TT Basic Skills Trip Thread

“BusyBee (girl) is 10...still attempting to make this trip. We'll see...”

“not bringing any bikes”

“any one taking a bbq?”

“
Friday, Nov 9
High: 54 °F RealFeel®: 48 °F
Times of clouds and sun

Friday Night, Nov 9
Low: 35 °F RealFeel®: 29 °F
Partly cloudy

Saturday, Nov 10
High: 56 °F RealFeel®: 55 °F
Sunny to partly cloudy

Saturday Night, Nov 10
Low: 36 °F RealFeel®: 35 °F
Mainly clear

Sunday, Nov 11
High: 63 °F RealFeel®: 56 °F
Sunshine and patchy clouds

Sunday Night, Nov 11
Low: 39 °F RealFeel®: 42 °F
Partly cloudy

Monday, Nov 12
High: 66 °F RealFeel®: 68 °F
Partly sunny”

“counting down the days .I'm taking friday and the rest of the week for vac. woooooooooooooo hooooooooooooo”

“Who is still in for this event? And who wants some oysters. I plan to bring a bushel with me, but if there is an interest in oysters by others then I will bring more.”

“I'd rather have shrimp or crab legs...”

“Sa and I are not oyster fans either.

Sa and I are leaving this evening (Tuesday) from Illinois. We will prob stop somewhere in Indiana this evening and drive the rest of the way on Wed.

Sa will be dropping me (and Mugsy) at Max Patch on Thursday morning. I'm hoping to convince Sa to make the short walk up to Max Patch (~1/2 mile?). Sa will then head off to Sevierville/Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg (gag) for sight-seeing/shopping on the rest of Thurs and part of Friday.

Mugsy and I will then hike toward Hot Springs, probably staying Thurs night at Walnut Mt or Catpen Gap. Friday we will hike the rest of the way to Hot Springs.

Sa and I have Cabin #4 for Friday and Saturday evening for TT.

Sunday I'm thinking of a short dayhike from Tanyard Gap back to Hot Springs (~6 miles)before heading back home.”

“hyway does up a mean oyster cookin!”

“ME! I want some.”

“Man, I love oysters. Just not the Rocky Mtn. variety...”

“Hyway does up some really REALLY good crab legs and shrimp and I have been told the oysters are superb!!”

“hey I'd like maybe a pound shrimp. if you can ... looking forward to seeing every one again.”

“Ok, the crowd has thinned out but it just makes it more manageable. I will be there by noon on Friday and secure a group site.

Friday night is meet and greet and reacquaint night. Not sure what I will cook yet, but I will make a bunch of it. Probably shrimp creole.

Saturday morning we are going over

map reading
knot tying
loading a pack
building a fire (in rain or otherwise)

Provided someone has a silnylon tarp and will demo the various ways to pitch it, we'll do that as well.

There is ample opportunity for dayhikes and I plan to do an out and back on the AT South.

These are the topics that came up again and again. If we can get a demo on the reflector oven, it will be appreciated.

I will be making smordiatas Saturday.

Any other topics we want to go over, we will work in.

Plan is to work on the topics between breakfast and noon, rest of the day to hike and work on map reading in more detail. I think map reading is the one skill I see most people struggle with the most and IMHO is the most important skill to be covered.

Any comments?”

“Yeah, I'm lost, how about a search and rescue team”

“Ground signalling in case of being lost, good idea. I will see if I can find a manual on that.”

“I do not Know if I can make it yet me and dillon might show up Sat. and leave Sun Do you have to have reservations or can you just rent sights when you get there?Hope to see you all”

“Looks like the crowd has dropped off quite a bit. Chili, do you have any idea how many are still proposing to come?”

“Looks like a solid dozen, hyway.

Usual for a TT trip.”

“I am 5 peeps. That doesn't leave very many :)”

“I am upping to 16 then. I counted you as 1.”

“I booked us a cabin though. I may put up a tent in the group area, but Trish and Jason will need the great indoors.”

“I understand. As cold as it was last night, not a bad move.”

“Ok, I am outta here. I will probably get to log on tomorrow. If there are any questions or comments, direct them tho NGB.”

“I think he meant he would probably NOT get to log in tomorrow...LOL”

“Wish I could go, but gas is going to cost me $150 round trip. Maybe next time...sniff”

“I'm very doubtful so I dropped.
If something changes I'll head over on Saturday.”

“Sa and I just checked into a motel in Newport, TN. Headed to Max Patch in the morning....”

