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Angry’s Big Number Two

AngryMetalsmith

AngryMetalsmith

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Full Trucker said:
So what’s the plan now? You heading back to the trail?
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Yeah, plan is to hike from Delaware Water Gap North, starting next week, through NJ, NY, CT, MA, and possibly VT then that would give me 300-450 moar miles. Leaving NH and ME (except for half of the 100 mile wilderness) to be completed next summer.

Also toying with the idea of finishing the AT by mid July then flying out to Denver to thru hike the Colorado Trail. Of course I would need to take a few days off at @Toshi ‘s place between hikes. :D
 
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AngryMetalsmith

AngryMetalsmith

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Update:

9/9/24

Picked up the rental car Monday morning and drove eight hours from NC to Stroudsburg, PA to get back on trail where I got off to flip up with Sunshine at Delaware Water Gap. The trail runs through the small town

When I got to the hotel it was in the low 70s and I started getting cold. Broke out my trusty fleece jacket and went to the office to check in. The room was probably in the low 70s as well but I was still cold. Turned the heat on and eventually soaked in the tub to get my core temperature up. Had some bad Mexican food delivered via DoorDash that I didn’t finish. I was getting nervous and couldn’t eat. The inability to regulate my body temperature was becoming increasingly more difficult and giving me reason to be apprehensive about hiking in cooler temperatures. The low the first night was projected to be in the 40s.

Later that night I awoke in a cold sweat. And wound up on top of the bed covers and under my 20* quilt. I was still cold and could barely sleep. At this point I realized that it was definitely not safe to get back on trail.

Made the tough decision to cancel this part of the hike and head back home. I felt crushed, defeated by my own body. Despite the staggering amount of miles I hiked, I couldn’t shake the feeling of disappointment at not being able to continue.

Texted Daytona Mike who is also not hiking but is working at a hostel that’s on the way home. I stayed there for the night and we hung out by the fire and talked about our adventure together and the future. It was good to see my friend, be around some other hikers and hear my trail name again.

I’m slowly starting to accept that this year’s hike is over. And that I have some work to do to fix my health issues.

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binary visions

binary visions

The voice of reason
Jun 13, 2002
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@AngryMetalsmith sorry to hear your hike season is coming to a close - good luck with the health issues. I hope you can step back at some point and feel pride in what you accomplished despite falling short of your goal.

Wonder if it's a thyroid problem?
 
jumpr

jumpr

Chimp
Apr 1, 2011
9
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Sorry to hear that you have had to finish the hike for this year, but you have made the right call - your health and wellbeing must come first. I'm super impressed with what you have achieved this year! Maybe you need to plan a trip down under and give the Te Araroa a go https://www.teararoa.org.nz/ (No bears or snakes)!
 
AngryMetalsmith

AngryMetalsmith

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binary visions said:
@AngryMetalsmith sorry to hear your hike season is coming to a close - good luck with the health issues. I hope you can step back at some point and feel pride in what you accomplished despite falling short of your goal.

Wonder if it's a thyroid problem?
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Thanks BV.

The Nurse Practitioner thought it might be my Thyroid but bloodwork says no. It’s most likely blood sugar related since I’m borderline diabetic. We eat a ton on of sugar while hiking. Something I will have to work on.
 
pinkshirtphotos

pinkshirtphotos

site moron
Jul 5, 2006
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Great go bud! I've been hoping to see you get to the top. Some years ago I knew a girl who went to hike the trail, she made it to NJ and stopped because she fell ill. Come out next summer after a good winter rest.
 
binary visions

binary visions

The voice of reason
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AngryMetalsmith said:
Thanks BV.

The Nurse Practitioner thought it might be my Thyroid but bloodwork says no. It’s most likely blood sugar related since I’m borderline diabetic. We eat a ton on of sugar while hiking. Something I will have to work on.
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Man, cutting sugar out when doing multi-day, let alone multi-month hiking is a pretty tough ask.

Even if you're not a, "chow down on a bunch of Snickers for dinner" type of hiker, dried fruit can be a staple and anything with sugar in it is such a good way to either get bulk calories or a boost when you're lagging a bit.

Guess you've got a project for the winter. Will be looking forward to next year's, "Angry's Third-Time's-The-Charm Thru Hike."
 
AngryMetalsmith

AngryMetalsmith

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binary visions said:
Man, cutting sugar out when doing multi-day, let alone multi-month hiking is a pretty tough ask.

Even if you're not a, "chow down on a bunch of Snickers for dinner" type of hiker, dried fruit can be a staple and anything with sugar in it is such a good way to either get bulk calories or a boost when you're lagging a bit.

