How do I do these updates? If you mean post, I use my blackberry to write it up and then just upload to my blog when I have enough signal for internet. If you are referring to the gps locations, I use a SPOT system which sends out my gps location when I tell it to.
There were some other questions which I never got posted before I left for my brother's wedding. I was able to discuss those via a phone call with the elementary class which sent them. I will try to get those answers out in a day or so too.
Showing posts with label Q/A. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Q/A. Show all posts
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Q&A
I've been told that many people are asking how many miles have I hiked since Trail Days. I believe it has been 159.7 miles in 7 days. That is if I count the 17th and the 24th as half days since I only hiked 6.3 and 11.2, respectively. That is an average of 22.8 miles a day. Not too bad.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Q&A
- Do you keep up with current events, news, sports, etc. while on the trail? I tend to forget about the news while hiking. This is kind of strange because I would check foxnews.com 20 times a day when I have a computer. If I do get the news then it usually comes via a phone conversation or a tv when I am in a town resupplying.
- Do you carry any type of protective equipment, i.e. mace, pepper spray, tear gas or gun? I do not. There is no need, and it is extra weight.
- What is the biggest "no-no" on the trail? I have asked many people this question. Some have said to not blue or yellow blaze and still say you are hiking the trail. One guy said to not let all your gear get soaked. My answer is to not contaminate water sources (i.e. a creek or spring) by using the bathroom in or near them.
- How do you protect yourself? If this question is based on people, then I would say just be smart. This is really not a problem on the trail. Plus, it is cool how the hiker community watches after each other. If it is geared toward animals, then I would say make noise, be on the look out for animals, and make smart choices.
- Are you scared of snakes? I am not as long as I see them before they see me. I have not had a run in with a rattlesnake yet, but the time will come when I see one.
- How are your clothes holding up? My clothes are good. I have switched out a few things including my boots for trail running shoes. I try to take care of my clothes as they are part of my survival.
- What's your favorite trail magic so far? I came across a group of guys that offered snakes, bacon, strawberry short cake, gatorade, and other beverages.
- Have you seen any shooting stars? Yes, I saw a couple while cowboy camping near Fontana Dam.
- Are there wolves in the Appalachians? I do not believe there are any. There might be some further north that have been introduced back into the wild. Perhaps you can research this for me and let me know.
- How big is your tent? I have a one person tent. It is a Big Agnes Seedhouse SL 1. It is big enough for me and my pack.
- How long/bushy do you think your beard is? It is out of control actually. I would guess that it is between 1.5 to 2 inches. If you take the face side of a $1 bill, it is roughly the distance between the "E" in NOTE and the right side of the dollar. I hope that makes sense.
- Do your boots have holes in them? I am currently wearing trail runners. They do not have holes, but you can see the wear and tear on them.
- Do you believe in ghosts? I believe in spirits if that is considered the same thing.
- What is the most remote part of the trail? Like how far between roads? Parts of the northeast are pretty remote. I will go with the 100 Mile Wilderness in Maine as the most remote. It is actually less than 100 miles, but it is quite a distance between roads and resupply points.
- Thus far, what has your favorite state been to hike? Which has been the easiest and which has been the toughest? Where is the best scenic view at? My favorite state was TN and the Smokies. I also enjoyed the area near Dennis Cove, TN. The stretch is about three miles of walking through a gorge. The SNP in the northern part of VA has been the easiest. It is not flat, but has been the "flattest" part so far. The Smokies were the most difficult as I dealt with 3 to 5 feet of snow, ice, the highest peak on the AT (Clingman's Dome), and shin splints. The Smokies have offered the best views so far.
- What is the highest elevation on the trail? Cligman's Dome is the highest point at 6,643 feet.
- How do you shower when you are on the trail for a long amount of time? I take showers when I stay in towns. This is either at a hotel or hostel.
- Do you carry any type of protective equipment, i.e. mace, pepper spray, tear gas or gun? I do not. There is no need, and it is extra weight.
