[TN]

got my backpack packed already & tomorrow, a buddy & i will head out for the woods. I haven't been backpacking in years, I am long over due. It is gonna be in the low 30's & it is gonna rock. we have no destination, just 30+ miles of trails in the woods. All I need now is to get my provisions & fill my flask (any suggestions?).
anyone else into backpacking?

 

[Polandspring88]

Being an Eagle Scout I have done my fair share of backpacking and hiking. It is a fun time, especially walking up mountain the middle of nowhere and looking out over the trees and seeing lakes that people ordinarily would never know about.

 

[SkaredShtles]

I :heart: backpacking. Haven't done much in the last 5 years, but once the boys get old enough, I'm gonna get back at it.

I thru-hiked the Colorado Trail in the summer of 1995. Greatest summer of my life, next to the summer I spent in Europe with my wife.

 

[stinkyboy]

I don't sleep outside unless I have to...

 

[splat]

I don't sleep outside unless I have to...

or there are lots of other with lots of Beer.

 

[johnbryanpeters]

Have a good trip.

 

[Ascentrek]

...& fill my flask (any suggestions?).
anyone else into backpacking?

Johnny Walker Blue?

 

[TN]

Johnny Walker Blue?

Picked up some Buffalo Trace Kentucky Bourbon. JW was in the running though. It was a tough choice.

It is going to be 29 tonight, so I will need the bourbon.

 

[urbaindk]

I too was a boy scout. I used to backpack all the time. A little less now that I am married. I'm starting to get my wife into it a little bit at a time. I usually manage to get in a 50+ miler in once every year or two.

There is something very comforting in carrying everything you'll ever need on your back. It makes you think that everything else in life must just be fluff. Usually after 5 or so days I get so wound up that I don't want to stop walking. But sigh, I always do. Hopefully someday I'll get to thru-hike the AT or PCT. Maybe 5 or 6 months of walking will cure me.

 

[TN]

I too was a boy scout. I used to backpack all the time. A little less now that I am married. I'm starting to get my wife into it a little bit at a time. I usually manage to get in a 50+ miler in once every year or two.

There is something very comforting in carrying everything you'll ever need on your back. It makes you think that everything else in life must just be fluff. Usually after 5 or so days I get so wound up that I don't want to stop walking. But sigh, I always do. Hopefully someday I'll get to thru-hike the AT or PCT. Maybe 5 or 6 months of walking will cure me.

I have only ever done overnighters. But I yearn to disappear into the woods for days or weeks. My core muscles are a bit out of shape, since i got lazy & quit the ball, so I might be singing a different tune when I get back.

 

[urbaindk]

I have only ever done overnighters. But I yearn to disappear into the woods for days or weeks. My core muscles are a bit out of shape, since i got lazy & quit the ball, so I might be singing a different tune when I get back.

The first 2 or 3 days are hell while your body adjusts. Day 4 you start getting the rhythm of it, day 5 you feel awesome and you want to keep on walking. Probably around day 7 you start to burn out. Take a day or two off and start over and you are good to go as long as you can keep blisters off your feet.

 

[kinghami3]

got my backpack packed already & tomorrow, a buddy & i will head out for the woods. I haven't been backpacking in years, I am long over due. It is gonna be in the low 30's & it is gonna rock. we have no destination, just 30+ miles of trails in the woods. All I need now is to get my provisions & fill my flask (any suggestions?).
anyone else into backpacking?

Nice! This spring break, if there are no road trips planned I want to do that exact same thing. Me, my backpack, and no destination. Start at the edge of town and head out in one direction till I'm lost. Maybe a map, probably a compass, and NO CELL PHONE (I will have to hold myself to this one).

 

[hooples3]

the ultimate keep warm drink... we bring bottles of it for the new years day parade.... Blackberry brandy

 

[laura]

and i get left home all alone.

 

[johnbryanpeters]

and i get left home all alone.

Buck up, laura, relax and enjoy yourself!

 

[laura]

Buck up, laura, relax and enjoy yourself!

pshhh. i don't have time to relax. if i did, i would have been going camping too.

 

[I Are Baboon]

and i get left home all alone.

I have found that anytime wifey gets left home while I go have fun, she can be made happy by bringing her back presents.

 

[laura]

I have found that anytime wifey gets left home while I go have fun, she can be made happy by bringing her back presents.

i just take it upon myself to get my own presents.

 

[splat]

I have found that anytime wifey gets left home while I go have fun, she can be made happy by bringing her back presents.

Would she really want presents that are brought back from camping ???

 

[TN]

Would she really want presents that are brought back from camping ???

There is half a BBQ'ed bologna sandwich in the fridge.

 

[I Are Baboon]

Would she really want presents that are brought back from camping ???

Well personally, I'd never go camping where there wasn't a small town close by, but I'm funny like that.

 

[TN]

Just kidding about the sandwich.....it is ALL MINE!

