Day hikes on the Appalachian Trail

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Replies

  • mjbnj0001
    mjbnj0001 Posts: 1,069 Member
    edited May 2020
    NorthCascades wrote: »
    jjpptt2 wrote: »
    I hate poles, so I can't help you there, sorry.

    I lost my poles years ago, attached them to my pack, lost them glissading. Not retrievable. I've been hiking without them ever since, and never once missed them. (I do feel guilty about the litter though.)

    They can be useful when balance is really tough like on shifting rocks or crossing a swift creek. But it turns out the woods are full of sticks that work really well.

    We all have a preferences, that's why it's a great world. At age 65, I'm finding even a stroll through a rolling meadow, like the battlefield park in my picture above can be enhanced with poles. I saw a cartoon on FB recently, of an oldster saying, "I see all these pics of older people doing these amazing hikes in spectacular country; I, on the other hand, am happy if I can get my feet into my underwear every morning." There are days I can empathize with that, LOL. If I were to re-enact Bryson's "Walk in the Woods," I'd definitely be Katz-like.

    I'd like to get back out to WA and see the Olympics and San Juans again.
  • L1zardQueen
    L1zardQueen Posts: 8,754 Member
    edited May 2020
    NorthCascades wrote: »
    jjpptt2 wrote: »
    I hate poles, so I can't help you there, sorry.

    I lost my poles years ago, attached them to my pack, lost them glissading. Not retrievable. I've been hiking without them ever since, and never once missed them. (I do feel guilty about the litter though.)

    They can be useful when balance is really tough like on shifting rocks or crossing a swift creek. But it turns out the woods are full of sticks that work really well.

    I found them but they are not matching. WTH!
  • scorpio516
    scorpio516 Posts: 955 Member
    edited May 2020
    Platypus makes lightweight water bottles: https://www.platy.com/bottles/softbottle-.5l-1.0l/softbottle.html
    They weigh almost nothing (20-40 grams empty).

    IMHO CamelBacks are the worst reserviour. They are a pain to clean. All the other with the slider top are much, much easier to clean by design.

    I wear retired running shoes - but I retire my shoes around 250 miles - and running socks.

    I carry a GVP G4 I made myself, weighs less than 400 grams
  • HilTri
    HilTri Posts: 378 Member
    I wasn’t sure the slider top hydration packs would be secure and to lose my water due to a leak would be awful but now that you recommend them, I will check them out. Can you tell me what a GVP is please?
  • jjpptt2
    jjpptt2 Posts: 5,650 Member
    HilTri wrote: »
    I wasn’t sure the slider top hydration packs would be secure and to lose my water due to a leak would be awful but now that you recommend them, I will check them out. Can you tell me what a GVP is please?

    Slide-top reservoirs are superior in pretty much every way. Easier to clean, easier to fill, easier to empty, easier to dry out...
  • HilTri
    HilTri Posts: 378 Member
    Cool, that’s wha I am getting then!
  • tnh2o
    tnh2o Posts: 158 Member
    Another reading recommendation is "Grandma Gatewood's Walk" Never mind that Bill Bryson disses Gatewood and the movie was terrible I still enjoyed "A Walk in the Woods". The part where they get to Gatlinburg is priceless.
  • mjbnj0001
    mjbnj0001 Posts: 1,069 Member
    tnh2o wrote: »
    Another reading recommendation is "Grandma Gatewood's Walk" Never mind that Bill Bryson disses Gatewood and the movie was terrible I still enjoyed "A Walk in the Woods". The part where they get to Gatlinburg is priceless.

    For sure, the movie wasn't the book. On its own merits as an individual work, it's ok, sort of. I had forgotten some of the funnier or more interesting parts of the book. The book isn't perfect either. But nothing in life is.
  • moonangel12
    moonangel12 Posts: 971 Member
    I have been eyeing that book - might have to take the plunge! I read Blind Courage (Bill Irwin) - I cant even fathom doing the AT blind! We did a small section Mother’s Day weekend (Weverton Cliffs in Harper’s Ferry, access your most anything else was closed) and my husband commented several times how amazing of a journey that must have been... and terrifying! Unfathomable.
  • scorpio516
    scorpio516 Posts: 955 Member
    HilTri wrote: »
    Can you tell me what a GVP is please?

    Glen Van Peski. He founded Gossamer Gear.
    https://www.gossamergear.com/collections/backpacks/products/g4-20-42-ultralight-backpack
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,970 Member
    https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01NA7NZ8N/ref=cm_sw_r_apa_i_WA90Eb9GNTGQY

    I recommend you get something like this. I ordered this one, it arrived a few days ago, I haven't used it yet and can't recommend it from experience. Got good reviews. REI has a similar kit for $25. 😳

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