Red River Gorge Marathon Hike II

“I want to watch.”

“you guys need to talk sass into going. I'll be class ( a fun 16hr block of instruction on the 2005 electrical code changes). Just nag her till you get what you want, it works for me. I wish I could make it to this or any trip for that matter.”

“why are you so keen on getting your wife outta the house, hmmmm?”

“hey Yogisan...is it a long hike to those rocks? I would like to watch you guys...

Hey Sass, please join us...I'd love to meet you at last!
last edited: 5/03/08 7:32:53 AM”

“it only takes a few minutes to get back to the climbing routes”

“Nice, I'll bring my Slinglight chair and camera!”

“�Nice, I'll bring my Slinglight chair and camera!�

Ditto”

“Me too! Sass come join us!
last edited: 5/03/08 8:20:40 AM”

“mata: not sure if you are familiar with the red, but to get to left flank you park at martin's fork trailhead and hiker perhaps 1/4 mile (prolly less) in, passing a trail to the right that leads to military wall. before crossing a 2nd bridge you take a trail to the left and go uphill another 1/4 mile (PERHAPS, prolly less) to the cliffs. that last 1/4 mile is uphill. so easily accessible.”

“why are you so keen on getting your wife outta the house, hmmmm?�
crash bang

Cause our mattress sucks and to get really comfortable you need to be right in the middle.”

“Ours is like that too Birch. The solution we have arrived is that she sleeps in the middle and I make due with the leftovers. Good thing I sleep on my side.”

“i know how to solve this. you guys gimme your wives, i'll be more than happy to sleep in the middle”

“Sleep number bed”

“I'm planning on being there! I haven't been out in too long and I'm positively jonesing for a good long hike.
Mata, I wouldn't pass up a chance to meet you!

Windigrrl, I hear those are the best ever. Someday we'll have our dream mattress.”

“Glad to see you're joining us Sass!”

“Goody goody goody...now I'm going to make an extra, EXTRA effort to get healthier! Maybe put up a new set of prayer flags!”

“The way the gorge is you do not have to do the entire hike. There are 2 road crossings where you could jump in and your car could be picked up on return from the end of the trip.

There is even an option to start the hike, bail out to Grays Arch trailhead, drive to one of the road crossings and finish the last X number of miles of the hike.

I was going to suggest that a water/food cache be considered on Chimney Top road to reduce pack weight even more.”

“Mata no longer hikes miles...at least she won't be doing it there...my health simply does not make it a sensible thing to do...it's complicated...yogisan is familiar with my limitations which have gotten even worse since we were last together...I may be able to do light dayhikes by then and I'm big on solo hiking during the days...I'll be fine...

Thank you for the information...I've aleady printed out the area map and ordered a book on the area...Kentucky's Land of the Arches by Robert H. Ruchhoft...I always really investigate places I go...it's half the fun of going there!”

“this event is getting pretty big. the campsite you thinkin of still big enough to hold all of us, jimbo?”

“You got mail...there is a better book. Ruchhoft's was at one time the bible for RRG not any more.

For everyone Jerrell Goodpaster's books are very good.
http://www.lostbranch.com/”

“i have a rrg trail guide, but i dont believe its the goodpastor one. i'll have to check when i get home in THIRTYTWODAYS!”

“yeah. it's big enough. we can spread out along the ridge. plenty of places to pitch tents. if you are a hammock person this area is outstanding.

goodpastor's books are both outstanding guides -and- are funny as hell to read. my kind of guy.

a food and water cache is possible to reduce pack weight if you really wish, but you will be in and out of water most of the day. so if you have a fast/light treatment you won't have any problems getting water when needed. as far as food lunch and carb-rich snacks would be a good idea but i can't imagine a cache saving that much weight. i do suggest bringing a good supply of gookinade or your favorite electrolyte drink (hammer tablets too) and perhaps a few packs of gels. it will be hot during the day and prolly a little muggy. last year was not a problem -but- my quads started to cramp up and two of those hammer capsules fixed me right up! that could have been really a bad scene. it think a few others benefited from upluvers generosity on that hike.”

“btw, goodpastor was key in changing my attitudes about conservation and the red. his discussions are very compelling without being pretentious or self righteous.”

“I have added links to the parking lot for the camp site (Friday and Saturday night camp) as well as a link to the approximate location of the camp site. You park in this parking area. There are a lot of parking spaces and a pit toilet. The trail leading back along the ridge (you can see it on the topo map link) is obvious and you can't get lost... if you start walking downhill you are going the wrong way! ;) we can spread out along the ridge. there are a lot of legal camp sites here and lots of trees for hammocks. there is little fire wood (picked clean) but we can buy some and carry it in. it's less than 1/4 mile to the camp sites from the car.

there is NO WATER on this ridge... however there is a very faint trail on the one lobe of the ridge that runs downhill to a stream. if you follow the streambed down you will come to flowing water... at least it was the last few times i camped here. still, i'll just be bringing water in gallon jugs from the cars... prolly easier.

we will be camping here for two nights... basecamp.”

