new hiker

““no one said i list was locked in stone if you can make changes to better me than feel free just keep in mind i dont have money”
jerseynewhiker
11:58:04 AM
9/11/07

Just turn around 180 degrees and go south maybe”

“Chris, what happened with the tent? did you get it?”

“Seriously. Try this trek out in PA first. Less remote, and some of us might be able to pluck you off trail when you decide you've had enough.”

“Through early morning fog I see visions of the things to be
The pains that are withheld for me I realize and I can see . . .
That suicide is painless it brings on many changes
And I can take or leave it if I please.

I try to find a way to make all our little joys relate
Without that ever-present hate but now I know that it’s too late,

and . . .That suicide is painless it brings on many changes
And I can take or leave it if I please.

The game of life is hard to play. I’m gonna lose it anyway.

The losing card I’ll someday lay so this is all I have to say.

That suicide is painless it brings on many changes
And I can take or leave it if I please.

The only way to win is cheat and lay it down before I’m beat,

and to another give my seat for that’s the only painless feat.

That suicide is painless it brings on many changes
And I can take or leave it if I please.

The sword of time will pierce our skins it doesn’t hurt when it begins

But as it works its way on in the pain grows stronger . . . watch it grin, but . . .
That suicide is painless it brings on many changes
And I can take or leave it if I please.

A brave man once requested me to answer questions that are key
'Is it to be or not to be' and I replied 'oh why ask me?'
That suicide is painless it brings on many changes
And I can take or leave it if I please.
And you can do the same thing if you choose.”

“One other thing you need to get used to is lonliness, you need to get a particular mindset to solo hike for that length of time.
Also remember that whichever direction you head you're going to have long long nights - I'd maybe try to scrounge up a small radio and some books.
last edited: 9/11/07 11:57:11 AM”

“pam yeah i got the frosty ridge II”

“ok i'll tell you all what i will do
i will look into going south if i can find some work for stay places i need to find at least 2 to sway my mind so i'm gonna go to some looking
and Y2 lonliness is not an issue i'm use to being alone”

“good! leave that other thing at home, hell maybe even trash it? nah, it might be ok for summer.

is there even a need for a tarp then?”

“i guess not everyone is saying not to bring it so i wont”

“"work for stay"? You know there are shelters and campsites, right?”

“yeah i know but 3 months out it would be nice to have a nice bed or have a nice hot meal whats the best way to get that with no money work for it you maybe wash dishes for a real meal doing work around the house for a shower stuff like that”

“A very small radio might not be a bad idea for weather reports if you can keep it dry.
Forget the books. Books are HEAVY.
You will only be interested in eating and then going to sleep after a long day on the trail. Very few thruhikers I've camped with have stayed up much after dark. Most start snoring right at dark.”

“You may happen to find something like that, but there's no guarantee. If you get into a town and let your needs be known, things have a way of working out. Often Hostel owners are very receptive to that kind of a deal. In my opinion you will find more trail magic and assistance going south vs. going north, especially once you get out of the mid-atlantic states. It seems a little scary to me that you would plan on depending on something like that. But, you're young and going hungry is good for the soul. lol.”

“two way radio maybe? don't they have running weather reports? this way it does double duty. of course, one that has the range he would really need, is out of his price range.

i guess simple transistor is all that he can afford”

“Hmmmm... I have no idea about work for stay, but you might find some good info at Whiteblaze.net about that. Also, I have heard that some hostels do this kind of thing. You might want to contact them ahead of time and arrange something. Many hostels are listed in the Thru-hiker Companion.”

“i know that
thats how i arranged them for going north”

“Are you taking some sort of ground insulation, like a closed cell blue pad from WalMart, KMart, Target?
The ground and those wood shelter floors are COLD.”

“that's a good idea Chris, how much do those things cost Stovie?”

“Anywhere from 15 bucks up to over 100”

“I've seen them at Big Lots really cheap.”

“I think I bought one of the blue Walmart jobs for $8.”

“3lb bag rice
2lb bag egg noodle
gravy mix (beef flavor)
4lb bag orzo pasta
dry mix sause
jar of peanutbutter
jelly singles
coffee and sugar
1lb bag of peas
a bag of homemade trail mix
one a day vitiams
and for my frist night i'm spluging with chopmeat and sausage with spagetti and bread


Is it just me or does this food list completely lack the nutrients required?
last edited: 9/11/07 12:30:25 PM”

“Blue Closed Cell foam pad is about $7 at Wal-Mart. He doesn't need a high priced pad, WK.”