We had a fun time. We go there with about 2.5 hours of sun left so we hit the trail & hiked to the shelter. It was nice out but getting colder. We were there for about 30 mins. before someone else hiked up. We talked for a bit & he ended up staying at our shelter. He seemed alright but as it got later he got drunker & eventually was falling down, every time we stood up. Needless to say I only slept in 1 hour intervals all night because this F'er was an alcoholic & kept getting up to puke every hour. He would fall out of bed, stumble to the door, slam it & puke right outside the window. By sunrise he had started puking in his bunk. So I was up at 4AM gathering more firewood. Other than the alcoholic douche bag, it was a great time. Hiked some more in the AM, indulged a little, enjoyed the stars, crisp air, & quiet (between pukings). I am really just thankful the idiot didnt pull out a pistol while drunk (he did want to blow up a butane tank, though).

 

[TN]

Oh, also, how could I forget?
We did a tour of the BBQ shacks in rural TN. This was my favorite part, I think. Friday I had a fried catfish sandwich with slaw & hot sauce on it from a little roadside shack called Wolf River BBQ, that was the best fish sandwich I have ever eaten. On the way back we stopped @ Bob's BBQ & I got a BBQ & a BBQed bologna that was the killer. I got hot sauce & it was perfectly balanced hot & sweet, with just the right amount of tang (i love tang).

 

[jdcamb]

Oh, also, how could I forget?
We did a tour of the BBQ shacks in rural TN. This was my favorite part, I think. Friday I had a fried catfish sandwich with slaw & hot sauce on it from a little roadside shack called Wolf River BBQ, that was the best fish sandwich I have ever eaten. On the way back we stopped @ Bob's BBQ & I got a BBQ & a BBQed bologna that was the killer. I got hot sauce & it was perfectly balanced hot & sweet, with just the right amount of tang (i love tang).

Mmmm BBQ'd bologna. I gotta try that. Sounds like a cool time.

 

[Yossarian]

Is BBQ bologna, like fried bologna?

 

[TN]

Is BBQ bologna, like fried bologna?

yup, but BBQed. it was much better than fried bologna.

 

[SkaredShtles]

<snip> Hopefully someday I'll get to thru-hike the AT or PCT. Maybe 5 or 6 months of walking will cure me.

If you can't make that large of a commitment, I'd recommend the Colorado Trail - it's around 500 miles and is doable easily in a couple months.

Nice thing is that there are little mountain towns space about every 7 days.

 

[urbaindk]

If you can't make that large of a commitment, I'd recommend the Colorado Trail - it's around 500 miles and is doable easily in a couple months.

Nice thing is that there are little mountain towns space about every 7 days.

Cool!

Another one I would like to try is the Long trail in Vermont. I think it takes 6 to 8 weeks. 270 miles from the Connecticut border north to Canuckistan.

 

[SkaredShtles]

Cool!

Another one I would like to try is the Long trail in Vermont. I think it takes 6 to 8 weeks. 270 miles from the Connecticut border north to Canuckistan.

That shouldn't take any more than 15 days.......

 

[urbaindk]

Yeah. I just double checked - most people do it in a month. Averaging around 10 miles per day. I could do that.

 

[SkaredShtles]

Yeah. I just double checked - most people do it in a month. Averaging around 10 miles per day. I could do that.

Yeah - as you mentioned before, once you hit about day 6, you can walk 15-20 miles/day. It almost becomes mandatory to *try* to slow down so as to enjoy the trip and not finish too quickly.

When I was on the CT I would sometimes finish 10 miles by noon and set up camp just because I was someplace beautiful.

 

[urbaindk]

Yeah - as you mentioned before, once you hit about day 6, you can walk 15-20 miles/day. It almost becomes mandatory to *try* to slow down so as to enjoy the trip and not finish too quickly.

When I was on the CT I would sometimes finish 10 miles by noon and set up camp just because I was someplace beautiful.

I'm bad about that. I get the "keep going" feeling in my bones and I won't stop. I was planning on doing a 20 mile weekender loop in Joyce Kilmer. My plan was to do 10 and 10. I got restless and did the whole 20 mile loop all in one day and ended up camping out in the back of my truck like an idiot.

 

[SkaredShtles]

I'm bad about that. I get the "keep going" feeling in my bones and I won't stop. I was planning on doing a 20 mile weekender loop in Joyce Kilmer. My plan was to do 10 and 10. I got restless and did the whole 20 mile loop all in one day and ended up camping out in the back of my truck like an idiot.

Dude. You need to settle down.

Nice thing about stopping at noon was that I could always find a nice 13,000 foot mountain to climb nearby.

 

[Skookum]

psssst! Hey Fred.....

look and drool......

http://www.pcta.org/about_trail/overview.asp

http://pcta.stli.com/

 

[TN]

psssst! Hey Fred.....

look and drool......

http://www.pcta.org/about_trail/overview.asp

http://pcta.stli.com/

wow. that looks so sweet. I really need more backcountry experience because I would love to tackle something like that. I think I will also have to wait until I am self employed.

 

[SkaredShtles]

wow. that looks so sweet. I really need more backcountry experience because I would love to tackle something like that. I think I will also have to wait until I am self employed.

If you've done any week long backpacking trips, then you're ready to hit up something like that! All the longer trips require are logistical skills before the hike. The hike is just walking, walking, walking...........