mount rogers '04-the annual pilgrimage

“last year i did hike all the miles/trail that i planned, i just did it with one less night in my bag. it did help that the last nights planned camp was only 2 miles from my vehicle.”

“Yea Baumme, we be "smart" Hard core too! lOokin forward to this one!”

“yo bear!”

“who pissed in your coffee this morning...LOL!!!

make sure you stir it up, this way it tastes better...

Khatru's lookin forward to seeing you Jerbear...but, he told me he don't want you to be freaky with him this time.”

“
I got you by 35 miles, so, I might be the longest traveler...I think its like 560 or so for me.

whoever travels the furthest gets to have Yam as a tent mate.

(I might just have to make a wrong turn and get lost for a while and rack up extra miles)"
stikmon
04:41:22 PM
09/01/04



Wow...if this is true...I am not only "in" but I will start my trip from my NJ office.....

By the way...didn't read the whole thread, is this trip still on for Halloween weekend? Despite all the whining about the dates? :-)”

“yes the trip is still on for Halloween weekend”

“I'll be driving out Thurs night and getting to Damascus LATE in the evening, and camping along the creek that runs near there, then meeting up with the other philly dudes in the am on friday. I might bring my pack rod and do some casting in Wilson Creek.”

“I'm on board.”

“What's the nearest city so I can mapquest? I'd look it up but I'm on dialup right now and it would take forever to find it.”

“Damascus, VA”

“Marion, Va is pretty close. Get off interstate 81 at Marion, and pick up 16 south for about 10 miles. From there, there are a few roads to various trailheads, like 603 to Old Orchard.”

“its 16 miles from Marion to Troutdale (603) then another 4 miles to AT crossing of 603

its 30 miles from Marion to backpackers lot in Grayson Highlands State Park”

“Heck yeah, I'll be there. What time are we meeting and where on Friday? There aren't any details on the trip page.”

“thanks for being more specific, HOI. 16 miles? Dang, I must have been driving really really fast to think it was 10.”

“So second night we're staying at Rhod...first wise?”

“Dub - yep that's the plan”

“if you park at the area on 603 and hike the AT south to the wise shelter i think it is about 10 miles. if you park at the backpacker parking area in grayson highlands (massie gap) it is only a couple of miles north on the AT to the shelter.

(although i think they are close, the above mileage is all guesstamations from a not so good at the moment memory. i'm not looking at a map right now.)”

“baumeister...from GHSP parking lot, its like 5 minute walk.”

“Dang, I must have been driving really really fast to think it was 10."
Pennsy
10:02:17 PM
09/29/04

or you might have been a sleep at the wheel”

“a "sleep at the wheel"?”

“sort of like a "sheep in the tent"”

“thats just disgusting...shagging a sheep is buggery and will wind you up in HE11!!!”

“yeah but a "sleep at the wheel" will get you there faster”

“Its coming!!!!”

“Our local paper (The Tennessean) did a write up about Mt Rogers in the Sunday travel section. It might bring y'all a little company on your hike.”

“I hate it when torons pop out of the woods and wear their nikes on the trail and complain that its so rough and the path is not paved...I'd like to douse them with white gas and light them on fire. freakin biff and buffies.”

“gotta keep this alive.”

“I think that dance predates disco”

“Hmmmm...shouldn't the trip page be updated with current information?

And this is my first Mt. Rogers trip...what makes it so special?”

“Ponies!”

“lol, I'm kidding, although the ponies are cool.

The Virginia High Country is really, really pretty. Lots of views of rows and rows of mountain ridges into the distance, lots of open, treeless space.”

“No no no...I know what to expect from the mountains...I meant of the Mt. Rogers trip...what has happened at past trips, etc.”

“yes, trees when hiking SUCK :D
unless of course it's the desert and its hot out then a few trees are ok for shade :)”

“Oh that. Well, mostly, people get cold. When I was there on the First Day of Summer in 2003, I about froze my jewels off.

So be prepared.”

“Better bring the 20F sleeping bag then.

Seems like the website is missing: http://www.fs.fed.us/r8/gwj/mr/”

“I think that the last two years, the Mt. Rogers hike has had snow. One year, whiteout conditions. I went during the summer to try and avoid that.”

“Dang! Better bring the halfdome tent as well. I doubt the Missing Link could handle that.”

“it was the site of the original group trip from this site. i wasn't at the original, didn't plan the follow-up, but have been posting dates and such for the last 3. the weather is usually the interesting part of it all. forcing people out of shelters so we can take over, stuff like that. that, and the times around camp. be prepared for #&%!$ty winter conditions and hope for a beautiful fall day. we may see both. bring food or drink to share.


if everyone is lucky, i will have my world famous fruitcake with me again.

mooooohaaaaaaaaa.”

“Full winter gear list...check.”

“Dub, I have been the last 2 yrs, missing this yrs trip :( but it has not been the best of conditions either time. First yr the night when we meet was nice but after that it went downhill. It rained, temps dropped, change to snow, wind picked up. We tarped in the opening at the Thomas Knob shelter becasue of the wind.
Next yr it rained, winds at 50-70 mph across the scales, probably died down to 30-40 mph at R. Gap...messy,messy trips but had a blast and hating i am missing it this yr”

“my hawaian shirt and shorts. Its gonna be sunny and warm.”

“So I might skip the halloweenies and come on this trip. Will there be any tricks or treats???”

“bring your costume.”

“tricks and treats...just for YOU...

"Hey little girl...I got some CANDY for YOU!"”

“lol, whatasetup!”

“stikmon, I hope you can hike in a hawaiian shirt and shorts.”

“I'm just wondering how many layers he will have on under the hawaiian shirt and shorts”

“they prevent free flow of soothing air (and groping female hands).”

“Just so you remember, Little Bit and myself went to Rhod. Gap last year and spent the night at the campsite near the spring below the gap. This is where everyone said they would be and then bailed on us. It was too windy on the gap, but not too bad down by the spring. I got mild hypothermia and had to get warm and dry asap. Ya'll need a plan and stick too it, please don't leave less experienced hikers up there on the mountain. We did ok and there where others up at the gap campsite with us. We woke up to a beautiful morning, but soon the conditions deteoriated again. Poor Little Bit kept blowing over, but we made it out ok. I probably can't make it this year, but I really want to see everyone again. Ya'll be safe!
last edited: 10/15/04 10:14:26 AM”

“make a commitment and stick to it. If I knew that Lil bit was suffering, id'a run to her rescue. (she was afterall an attractive, single, shiela).

Is she still around????”