Hiking on Sunday?

I have been thinking that I would prefer not to hike on Sunday. I would like to use it as a worship and rest day. To do that and keep on schedule I would need to hike 18 miles a day instead of 15. I would plan on hiking 6 hours a day instead of 5. If I start at 7 am I would be finished at 2 pm instead of 1 pm. On paper it sounds good. I think taking a day off would be good for my body to strengthen. I would hike 15 miles on Saturday. I would get to a town and stay in a hotel for two nights. Saturday I would get laundry, shopping, ect. done. Then I would use Sunday for a worship day. Hopefully find a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to attend. I am thinking I might need to pack a white shirt. I would make it short sleeve for weight, also a tie.:-). Again, it sounds good in planning. It will tough to hike 18 miles. After a couple weeks hopefully it becomes comfortable, enjoyable, and not a struggle.

 

Backpack

I got my back pack. I am excited about it. It weighs less than 3 pounds and has a lot of features. I could have gotten a lighter one close to 2 pounds. It would have cost me about double, been basically a sack, and no internal frame. I am glad I got the heavier, framed, cheaper, and better looking one. Here is a picture and details. Doesn't it look great!

 

 

 

 

 

 

FEATURES of the Montane Grand Tour 55L Pack

• Constructed from ultra lightweight Raptor Zero fabric that provides an incredibly lightweight yet strong and tough pack body
• Features a superb DWR and formidable tear resistance
• Raptor UTL ultra tough, lightweight base panel prevents abrasion against rock surfaces
• Granite Stretch skirt lid side panels give a clean fabric hugging lid closure and additional storm protection with a sleek shape
• Moulded Montane 'Comfort Back Pad' features channels that wick sweat and rainwater away from the body and give additional ventilation
• 'VertErgo Tour' back system provides strength, comfort and support with load carrying over long distances
• This unique back system is extremely lightweight and can be removed for additional ultra weight saving and minimalism
• It can be shaped to fit the user's back for a specific tailored fit
• Features a pre-curved horizontal aluminum bar across the top of the back panel which provides structure for top tension straps to torque off
• This bar is pre-curved so that the pack does not inhibit head movement
• Two shoulder top tension straps allow the pack weight to be pulled close to the body and control the pack stability for the required terrain
• Waterproof shell friendly 'Contact Mesh' on the shoulder straps and Montane 'Comfort Back Pad' facings prevent abrasion on shell clothing when the pack is full to capacity and with heavy use
• Two large front stash pockets allow for storage of wet kit (for instance, a tent or tarp flysheet) whilst on the move, keeping moisture away from dry essentials
• Large top 'buddy pocket' for front access whilst on the move, perfect for storage of guide books etc. and large enough for storage of an OS map
• Two large stretch mesh lower pockets for storage of extra items
• Two walking pole attachment elastic loops with cordlock adjustment at the lower rear of the pack
• Additional side sleeves in upper compression strap for firm lock down of poles during dynamic body movement and for effective storage when not in use
• Chest harness with left hand clip prevents bulky buckles over the sternum and increases comfort with its low profile
• Four symmetrical single hand side compression straps pull around pack contents and help provide additional stability
• Wide mouth central opening with 'Cord Lord' quick release mechanism
• Internal top compression over mouth opening for additional storage of kit
• Extendable internal top sleeve for extra storm protection of contents with double compression closure on outside opening and internal sleeve opening with 'Cord Lord' quick release mechanism
• Space saving external top lid front pull allowing for good vertical pack compression
• Elastic loops on shoulder harnesses for easy access to water bottles whilst on the move
• Reversible mitt and glove friendly locking webbing buckles used throughout
• Body curve hip fins for great comfort and strong stability when on the move whatever the terrain
• Double tension waist harness for extra stability, pack weight equalization and ease of use while on the move
• Internal security pocket featuring vertical upside down zippered entry preventing coin and key loss. Also features a key clip
• Right and left hip pockets for handy storage of GPS, mobile phone, head torch, energy bar etc.
• Front central and two left and right high webbing gear loops
• Includes webbing and drawcords that can be affixed to front loops for additional stretch front storage
• Quality nylon webbing used throughout for reliability over the pack's lifetime
• H2O top right tube opening and internal bladder storage sleeve
• Double head zip and two zip garages on buddy pocket
• Arm shoulder harness gear loops and H2O tube attachment
• Montane custom made glove and mitt friendly zip pulls
• Top load easy grab hauling handle
• 360° 'Dusk Till Dawn' head torch reflectivity at lower rear of pack in optimum position
• Activities: Backpacking / Mountain Walking / High Trekking / Travel

SPECIFICATIONS of the Montane Grand Tour 55L Pack

• Fit: Active mountain
• Weight: 47.4 oz / 1,345 g

 

 

Sunday, Apr. 19; home; 0 miles today; 0 day; 0 m gone / 2,185 m to go; 0 mpd.

I have decided to use the trail name that Coltyn came up for me. I have tried it on myself multiple times and it sounds good. It is Dusty Papa. Papa because I have such great grandchildren. Dusty, who is the lead airplane in the Disney movie Planes, because I am a pilot. So, when talking about my great adventure of hiking the AT, just call me Dusty, or for my great kids Papa.

I have come up with the title for my posts. I plan to do a post every day. Here it is:

Day of week, date, name of location, day on the trail, miles hiked for day, number of miles hiked/number of miles to go, , average day speed. Anything else needed, like number of rain days?:-). Here is an example:

Friday, Feb. 26, Sherman Water Falls, 10 days, 160 m gone/2,025 m to go, 15 miles, 16 mpd.

That gives a good summary. The contents will give more details, experiences, troubles, and my feelings. I do not yet know how often I will be able to post to the internet, but I am guessing at least weekly.