Guess you've got a project for the winter. Will be looking forward to next year's, "Angry's Third-Time's-The-Charm Thru Hike."
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Yeah, probably not going to be able to cut out enough sugar but will add more protein to my diet to help. I’ve eaten 3-4 Snickers per day easy and gummy bears by the pound.

The problem might also be caused by vitamin deficiency, poor diet and being depleted of electrolytes. I’m currently taking B12, D3 and C. Thru hiking is incredibly harsh on your body. We essentially do a half marathon or more with a full pack on everyday for months. It really beats you down.

Next year I will probably go back to Delaware Water Gap where I got off and hike North to Maine. When I reach Monson I’ll decide whether I want to continue as a thru hike and do the entire 100 Mile Wilderness then flip back down to DWG and start hiking South. Or I can just skip the first half of the 100 mile and will have completed the AT.
 
6thElement

6thElement

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Jul 29, 2008
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AngryMetalsmith said:
Yeah, probably not going to be able to cut out enough sugar but will add more protein to my diet to help. I’ve eaten 3-4 Snickers per day easy and gummy bears by the pound.

The problem might also be caused by vitamin deficiency, poor diet and being depleted of electrolytes. I’m currently taking B12, D3 and C. Thru hiking is incredibly harsh on your body. We essentially do a half marathon or more with a full pack on everyday for months. It really beats you down.

Next year I will probably go back to Delaware Water Gap where I got off and hike North to Maine. When I reach Monson I’ll decide whether I want to continue as a thru hike and do the entire 100 Mile Wilderness then flip back down to DWG and start hiking South. Or I can just skip the first half of the 100 mile and will have completed the AT.
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Nothing other than yourself says how you have to complete it.

I've been biking all bike legal parts of the Colorado Trail since I did my first parts in 2011. Definitely not in order and still have 5ish segments out of 28 to do. No idea when I'll get to them with our likely relocation out of Colorado on the horizon and riding season winding down in in the high country rapidly for this year.

edit: I guess also at the back of my mind I also want to finish Tour Divide one day after I had to bail in Jackson 1000 miles in on my attempt back in 2011, only 1700 miles of that left to do to the Mexican border...
 
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AngryMetalsmith

AngryMetalsmith

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AngryMetalsmith

AngryMetalsmith

Business is good, thanks for asking
Jun 4, 2006
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Sad news today. Hearing reports that one of the AT’s most iconic hostels, Uncle Johnny’s in Erwin, TN may have been washed away by an overflowing Nolichucky river. The bridge over the river that is 100 yards or so from the hostel is gone.

Photo of the river from last year shows the bridge in the background. If that massive concrete structure got crushed then the hostel didn’t stand a chance. News stories reported 50+ people stranded on top of the hospital in Erwin. The entire town sits in a flat area surrounded by mountains. The amount of flood damage is going to be devastating.

Another AT trail town, Damascus, VA is experiencing extensive flooding as well. The ATC recommends that hikers avoid the first 840 some miles of trail due to risk of flooding, landslides, blowdowns and high water crossings.

I hope everyone got out of Uncle Johnny’s in time and all mountain communities affected recovery quickly.

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jimmydean

jimmydean

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Sep 10, 2001
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Holy shit @AngryMetalsmith , this is crazy.

Congratulations to Tara Dower for becoming the fastest person in history to complete the Appalachian Trail! The 31-year-old from Virginia completed the 2,168 mile (3,489 km) backcountry trail in 40 days, 18 hours, and five minutes, a distance usually covered by an A.T. thru-hiker in five to seven months.

To set the record, Dower ran and hiked an average of 54 miles each day on the often rocky and steep trail, which includes a total vertical gain of 465,000 feet as it runs through fourteen states. She started her daily runs at 3:30 am and continued for approximately 17 hours with several short breaks for meals and 90-second "dirt naps."

Dower used her record-setting run to raise money for Girls on the Run, saying that she hopes her feat will inspire girls and women. “I hope more women get out there,” she said. “It’s not about beating men, it’s about finding our true potential. And, you know, if you beat the men, that’s an extra bonus.” When she reached the trail's end on Saturday night, the exhausted but jubilant Dower fell to her knees and put her hands on the bronze plaque that reads, “A footpath for those who seek fellowship with the wilderness.”
 
AngryMetalsmith

AngryMetalsmith

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jimmydean said:
Holy shit @AngryMetalsmith , this is crazy.

Congratulations to Tara Dower for becoming the fastest person in history to complete the Appalachian Trail! The 31-year-old from Virginia completed the 2,168 mile (3,489 km) backcountry trail in 40 days, 18 hours, and five minutes, a distance usually covered by an A.T. thru-hiker in five to seven months.

