NJ AT ECT Report Sept. 14-15

“Linke to pictures below!

It was a fun trip! I could end the report with that last sentence, but that would suck. Anyway, Corporal Nasty and Goretex arrived at my place a little after 8:30am, and we piled our gear into my car and headed to NW NJ to meet up with Pennsy Hiker to hike a 14 mile (If I remember right) section of the Applachian Trail. Though this trip was planned by Geobeet, as most of you know he broke his leg, so we were happy to carry the torch for this hike and had a great time.

It was a relatively easy hike all-around. We gained approximately 700 feet in elevation, and topped out a bit over 1600 feet. Warm and humid weather was had the first day, but ample tree cover provided good shade.

We spent Saturday night at the lean-to, my first time ever sleeping in one. And it was a very nice lean-to also, especially the outhouse! The crapper was very roomy inside, and had a trash can and TP dispenser. It also had a hand sanitizer dispenser, but it was empty. But, as far as privys go, this one was definitely 5-star!

Anyway, we had plenty of daylight still, and hence birth was given to a new sporting event extrazaganza that will no doubt change the face of backpacking as we know it. Yes folks, the Trail Talk Olympics were created. The premiere featured one well known sport: gymnastics (my handstands vs. the Corporal's monkey flips). It was quite a showdown, and only a precursor of what was to come.

Acornball was next on the agenda. The pitcher tosses acorns through the strike zone, while the batter (armed with a branch) tries to hit them. Now, this is a hard sport folks. Acorns are small, and the branch wasn't exactly thick. However, the feeling of accomplishment gained when smacking an acorn into oblivion is, well, priceless. My accomplishments and the progress of the others brought a tear to my eye.

The third and final event: the javelin toss. Our javelin was the same stick we used in acornball. The rules are simple, see how far you can toss this sucker!

Who won, you ask? We all did!! By making it this far to the greatness of the TT Olympics, there are no losers.

Okay, okay, Corporal Nasty won the javelin toss.. the other sports are a toss-up.

Darkness fell, and it rained just a little that evening. We woke up the next morning, packed up, and the expected rain began to fall as we began to hike. After about 15 minutes or so, it stopped, only to start up again at the end. But the rain was of no inconvience. It'll never rain on my parade when as long as I'm hiking with these goofballs!

ahttp://community.webshots.com/album/50167458WDRwwh"target="_blank">Artex's Pictures”

“Here I was thinking I'd be the first to post- Well, I don't have time for a full report, but my pics are up-http://community.webshots.com/user/cplnasty
Sorry I haven't learned the link thing yet, I swear I will know it by tomorrow. I had a blast, I'd hike with any of these guys any time. More later.”

“You out-macaronied me, Artex! I'll have to post the pic I took of the bug- your macro setting kicks a$$! I thought you won the javelin toss though- Oh well. I couldn't figure out how to seperate all those thumbnails, don't know if I can- Great pics, bro!”

“Here's the link to your pics Corp:
Corporal Nasty's Pics

Great shots from both of you guys. It looks like we didn't have ANY fun. ;o)

Corp - actually, I like it that you couldn't separate those 2 thumbnail pics. The sequences are great. The tribute pic to Crazy Mike was neat. It ROCKED!!

Artex - great trip report and pics, but I just have to get even after reading some of the captions. hmmmm....

It was a blast guys, even with the rain.”

“Ha ha ha! By the way, if the "sporting event" pics look a bit hazy, I tried to lighten them up a bit, but I suspect their resolution wasn't the greatest to start with because it was dusk.”

“I am so glad ou all had a good time!!
I thought about you all this weekend. How was the water situation? was there any?
It sounds like you have the makings of long term friendships!
I can't open your pics on my comp at home cause my pc sucks!!
So I look forward to seeing them first thing Monday morning!

Glad to know you all returned safe if not Sound HEHE

did you see Gizmo the stalker? and did you tell him I saw hi?”

“I am so glad ou all had a good time!!
I thought about you all this weekend. How was the water situation? was there any?
It sounds like you have the makings of long term friendships!
I can't open your pics on my comp at home cause my pc sucks!!
So I look forward to seeing them first thing Monday morning!

Glad to know you all returned safe if not Sound HEHE

did you see Gizmo the stalker? and did you tell him I said hi?”

“so much fun it had to be posted twice!!




The Greeks have nothing on you guys”

“Way cool dude thank you!

8)”

“Ok folks..... here's my photo version of the trip.

Pennsy's NJ AT Pics

Maple Leaf - there was no water which was expected but we stashed some away near shelter before the hike.”

“LMFAO!!!! Dude, what did you do to me!!!! :-)”

“Handstand was pretty good but the arms and legs weren't straight, thats a 1.5 pt deduction

total of 8.5

Monkey flip was pretty good to but again hands not straight and the landing was indeed a little rough
also a 1.5 pt deduction

total of 8.5

Your gymnastic skills were both pretty good but leaves you both in a dead tie as I see it. You'll need to have a tie braker to clear this one up.


Great pic's guys, I glad to see Pennys has decided to carry a smaller camera”

“Looks like way too much down time in camp. hahaha!!!
Glad yall had fun. I see sirpete never made it. Oh well. Maybe next time.
Enjoyed the pictures.”

“ha! I would just march down there to PA and kick his @ss for that one. Even I didn't show the untouched pictures of walkindude”

“the timing here was impeckable!”

