy
799 Washington St
Harpers Ferry, WV 25425

Please hold for AT hiker ETA 06/06/2009

June 20, 2009

Allen Freeman
C/O General Delivery
Port Clinton, PA 19549

Please hold for AT hiker ETA 06/20/2009

June 25, 2009

Allen Freeman
C/O General Delivery
Delaware Water Gap, PA 18327

Please hold for AT hiker ETA 06/25/09

July 14, 2009

Allen Freeman
C/O General Delivery
Dalton, MA 01226

Please hold for AT hiker ETA 07/14/2009

August 01, 2009

Allen Freeman
C/O General Delivery
Glencliff, NH 03238

Please hold for AT hiker ETA 08/01/2009

August 14, 2009

Allen Freeman
C/O Pine Ellis B&B
20 Pine St, PO Box 12
Andover, ME 04216

Please hold for AT hiker ETA 08/14/2009

August 27, 2009

Allen Freeman
C/O Shaw's Lodging
PO Box 72
Monson, ME 04464

Please hold for AT hiker ETA 08/27/2009

--
~~~~~
Allen F. Freeman
allen@allenf.com
www.allenf.com
allenf.blogspot.com

Gear

Some folks have been asking about the gear I will be carrying with me on my thru-hike. The weather is pretty uninviting outside today, and Jodi is working so I am home alone, so I took some time this morning and did a little photo-essay on my gear. Rather than post a long series of photos here, I posted them to my photo gallery instead. You can find them here. Be sure to click on the photos to see the full description.

I don't have the weight of every item. I don't own a scale so I can't weight them myself. Below is a list of some of the major items that I do have weights for. The weights given are the catalog weights so you can assume that the actual weights differ a bit, but hopefully not by much. Note that most of my clothing is not included in these weights, nor is food and water. You can figure roughly 2 pounds per day for food, so anywhere from 6 to 12 pounds depending on how many days until the next resupply. I usually start the day with 2 quarts of water, so that's a bit over 4 pounds.

Cold Weather Gear list
Item	Weight (ounces)
Backpack - Osprey Aether 70	76
Hammock - Hennessy Explorer Ultralite	41
Hennessy Undercover & Underpad	14
Thermarest Prolite 4	24
Mountain Hardwear Phantom 0* Long sleeping bag	46
Lowa GTX mid boots	40
Montbell UL Down Inner Jacket	7
Westen Mountaineering Flight Jacket	11
Marmot Precip Jacket	14
ULA Equipment Rain Wrap	3.2
Sea to Summit Pack Liner	3.4
Jacks-r-Better pack cover / gear hammock	3.75
	283.35	ounces
	17.7	pounds

Warm Weather Gear list
Item	Weight (ounces)
Backpack - Osprey Aether 70	76
Hammock - Hennessy Explorer Ultralite	41
Hennessy Undercover & Underpad	14
Western Mountaineering Summerlite 32* Long	21
Lowa GTX mid boots	40
Montbell UL Down Inner Jacket	7
Marmot Precip Jacket	14
ULA Equipment Rain Wrap	3.2
Sea to Summit Pack Liner	3.4
Jacks-r-Better pack cover / gear hammock	3.75
	223.35	ounces
	14.0	pounds

Mount Moosilauke

I had an amazing weekend playing in the snow in the White Mountains of New Hampshire this past weekend. I almost didn't find the cabin on Friday and was heading back towards my car as the sun set, when I ran into some of the others in my group who actually knew where the cabin is located.

On Saturday we snowshoed up to the summit of Mount Moosilauke. The krummholz was coated in snow and rime ice, and the sun was shining out of a deep blue sky, making it a real winter wonderland. It was ridiculously windy up there so we stayed for about 90 seconds before turning around and heading back down into the cover of the trees. We were fortunate to have such great weather for our winter climb.

I didn't get any pictures of the mountain because I hadn't charged the battery in my camera and it died before we got up high, but I do have a few pictures I took while snowshoeing around looking for the cabin on Friday, and at the start of our trip up the mountain on Saturday morning. Andy took some great photos and was kind enough to share them, so I added them to my photos in my photo gallery. You can see them all at: http://www.allenf.com/gallery2/main.php/v/Hiking/MountMoosilauke2009/

Planning a Thru-Hike

I promised someone I would write a little bit about planning my hike. There are lots and lots of resources for someone planning an AT thru-hike. The Appalachian Trail Conservancy has kind of a thru-hiker outline page on their website. They also sell a host of books about the trail, including the "Appalachian Trail Thru-Hike Planner". I also have the complete set of AT maps purchased from the ATC.

There are also a number of websites devoted to the Appalachian Trail and other long distance trails. Among these are WhiteBlaze, which hosts a number of forums about the AT, and TrailJournals, which hosts journals of hikers on the AT and other trails.

