Why is Bryson controversial?
Are you taking a GPS?
What are the most dangerous things?
Looks interesting. Those bags are no good for hiking, but you could cut off the solar panel and attach it to another pack.
$2000-$5000, plus $1- 2,000 on equipment.
- He embellished; how much is a matter of dispute. Some people go so far as to say his hiking partner Katz was completely fictional. (I don’t)
- He painted an unflattering picture of some people and places. He is kind of a misanthrope, but frankly that’s where a lot of the humor comes from.
3)He didn’t finish, and probably never did more that 25% of the trail. This pisses a lot of people off, especially since there is a passage at the end where, speaking sort of metaphorically, he concludes “I hiked the trail,” and says it doesn’t matter that he only did part of it. Also, there’s the fact that he sold scads of books and made millions, unlike a lot of people who did all 2,150.
Map and compass weigh less, do more, and work when it’s cloudy.
Waterborne bacteria, probably, though there are snakes, bears, cliffs, lyme disease, etc.
Awesome! The most time I’ve been able to carve out of life for backpacking is about 2 weeks (this coming summer…to Glacier), but I"ve always had an itch to do the AT. Good luck!
A coworker of mine did the whole trail 3 years ago. He was completely physically transformed by it. Pudgy and soft when he left. An ingot of trim musculature when he got back.
On the subject of training…I agree that if you start out at a manageable pace and don’t overly stress yourself before you get your trail legs, you don’t have to train a whole bunch, but I think doing some strength & stability excercises to help stave off knee and ankle injuries is a good idea.
The AT for the most part is very well marked. Except when crossing above treeline in the Presidentials with limited visibility you’ll never need a GPS or compass. You may need to keep an eye out for blazes and read the signs carefully, but beyond that no need for GPS or compass on the vast bulk of the trail.
I’d add that IMO Bryson never intended to thru-hike. His book reads like a weekend adventure gone bad and I question all sorts of things he reported as actually happening. He gets his facts wrong, and some of his opinions are pretty lousy. I don’t think the book accurately reflects life on the trail in any meaningful manner.
The most dangerous part of the AT is probably twisting and ankle or breaking a leg, having your stove blow up and burn down your tent, or getting hit by a car while crossing a road. There are really no wild animals to fear on the east coast (I’d be wary of moose but they don’t care about you this time of year and bear are a very rare encounter, and when you see them they all pretty much run away), except is one section of Maine you’re never more then a day’s walk from civilization, and despite the recent news report of a wacko who killed one, possibly 3 hikers there is little actual crime on the trail.
Friends who’ve used the solar recharges say they pretty much don’t work in any real world situation. They work best when they are stationary, and in good sun. It’s not something you could rely on; much easier to take a hand crank charger and spend time at night before going to bed recharging.
In NH where I have built and maintained parts of the trail we have eliminated most of the road walks. You’ll come through Hanover of course, and there’s a road walk between Holts Ledge and Smarts, but not much beyond that anymore. There are some new DOC shelters to stay at and I hope you like our whimsical privies. 
Y’mean like one of these? http://outdoors.mainetoday.com/trailhead/Open%20air%20privy%2006.JPG
I actually don’t think I’d mind the road walks, provided they’re not high-traffic. I know the philosophy of the ATC and the various clubs has always been to keep moving the trail up onto the ridges and as far from civilization as possible, but I’m not sure that’s always the best way to go. For me at least, I think I prefer a trip that hits some peaks, but also ducks down to see the rivers and farms and battlefields and towns.
I’m not a purist; if taking a blue-blaze brings me by an interesting waterfall or something, I’ll do it, even if it means I miss out on a few miles of green tunnel on the “official” trail.
In NH and VT (which I’m most familiar with and built a chunk of) there few road walks are pretty nice. A few rural dirt roads for limited sections. Norwich Vt to Hanover NH is the only one in a built-up section of town. There are blue blazes to a few summits and outlooks that certainly should be taken, but most are spurs so you won’t miss out on a pure thru-hike. Once you get in the Whites you have some options that may make sense, but miss out on every white blaze. I’ve never been a purist.