- What is the biggest "no-no" on the trail? I have asked many people this question. Some have said to not blue or yellow blaze and still say you are hiking the trail. One guy said to not let all your gear get soaked. My answer is to not contaminate water sources (i.e. a creek or spring) by using the bathroom in or near them.
- How do you protect yourself? If this question is based on people, then I would say just be smart. This is really not a problem on the trail. Plus, it is cool how the hiker community watches after each other. If it is geared toward animals, then I would say make noise, be on the look out for animals, and make smart choices.
- Are you scared of snakes? I am not as long as I see them before they see me. I have not had a run in with a rattlesnake yet, but the time will come when I see one.
- How are your clothes holding up? My clothes are good. I have switched out a few things including my boots for trail running shoes. I try to take care of my clothes as they are part of my survival.
- What's your favorite trail magic so far? I came across a group of guys that offered snakes, bacon, strawberry short cake, gatorade, and other beverages.
- Have you seen any shooting stars? Yes, I saw a couple while cowboy camping near Fontana Dam.
- Are there wolves in the Appalachians? I do not believe there are any. There might be some further north that have been introduced back into the wild. Perhaps you can research this for me and let me know.
- How big is your tent? I have a one person tent. It is a Big Agnes Seedhouse SL 1. It is big enough for me and my pack.
- How long/bushy do you think your beard is? It is out of control actually. I would guess that it is between 1.5 to 2 inches. If you take the face side of a $1 bill, it is roughly the distance between the "E" in NOTE and the right side of the dollar. I hope that makes sense.
- Do your boots have holes in them? I am currently wearing trail runners. They do not have holes, but you can see the wear and tear on them.
- Do you believe in ghosts? I believe in spirits if that is considered the same thing.
- What is the most remote part of the trail? Like how far between roads? Parts of the northeast are pretty remote. I will go with the 100 Mile Wilderness in Maine as the most remote. It is actually less than 100 miles, but it is quite a distance between roads and resupply points.
- Thus far, what has your favorite state been to hike? Which has been the easiest and which has been the toughest? Where is the best scenic view at? My favorite state was TN and the Smokies. I also enjoyed the area near Dennis Cove, TN. The stretch is about three miles of walking through a gorge. The SNP in the northern part of VA has been the easiest. It is not flat, but has been the "flattest" part so far. The Smokies were the most difficult as I dealt with 3 to 5 feet of snow, ice, the highest peak on the AT (Clingman's Dome), and shin splints. The Smokies have offered the best views so far.
- What is the highest elevation on the trail? Cligman's Dome is the highest point at 6,643 feet.
- How do you shower when you are on the trail for a long amount of time? I take showers when I stay in towns. This is either at a hotel or hostel.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Q&A
Thanks again for those that have sent questions. Keep them coming. I know some others have asked questions and I tried to respond. However, they didn't get posted. So if I don't answer your question then please resend it.
- Do I have a bowtie? Yes, Mason, a friend of my and former college roommate, has sent me a bowtie from his company Volunteer Traditions. The bowtie is red with the stars and blue circle from the Tennessee state flag. I am wearing it in support of his company and what he is trying to do. If you get a chance, please check out his website www.volunteertradions.com. He carries Tennessee and out southern state's apparel.
- How do you tell others about your blog? Most of the time it is word of mouth. If they are able to write it down then they will.
- Can I sent out more gps updates? I will do what I can. I try to at least send out one during lunch and one when we stop for the night. Some times I do forget though. Other than those two times, I might not stop too often during the day other than to get water or use the restroom. Even then, it might take quite a while to find a signal and send. Again, I will try though. Make sure to check out the map and zoom in to the places I stop. You might be able to see the hostel or shelter.
- What do I weigh or how much weight have I lost? Well based on all the scales I pass at the river crossings, the number of dead animals I have seen, the number of full moons we've had, the number of miles I've hiked, the number of friends I've made, the number of hills I've climbed, and the number of peach rings I've eaten, I probably have lost between 10 to 12 pounds. I've weighed myself twice. Both times, the scales have been pretty unreliable. One said I lost 8 pounds and one said 20. The 8 seems more reasonable.