“http://www.campmor.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=7636&memberId=12500226

Sorry stovie, off by 5
last edited: 9/11/07 12:32:00 PM”

“He has vitamins”

“ok i'll hike over to walmart tommorrow morning to go pick one up
is it small enough to roll up with me sleeping bag

bear what food would you reccommend”

“jerseynewhiker is Pamela's troll!
last edited: 9/11/07 12:36:50 PM”

“my revision of your list

only one pair of pants, nylon zip off
3 t- shrits, nylon
1 long sleeve shirt
1 fleece pullover or jacket
ditch the hooded sweatshirt (wool)
ditch the winter jacket (wool)
2 pair thick socks (wool blend)
2 pair thin socks (polypro)
2 pair underwear (nylon)
1 pair of thermal underwear top&bottom
pile or fleece cap w/ear flaps
ditch the ski mask
fleece gloves

sleeping bag
tent, try to get a two man 2 or 3 season
cooking pot and lid
ditch the a peice of srceen( to cover the pot for a strainer)
alumin foil
cup
spoon
ditch the rope & keep nylon string
toothpaste/brush
sample size deodorant
hotel size bar of soap in baggie
head lamp with extra batteries
nootboke/envolopes/stamps/3 pencils
raingear which consist of a real cheap plastic poncho and 3 heavy dutty contractor garbage bags also gonna bring 3 extra bags
go to a thrift and buy a cheap but fully waterproof nylon rain coat or poncho.
1 small folding knife
first aid kit W/ ace bandage/icy hot/ 2 heat patches
add bandaids and burn gel, blister kit to first aid kit
homemade alcohol stove w/fuel (make sure you have tested it and know how much fuel you will need)
tp
waterproof matches
ditch the small shovel
ditch the hatchett
ditch the tarp6x10 & 4x10, unless its the footprint for the tent.
add a foam sleeping pag
add a water filter or aqua mira water treatment


Measure the instant rice by cups, with at least one cup per meal. Try some freezer bag meals with rice, and bring ingredients for those recipes. Your food sounds pretty unappealing to me, so I hope you know what you are going to cook with it. Peas take a long time to cook, have you calculated how much fuel it will take with this stuff?

The food sounds like a shot in the dark, not planned in sufficient detail. Have you tested the recipes you are going to use? Way not enough protein.

3lb bag rice
2lb bag egg noodle
gravy mix (beef flavor)
4lb bag orzo pasta
dry mix sause
jar of peanutbutter
jelly singles
coffee and sugar
1lb bag of peas
a bag of homemade trail mix
one a day vitiams
and for my frist night i'm spluging with chopmeat and sausage with spagetti and bread
last edited: 9/11/07 12:41:41 PM”

“what the hell is a troll anyway i'd like to at least know what you guys are calling me”

“hey guys, i'm sorry but i have to get up and go, i have an intake over at the V.A. to get my meds started there now that my health insurance is over. my topamax is almost finished and i'm trying to avoid a seizure.

Chris, you listen to these guys, a lot of them have more experience than i do, hell, probably most of them do. I've always listened and never come up wrong.

And you guys be nice to him, i've adopted him as one of my kiddos, another of my children of the heart.”

“Have you tested the recipes you are going to use? Way not enough bread.

yes i have some pretty good recipes of soups and stews i'd make as well as different ways of severing it how could i get bread in my deit without it going stale”

“One thing you may want to play around with is some more variety in your food. I know I get bored eating the same thing every day to the point that I stop eating it. Not a good thing when you need those calories to get you to the next stop on the trail.”

“how could i get bread in my deit without it going stale”
jerseynewhiker
3:52:20 PM
9/11/07
ignore this user

Try tortillas and flat bread.”

“You need more protein, or you will muscle waste on such a long hike...Peanutbutter will only get you so far, like a week...”

“thats pretty messed up to say to someone looking for help i'm no troll and if you think i'm posting this to star agurement your wrong dont like what is said dont put you 2 cents in all i asked for was help. its ingnorance to call me a troll”

“I meant way not enough protein, and changed it to say that, apparently after your comment. The food looks scary. I think Les Stroud would be eating dead fish and worms after a week of this diet.”

““thats pretty messed up to say to someone looking for help i'm no troll and if you think i'm posting this to star agurement your wrong dont like what is said dont put you 2 cents in all i asked for was help. its ingnorance to call me a troll”
jerseynewhiker
3:56:17 PM
9/11/07

Don't let it bother you. It's a bit of a tradition here. Nothing more than hazing the newbie.”

“Yeah, lack of protein sticks out big time. Not much fat, either. Unless that bag of Trail mix is for 3 months?

And still no water purifier? I use 3-4L a day. You gonna collect all that or risk water sources on the AT...when you can find them?”

“The surviorman Les would eat worms and dead fish anyway...I watched him do it on a rerun last night.”

“Perhaps a weekend shakedown hike would be a good idea before you head out?

Pack what you think you want, and I'll take you for a hike on the NJ AT. You could get some of those miles done and see how it feels.

Then we can stop hazing the noob. ;)”

““The surviorman Les would eat worms and dead fish anyway...I watched him do it on a rerun last night.”
sweetpeastu
4:08:56 PM
9/11/07

Only bad fishermen eat the bait. I take it Les needs to hone up on his angling skills.”

“Every fish I've ever eaten was dead.”

“Good girl, Spindlette.”

“Yeah, Spindle, good idea.”

“that sounds great but i cant this weekend i have a memorial for my dad to attend and that wed i'm leaving if i decide to go south and you'd like to hike the weekend shakedown i'd be up for that”

“Now we're gettin' somewhere...”

“spindle's one craaaaaaazzzzzzzy mofo!”

“South or Northbound no prob. Where are you planning to start from and what do you expect your daily mileage to be?”