'05 AT Thru Hike

“Well, I got Nimblefoot's pack today, and I checked it over just to be sure everything was okay. Everything was fine except for the food, which was all this Yankee stuff I didn't recognize. I know Nimblefoot wouldn't make it far on that kinda grub, so I changed it all out for instant cheese grits. Hope he appreciates what I did for him.”

“A real backpacker would get rid of all the packaging and put the grits in a freezer bag. Of course, he would first figure out how to measure the exact quantity each time.
last edited: 3/01/05 10:17:02 PM”

“I just opened up the packages and dumped them into his food bag.


Did I make a mistake?”

“No, no, that's fine bit. It'll be much easier for him to make just one big meal and live off of it for a while. Think of the fuel you will be saving him. You're a good man.
last edited: 3/01/05 10:40:51 PM”

“I can see myself explaining to the folks up north if I don't make it: "Well, I ate grits all the way through Georgia". I don't know if they would buy that as a reason for being attracted to farm animals or help explain the scars from the skunk, but it's worth a try.

I hit the big 60 tomorrow. Today I'm looking for some new "grippy" climbing tires for my wheel chair.”

“You'll need 'em on the AT, that's for sure.”

“Nowslimmer, you can eat those instant grits right out of the package. Just pour the hot water in, stir and eat. No need to repackage those unless you just want to.”

“Instant grits Bit? How can you call yourself a southerner?
8D”

“Just empty it out and load it up with coke, Bit! He'll get from Springer to Khatadhin in no time!”

“The other kind take too long to cook in the morning. Sure, instant grits aren't the best, but it's better than all that Yankee stuff he was carrying.

What the hell is "lutefisk" anyway?”

“If you found lutefisk in my pack, I'll gratefully accept the grits.”

“unofficial lutefisk website
http://www.geocities.com/NapaValley/3227/”

“Thanks, Ewker. The packages I have seem to be just plain paper, whereas the oatmeal ones have aluminum insides. But I took one of the empty grits' bags, put hot water in it and it did hold.”

“Nowslimmer, they work most of the time but one time it didn't(had a pin hole). Have a bowl or something to sit it in just in case of a leak.”

“For those of you who may be watching this thread, I posted my trip report of starting Nimblefoot off on the AT here.”

“instant grits?
ok...before i lmao, someone please tell me again what grits are”

“Hominy grits, or just plain grits, are an institution here in the South, though they can be hard to find in northern states. Hominy is made from flint or dent corn,varieties with hard kernels that are dried on the cob then removed and soaked in a solution of baking soda, lime, or wood ash. This process causes the hulls to soften and swell. The kernels are then hulled and degermed using friction, then dried. Grits, coarse whitish grains, are ground from hominy, as is masa harina, the flour used to make corn tortillas.”

“anything like cornmeal? cream of wheat using corn instead of wheat?
are you telling me that it's made from feed corn?”

“It kinda reminds me of cream of wheat, only with corn.

When feed corn is all ya got, ya eats it.

Sort of like the old definition of "oats" in an English dictionary, to wit:

"Oats: a grain used in England to feed horse and in Scotland to feed people".”

“lmao

k. so it must be some kind of cornmeal porrige?
why is it so hard for me to understand the food you guys eat downsouth”

“yeah, it's kinda like cream of wheat made from corn - about the same consistency too.

it's rather bland for the most part.”

“i think i might wanna try this.
wonder where i can find those instant packs
bet it would be yummy with maple syrup
last edited: 3/05/05 8:57:14 PM”

“It's not ground to a powder like cornmeal is.

And just because it's gross doesn't mean it isn't good, lol...”

“maple syurp, lotsa butter, a little salt - makes a fairly good breakfast.”

“if you're a sumo in training”

“LMAO!

just have a small bowl...”

“i didn't think cornmeal was really a powder, more granular i think. makes good cake-y bread

how about smuggling some across the border for me?”

“Bitpusher-

How was Nimblefoots send-off? Did he get his stove? Any idea of his current location?

-percious”

“Percious, the stove didn't arrive at my place in time for me to get it to him. Would you like for me to send it back to you?

I imagine that today he is headed as far as Gooch Mountain shelter, and possibly Gooch Gap, where there is good tenting.”

“gooch mountain shelter is pimp!”

“Ok Mike”

“bit- Crap. Can you send it forward to his next logical pickup point? That way he has the option to take it with him the rest of the way. (I'll send you postage $$ via PayPal.) Tell him I will pay him back for postage if he wants to return the stove he is using right now.

-percious”

“percious, to my knowledge, he doesn't have any planned maildrops, and I have no way of getting info to him to let him know he has something waiting for him. If I knew for certain he had a specific maildrop, I would send it there, but as far as I can tell, he doesn't.”

“Is there any way I can get a message to him?

-percious”

“Polenta is also the same thing, but with a finer texture, and sometimes made from yellow rather than white corn.”

“Percious, try signing his guestbook at Trail Journals. He might check it the next time he gets computer access.”

“Hey. Evidently Lizs jinxed me cuz a rock gave way on the downside of Sassafras Mt and I sprained my ankle fairly bad. I hiked on for another 6 miles that day and the ankled was much more swollen this morning. I clubfooted it out and am now at the Hiker Hostel where I'll be for several more days trying to get the swelling down. While it is possible to hike this way, it would be stupid...that much easier to fall again.

I'll get the address for Hiker Hostel if someone wants to send me the stove. Right now I'm too tired, it's nappy time.”

“Of course I could be in the Virgin Islands...”

“Tough break man! Reast up for awhile and take it easy!”

“Thats too bad Nimblefoot. I hope you have a swift recovery and are back out there soon.

When I was looking at the pics of your start I noticed you wearing trail shoes instead of boots (or thats what it looked like to me). I keep trying to talk myself into that, but then every time I go out i have a rock try to throw me and I am thankfull that I was wearing my boots. Were you wearing sneaks when you twisted your ankle?”

“Must have happened because the weight of his current stove was overburdening him... ;-) Bit, can you Mail the Stove to him? It should cost $3.85 if you do Postal Priority Mail. I will Paypal you the funds.

-percious”

“Nimblefoot-
Sorry to hear about your delay. It is a very good idea to let yourself heal up. The trail isn't going anywhere. I hope for you the best.

-percious”

“Mooooooooohahahahahaaa. The voodoo doll REALLY WORKS!!!

So are you wearing trail shoes? I keep thinking of doing it, but I "tweak" my ankles on things like roots and rocks all the time. If not for the support of my trustworthy Asolos, I'd have a sprain. I used to sprain my damn ankle all the damn time.

Also I can tell you one thing... and this may go against all reason. The last time I had a bad sprain, maybe 10 years ago, I iced it all night, but by the next morning I was up and walking on that foot, black-and-blue bruise and all. I'd seen others get stiff ankles out of having braces on and using crutches (pansies!) It worked fine for me, but I bet a doctor would have shuddered in horror.

Well... have fun. Remember there's a newly posted YRSF trip, APRIL'S FOOL! (It's that weekend, really there IS a trip!) :-)

Seriously, wishing you the best. You're the first AT hiker I've known pre-hike, so JUST GO DO IT, will ya?? :-)

With inspirational words like these, who needs enemies???!? :-)”

“nimblefoot...damn that sucks. Get better and take it easy! And send me that address.

percious, I'll mail it to him when he sends me the address. Don't sweat the $3.85.”

“Is this where he is? http://www.hikerhostel.com/

I checked their site, but I didn't see an address listed anywhere.”

“I guess it must be the place, but I didn't see an address anywhere either.”

“i WILL CALL THEM IF YOU WOULD LIKE.”