“LOL Pete! That's what he gets for showing up late. ;o)

We looked for hornets nests and bears but couldn't find any, so we had to make up our own fun.”

“I'll work more on my form, sirpete, but I'll take the 8.5!

Pennsy, boy, are you going to get it! :-) Just kidding.. that pic is too funny. I hope you enjoyed reading "Little Women" for the fourth time... ha ha ha! :-)”

“now THAT is a trip! you fellas know how to goof off with the best of 'em!”

“I like the stupid human tricks photos! Looks like someone else uses the Bearikade! Thanks, guys! Looks like a fun time!”

“Bummer I couldn't be there, but cool you guys had such a good time!

I do think the 8.5 was very generous, though. Was that from the French judge?”

“Great pictures and looks like everyone had a nice weekend.”

“Pennsy, your pics rule! How many feet are in a smidgen? Eight?
Yeah, the gymnastics were close, although I'd have to give it to Artex. I hired someone to run out and hit him in the knee with a crowbar, but it backfired. He actually had to walk on his hands the rest of the trip, he deserves the gold for that. BTW, this was the first time I field tested the hammock- The shelter looked real cozy, but since it was raining a little I figured it would be a perfect test run. With only a light fleece sleeping bag, I woke up a little chilly, mostly in my right calf for some reason. Other than that, it was the best night's sleep I'd had in a long time, even though the guys made a point of scaring the bejesus out of me with their stories of bigfoot and mothman. After about ten minutes of thumb-sucking and whimpering, I was fast asleep. No rain or bugs got in at all.”

“Great trip report!

That is by far the nicest privy I've ever seen. Most of them are a wooden shack with a hole in a board through which you make your deposit...I noticed it was solar-powered, too...”

“Yeah, the toilet had a solar powered extractor fan. Too bad Jeeves, the attendant, was on his lunch break when the pics were taken. It was weird seeing a guy with top hat and tails with trekking poles.”

“uumm you guys have spent way to much time talking about a tolit
it must be a guy thing”

“Nope. You need to check out the pics, and then you will see the light.”

“i'm sorry, but it looks like you guys had too much fun. TT is for SERIOUS backpackers!!
;-)

great pics, too! :-)”

“I concur with Corporal Nasty, you simply HAVE to see the picure to believe it, and even then no photo could possibly do justice to that most glorious of outhouses. I sincerely regret not taking a picture of it.

Hey Corporal, you forgot to mention the classical music that automatically played every time the door was opened. My ears were filled with the heavenly sounds of the works of Beethoven, Bach, and Tchaikovsky during my visits.”

“I did find the music enchanting, although I think the Chateaux AT Jeeves served while I was seated was a tad pretentious, even after being filtered. My favorite feature was when you lifted the seat, crushed rose petals gently wafted from the extractor fan, filling the air with a most delightful scent, and then Jeeves would render a version of Amazing Grace that brought tears to my eyes.”

“did they have candles burning for you?

wow that is alot nicer then mine at home!
I should take decorating tips from the AT!”

“Sounds like fun! Thanks for the report and the pics.

pennsy - is Little Women really your favorite book?

I ask, cause it's my favorite.”

“Yes, Tarabull, it's his favorite. Matter of fact, this is his third time reading it!”

“Yea Pennsy inquiring minds want to know.



Sounds like you guys had a good time, I wish I could have made it.”

“LOL! I guess I gotta go to the library and pick it up to see what the hey Artex is talking about.

I'll post a book report.”

“Hey Corp - a "smidgen" was my nice way of saying "you missed it by a mile pal!"

back to the privy - I felt so much at home that I took a magazine in with me.”

“it looks like you guys had lotsa fun!
:o)”

“And when are you gonna get your fun loving self on the trail again? Has married life made you soft?
moohaahaaa”

“I think I'll just store that little bit of humor away for now, Pennsy. The FYAO reunion will come soon enough...

muahaHaHAAAAAA

>;)”

“No #&%!$ the G exists”

“Great pix Artex! And your trip report is so well composed (wish I had that kind of talent). I like the pic of Nasty in hammock - snug as a bug in a rug. Acornball looks like fun, but I'd be afraid of getting smacked in the acorns by one of Pennsy's line drives. Never seen a 5-star shelter like that one - with equally luxurious crapper -- amazing! Artex, you look like a god (Zeus?) in that javelin throw. And gore tex with those wild eyes! Far out. Gonna check out the other pix and trip report comments tomorrow (its late here).”

“I finally got around to reading this one.

Gawd you guys kill me. Too dang funny.”

“Back to the top for the Gimp (Geobeet) who spent 10 days in the hospital. Sorry, you didn't ruin this trip either. You gotta try harder.”

“wow how do you know?
ive been trying to call him. now i know why there was never any answer.
I guess PS got his revenge after all!”

“How do I know? I have espn. ;o)

He posted it himself here:
Don't Ask What Can go Wrong Now thread”

“Great trip, great pix. Sorry I wasn't there. I was in another shelter, dry and snug. No acorn ball though. I had forgotten the super privy. The day I scouted the shelter the privy was locked, but by the solar power screen I had a hunch it was super. Music and Jeeves, ... wow!

Glad nobody encountered flat pavement at the end of the hike. I know how much trouble some people have with flat pavement at the end of a hike. I prefer sandstone for my little crises, but to each his own.

Looking forward to some spring overnighters, and maybe longer. The countdown is begun!”