Midwest Mob-fest '07

“OK, here it is! I posted the date, and everyone seemed in agreement on the location. Now about the route...

I thought it would be cool to do the Sheltowee trace from clifty up to the suspension bridge or further, but it would also be cool to do the rough trail to swift camp creek starting at Martins Fork and going all the way across the park. What do you all think? I'm open to suggestions.”

“:(

Well I guess I'm out for this one. I'll have to scout it out for ya a week before.

OOOPs....I didnt know mike was logged in? LOL
last edited: 9/30/07 8:39:13 AM”

“Call in sick. That's what they all tell me. This will be close to the end of the year so what are you saving it for? LOL!”

“Thats the thing mean, I have the least senority here, so I have the last say in choosing days off....Everyone has already blocked out those days for themselves. If I called sick all those days I would have to have a doctors note... PLUS I am trying to save PTO for a big trip next year. It would be easy to call one day off sick, but not 3 or 4.”

“gotacha. We'll miss you dearie.”

“I'll miss you guys too, I will jast have to do the hike before you guys do ;)...you know, make sure the trail is alright for ya! lol”

“I'm a maybe, but the only thing that worries me is the safety of my vehicle?

And, I'd like to do hike across the whole park as well? With one night deep in the backcountry, so to speak?

The Sheltowee would be cool, I've often thought about doing it from Natural Bridge S.P. north to Cave Run Lake?
last edited: 9/30/07 9:28:43 AM”

“I've never had anything done to my car there. (knocking on wood)”

““I've never had anything done to my car there. (knocking on wood)”
Sassafras
10:35:37 AM
9/30/07

I've only been there once with the family, but I've heard some horror stories? This was back in the mid-90's though?”

“I want it to be a backpacking trip. DOWN WITH CAR CAMPING!!!

I have never had a problem with my vehicle, and the only first hand account I have heard is from Crash Bang. I would have wanted blood for that one...”

“Oops, yep I saw in your other thread that we think alike, backpacking that is.

The Sheltowee from Natural Bridge SP to Cave run Lake might be cool, although, I'm not sure on the mileage.

24 miles or less for this trip, would suit me fine, unless were talking, a lot of climbing?
last edited: 9/30/07 9:33:51 AM”

“nah, prolly not a lot of climbing (unless you're Jimmysan) I would look for 8-12 miles per day. That should be simple enough not to turn folks away, yet long enough to let you know you went somewhere.”

“I'm in!”

“Crash did leave everything open. Not that I blame him, locking my doors would've been the last thing on my mind in his situation.”

“I have a long standing agreement with my wife to not take a trip during December because everything is so crazy. I think I'll go ahead and start working on her about this trip 8)”

“quick question. There is a trail that heads out from Martins Fork. It doesn't have a trail number like the others do. If you go one way it leads to a view of Ravens Point. If you go the other way it leads to Tunnel Ridge Road. Anyone know what trail that is?”

“i have done the martins fork/sheltowee/suspension bridge/greys arch like waaaay to many times.

i would prefer to NOT camp at martin's fork... it's just really cold in there and there has got to be other places to camp that are just as nice and a lot warmer.

i could stand to hike swift camp creek again.

don't plan based on my comments, however. i'll go climbing and hook up with the group later.”

“hey ewker, i know the trail you are talking about. let me know what you find out. i haven't gotten a good answer yet.”

“Jimmy San, do you know if anyone has even hiked it. It seems there are a few in that area not marked unless it is on some other type of RRG map”

“the trail that crosses the second bridge from martin's fork splits. the left-hand split walks through the badly-abused place people camp in and then over a 3rd bridge, up onto a ridge, and back into the gorge. this is 221 (rough trail). if you walk straight from the 2nd bridge you will cross several streams/etc and start to see blazes that would also indicate that you are on 221. eventually this trail joins back up with the rough trail. my theory (unproven) is that the original 221 ran through this lower section but was very wet and problematic and that at some point the trail was re-routed onto the ridge where it resides today. anyway, off of the "rough trail that isn't the rough trail" about 1/4 mile from the bridge there is a trail that branches to the right and I think this is the one you are talking about. the area opens up and the trail crosses another pretty abused camp site that clearly sees a lot of use. i can't find this trail on any map and, ewker, i am thinking this is the trail you are talking about. it clearly gets a fair amount of use but it's also rather rough in spots and doesn't look maintained. i don't recall any blazes. i have never hiked it to the end but it does head back in the direction of tunnel ridge road. it's for sure not an old road (not wide enough with fairly established older trees).

the gorge is laced with trails not on any map, and some i have seen are very faint and clearly not traveled that often, at least by humans. this trail, however, is clearly used quite often and as I said there is a really, really established camp site right on the trail itself that clearly sees a lot of use.

there is a second camp site just up the ridge from this camp site but it's on a hill. the last time i was at the gorge i walked back into this area and then back into the sticks where i threw down my groundcloth and quilt and crashed next to a log on a flat spot on the side of a hill. it was a great night hike with the moon and all, but it was soooo dark when the moon set. i slept like the log i was leaning against!”

