You can send me a mesage by email: jim at i-rant.org
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JimmyC
Update - to my post: 2008 Hike - in Google Maps @ i-rant
We did go out this week and it was fantastic!
This is the view from the top of Rocky Bald
I have more pictures in my Web Gallery. Movie to come…. yes - I lugged my HD Vid Cam.
Shout out to Tim, our new friend from Wisconsin!
Google Maps - these are the waypoints on our hike in June, 2008:
This year we are hiking from Rock Gap to the NOC - Nantahala Outdoor Center - US 19 and the River in Wesser, NC.
We will arrive Wednesday June 11 around 9:00AM and park our car at the Store and then get shuttled to Rock Gap. From Rock Gap - here is the breakdown:
OR - Alternate Route:
NOC: Since 1972, NOC has shared the outdoors with millions of guests on white water river rafting trips, with all varieties of kayak and canoe instruction, on mountain bikes and around the world with our adventure travel trips. Located in western North Carolina near the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, NOC is within easy driving distance of Atlanta, Charlotte and Knoxville. Our world-class staff leads whitewater (some say white water!) rafting trips on nine of the East’s best rivers, including the Chattooga, Cheoah, French Broad, Nantahala, Nolichucky, Ocoee, Gauley, New and Pigeon. Learn to whitewater paddle from the pros in our renowned canoe and kayak Paddling School. We also offer group programs, ropes courses, flat water kayaking, flyfishing and hiking.
This is a terrific laundry list of stuff to take/have for Family Camping. A bit more then I use but a good place to start
I love reading tidbits during my lunch break. This is a great idea - esp when I’m hiking.
I think BJ has done the work for us this year. Terrific site and one Andrew and I can use to plan this leg of our trip. Check this out: Appalachian Trail Adventures - 2007 Trip Planning
We are trying to find a place to hike on the AT this year. Perhaps not to many hills as neither of us have been conditioning. I suggested the Shenandoah in VA beacuse its on the Blue Ridge. My issue with flat areas in VA is too many people and pollution.
In 2005 I finished the last section of GA. I would like to continue on in NC. It would be too difficult to get to Bly Gap to start where NC starts - only option is to hick south and north from .
This is pretty much what I did in 2005 to get to Bly from the south. A shuttle guy dropped me at Blue Ridge Gap and I walked 3 miles norht to Bly, then turned around and walked back.
So this year I don’t know where we will go - Here is my idea:
| Thursday, May 17, Day 0: | Meet in Atlanta | Travel Day |
| Friday, May 18, Day 1: | Up 4:00AM –
5:00AM: drive to Deep Gap, USFS71 and Park the truck. |
125 Miles – approx 3 Hour Drive |
| 8:00AM Meet Shuttle Driver – Shuttle to Tellico Gap, NC 1365 | 42 miles – approx 2 Hour Drive | |
| Hike Miles 0-3.6 | 10:00AM Hike to Cold Spring Shelter just south of Copper Ridge Summit.
Lunch: Rocky Bald Sleep: Cold Spring Shelter. |
3.6 Miles – Hike up approx 1,000 feet over 1.5 miles and then rolling to Copper Ridge, down to shelter.
Mile 1.4: Good Spring on right after long climb. WATER Mile 1.7 Rocky Bald Trail Mile 2.9 Vista – Copper Ridge Bald Mile 3.6 Cold Spring Shelter |
| Saturday, May 19, Day 2:
Hike Miles 3.6-15.7 |
6:00AM to 6:00PM
Cold Spring to Siler Bald Shelter |
12.1 Miles - Gradual up and down for 6 miles then 1 mile up 800 feet, down up for 2 miles, then down 2,500 feet 3 miles, up 1,000 for 2.
