Want to try hiking and got gear for Chri stmas

“I have been dropping hints to my wife for a 6 months now and on Christmas morning I awoke to gear. Now I have the gear and need to go hiking. I'm late 20's, in decent shape, and want to give hiking a try. I live in SE TN. Any advice?”

“Savage Gulf for starters, then graduate to the GSMNP. Check out the trips page; there's a huge trip next month to Savage Gulf.”

“Would a big trip be appropriate for someone starting out? Would the people here tolerate someone that doesn't know what they are doing?”

“Try out all your new gear in the back yard and get to know it and how to properly use it. Beyond that, find ya a trail and get going. Backpacking is nothing more than walking and sleeping in the woods. There's loads of Tenn. peeps here who can direct ya to great trails.

And watch out for taking too much stuff. Take what ya think you'll need, then after you get back look at what ya didn't use and keep it off the pack list next time. Look for things that can do more one thing on the trail. Food and clothes are the two things that get over packed the most. I have a set of clothes for the trail and then one set of dry long johns for camp and sleeping in. If you're in snow have a whole extra set. Food is one thing ya just have to learn to work out. Get dry stuff like Lipton Noodles or rice.”

“That would depend on whether or not you pee in a natural spring or not.

There'll be a lot of people to dole out advice, but we're pretty much a laissez faire crowd. Don't be malicious or expect us to take care of all your stuff and everything will be okay.

Personal responsibility is a must.”

“Is hiking with strangers a big deal? My wife thinks it is.”

“"Would a big trip be appropriate for someone starting out? Would the people here tolerate someone that doesn't know what they are doing?"

That is the BEST time to go with folks here. They will answer any querstions you have and you will learn TONS from them. The South East gang is a great group socially too. Hiking with others will take a lot out of the learning curve.”

“My wife was a little nervous about me hiking with strangers too. I haven't met anybody from here that I wouldn't hike with again, I don't think. My first TT trip was to Savage Gulf and I hadn't met anybody on the trip before. Everybody was cool and it was a good time.”

“It's not a big deal with this group. We're just (ab)normal folk. Groups are safe.

One question needs to be answered before you go on a TT hike though...do you drink heavily?”

“My first TT hike was to California from Ohio and was made possible by someone here giving me $500 in frequent flyer miles so I could make it. That's the calibure of people we have here.”

“I don't drink and don't want to be around those that do.”

“Houston, we have a problem! ;-)”

“Well, that leave me totally out of the #&%!$ing picture. Now where did I set my beer?”

“That's good you don't drink. It was a joke anyhow. LOL! There usually is some libations on hikes but it ain't a drunken party or anything. Normally a few nips 'round the fire.”

“Is this board a group of embibers and drunkards?”

“No, we are partakers and inebreists.”

“Yes.”

“I can see that there is missionary work to be done here.

How do I sign up for this Savage Gulf trip that was mentioned?”

“I'm tempted to say we've been trolled, but that attitude is so widespread in the south that I can't discount that knucklehead is serious.

Lots of us drink, but I've never seen anyone get out of control. There are quite a few who don't drink at all. In a large enough group, there will be both kinds.”

“Is this the appropriate time to point out that Jesus drank wine?”

“Or that Paul recommended wine to Timothy for his health?”

“I'm tempted to say we've been trolled, but that attitude is so widespread in the south that I can't discount that knucklehead is serious.

You say that like it's a bad thing. Jesus drank wine, but it was a different wine than what we have today. The references to bursting wine skins/old wine means that they threw it out when it started fermenting.”

“I think we just found our fun thread of the day!”

“I agree Nigal, teaching people about the dangers and evil of alcohol is fun.”

“Yep, troll! Y'all have fun...”

“Knucklehead, you'll be a lot better off if you leave the missionary work at home while on your first hike with strangers. I doubt you'll find anyone on this board who won't respect your decision to not partake, however, you'll need to respect their decision to partake as well. Everyone here is good people.”