- Do you get scared at night? So far, I have not been scared at night. Luckily, I have always been able to camp near others either tenting or in a shelter. When hiking at night, I have been with a group. I might be a different answer if I camped or hiked alone.
- How many new friends have you made on the trail? I have more new friends than I can even count. I can meet someone and make a new friend almost every day. I do have some people who I am closer with and I would consider a better friend. My closet friends out here are Dark Star (Will), Stickerbush (Jake), Danger Mouse (Nora), Tumbleweed (Gilly), Skyrocket (Skylar), and Speed Stick (Mike).
- Have you seen any bears? I have not seen any bears, but others I have been hiking with have. The cool thing about the AT is that one person might see an animal and another person 50 yards behind may not. I have seen plenty of other animals including deer, dogs, raccoon, snakes, fish, multiple birds, bees, gnats, flies, salamanders, newts, squirrels, chipmunks, turkey, owls, wild ponies, cows, goats, horses, donkeys, cats, beetles, centipedes, and other insects.
- If you see a bear will you be sure to take a video before you run away? I will do my best to take a picture or video. That is if I don't pee on myself, either out of excitement or being scared, first. I don't plan on running away cause that would just give the bear a reason to chase me. All that have encounter bears so far said the bear has ran away pretty quickly as soon as it saw a human.
- Have you seen anyone doing any illegal drugs while hiking? Yes, I have seen other hikers or locals doing drugs while at a shelter.
- If pressed, would you eat raw meat to survive? Who wouldn't?
- Do I have a bowtie? Yes, Mason, a friend of my and former college roommate, has sent me a bowtie from his company Volunteer Traditions. The bowtie is red with the stars and blue circle from the Tennessee state flag. I am wearing it in support of his company and what he is trying to do. If you get a chance, please check out his website www.volunteertradions.com. He carries Tennessee and out southern state's apparel.
- How do you tell others about your blog? Most of the time it is word of mouth. If they are able to write it down then they will.
- Can I sent out more gps updates? I will do what I can. I try to at least send out one during lunch and one when we stop for the night. Some times I do forget though. Other than those two times, I might not stop too often during the day other than to get water or use the restroom. Even then, it might take quite a while to find a signal and send. Again, I will try though. Make sure to check out the map and zoom in to the places I stop. You might be able to see the hostel or shelter.
- What do I weigh or how much weight have I lost? Well based on all the scales I pass at the river crossings, the number of dead animals I have seen, the number of full moons we've had, the number of miles I've hiked, the number of friends I've made, the number of hills I've climbed, and the number of peach rings I've eaten, I probably have lost between 10 to 12 pounds. I've weighed myself twice. Both times, the scales have been pretty unreliable. One said I lost 8 pounds and one said 20. The 8 seems more reasonable.
- Do you get scared at night? So far, I have not been scared at night. Luckily, I have always been able to camp near others either tenting or in a shelter. When hiking at night, I have been with a group. I might be a different answer if I camped or hiked alone.
- How many new friends have you made on the trail? I have more new friends than I can even count. I can meet someone and make a new friend almost every day. I do have some people who I am closer with and I would consider a better friend. My closet friends out here are Dark Star (Will), Stickerbush (Jake), Danger Mouse (Nora), Tumbleweed (Gilly), Skyrocket (Skylar), and Speed Stick (Mike).
- Have you seen any bears? I have not seen any bears, but others I have been hiking with have. The cool thing about the AT is that one person might see an animal and another person 50 yards behind may not. I have seen plenty of other animals including deer, dogs, raccoon, snakes, fish, multiple birds, bees, gnats, flies, salamanders, newts, squirrels, chipmunks, turkey, owls, wild ponies, cows, goats, horses, donkeys, cats, beetles, centipedes, and other insects.
