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pimpdave wrote:. I did it cause another counselor on a hike was calling out "Here bear!", cause that's who you're really warning, the black bears who are nothing to afraid of unless you end up between mama and cub (I've chased many off myself, even when they do that faux charge), and one of the campers walked up to me very seriously and demanded to know for the sake of others why in God's name the other counselor would SUMMON THE BEARS.
PLAYER57832 wrote:pimpdave wrote:. I did it cause another counselor on a hike was calling out "Here bear!", cause that's who you're really warning, the black bears who are nothing to afraid of unless you end up between mama and cub (I've chased many off myself, even when they do that faux charge), and one of the campers walked up to me very seriously and demanded to know for the sake of others why in God's name the other counselor would SUMMON THE BEARS.
LOL... HAD to laugh when I read this. Around here, scouts have been known to leave out food to draw the bears in. (at least until the local Game commissioner gives them a little chat about what happens when fed bears are no longer given food.....)
Hunter S. Thompson wrote:The Edge... There is no honest way to explain it because the only people who really know where it is are the ones who have gone over..
jonesthecurl wrote:My house backs right onto the Iron Horse trail.
oVo wrote:btw... had an encounter with bears in Virginia, not a big problem, just had to give them some space. Saw my first Timber Rattler and a few deer herds on the trail too.
pimpdave wrote:William. Don't look back. Just go. I heard all the same stuff about all the reasons why I shouldn't, or all the concerns and dangers and "Well, if you can pull it off, more power to ya!". That's so dismissive and cunty to say.
People say that because they're overwhelmed by it. You're going to run into adversity. There will be situations you weren't prepared for (but you'll learn how to prepare for them next time because of the experience!).
You CAN do it. And if you don't, you'll regret it forever. You're not doing this to complete a checklist. You're doing this find out what the checklist was you never conceived of and will only know you checked off after it happened.
Nike came up with the best slogan of all time: Just Do It. Now just fucking do it, bro, like the badass and courageous American you are.
PLAYER57832 wrote:
I worked it, as part of a paid crew under both the US Forest Service and the Park Service. I was part of a select Backcountry Trail crew through the now defunct California Conservation Corps. (not to be confused with the Conservation camps.. which are juvenile prison centers).
To begin, you should look into the differences between National Parks, EACH state park, National Forest, Wilderness within Parks and National Forest. I am thinking that some of the trail goes through other jurisdictions, but I would have to look through a map to be sure. Just roughly (very roughly), the parks are going to be more strict... basically think of them as living museums. They are designed to preserve everything 'as is" as much as possible, though with allowances for truly natural change. National Forests are designed to be used...that means logging, but also that rules for you hiking there are less strict. You will almost certainly need to get advance permits for any stretch going through National Parks, but I am not sure that it does. I seem to think that the trail is mostly through forest and Borough of Reclamation lands. Regardless, you want to know of the jurisdictional differences because even if the trail doesn't go directly through those areas they are close enough that you should know what is what.
A couple of other points: Weather matters. In the west, altitude REALLY matters. You talk of October as if it is just fall, but in much of Idaho, Alaska, that is already pretty much winter. (depending) You might be able to get work, but more likely in McDonalds than gold mining or fishing. Those opportunities have largely dried up. You never know. If you are flexible and of good humor, you can make contacts. My brothers did.
Per Alaska, think about the "Alaska marine Highway".... at least for one side of the trip. Bring a HEAVY sleeping bag and plan on sleeping on deck (do NOT try a tent!!!!!! Some do, but they also lose a few tents every trip)
DoomYoshi wrote:Reminds me of:
macbone wrote:William, that sounds awesome, man! If I were financially independent and didn't have a family to look after, I'd definitely want to do something like that.
I was only on the AT for a couple of miles in the Smokies. We did a week in the Smokies about ten years ago. We covered about 50 miles of the trails and really only scratched the surface, but it was awesome. It had been raining all day, but right when I got to Silers Bald, the clouds broke, and I could see for miles. Gorgeous.
oVo wrote:I was in Confluence, PA and saw that the Railroad System had been converted into a bicycle trail. Don't know it has any relation to the Appalachian Trail, but it seems to be extensive and unlike the AT, has civilization (and real food & lodging) in closer proximity.
The Great Allegheny Passage
WILLIAMS5232 wrote:i have a friend that is in canada for the week. he says it is 12 degrees F right now. brrr. i put a jacket on in baton rouge today because it was 60 this morning. anyway. i'm sure i'll be pretty much miserable if i go up there in the winter. but that's kind of why i want to go. i want to really experience being miserably cold.
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