Mile 5.2-5.5 – Tower Overlook – Sloping Spring just before WATER Mile 8.1 Crossroads 12.1 - .5 mile walk to shelter |
| Sunday, May 20, Day 3
Hike Miles 15.7-28.5 |
6:00AM to 6:00PM
Siler Bald to Big Spring Gap Shelter |
12.8 Miles – Down 1,000 for 4 miles then up and over 800 for 4 miles. Up 800 for 3, up 500 for 4.
Mile 2.7 US64 Winding Stair – trash cans and picnic areas – Spring just north. WATER Mile 6.8 Wallace Gap Old 64. Just east of St. Ind Campground. Mile 7.0~ .7 mile blue blaze to John Wasilik HUGE Poplar Tree. Near USFS 67 Mile 7.5 Rock Gap Shelter Mile 10 Blue Blaze to S.I. Campgr. Mile 12.8 – Shelter and WATER 75 Feet down. |
| Monday, May 21, Day 4
Hike Miles 28.5-42.9 |
6:00AM to 8:00PM
Big Spring to Standing Indian Shelter |
14.4 Miles – Sharp up & down 200, Gradual down and up 500 for 6 miles, 1,000 up for 5 miles (St.Ind) then down 1,000 for 3 miles.
Mile .6 Albert Mtn Summit and Tower Overlook Mile 2.2 Moony Gap USFS83 Mile 3.1 Betty Creek WATER Mile 5.1 Vista trail on L Mile 6.8 Carter Gap Shelter (new) Mile 9 ~ Streams WATER Mile 10 Beech Gap and up-hill Mile 12.9 – 600 ft. climb to summit of Standing Indian Mountain Mile 14.4 Shelter WATER |
| Tuesday, May 22, Day 5
Hike Miles 42.9-43.8 |
8:00AM
Standing Indian to Truck |
.9 Miles – Down to Parking Lot |
| Drive to Atlanta
9:00AM – 12:00PM |
125 Miles – approx 3 Hour Drive | |
| Wednesday, May 23, Day 5 | Head Home |
Appalachian Trail Adventures - Trail Log
Hiker’s blog
guyotdesigns | Products: Firefly
Well - I came downstairs to my computer with Amex in hand fully intending to purchase this little item as it doesn’t appear to be on the list for father’s day 
but now I’m hesitating. I went to the site and its not $15 as widely anticipated but $21.95 and the cheapest shipping is $10 for Fedex ground. So now its $31.95 and that’s a bit too much for a gadget as I wrote on Joe’s site.
Treehugger has found another product: LightCap by Simply Brilliant or I guess Sol Light - some subsidiary or distributor. Some of the folks pointed out that the Nalgene bottles have been linked to health problems. Specifically: Grist.org and another site - Ascribe lays out some facts about plastics that release bad stuff and can be recycled; seem to say Nalgene Lexan is ok to some extent.
Bottom line - it appears the biggest risk is unsubstanitated problems for pregnant moms - none in this house. I did get a little nervous when my daughter wanted to take a pink Nalgene Lexan to camp but I don’t think it will be a problem. Bisphenol A is the wicked ingredient; caused problems in mice - not proven in humans and not proven in Lexan bottles. The thing to do, I think, is to toss old bottles after they get used a lot - get cloudy or worn; then the leaching is more likely. If you are into fear go here, to Our Stolen Furniture website. Its like my Liver doctor said when I discovered I might have NASH; I asked him if I was going to die and he said “yes - but not from this.” Nalgene has a page for it too. I just tossed my old Nalgene bottles and will make it a point to “invest” in a new one every year if necessary.
Now about that light.
Jim
I spent the weekend in the woods up on Blood Mountain here in Georga on the AT with my son backpacking and hiking. It was so great to get him away and to sum it up, monday night he didn’t pull out the gamboy DS or get on the computer or turn on the TV. He sat in bed and looked up at the ceiling and said “I miss Blood Mountain.” And I pictured him climing those boulders and brushing aside those bushes as we walked. You can see pictures too!
I finally put my hiking log out on the AT pages. This is for the trip I took in September 2005.
Also - there is a movie slideshow for 2004
but its a long file, I’m working on a better stream of the video.
I carry a Gregory Palisade pack, although there are countless other packs that will work just as well. It weighs a little over 7 pounds, and at 4700 cubic inches it is just big enough for my needs. It has straps in the right spots for lashing on a tripod and the arrangement of pockets fits my needs.
Found this site - the guy uses the same backpack as me; should be a good SOI (Source of Information).