There are also three different "data books" to choose from for the AT. These books distill the most essential info from the guide books (which I own but will not be carrying) for the entire trail into a list of mileages between shelters, campsites, springs, and road crossings, and add info about the services available in the towns most often used for resupply by hikers. The one I am carrying is "Appalachian Pages".

Working from information I gleaned from these books and websites, I worked up a spreadsheet that has a tentative schedule that lists all of the town stops I expect to make in order to resupply with food and other consumables, with the number of days between stops based on a typically average thru-hike pace. Then I did my best to determine which of these stops provided adequate shopping to be able resupply locally, and which would require a mail drop from home. I have a total of 12 mail drops on my schedule, and at the appropriate time Jodi will send off a box with food, maps, and whatever else I might need.

This spreadsheet resides on a server that I can log into from any internet-connected computer, so I can access it and update the schedule as my real pace unfolds on the ground, and Jodi can access it to keep track of what and when she needs to send things to me.

What people might not think of is that a large part of the planning for a long-distance hike isn't about the hiking at all; it's about keeping the rest of your life running back home while you are not there for an extended period. Things like mortgage and car payments, license renewals, tax bills, health insurance premiums, and whatever else. This is all a lot easier for me because I have Jodi who will be still be at home keeping that part of our lives humming along. For single people or couples who hike together, this can be a huge part of their planning. I do all of my banking on-line already, and I've set up my credit card to be automatically paid every month from my checking account, so my plan is to have a set amount of money transferred to my checking account every month, then use my credit card and debit card to pay for things along the way.

As for keeping in touch with home and the rest of the outside world, I will be carrying my Treo smartphone and the same folding bluetooth keyboard I used last summer while Jodi and I were bicycle touring. I hope to keep up a more-or-less daily journal, although I do not expect to be able to actually upload entries daily.

So, I've created a plan. Planning is important, but only a fool would expect his or her plan for such a long undertaking to actually play out flawlessly, so I hope I am capable of being flexible enough to yield to reality as my hike unfolds.

Thirty days and counting!

Appalachian Trail Map

Bankruptcy Of Purse vs Bankruptcy Of Life

To be truly challenging, a voyage, like a life, must rest on a firm foundation of financial unrest. Otherwise you are doomed to a routine traverse, the kind known to yachtsmen, who play with their boats at sea-"cruising," it is called. Voyaging belongs to seamen, and to the wanderers of the world who cannot, or will not, fit in. If you are contemplating a voyage and you have the means, abandon the venture until your fortunes change. Only then will you know what the sea is all about.

"I've always wanted to sail the South Seas, but I can't afford it." What these men can't afford is not to go. They are enmeshed in the cancerous discipline of "security." And in the worship of security we fling our lives beneath the routine of routine - and before we know it our lives are gone.

What does a man need - really need? A few pounds of food each day, heat and shelter, six feet to lie down in - and some form of working activity that will yield a sense of accomplishment. That's all - in the material sense. And we know it. But we are brainwashed by our economic system until we end up in a tomb beneath a pyramid of time payments, mortgages, preposterous gadgetry, playthings that divert our attention from the sheer idiocy of the charade.

The years thunder by. The dreams of youth grow dim where they lie caked in dust on the shelves of patience. Before we know it, the tomb is sealed.
Where, then, lies the answer? In choice. Which shall it be: bankruptcy of purse or bankruptcy of life?

-- Sterling Hayden

Fully Committed

I gave my notice at work today. Come March 6 I will be officially unemployed, so it'll be either find another job or go hiking. I think I'll go hiking!

--
~~~~~
Allen F. Freeman
allen@allenf.com
www.allenf.com
allenf.blogspot.com