DH started his thru hike of the AT
- Thread starter Nanbo
- Start date
Nanbo
Cathlete
Did anyone else do that Cathe challenge that converted your exercise time into a race across the country? It was fun to track myself moving steadily along and I would look on the internet for information about the towns and cities I was "passing" through. One of my friends has her children tracking my DH on a map she put up in their room and they learn about the different areas of the country that he is hiking through. They have been doing short day hikes during their summer vacation and are enjoying themselves pretending to be thru hiking the Appalachian Trail by converting each mile they hike into 50 miles and moving little hikers along their map to try to catch my DH!
Nanbo
Cathlete
This was sent to me early on in his hike by a Trail Angel near Hot Springs, NC. Not bad for a 58 year old guy!
It was reported that Scott was on the same stretch of trail as my DH on of the days, but DH never saw him. Most of the thru hikers do not call what Scott did "hiking". He never carried a pack. He didn't sleep on the trail. He was 100% supported by a crew. Don't get me wrong, running the trail as he did was truly amazing...but it was not hiking. I'd have been more impressed if had 40 pounds on his back and had to be exposed to the elements like the other hikers...
Nanbo
Cathlete
Yep, that's him about 10 days into his journey....
maddiesmum
Cathlete
I agree. What Scott Jurek did was not hiking. You gotta be self-supporting. However, his goals are different. He is a phenomenal long distance runner. I admire him greatly. I also admire your husband, Nancy. A mere mortal going it alone, him and the landscape, him and the elements, him and his tent, bag, stove, ill-fitting boots, spare pair of socks, de-hy and medical kit.
My husband and I went out west years ago to do sections of the PCT and also climb all peaks along the way (Mt. Rainier, Mt. Baker, Mt Hood, Glacier Peak to name a few). One day into the PCT we bailed because a) the late snow that year meant the mosquitoes were horrendous (clouds of them settled on us as we tried to set up camp in the evening: a true horror story!!!!!), b) our packs were over 50-60 pounds each because we were carrying backpacking/trail gear AND climbing gear (rope, crampons, ice climbing boots/plastics) and I am quite lean and my DH is only 5' 5" and we were literally bent double while carrying them, no fun! and c) the trail spent too long in the trees and we weren't getting enough good views.
We then spent 5 weeks hiking into backcountry areas, climbing and then moving on, picking up the food we had sent ahead (as your DH will have done) at each new stop. It was a total blast!
The only thing stopping us from doing a Appalachian thru-hike or the PCT is exactly that: too much time spent in the trees. My DH can't stand it. He'd bail and I'd be left alone!
I love what your husband is doing. A real lifetime experience. I'm envious!
Clare
My husband and I went out west years ago to do sections of the PCT and also climb all peaks along the way (Mt. Rainier, Mt. Baker, Mt Hood, Glacier Peak to name a few). One day into the PCT we bailed because a) the late snow that year meant the mosquitoes were horrendous (clouds of them settled on us as we tried to set up camp in the evening: a true horror story!!!!!), b) our packs were over 50-60 pounds each because we were carrying backpacking/trail gear AND climbing gear (rope, crampons, ice climbing boots/plastics) and I am quite lean and my DH is only 5' 5" and we were literally bent double while carrying them, no fun! and c) the trail spent too long in the trees and we weren't getting enough good views.
We then spent 5 weeks hiking into backcountry areas, climbing and then moving on, picking up the food we had sent ahead (as your DH will have done) at each new stop. It was a total blast!
The only thing stopping us from doing a Appalachian thru-hike or the PCT is exactly that: too much time spent in the trees. My DH can't stand it. He'd bail and I'd be left alone!
I love what your husband is doing. A real lifetime experience. I'm envious!
Clare
nckfitheart2009
Cathlete
Yes, Nathalie! I never take my morning cup of coffee for granted! In fact, I've been jazzing it up with cinnamon and cocoa powder in the grounds before I brew it!
Same taste here Nancy.
