March 8th - 10th

“Who's going hiking this weekend, and where are ya going?”

“I'm going.. not sure WHERE yet.. but I AM going.. HAVE to get out..

Will either do Fall Creek Falls, Eagle Bluff or Max Patch.”

“March 9-10 Backpacking Knobstone Trail.

8)”

“Ishi Wilderness.”

“First 25 miles or so of the AT starting at the Delaware Water Gap and heading north...

...with my son Ian, SirPete, Pennsy Hiker, and ???”

“I thought you were coming up to LBL???”

“Where Buddur leads us (we could be in trouble) lol”

“I leave Thursday for a 5 day conference in Tampa. I am going fly fishing on Monday. Life can be such a bummer. LOL.”

“Big South Fork - Gonna check out Yahoo Falls and Yahoo Arch and a few cabin ruins.”

“stikmon.. must have missed it.. what is going on at the LBL that weekend?”

“Sass-At least we won't get chigger bit!”

“supposed to be a hike set up by Gypsie. you are on the original list. No one has heard from gypsie in many moons, though. Walkindude and I look like the only ones going on this trip...its a shame for him to drive so long for a no turnout trip...not so long for me, but still there are closer places for me to go...shame there is so little in this hike. ICM...you were on the list too. Work, huh...anyway.”

“stikmon: well i never heard no more about it.. assumed it died..”

“I might be doing another section of the Loyalsock trail, depending on weather, etc.”

“it's my birthday!

i'm going to florida for some kaaaay-YAKKIN'!”

“Splash -- if you are getting out this weekend, how come you aren't joing us on the NJ AT?”

“I'm skeered of the woofbares, Fritz! Actually I know that there is water at the Loyalsock, and there may not be much on the AT. And I'm planning to hike slower this weekend, not lots of miles. I hear that the bears are out of hibernation and looking for food and water, so you have a good chance of a sighting. Have fun, take pictures! The weekend looks like it will be warmer, partly cloudy. Maybe occasional showers.”

“Hey Fritz, Violin wants pictures of the bears too.

M&M mentioned to me that it is good to take enough food out for dinner and then immediately hang your food bag very high in that area of the AT. She said that the bears like to show up while you are cooking.”

“I guess that answers your question Fritz?”

“Going hut to hut (7 cafe's on Mammoth Mtn), on snowboards. A friend is having a birthday up there. They normally do the bike & bar thing at the beach, but this year they're going to 11,000' on skis and boards. I don't drink & ride, so I'll be on the slopes while they're drinking.”

“Yes, I've got quite enough info now!

Splash, where's M&M been? I mean, she hasn't been on TT...

If you talk to her make sure she knows about our trip this weekend.

See, I don't have to be able to outrun the bears, I just have to be able to outrun one of my fellow campers.... ;-)”

“Fritz, if you think that you are going to outrun M&M, think again. Okay, I've stopped laughing now......

I haven't spoken to M&M since our Black Forest Trip. She gave me lots of info back then on the AT in Jersey, because I was looking into possible girl scout trips in High Point and Stokes. She discussed the bear problems in detail.

M&M has posted occasionally lately, here and on the lightweight backpacking site. I'm hoping that she joins us for group hikes this spring. She has scout trips and friends that she backpacks with, also.”

“Seriously, M&M told me that she hadn't backpacked in several months, before the Sept. BFT trip. Then she proceeded to strap on her 40 lb pack and zoom up the mountain. I checked out her boots for jet propulsion, but all I found were some remains of shoegoo.”

“Snowshoe trip with my father-in-law March 9 & 10. Our goal is Badger Pass to Glacier Point, appx. 20 mile r/t.

Tekapo, see what you started!!

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow...”