- If you see a bear will you be sure to take a video before you run away? I will do my best to take a picture or video. That is if I don't pee on myself, either out of excitement or being scared, first. I don't plan on running away cause that would just give the bear a reason to chase me. All that have encounter bears so far said the bear has ran away pretty quickly as soon as it saw a human.
- Have you seen anyone doing any illegal drugs while hiking? Yes, I have seen other hikers or locals doing drugs while at a shelter.
- If pressed, would you eat raw meat to survive? Who wouldn't?
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
April 28 - 23.8 / 595.6
Before I talk about the day, I want to say I have come up with my new favorite trail mix. No, it does not have nuts or fruit and probably isn't good for me. On the last few resupplies I have bought mini oreos, gummy bears, and peach rings. I mix them all together and poof, a great snack. I call all rights to it now to sell it when I get off the trail.
This morning and last night was one of the coldest while out on the trail. I am glad I still had my winter bag. I even ate breakfast in my bag. I could have used my heavier down jacket, but I was able to get by and kept moving once I got out of my bag. For some reason it takes me over an hour to get ready in the morning. It isn't like I have a lot to do. I think some of it has to do with the others still sleeping when I even start my routine. If they were up and going then maybe I would move faster.
TW and I were again the first two to leave the shelter out of our group. We both like to get going as soon as we can. SB, DM, and SR all had their respective tent or hammock still up when we left. I will apologize for talking so negatively about VA yesterday. Today was much different. The ridge line was much easier to walk on today as there were no rocks. I hiked 5 miles in about 55 minutes. TW and I were both on the same pace, and we decided to stop at a road crossing for a snack. I even sent out a GPS message just for Richie to have something to look at. As we headed back into the woods I noticed a large styrofoam cooler off the trail. I opened it only to find melted ice and the weather forecast. Other hikers had already cleaned out the trail magic. Ahhhhhh! Frustrated, I didn't even look at the weather. I closed the lid and went on.
The next 7 or so miles were pretty easy. TW and I did get to another road crossing and were unsure where the trail went. We tried looking for blazes all along the road and in the woods; however, we saw nothing. TW even pulled out a map to try and figure it out. I left my pack and ran a little ways down the road. I ended up finding a blaze and ran back to get my pack and her. We hiked down the road and got to witness 3 deer carcasses that some decided should be dropped off beside the road.
We neared I-77 and started to walk along what we thought was the trail. It ended up going up a small hill and overlooked the interstate and a valley. Sitting there was Donner and Young One eating lunch. We joined them with a shoes off lunch for about an hour. I even sent some emails and checked the FB.
The afternoon was pretty much the same and a pretty easy hike. I leap frogged Donner and had a pretty good pace going. I came to another road crossing and caught someone a little off guard. (Might need to limit the younger ones reading but I'll keep it PG.) Through the trees I could see a female with her shorts down around her ankles. I am going to go with she was going number 1 but she could have been trying number 2. I made as much noise by kicking leaves to let her know I was there. She immediately yanked her shorts up. I walked out of the woods and just said, "Sorry." What else do you say in that situation? I will say guys probably have it easier out here when it comes to using the restroom. Yes, I have seen other guys relieving themself along the trail, but they at least get behind a tree or face away from you. This girl was just in the middle of the road, right out in the open. Did she not think anyone else was hiking the trail today? For now, I will not mention her trail name just in case I come across her in the future. It was my first time to meet her so don't try to guess who it was.
I was planning to stop and rest at the road, but hiked on cause it was a little awkward. I stopped 3 miles short of the shelter and just took some time. I called Sarah, a manager of mine, to check in on work and other things. TW passed me, and Donner approached as I was packing up. The last 3 miles were smooth sailing. There are a few people at the shelter. All are tenting or hammocking except for Young One and Donner. I like being in my tent as I feel like I have my own space and I can blog without disturbing others. Plus, I needed to let my tent dry out from two nights ago.
Sorry, but today was a little uneventful.
