AT APB

“Just found out this afternoon that a fellow from here in Rhinelander is hiking the AT. A guy at our local gear shop said he just had a call and postcard from Mark, whose trail name is apparently The Biker Sly. He's about 400 miles along at this point, I believe.

He's a wealth of info on long international bicycle touring (he's done South America, Scandinavia, and Iceland, among other rides). He is jonesing for a Tikka, saying he's the only one on the trail who doesn't have one.

So those of you who are spending time on the AT this season, say hello should you run into him.”

“I'll be on the AT some but Just in the southern end (for now).”

“400 miles? I guess that puts him close or into Virginia now right?”

“He mentioned something to my source about going through a place where there is a big thru-hiker festival, but a week before the festival...and was about number 400 for the season to make it that far (out of about 3,000 who had started by the time he began). Don't know where that place is.”

“Domascus, Va?”

“Trails Days is in Damascus but I thought Damascus was further north.

Didn't they have some sort of hiker festival in Hot Springs NC?”

“Maybe that was it. I've never been so I didn't know where it was.”

“I've never been either but I've read a lot of hiker journals that mention something like that.

I don't exactly want to go to a thru-hiker festival unless I'm thru-hiking.”

“I agree.”

“FYI

Just looked at some maps of the AT on the net. It's about 446 miles to Virginia, so Damascas is about 450 to 455. Hot Springs, from memory, is about 240, maybe less.

The French Broad River Festival will be held on May 10-11, 2002 in the beautiful
metropolis of Hot Springs, NC at the Hot Springs campground.

Trailfest Weekend in Hot Springs April 19-21, 2002

2002 May 11 - 19 Trail Days - in Damascus, Virginia”

“Sounds like it's Damascus; the mileage is right and the "week before" the festival timeline is right. I know from my source that he is doing some lower mileage days lately because of some blisters. But he is a really fit multisport kinda guy who will persevere and be covering some ground at a good pace.”

“Calling All Blue-blazers.
Calling All Blue-blazers.

BOLO "The Biker Sly" LNU.
On the AT, possibly in the vicinity of Skyline Drive, Shenendoah National Park.

Said to be unarmed and non-violent.
Approach with caution. Subject may attempt to accost innocent standers-by with Bicycle Stories.”

“"He is jonesing for a Tikka"

Uh... don't wish to remain ignorant, but what does that mean?”

“It means he has an older headlamp and has gear lust going now that he has seen what the latest, lightest, cool headlamp is, a Petzel Tikka. Of course, he and the others on the trail may have departed before they got a line on Princeton Tec Auroras, lol. Hard to stay current on gear when you are actually on the trail!”

“Yep. Wait 5 minutes and it'll be something else.”

“And the gizmo's...

Tikka

Zipka

Aurora


"Klaatu, barada nikto!", you-all.”

“Tilt, he probably won't accost anyone with his stories, lol, but I certainly did want to give a tip on his trail name and his potential wealth of good info and self-propelled travel stories. He's also a very competitive XC skier up here in Birkie territory.”

“I wouldn't want to start off in December trying to SKI the AT! <YIKESW>”

“Now that would be quite a feat! How about at the Maine end if you get a late start or are a slow hiker? Does anyone resort to snowshoes to finish the AT late in the season?”

“I think you can start at Springer any time you want, but don't they limit access to Kahtadin when winter closes in?”

“Baxter State park closes October 15. I've heard over people sneaking in and finishing after that, but you're not supposed to.

Also, the park rangers close the mountain on days when they think it's too dangerous to attempt it. These days are more frequent the closer you get to Oct. 15. So it behooves you to attempt to finish before then.

The upshot is that unless you're a really fast hiker (walkindude et. al.) you've gotta start at Springer before May to have a chance of making it to Katahdin before they close it.

Of course, you could always flip-flop around late August or September.”

“Mt. Katahdin is in Baxter State Park in Maine, for anyone who didn't know that already.”

“I Knew there was an 'H' in there Somewhere...”

“It's an anglicization of an Indian name anyway Tilt. Spelling doesn't matter. I've seen it spelled "Ktaadn" by people who were trying to get closer to the Indian pronunciation. I think that may have been the way Thoreau spelled it.”

“Curiouser and curiouser.”

“Well I have little doubt that The Biker Sly will maintain a pace that gets him north long before October. What's his fitness level? I feel like a slug just standing next to him, lol.”

“I'm getting on the trail on June 1 a bit north of Pearisburg (about 600 miles north of Springer). Planning on completing a thru-hike that I began 3 years ago. There's a pretty good chance I'll see your friend, if he hasn't raced past Pearisburg before I get back on. I'll look out for him.”

“Thanks Chip! And tell him Mayor Mary says hello, too. He'll understand.”

“...just heard from Mark's mom today that he is in Maine and only has 10 days or so left on the trail, having survived a pair of infected heels from waterlogged boots. We're looking forward to tails of the trail when he gets back. If any of you are on the AT in Maine and encounter the Biker Sly, say hello for us here in Rhinelander.”

“Our friend Mark who was hiking the AT has returned triumphant and looking very wiry and fit -- he'd been back a week when I ran into him here at school the end of last week. He said his foot problems came in the first half along with bad weather, and that things went great the second half of the trail. Looking forward to the chance to have a longer talk with him about his hike.

Good luck to all those who are still on the trail.”

“In a couple hours (7:30 CST) I'll be heading back to campus to attend the presentation by our local AT through-hiker, Mark, aka The Biker Sly. Based on his past programs on "adventure travel," it should be good.

I don't expect any blisters or needing to jetison any gear. Ah, virtual bping, the truly ultralight approach.”

“Bring back a trip report, please.”

“Arrived at our campus theater about 7:25 p.m. to find auditorium buzzing with a good crowd, which turned out to be about 240 persons -- pretty darn good turnout for a backpacking talk in a small town! The audience ranged from about 6 to 80 years old.

Mark, trail name "The Biker Sly," who was dressed in trail garb -- eg, quick dry shorts over long underwear, etc. -- had a PowerPoint running with facts about the AT, and had set up his ultralight outfit on the stage -- his Wanderlust solo tent and G4 pack to one side, and his camp gear -- including a homemade catfood can alcohol stove, and a bear bag properly hung nearby -- on a picnic table to the other. All was of great interest to the crowd after he finished his slideshow and talk.

Turns out the ultralite gear was not what he used on the AT in 2002, but was the result of the lessons from that hike. It was the gear he used last summer on the John Muir Trail. What was interesting about the talk was not simply the often Nat'l Geographic quality pics or the humorous stories about fellow thru-hikers, or the quietly inspiring tales of trail magic and general kindness, but that Mark spoke of how he went from nearly clueless rookie to seasoned AT thru-hiker. He wasn't shy at all about revealing his mistakes, his weak moments, and lessons learned the hard way.

The slideshow started about 7:40 p.m. and he had that crowd's rapt attention until after 9, when he started answering questions. Then he stayed as those interested in the equipment came on stage to poke through his outfit, or look at his display of maps and literature on tables at the back of the auditorium. I left a little after 10.”

“Great virtual trip report. I'd have driven over for that. I wouldn't if I was working for a living, but what the heck.”

“Sorry, Snake Eyes. I had mentioned this program in another AT thread a while back. I should have put up a reminder the other day.”