“Is there a burn ban in NC?”

“chili I'm still in with one kid.
should be there around 5 or 6”

“So close to home...yet so far away :-( Wish I could make it but family obligations prohibit it.

AND...I'm missing Hyways oysters...AGAIN!!!”

“Sorry everyone, but I can't make this trip on this weekend. I have 3 different things going on and just can't be at all 3.
Mid. TN Flyfishers has a trip to Hiwassee River, I have drawed 5 turkey qouta hunts starting Sat. and this trip. I have already planned the turkey hunt and been invited to go with a seasoned veteran on a guided hunt. I will be thinking about ya'll and I know you will have a great trip.
last edited: 11/08/07 10:50:11 AM”

“I am sitting here trying to decide what to do. one of my girls has been home from school sick for 2 days, and Jason is home today because he wasn't feeling well and had diarrhea all day yesterday. Trish was going to stay home with them and brianna and I were heading up, but she woke up with a Migraine this morning. I suspect if I go to the mountains it will become an all weekend one, but if I stay it will clear up by this afternoon.

This is tough. I don't want to spread whatever sickness that is going around here, but I haven't been to the mountains in months and I was looking forward to meeting old friends and new people. Not to mention I reserved a cabin and I don't know their cancelation policy.”

“I have got to bail out. Something for the Family has come up. Maybe next time ,This would be a good Idea for an annualy event for the families”

“Hyway...I totally understand your situation. It is like one of those situations that you can't win!

I would say see how Brianna feels and come on. Your other daughter can help Trish if needed.

I'm sorry you are stuck in that process.”

“hey hyway come to see you . if not than at linville trip.
Also i dont think you can get your $$$ back if you dont go. but i hope you make it .”

“I am out..I don't have an extra 75.00 laying around for gas”

“Ewker, turn in your empties:)”

“i'm out.”

“Having fun.... Wish you were here... Sucks to be you.”

“made it home safe more on the trip later”

“Sa and I had a great time. Chili can sure whip up the grub. What a beautiful part of the country. Those of you that couldn't make it really missed out.....

We stopped in Corbin, KY for the evening and will get home tomorrow.

Calves are really burning from 32 miles on the AT.”

“I arrived about noon FR and secured a group site along side the French Broad River. We set up camp and in mid afternoon, stomper arrived and stated she had seen chinmusic in town. Before long, EZ Hiker (who obtained his trail name over the weekend due to his very easy going nature on the trail) arrived as well as JB and his daughter (who earned the name for chatterbox..further explaination being unnecessary).

We had chili dogs FR night and enjoyed catching up with old friends and learning more about the new ones.

SA morning involved breakfast burritos, bacon, coffee, and tea. We then held a basic map reading class for about an hour and plotted out the dayhike (from Tanyard Gap back to Hot Springs...being 5.8 miles).

The hike was relatively easy with about 800 feet of gain and about 1800 feet of loss. During our map reading class, I picked an area where I wanted to bushwhack between the AT and 309. The area was boxed in pretty tight, so I wasn't worried anyone would get lost and I knew the bushwhack would be relatively short (about 1/2 mile or less). I spread the map out on the ground, everyone map a bearing reading on our course, then we "practiced" walking a course through the woods and undergrowth using the bearing line we plotted. Worked great and we hit 309 right on target. We doubled back to the AT via the trail and resumed our hike South on the AT. The views into Hot Springs from Lovers Leap were spectacular and we took our time to take in the vista before we finished the hike. Along the way we located potential shelter spots and source of fire starter material in case of being caught in bad weather. All in all the day was well spent sharpening map skills and re affirming the best way to get dry if caught in a storm or upon becoming wet.

Back at camp, EZ hiker reviewed basic knots and then we threw down another feast with chicken/beef/shrimp fajitas before swapping lies around the campfire.

All in all a great weekend and for those who didn't make it.....


It sucks to be you.”

“I was there too BTW...”

“It sucks to write a trip report in the first person.

Fridge and Calm Spirits made an appearance too.”

“Yeah that first person stuff sucks...especially when you are the second person.”

“Now don't be an XL, just apologize and get on with your life, lol.”

“Did Hwy make it?”

“No, hyway didn't make it.”

“Oh, and in addition to not mentioning that my wife was there...I also found a geocache (stomper spotted it on our hike) and grabbed a travel bug. I think that makes 326 finds so far.

Hmm, what else did I leave out?”