Our privies are a bit more whimsical rather then primitive. There’s the Penta-Privy at Hexacube Shelter, the only 5 sided privy on the AT. The one on top of Smarts used to be in the form of a car, with roll down window, seat belts, and steering wheel. We have two story privies :eek:, an opposing two-holer with a fold down chess board between 
, and the Averill Cabin at Jeffers Brook with a mens and womens door that both lead to the same hole. I even had a privy named after me at the old Beaver Brook shelter but we moved the shelter higher up on the mountain and built a new composting privy up there. We take our outhouses seriously up here.
What this all about? Infestation in the shelters??
Are you planning to update your blog/web site along the way? Are you taking a laptop or will you do it at internet cafes along the way?
Who are you leaving at home - a wife, partner, kids, roommates, etc?
If you’re single, have you thought about the possibility of meeting that “special someone” along the trail? Methinks it would be a good place to meet a like-minded person.
How many hours a day do you plan to walk? Will you ever just spend the day lounging around/relaxing?
What are you going to miss the most about home… hot showers every day?
There was an issue with hanta virus in the rodent droppings in the southwest, but not really in the east. It’s certainly a good idea to avoid the rodent droppings that are present in most shelters, but it’s not really a concern. Most thru-hikers end up tenting rather then staying in shelters anyway.
I know two couples that met on the trail. I know 3-4 that broke up on the trail. I know many that hooked up on the trail and eventually broke up. People hike the AT for very different reasons. There’s also the “pink blazers” who kind of stalk female hikers along the trail so most female hikers are a bit leary of hooking up.
I can’t speak for furt but most hikers will do a full day on the trail - 8-10 hours covering 20 or so miles. Hikers often take a “zero day” where they hang in a town or in a tent. Chores in town (repairs, laundry, shopping), resting a sore body, clearing your head.
Yes, it will update. How often remains to be seen. I’m hoping to get a few people who are willing to be transcribers – I mail back my handwritten journals, and they type them onto the web. Don’t know if this will happen or not. (anybody interested can email me…)
Nobody especially special. I mean, I have parents and siblings and nephews and freinds and a roommate, but it ain’t like anybody’s gonna be pining for me.
Possibility, sure. Given the 4-1 M-F ratio among hikers, I ain’t holding my breath.
To start, 6-8. Hopefully rising to 10-12 as I get in shape and the days lengthen.
God, It’d suck if I didn’t.
Ask me in two months, but yeah, when I go hiking the biggest thing I usually look forward to is usually a hot shower and clean clothes. And vegetables.
At this point, 20 miles is a dream of a fantasy of a hope. I’ll start out doing about 7 miles a day …
Good luck. I wish you lots of fun and trail magic.
I was supposed to thru-hike last year and my plans fell to pieces 5 weeks before my start date. Luckily REI accepts returns with no questions asked. My current plan is to section hike it one summer at a time for (hopefully only) 3 years.
I think I remember figuring 6 months would be 14 miles a day, so for every one of those 7 mile days now you’re going to have to do a 21 mile day later. I’m not sure if I factored in zero-days, either. Just something to keep in mind :D.
Honestly, for people just looking to enjoy the trail, I think sectioning is the better way to go. You may end up being glad it worked out that way.
I’ll worry about that if/when I get to Virginia.
One of the bits of advice that every single thru-hiker I talked with or read agreed on was the importance of not overdoing it in the first few weeks. I’d rather be slow than drop out at Fontana because of shin splints.
I might. We’ll see. I was pretty passionate about it and dead set against sectioning. It’s likely come down to section or never do it though, so I’ll throw my pride out and section hike it. I’ll never know if standing on top of Katahdin carries the same weight that way.
If you make it past VA you’ll already be in 20 mile days. It’ll happen, we all have it in us.
Furt, I volunteer! I would love to be a transcriber for you. Send me an e-mail, it’s in my profile.
Dang, does this mean you’re going to miss out on the fantasy football keeper league?
I’m often in the Bear Mountain, NY area - if there’s anything I can do when you get up that way, let me know.
Hell, no. I’ll be back to join the Bills and Vikings as four-time championship game losers.