 

02-15-2015

In researching the Fall Gathering in October in PA by ALDHA, AT Long Distance Hikers Association, I ran across their notes and pictures from last years gathering. Here is a picture of the participants from last Fall. I think after 5 months in the wilderness I could look like the guy on the front row, left side leaning back in the green shirt. I could end up with a full beard and looking like I have concured the world!:-).

I also got the pampnlet for the ALDHA. It tells you a little bit about what they do. I am interested that they cover other trails as well as the AT. This fall I will take informaiton about the hike we did last year on Vancouver Island. I think some of the hikers would be interested in it. Here is the pamphlet.

01-25-2015:

I am working with Blogsy. Blogsy is an app on my iPad that will let me write my blog and then publish it when I have a wi-fi, or cell connection. I am hoping that it works like that. One good thing about Blogsy is that it has videos to show you how to do applications. I need to learn how to set some of the text modes. Right now when I hit the return, it puts in a blank line. I want it to just return, and not put in a space line. I found it and got it switched to just return and no line.

Hey, I figured out a problem. When I drug over a photo it was blurry. I read in the FAQ that the location for photo library had to be on for this to work. I tracked it down in the iPad settings and turned it on. Now clear photos.

Now to try and publish this.

I got it published, but it came over with no blank lines between the pharagraphs. Still a lot to learn with Blogsy, but I got a good start.

I also need to figure out my daily format so I record distance, time, speed, and anything else I want recorded daily. Maybe temperature. That brings up a question. How do I read the temperature. I wonder if an iPad can do that?

Monty's Appalachian Trail Hike

01-14-2015.

Time to start my blog and journal for my Appalachian Trail hike. I will start my hike in February or March of 2016. About a year from now. I am starting to prepare now. I am excited.

I received my book "Thru Hiker Companion - 2015". It is written by The Appalachian Long Distance Hikers Association, ALDHA, and The Appalachian Trail Conservancy. Cambria actually ordered it for me from Amazon and it was shipped to her home. To get all of you questions answered about the trail The Appalachian Trail Conservancy seems to be the place to go. Their web page is appalachiantrail.org.

"Appalachian Trail Thru-Hikers' Companion - 2015" has a strip chart of ever mile, all 2,185, showing elevation, post offices, towns, hotels. Here is the beginning and the end. You will have to zoom in to see.

 

Getting this companion is a good start. I still need to do a lot more research. I am studying back packs right now and hope to get it ordered next week. Starting this blog is start of the beginning.

While talking with Susan Horne it came up how far the trail was from Winter Quarters to Salt Lake City for the pioneers, and how did it compare to my hike. From Winter Quarters to Salt Lake City it is 1,032 miles. The Appalachian trail is 2,185 miles. I will walk twice the distance that the pioneers did.

More than 3 million people use the trail every year. Doesn't sound like I will get any of my desired alone time. Thousands of people start out to hike the entire trail in one year. Only 1 in 4 make it.

It takes most thru-hikers five to seven months to hike the entire Appalachian Trail. The average is a week or two shy of six months. My goal is to hike 15 miles a day. If I meet that it will take me 145.7 days which is 8 days shy of 5 months. I will be happy to finish it in 6 months. If I start March 1st, I would finish the end of July, or August.

01-15-2015.

I down loaded the Blogsy app for my iPad. With this app I will be posting my blogs. Haven't started using it yet, but it looks pretty easy. Josh recommended it to me.

01-16-2015.

Here is a map of my hike. For an interactive map that shows location of shelters, vistas, shelters, pictures, etc. go to appalachiantrail.org and choose interactive map.

01-22-2015.

I joined the Appalachian Trail Long Distance Hikers Association, ALDHA, today. By doing so I got a digital copy of "Appalachian Trail Thru-Hikers' Companion. Now I do not have to carry the hard copy. It is the source for resources along the trail like post offices, shelters, towns, hotels, etc.

01-23-2015.

Very excited!  It is 4 in the morning and I just down loaded the demo section of the trail for my map app I am going to use, anyway pretty sure I am going to use. It is Guthook's AT Hiking Guide. It is great. They have it for apple and android. You can take a look at it, see below. It has GPS. I even asked it to give me directions from home. A Google map came up and gave the directions. It also has pictures you can pull up. I looked at a waterfall which is the largest in George the info. button said. The waterfall name is Amicalola Falls. It has a trail register where you can write and read what other hikers have said. You can load different types of maps from road to satellite, to USGS National Map, ect. With a touch of a button it shows the elevation you are climbing. The entire program references at what mile you are on the trail, from 0 to 2185 at the end.

Maybe the best thing is the app has an option to email my GPS coordinates to you. You will be able to find me on google map if you want.

So much for my excitement. Check it out at by down loading the free app on your iPhone or android. It is really neat. https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/at-hiker-guthooks-guide/id605447532. This is for apple. Go to http://www.sierraattitude.com/appalachian-trail-at-hiker/ to get the android app. In the apple app there is only on app choice that comes up. I was a fraud I would have to pay for it. Don't worry. Go ahead and put in your ID. Then once in it gives you the option to get the free demo, or buy sections of the trail.  Let me know what you think if you look at it.

I am checking out if the have a family sharing of the app. If so, you will be able to follow my trek and see what I am looking at. It could be like a post card from Papa:-). 

Speaking of Papa, I probably need to get a trail name from my grand kids. From what I am reading it sounds like all of the thru hikers have a trail name. Won't be as good as Wolf, but could be fun. Papa comes to mind, but my kids will come up with something better. For example Guthook is the trail name of the author of the Guthook's AT hiking Guide. His real name is Ryan Linn.