To set the record, Dower ran and hiked an average of 54 miles each day on the often rocky and steep trail, which includes a total vertical gain of 465,000 feet as it runs through fourteen states. She started her daily runs at 3:30 am and continued for approximately 17 hours with several short breaks for meals and 90-second "dirt naps."

Dower used her record-setting run to raise money for Girls on the Run, saying that she hopes her feat will inspire girls and women. “I hope more women get out there,” she said. “It’s not about beating men, it’s about finding our true potential. And, you know, if you beat the men, that’s an extra bonus.” When she reached the trail's end on Saturday night, the exhausted but jubilant Dower fell to her knees and put her hands on the bronze plaque that reads, “A footpath for those who seek fellowship with the wilderness.”
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Um, yeah, already been posted. Just scroll up. :D
 
Changleen

Changleen

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jimmydean said:
Holy shit @AngryMetalsmith , this is crazy.

Congratulations to Tara Dower for becoming the fastest person in history to complete the Appalachian Trail! The 31-year-old from Virginia completed the 2,168 mile (3,489 km) backcountry trail in 40 days, 18 hours, and five minutes, a distance usually covered by an A.T. thru-hiker in five to seven months.

To set the record, Dower ran and hiked an average of 54 miles each day on the often rocky and steep trail, which includes a total vertical gain of 465,000 feet as it runs through fourteen states. She started her daily runs at 3:30 am and continued for approximately 17 hours with several short breaks for meals and 90-second "dirt naps."

Dower used her record-setting run to raise money for Girls on the Run, saying that she hopes her feat will inspire girls and women. “I hope more women get out there,” she said. “It’s not about beating men, it’s about finding our true potential. And, you know, if you beat the men, that’s an extra bonus.” When she reached the trail's end on Saturday night, the exhausted but jubilant Dower fell to her knees and put her hands on the bronze plaque that reads, “A footpath for those who seek fellowship with the wilderness.”
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That is, actually, crazy. She has issues.
 
binary visions

binary visions

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AngryMetalsmith said:
Trail runners are good for about 400 miles per pair. So easily 5 pairs. I went through 4 pairs in four months.
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Man, the scrambling just seems to eat my trail runners. I switched to approach shoes this year partly because, for the last 2 seasons, I've only been getting about 200 miles out of my trail runners before the sole is worn dangerously flat. I already have separate winter and summer hiking shoes, I got tired of buying another pair of summer shoes before August.
 
AngryMetalsmith

AngryMetalsmith

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binary visions said:
Man, the scrambling just seems to eat my trail runners. I switched to approach shoes this year partly because, for the last 2 seasons, I've only been getting about 200 miles out of my trail runners before the sole is worn dangerously flat. I already have separate winter and summer hiking shoes, I got tired of buying another pair of summer shoes before August.
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The rocks in PA and Maine were brutal on my feet and shoes. Definitely wore the sole down prematurely and compressed the insole into a pancake. Tried hiking in them when I got home and the’re just too hard now.
 
Changleen

Changleen

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binary visions said:
Man, the scrambling just seems to eat my trail runners. I switched to approach shoes this year partly because, for the last 2 seasons, I've only been getting about 200 miles out of my trail runners before the sole is worn dangerously flat. I already have separate winter and summer hiking shoes, I got tired of buying another pair of summer shoes before August.
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Approach shoes generally look cooler too. I have yet to see a good looking trail runner, maybe some of the older Salomons were pretty.
 
AngryMetalsmith

AngryMetalsmith

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Due to Hurricane Helene the A.T.C. has changed their guidelines for 2024 thru hikers and I may still be eligible for a completed thru hike.

Thru-hikers who need to skip around closed or impassable A.T. sections are still eligible for 2,000-miler status. Thru-hikers can also suspend their hikes and continue where they left off when it is safe to do so and still be considered a thru-hiker. They will have twelve months from the date they choose to resume their hikes to complete the remainder of their journeys and still be recognized by the ATC as a thru-hiker. 
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Source

Perhaps I'm interpreting it a bit loosely, but when I finish next July it will now count as a thru hike even though I will be past 12 months. I plan on restarting at the PA/NJ border in late April/early May and finishing in Maine 2.5 months later. A thru hike is one continuous foot path and completed within 12 months. Under normal circumstances stopping this year and resuming next year would not qualify as a thru hike. So this is good news. Maybe it's just ego, but I want to be able to say I thru hiked the AT. And if what they are saying is true then I will hopefully not feel compelled to attempt another thru hike of the AT any time soon.
 
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