Here is our spot tracking from GA. You can follow our SPOT Tracking from here:
SPOT Tracking for Williams
GA Tracking - Hogspen to Unicoi
Here is our spot tracking from GA. You can follow our SPOT Tracking from here:
SPOT Tracking for Williams
Shout Out to Jim Metcalf - (are you Ok Rob???)
We were 30min into our hike in VA when I get a panicked call from Jim Metcalf asking if we were ok. He had not seen our spot tracks move for two days......
That is typical of Jim Met to watch over and check in. (thanks man!!!!)
Side note:
It was 10 years ago this month that Jim called me panicked asking if I was Ok (plane number one had hit the twin towers, and had left from an airport that I frequently traveled from).
I get chills just writing this. Again thanks Jim for being such a good friend and a rock in my life.
Relocating to flatter ground.....
We have decided to move to flatter ground. We left the trail, stopped overnight in Franklin, NC. The next day we drove to REI in Asheville then stayed in VA. Went through Damascus VA, stopped at a couple of outfitters, then on to Wytheville VA. We will jump back on the trail here. The trail is "moderate" here (MJ thinks that we can preform at that level).
Day three 2.6 miles
Word for the day: Mice
Distance: 2.6 miles
Left Camp: 1:00pm
Destination: Car
Arrival: 4:30pm
Direction: S-N
State: GA
It poured rain last night. Everyone kept dry (yea!!!).
Brooke left her backpack under the shelter table so it would stay dry (5 hikers were sleeping in the shelter).
Well, she left some candy in her pack and mice chewed a hole on the bottom of the pack (learning lesson). This is one reason to stay in hammocks and not shelters.
A view inside my hammock with Riley (puppy) sleeping with me.
It is still cold and damp. Riley with his jacket.
Prepping for the day.
Man down......
Hiking with teenager......
Status:
Outlaw: Groin injury
Robbie: Fine
MJ: Calfs aching
Brooke: Feet hurting
Seth: Ok
Scout: Small "tude"
Summary:
Rain and thick fog through out day. The steep elevations (with wet rocks) is making traveling treacherous. Bringing my Outlaw home with a broken hip, or one of us with a sprained ankles/broken bones is definently not the goal of the trip. We will be hiking to the car and relocating to flatter hiking ground.
Distance: 2.6 miles
Left Camp: 1:00pm
Destination: Car
Arrival: 4:30pm
Direction: S-N
State: GA
It poured rain last night. Everyone kept dry (yea!!!).
Brooke left her backpack under the shelter table so it would stay dry (5 hikers were sleeping in the shelter).
Well, she left some candy in her pack and mice chewed a hole on the bottom of the pack (learning lesson). This is one reason to stay in hammocks and not shelters.
A view inside my hammock with Riley (puppy) sleeping with me.
It is still cold and damp. Riley with his jacket.
Prepping for the day.
Man down......
Hiking with teenager......
Status:
Outlaw: Groin injury
Robbie: Fine
MJ: Calfs aching
Brooke: Feet hurting
Seth: Ok
Scout: Small "tude"
Summary:
Rain and thick fog through out day. The steep elevations (with wet rocks) is making traveling treacherous. Bringing my Outlaw home with a broken hip, or one of us with a sprained ankles/broken bones is definently not the goal of the trip. We will be hiking to the car and relocating to flatter hiking ground.
Day two 8.4 miles
Distance: 8.4 miles
Moving Time: 3:51
Stop Time: 5:53
Moving Avg: 2.2 m/hr
Word for the day: Taco Soup
We woke-up to rain. The good news, then new tarps kept everyone dry. Bad-news, having to pack up in the rain.
Riley is in a "puppy timeout". While taking our stuff down to the shelter to try to pack in dry area. There were two hikers who stopped to repack, get water, and eat. Riley decided he wanted some of a hikers taco soup.
The hiker took it well, MJ was mortified, and now Riley is in timeout.
Trail pic. Hiking poles
This is why we come to the shelters. A privy is like a very primitive porta-potty. No water, and composting waste.
This privy has no roof, which makes using it in the rain an experience.