“i see you made the directions chinmusic-proof”

“so, what is different besides camping location and time of year?”

“LOL... yeah, chin proof!

...no difference except the camp location, time of year, and a little climbing thrown in on sunday... and i guess some new faces which is always good news.”

“i know all but two people on this trip. i love going into a big trip and knowing most of the people

and i cant believe wk has never been to the red. he's in for a treat

since we will have plenty of time, i think we should make a detour to the cliffs near the junction of the rough trail and rush ridge trail, and grays arch for sure, and maybe the caves at the top of the first climb”

“i would not mind lugging some trad gear if we saw something good to climb.”

“Hehe Yogi, don't forget the other essential item......chocolate covered expresso beans!”

“I don't do chemicals unless my pump breaks

Back in the 70s I didn't do anything to the water I got from the streams in RRG...of course this was before half a million visitors a year.

Why stay at the spot you have on tunnel ridge when there are 2 perfectly legal primitive areas located just past Grays Arch parking? Both have toilets and there is no worrying about the 300' requirement...you can camp 50' from your car

Plus your GPS coordinates do nothing for me...I don't own one
last edited: 5/05/08 3:18:53 AM”

““I don't do chemicals

at least, not since your college days, right? wink wink

Why stay at the spot you have on tunnel ridge when there are 2 perfectly legal primitive areas located just past Grays Arch parking?

well, he did include a map. look at that

i like jimmys idea better. more secluded. probably bigger too, the way he described it to me

Plus your GPS coordinates do nothing for me...I don't own one”

“I don't do chemicals

at least, not since your college days, right? wink wink

Why stay at the spot you have on tunnel ridge when there are 2 perfectly legal primitive areas located just past Grays Arch parking?


i like jimmys idea better. more secluded. probably bigger too, the way he described it to me

Plus your GPS coordinates do nothing for me...I don't own one”

well, he did include a map. look at that
last edited: 5/05/08 4:00:37 AM”

“I need to order more endurolytes asap!”

“this will be a fun trip.

i'll dig up the parking lot number when i get a chance to break out my notes. you can figure it out from the park map if you look at the pointer on the map i posted, but it will be easier if i just provide the parking lot number.

i don't own a gps either.”

“i don't own a gps either



”

“WOW! What's going on in here?”

“Should I purchace a pair of climbing shoes for Sunday?”

“if you desire”

“I ordered Goodpastor's book...I may only see 1/20th of the trails but I'll certainly know what I'm missing...

I love ridge camping...I knew if you were planning the trip there would be decent hammock camping, yogi...

I've met 4 TTers on this trip and think it's really cool I'll be meeting even more...

Gonna miss Kimchee when you get home, crash?”

“wounded knee: climbing shoes are a great investment if you plan on climbing even a few times per year. a harness is another good investment. i have one pair of shoes that is size 11 -but- they are very tight for me so a 10 or 10.5 foot night work best in them. still, these are bouldering shoes and very uncomfy by nature. i have a few extra harnesses.

i lost my GPS in the grand canyon this march and have decided not to replace it... least not right away.

it's a ridge but you can't see over it... it's a ridge but not a cliff edge or anything. think ridge as in "wooded area with steep hill on three sides". it's a nice place and pretty secluded.”

“Gonna miss Kimchee when you get home, crash?

not in the least”

“Yogi, When are you thinking about hitting the road on Sunday? I want to get some climbing in, however I also need to get home by early evening.”

“how early is early evening? it's what, a 6 hour drive back to your place traffic permitting? If we wrap up by 1pm-2pm EST we would be at your place by 6pm-7pm CST, perhaps a little later because we would have to drop people off on the way back. is that early enough?”

“Should be. Just wanted to make sure it was not going to be like 9 or after.”

“you never know what with sunday traffic back into chicago but i would think back by 9pm would be reasonable.”

“Pinch-em tight trail”

“�i see you made the directions chinmusic-proof�

Hey, hey, hey....I think I found the site just fine last time...

I do like coordinates tho.....”

“lmao!

dude, you were camped under a sign that said "No Camping" and we made you move. haha!

better let mugsy do the navigating...

;)”

“I have added a map to the parking lot for the Friday/Saturdy night camp site for those that don't want to use Google Maps.”