I know some of you have asked me questions. I am going to start doing Q&A posts too. So if you have questions, leave a comment or send an email to either thompson.brianc@gmail.com or throughhisfeet@gmail.com. Once I get a few questions I will respond. Don't be afraid to ask questions as others probably have that same question about the trail or my experience out here. I will try to give my first response tomorrow if I have the time and phone service.
Until then, enjoy the full moon tonight.
Goodnight, friends. BT
This morning and last night was one of the coldest while out on the trail. I am glad I still had my winter bag. I even ate breakfast in my bag. I could have used my heavier down jacket, but I was able to get by and kept moving once I got out of my bag. For some reason it takes me over an hour to get ready in the morning. It isn't like I have a lot to do. I think some of it has to do with the others still sleeping when I even start my routine. If they were up and going then maybe I would move faster.
TW and I were again the first two to leave the shelter out of our group. We both like to get going as soon as we can. SB, DM, and SR all had their respective tent or hammock still up when we left. I will apologize for talking so negatively about VA yesterday. Today was much different. The ridge line was much easier to walk on today as there were no rocks. I hiked 5 miles in about 55 minutes. TW and I were both on the same pace, and we decided to stop at a road crossing for a snack. I even sent out a GPS message just for Richie to have something to look at. As we headed back into the woods I noticed a large styrofoam cooler off the trail. I opened it only to find melted ice and the weather forecast. Other hikers had already cleaned out the trail magic. Ahhhhhh! Frustrated, I didn't even look at the weather. I closed the lid and went on.
The next 7 or so miles were pretty easy. TW and I did get to another road crossing and were unsure where the trail went. We tried looking for blazes all along the road and in the woods; however, we saw nothing. TW even pulled out a map to try and figure it out. I left my pack and ran a little ways down the road. I ended up finding a blaze and ran back to get my pack and her. We hiked down the road and got to witness 3 deer carcasses that some decided should be dropped off beside the road.
We neared I-77 and started to walk along what we thought was the trail. It ended up going up a small hill and overlooked the interstate and a valley. Sitting there was Donner and Young One eating lunch. We joined them with a shoes off lunch for about an hour. I even sent some emails and checked the FB.
The afternoon was pretty much the same and a pretty easy hike. I leap frogged Donner and had a pretty good pace going. I came to another road crossing and caught someone a little off guard. (Might need to limit the younger ones reading but I'll keep it PG.) Through the trees I could see a female with her shorts down around her ankles. I am going to go with she was going number 1 but she could have been trying number 2. I made as much noise by kicking leaves to let her know I was there. She immediately yanked her shorts up. I walked out of the woods and just said, "Sorry." What else do you say in that situation? I will say guys probably have it easier out here when it comes to using the restroom. Yes, I have seen other guys relieving themself along the trail, but they at least get behind a tree or face away from you. This girl was just in the middle of the road, right out in the open. Did she not think anyone else was hiking the trail today? For now, I will not mention her trail name just in case I come across her in the future. It was my first time to meet her so don't try to guess who it was.
I was planning to stop and rest at the road, but hiked on cause it was a little awkward. I stopped 3 miles short of the shelter and just took some time. I called Sarah, a manager of mine, to check in on work and other things. TW passed me, and Donner approached as I was packing up. The last 3 miles were smooth sailing. There are a few people at the shelter. All are tenting or hammocking except for Young One and Donner. I like being in my tent as I feel like I have my own space and I can blog without disturbing others. Plus, I needed to let my tent dry out from two nights ago.
Sorry, but today was a little uneventful.
I know some of you have asked me questions. I am going to start doing Q&A posts too. So if you have questions, leave a comment or send an email to either thompson.brianc@gmail.com or throughhisfeet@gmail.com. Once I get a few questions I will respond. Don't be afraid to ask questions as others probably have that same question about the trail or my experience out here. I will try to give my first response tomorrow if I have the time and phone service.
Until then, enjoy the full moon tonight.
Goodnight, friends. BT
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