Hiking the Appalachian Trail

[angus]

Ever thought about hiking the appalachian trail?

I have, for many years.  Unfortunately, I have too many excuses to do the whole thing now.  Nevertheless, I live about an hour from a few points of entry and I'd not like to die without at least having hiked some part of it.

On Friday my friend and I put in for a day hike at a section near the border of Berks and Schuylkill counties on PA501, about an hour north of my crib.  We were initially ambitious, thinking we'd do at least 15 or 20 miles that day.  It was much more grueling than we had imagined--I've hiked the Inca Trail from Sacsayhuaman to Machu Picchu with a 72-liter Jansport backpack and all my stuff, so I know hard hiking--this sh**t is tough.  All day we climbed over jagged, gnarly rocks weighing more than I do and teetering more than I do after a half-quart of cognac.  We only did about five miles and from just that we were exhausted.  We got about three hours in and decided to have lunch.  My friend pulled out a growler, a four-pint vessel of locally-brewed bitter ale which is entirely inappropriate for a mountain hike, and we looked ahead and decided to head back. 

What was interesting was that we met many people on the way back.  We met no one on the way up, but on the way back we met seven single hikers (all male) and two couples.  All except one guy were very young and in good shape.  The one guy who looked middle-aged stopped and talked to us for a while.  We asked, "so how long you been at it?" thinking that he'd say a few days.  His answer?  "Georgia, of course" in a thick (Turkish?) accent.  He then asked us what it was like ahead and we said, "rocky and jagged."  He laughed and said, "Well, that's what awaits you going south.  Rocky and jagged.  Oh, well, that's the future:  rocky and jagged."  My friend, who has BS in psychology and MS and PhD in political philosophy spent the rest of our time over-analyzing the Turk's comment, but the fact that we met no one going south and many going north made me think that going South to North is the popular thing to do in spring, and I'd guess that the opposite would be true in the fall.  In April, you start in Atlanta when it's hot and you end up in Harrisburg in late May when it's hot, and you'll be in Vermont in early July when it's hot.  If you start in July, then of course you go the other way.

We'll probably do another short section next week.  One of these days I'll take my son on a through-hike with tent and sleeping bags and such, but I'd like to get the lay of the land hereabouts first.

Any of you Atlasians ever venture forth on the Trail?

[Figueira]

Technically I have hiked on a very small part of it, yes.

[angus]

Where did you hike?  I understand that locally most of the terrain is similar to what we traversed yesterday.  Next week we might try something more planar, just southwest of the Susquehanna River.

[Mr. Smith]

Yes, in the Smokies along the NC/Tennessee border for a Spring Break.

[NeverAgain]

I plan to next year. I love the Appalachian Trail, so beautiful.

[Joe Republic]

I can't tell if this all a Sanford-style metaphor, and neither the poll or OP are helping to clarify.

[Tender Branson]

I'm hiking the Alps and its trails every other day when I have some time, so no.

Maybe when I'm 60 or 70 and be able to spend a month or two in the US ...

[Figueira]

Where did you hike?  I understand that locally most of the terrain is similar to what we traversed yesterday.  Next week we might try something more planar, just southwest of the Susquehanna River.

North Adams and Adams, MA.

[homelycooking]

I've hiked to many of the peaks on and along the northern section of the AT (Greylock, Everett, Bear, Stratton, Adams, Madison, Baxter). The longest contiguous section of the trail I've hiked is a ten-mile stretch between Lions Head in Connecticut and Mount Everett in Massachusetts. Through-hiking the entire trail doesn't appeal to me, though I've considered hiking the Long Trail from end to end.

[angus]

Yesterday I bought a new pair of Wolverine Wilderness hiking boots from Famous Footwear.



My last trip to the trail destroyed my old hiking boots, a pair of Hi-Tec Vibram that I purchased in 2001.  Those were good boots.  They've hiked in Peru, Bolivia, China, Central America, Hawaii, Northern Europe, and all over North America, often while I was shovelling snow from the driveway.  I guess they finally had enough.  Hopefully this pair will last as long.

Originally I had planned to hike another short section today but my wife reminded me that today is the 5th-grade end-of-year concert.  My son started playing drums in August, and the entire band started practicing together in January.  They're going to be showing off this afternoon for the parents.  I also have some engagements on Thursday morning and Friday afternoon, so I guess I'll have to wait till next week to see a bit more of the Appalachian Trail.  There's a section starting at Duncannon, near the Susquehanna River, that I'd like to try next.  One of the bloggers who describes the trail is called AscottW.  I wonder if it is the same ascott who posts here.

[dead0man]

I'll be walking around Six Flags Atlanta tomorrow, is that close enough?

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

The closest thing I've done to hiking the Appalachian Trail is when I got high with my friend in his apartment and watched that episode of Criminal Minds where that guy was kidnapping little boys and taking them back to his sex cave. Freaky stuff. Not The Woodsman level freaky from Law and Order SVU, but still pretty freaky.

[angus]

I'll be walking around Six Flags Atlanta tomorrow, is that close enough?

haha.  I think that the heat, fast food, sugary drinks, yelling children, and the sixty-minute wait for a two-minute ride will be grueling, but it's a different sort of gruel.  Have fun. 

[dead0man]

We're going to get there at opening, hopefully get through all the rides we want to ride before the heat, hunger and assholes kick in.  I"m not exactly looking forward to it, but it's my youngests (14) first amusement park and he's very excited.

[angus]

That seems like a long drive for a roller coaster.  Aren't you in Omaha?  The original Six Flags park is in Arlington, wouldn't that be closer?  Also, I think there's one near Chicago, and Cedar Point, although not part of the Six Flags family, is probably closer to you as well. 

[dead0man]

That seems like a long drive for a roller coaster.  Aren't you in Omaha?  The original Six Flags park is in Arlington, wouldn't that be closer?  Also, I think there's one near Chicago, and Cedar Point, although not part of the Six Flags family, is probably closer to you as well. 

My oldest boy lives in Atlanta, me and his brother drove down to visit.

and the damn park totally kicked my ass.  I was half way to a heat stroke about an hour ago.  Back in hotel room where the temp is about 60 and I'm still sweating buckets.

[DINGO Joe]

I can't tell if this all a Sanford-style metaphor, and neither the poll or OP are helping to clarify.

Maybe it's like shaking hands with Abraham Lincoln.

[Crumpets]

Meh. The Pacific Crest Trail is clearly far superior

[angus]

Many trails are superior in some aspects to the Appalachian Trail.  The Inca Trail, for example, is the best trail I've ever hiked.  The floor is 200 meters above sea level and the saddle points are as high as 4300 meters, meaning that each day you hike from hot, tropical, humid, lush rainforest to cold, dry, high, snow-capped outcrops.  You'll have your jacket on and off several times each day.  The constant changes in altitude is what makes it such a strenuous, and rewarding, trek.  Well, that and watching the sun rise over Inti Punku.  

But the question doesn't ask for subjective analysis regarding the superiority or lack of superiority of the Appalachian Trail, does it?  It only asks whether you have, or intend to, hike it.

I still haven't gotten around to hiking any other sections yet.  Life gets in the way.