“JS, thanks...the maps that I have are from OutrageGIS. They show quite a few trails with no numbers. At least they label the campsites and views on these trails also.

Don't you have the maps from that site?”

““I have a long standing agreement with my wife to not take a trip during December because everything is so crazy. I think I'll go ahead and start working on her about this trip 8)”
dayhiker
4:42:41 AM
10/01/07

Ditto”

“ewker: yeah, i have them up in my closet somewhere. they are pretty maps. i used one of them when i took the kids down there a few months ago. other than that they have seen zero use. i think i have a few maps of rrg from this site but i have only used one of them.”

““I have a long standing agreement with my wife to not take a trip during December because everything is so crazy. I think I'll go ahead and start working on her about this trip 8)”
dayhiker
4:42:41 AM
10/01/07

Ditto”
Wounded Knee
12:11:18 PM
10/01/07


The joys of being single and having the kids grown up. Except every now and then I have to baby-sit my granddaughter during the week days..not the weekends


JS, their maps are better than the 3'x6' paper map you get from the ranger station. That thing is a pain to fold and unfold
last edited: 10/01/07 10:15:24 AM”

“There is a book called Hinterlands by Jerrell Goodpaster that has many of the unmarked trails listed in it and how to find them. I think it's a great book, but I don't know the gorge very well and it's great for finding stuff.
I'm not sure if it has the trail your talking about in it. I will look at it sometime today and see if I can figure it out.”

“If I am following your directions correctly, the book calls it Ravens Rock Overlook Trail.
Not totally sure.”

“haha, cool. now i gotta find a copy of that book. i knew it was out there but never took the time to buy it.

thanks windi!”

“So what is the plan? Are we meeting up on Friday, then hiking SAT and SUN?”

“

how can a MIDWEST mobfest be held in the SOUTH?”

“kentucky can't help it if it's a border state”

“Good bourbon comes from KY”

“Why yes it does. Woodford Reserve, a campfire, and passing the bottle with MileMonster and Buddha Bear come to mind.”

“........Will you change the name of the trip? LOL !

What will constitute a Mob-Fest? I'd say 12 or more people, would be a mob, at least on the trail anyway?

Maybe next year you could have the Mob-Fest a different location, as well? perhaps "Mt.Rogers NRA/Grayson Highlands?" But then you'd have to drop the Midwest from the trip title? Call it, the Mt.Rogers Mob-Fest? Or, if you held the trip in Michigan, then it could be the Michigan Mob-fest !
last edited: 10/03/07 5:14:03 PM”

“I'll be with them in spirit :(. Actually, I'll probebly go the weekend before amd make sure to pee on all the good tent sites :P :D
last edited: 10/03/07 5:23:02 PM”

“Can't you trade weekends with someone?”

“Nope :( Its not even a remote possibility.”

“Take this job and shove it! I ain't working here no more.”

“don't make this harder then it already is :(”

“Is this really a Sat-Monday trip?”

“Yep, MG works a crazy schedule.”

“some of us might do a Friday to Monday trip or a Friday to Sunday trip depending on the job.”

“I'm going to start watching this and see what happens. I haven't been on a trip since March other than a quick kids trip to the Smokies in July.”

““Call in sick. That's what they all tell me. This will be close to the end of the year so what are you saving it for? LOL!”


IM TELLING!!!
(only kidding)

you help me quit smoking and ill show you up anyday. :)”

“so, there's no mob and it's not in the midwest...i'm reporting you to elise for false advertising”

“oh, and BRING ON THE STORIES ABOUT MEAN!!! i need some good blackmail! :)”

“I'll help you quit. I quit cigars about the time you started here.

BTW, dont believe anything you hear regarding me wearing nothing but a miguels pizza box. However I will not promise not to lead you one a three day off trail treck in constant thunderstorms. The only thing you can count on me admitting to, is bringing booze on every trip. ;-)”

“

Need I say more?

LMAO, sorry MG..had to do it :D”

“I can always count on you Joe. Thanks. LOL!”

“oh man. officially saved to email. THANK YOU!!!”

“I will not promise not to lead you one a three day off trail treck in constant thunderstorms
Just one day of bushwacking through the thickest stuff you can imagine, through a creek waist deep for over a mile, through a thunderstorm, bee stings,...
and why do I keep hiking with this guy? LOL
last edited: 10/09/07 2:47:16 PM”