My kitchen never missed cinnamon and organic cocoa powder
LOL can not live without coffee. hard to give up! One per day for me.
desertambrosia
Cathlete
Nanbo
Cathlete
Clare, It sounds like you and your DH had a blast! Most people don't realize that it's the surprising or tough parts of the journey that make it extraordinary! If everything went according to plan it would be boring! My DH and I would love to section hike some of the PCT and the Continental Divide Trail in the future. He says he likes the way we hike together with all the laughing and actual rest days that we enjoy. Since our big month of hiking the National Parks out west 4 years ago, we've been going up to Shenandoah National Park the past few years in the off season before the color-tourists arrive and love it! We stay in a nice suite with our cat and day hike for about a week. Hot tubs after a day of hiking are the bomb! But, we have been hankering for some back-country action and DH is getting his fill of it!
Nanbo
Cathlete
Just opened an email from Non-Toxic. He picked up his re-supply box in Danby, VT (a VERY small town) and was able to use the computer at the library to send me an e-hug! He said that the PO was closed at 11:30 when he arrived, but the postal worker forgot to lock the door and he walked in not knowing he was too late. They gave him his package anyway and wishe dhim well on the rest of his journey. He was anxious to move on and chew up some more trail. Danby is 1668.9 miles in on the trail, so he has 520.3 more to go...and Day 71 isn't over yet!
For those of you who might be interested, a friend of mine told me about a guy named Red Beard that posted his AT hike on You Tube. He broke the videos ups by state. I plan on watching the New Hampshire & Maine videos tonight! The very end of the Pennsylvania one scared me to death with the rocks and dizzy heights! My 83 year old aunt out in Oregon has become a trail junkie following Non-Toxic and has been reading and watching everything she can on the subject...she's thinking about doing some of the Pacific Crest Trail (day hikes) this fall!
For those of you who might be interested, a friend of mine told me about a guy named Red Beard that posted his AT hike on You Tube. He broke the videos ups by state. I plan on watching the New Hampshire & Maine videos tonight! The very end of the Pennsylvania one scared me to death with the rocks and dizzy heights! My 83 year old aunt out in Oregon has become a trail junkie following Non-Toxic and has been reading and watching everything she can on the subject...she's thinking about doing some of the Pacific Crest Trail (day hikes) this fall!
Nanbo
Cathlete
Non-Toxic stopped in Wallingford, VT last night. 1677.2 miles on the trail, 512 more to go. I spent this morning watching Red Beard's videos on the AT thru New Hampshire and Maine. My heart was pounding thru most of it. Good thing I'm not hiking with my DH, he'd have to coax me thru the whole thing....scary heights, scary rock scrambles and cave scrambles...just plain scary! Here's the link to the New Hampshire video. When I see what Non-Toxic is in store for, I get FREAKED OUT!
This video flows right into the Maine video....made for an anxiety filled morning!
Faithnveggies
Cathlete
Thanks for posting Redbeard, I watched NH and Maine, too. Wowsers!
Nanbo
Cathlete
I have been feeling a great deal of anxiety after watching those! I hope that the weather backs off and gives Non-Toxic a break through these last 2 states...he's been through enough!
Nanbo
Cathlete
Non-Toxic is in The White Mountains!!! He made it over Mt. Moosilauke despite HORRIFIC weather! He hunkered down with 2 southbound hikers under the ruins of a building and watched people being blown all over the place by high winds in driving rain (the people were trying to get a picture of the sign at the summit!). The 2 southbound hikers said they had a beer for the first northbound hiker they saw and Non-Toxic happily accepted it! Non-Toxic said the 3 of them giggled like idiots at how awful the weather was and then they parted ways to descend in opposite directions, toward opposite ends of the trail. Non-Toxic made it into Woodstock, NH and decided to splurge for a room at a place that will give him a hot breakfast and it has a brewery on site for a nightcap. He really regrets sending his gloves and hat back home when he thought he didn't need them back in Virginia!