We had a late start due to the rain. 11:30am (very late)
Outlaw trying to navigate a fallen tree on the trail. (see the fog)
Leaves starting to fall in areas. The trail is beautiful.
We broke into to separate groups. Robbie, Brooke, Seth, Riley in group one, Outlaw, MJ, Scout in group two.
Outlaw and Scout are moving slow today.
Waiting for group to catch up. Seth is trying to start a fire, Brooke is keeping Riley warm.
Drying clothes on trailside
The rest of the day was spent getting to the shelter and nursing Outlaw along. Apparently she has a current groin injury that nobody told me about. That makes sense why she was slow moving. She is having a hard time lifting her left leg. This is a problem when climbing rocks, going up and down elevations.
We were able to make it to the shelter at dark. Had to carry Outlaws pack part of the way. The trail is unsafe when dark, wet, and at elevation.
There were hikers at the shelter who were very helpful in helping get the hammocks up.
Everyone is beat
Status:
Outlaw - groin injury
Robbie - fine
MJ - some nausea, aching calf
Brooke - a lot of nausea
Seth - good
Scout - attitude slowing her down
Moving Time: 3:51
Stop Time: 5:53
Moving Avg: 2.2 m/hr
Word for the day: Taco Soup
We woke-up to rain. The good news, then new tarps kept everyone dry. Bad-news, having to pack up in the rain.
Riley is in a "puppy timeout". While taking our stuff down to the shelter to try to pack in dry area. There were two hikers who stopped to repack, get water, and eat. Riley decided he wanted some of a hikers taco soup.
The hiker took it well, MJ was mortified, and now Riley is in timeout.
Trail pic. Hiking poles
This is why we come to the shelters. A privy is like a very primitive porta-potty. No water, and composting waste.
This privy has no roof, which makes using it in the rain an experience.
We had a late start due to the rain. 11:30am (very late)
Outlaw trying to navigate a fallen tree on the trail. (see the fog)
Leaves starting to fall in areas. The trail is beautiful.
We broke into to separate groups. Robbie, Brooke, Seth, Riley in group one, Outlaw, MJ, Scout in group two.
Outlaw and Scout are moving slow today.
Waiting for group to catch up. Seth is trying to start a fire, Brooke is keeping Riley warm.
Drying clothes on trailside
The rest of the day was spent getting to the shelter and nursing Outlaw along. Apparently she has a current groin injury that nobody told me about. That makes sense why she was slow moving. She is having a hard time lifting her left leg. This is a problem when climbing rocks, going up and down elevations.
We were able to make it to the shelter at dark. Had to carry Outlaws pack part of the way. The trail is unsafe when dark, wet, and at elevation.
There were hikers at the shelter who were very helpful in helping get the hammocks up.
Everyone is beat
Status:
Outlaw - groin injury
Robbie - fine
MJ - some nausea, aching calf
Brooke - a lot of nausea
Seth - good
Scout - attitude slowing her down
Day one 5.4 miles
Distance: 5.4
Moving time: 2:30
Stop time: 2:40
We are hiking!!!! Stopped for a break. Everyone is doing well. My Outlaw seems slower this year however my wife says I'm faster (day one, we will see on day 10).
The puppy is doing well. He follows good and has not pooped out yet.
We have made it to the Low Gap Shelter and have setup.
Status:
Outlaw - moving a little slow
Robbie - good
MJ - good
Seth - good
Riley - good
Moving time: 2:30
Stop time: 2:40
We are hiking!!!! Stopped for a break. Everyone is doing well. My Outlaw seems slower this year however my wife says I'm faster (day one, we will see on day 10).
The puppy is doing well. He follows good and has not pooped out yet.
We have made it to the Low Gap Shelter and have setup.
Status:
Outlaw - moving a little slow
Robbie - good
MJ - good
Seth - good
Riley - good
Starting at Hogspen Gap
It is COLD and Windy. We had to change into warmer clothes
Brooke did not pack pants for the first days. She will be putting on long john bottoms and maybe rain gear
The dog has his jacket on.
More cold prep work
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