“Excuse me? What are you talking about. I'm just trying to learn to hike and someone asked me my views on alcohol. We'll go back to hiking.

How do I sign up for this Savage Gulf trip, or at least find out about it? Where is Savage Gulf?”

“One thing you might want to take is a small bottle of bleach. It has to be very hard to keep a white dress shirt and tie clean on the trail.”

“My what are you talking about comment is directed to bitpusher? By the way, what does pusher refer to? That sounds like a drug reference?”

“SE Tennessee.”

“The issue of drinking here is very low-brow, as one might expect among, say, sophomores in high school. Considering most of the regulars here are above the age of 30, it should shed some light on who and who not to hike with, depending on your preferences.”

“Ooohhh!!! Troll!”

“I keep trying to get back to hiking and yall keep trying to get back to alcohol and labeling me a troll.

Is the SE Tennessee refering to the location of the trip? If so, thanks for answering the question. I might try for that. What town is it near?”

“I'm a non-drinker and have not been too uncomfortable on TT hikes although it does feel a little odd at times - especially when everyone gets back to the trailhead at about the same time and opens up the coolers or we go out to eat after a hike - really its no different than any other general social gathering. I have never seen anyone on a TT hike that was out of control due to drinking. My biggest problem is that I'm not overly comfortable in large groups so I generally will pick a smaller hike or go solo.”

“"I have never seen anyone on a TT hike that was out of control due to drinking"

Sounds like you need to put Gojo on your "WHo Do You Want to Hike With" list. LOL!”

“Thanks for the info Mr. Ice. Someone said that big groups work well for beginners. Would you agree with that taking the other issue into account?”

“Here's the address for the trips page.

http://www.thebackpacker.com/trips/”

“Ahh, thanks Nigal. I'll check it out.”

“Wow! We got a live one here, don't we?


North Carolina and northern Georgia also have some very nice hiking opportunities that aren't too far from you.”

“Great, I'll check out the trips page.

Re: Savage Gult, the mileage doesn't look too bad. 8.7 miles shouldn't be too bad. I just got new boots for Christmas. Any advice on a quick break-in?”

“naw - I've hiked with Gojo - he was mellow and very laided back”

“break in boots quickly - soak them and then hike them dry”

“"Excuse me? What are you talking about. I'm just trying to learn to hike and someone asked me my views on alcohol. We'll go back to hiking."

Knucklehead

As far as I could tell by reading through this thread is that not one person here asked you your views on drinking. You were asked if you drink heavily, and your response was no you don't drink and you don't want to be around those who do. Guess that limits your attendance on any TT hike then if you are going to stand up to your second part of your answer.

As far as learning to hike, you might want to check with your local church and see if they have what you are looking for. But be careful of those who hide behind the church to lead double lives...they might drink, too.

Good luck and happy trails!”

“Are you serious? That sounds painful.”

“Wolfeyes, your profile says you "play well with others". Where did this tirade come from? What does my church have to do with wanting to try and hike other than it's part of who I am.”

“yeah it can be a little rough on the feet but it is a standard fast break in technique for leather boots”

“How many times should you go through this process before the leather softens?”

“YOu'll have to take wolfeyes as she is - she's fiesty, but she's good people too.

If you're not a troll, just roll with the punches here.”

“All I was saying is that if you don't want to hang around people who may have a couple of drinks, then you have come to the wrong place unless you can conjure up a alcohol free trip. A local church may have what you are looking for. Learning to hike is also learning to accept people for who they are. My profile says "plays well with others" because I will hike with anyone anywhere anytime until they themselves make me uncomfortable which has not happened as of yet. Your profile, however, says nothing.”

“Wolfeyes - another point is that I said that I don't want to be around those who who do...drink heavily. I was asked if I drink heavily and I said no, and I don't want to be around those that do. The implication there is those who do drink heavily, as opposed to those who drink. If you'll read Mr. Ices response you'll see that he was partly responding to those who drink heavily.”