The Score So Far (Health & Fitness)

[_Doctor CamNC4Me]

Questions when and if you have time to answer.

Are you overnighting in the shelters or are you tenting, or both?

Both. Kind of. In some cases you have to be in a shelter, but they're terrible for rest. Noisy. Hard. Mice. People. Tenting is where it's at.

How are you getting food? Are you cooking or doing dry food packs? Are there water pumps along the way? Near the shelters or what?

We just re-supply every 4 or 5 days. The AT is awesome because the trail either runs through a town or it's a short ride away. Water is usually retrieved from a creek or spring and you filter it out for cooking and drinking.You typically want to pack dry food since it's lighter. The difference 7 lbs on your back is huge especially hiking over rocks or going up a steep ascent.

As the days turn more hot and humid, will you switch to night hiking?

I can't imagine night hiking on this trail. I bit it my 2nd day out, we're talking full face plant on a jaggedly rocky path while descending. I'm very, very, very fortunate I didn't break something, but I was bloodied up pretty good. I'm just now getting over my soreness and impaired range of motion. You can take 20,000-40,000 steps every day on this trail and any given step, no joke, is a potential twisted ankle or fall.

- Doc

[_Jersey Girl]

Very cool, thanks! As to the descent. Ouch! Try positioning your feet perpendicular to the trail. I found that when my body and boots were sideways, I had more stability going down. Of course the trail you're on might be different than those that I've hiked. Probably steeper and rockier!

To be honest, if I did it today I'd probably be on my butt in 2 seconds flat. Plus I've found I can't walk up a steep incline very well...stupid effing meds docs put me on that slow my heart rate. I hate it with a vengeance.

I researched the AT to find out what it's like, including the shelters. I'm pretty sure I'd be tenting it, too. A little too much community for my liking.

Just enjoy everything! I just think you guys are so lucky to do this!!

[_Jersey Girl]

I looked up the rock climbs on the AT. Oh God, be safe you guys!

[_canpakes]

Well, geez, I've been away for a while and missed Doc's departure.

Doc, I'm with you in spirit. I'd hope to make that same trek someday myself but I'm not sure if things will time out that way. In the meantime I'll just look out over the mountains here and happily consider the possibilities.

Watch your step and have a blast, you two!

[_Jersey Girl]

canpakes. I'm totally into it. I had no idea he'd post after they left because I was sure they'd go unplugged. Now it's the board cliff hanger--for reals. The more I've researched the trip the more impressed I am. It's amazing, exciting, and treacherous. I wonder where they are tonight?

Staying tuned...

[_Doctor CamNC4Me]

Hey hey, we're taking a "near-o" at Pine Grove Furnace state park. Our approach this time is to really give our bodies a chance to rest and re-build from the hiking. We did 13.6 miles yesterday, and then an easy 3.5 today. Our biggest day was an accidental 16.5 on our 2nd day. While 13 miles may appear to be a somewhat good hiking day most thru-hikers are pulling between 20 and 30 miles a day at this point. It's really remarkable what these men and women are able to accomplish day in and day out because not only are they approximating a daily marathon, but they're doing it on hard, brutal, ugly trail conditions. I can't overemphasize enough just how ugly the trail itself is. It's constant head-sized rocks and bigger, roots, and sticky mud. Throw in humidity and bugs and it's mindblowing how these hikers can roll.

Also, what is remarkable is just how BIG the Appalachian bioregion is. If you blindfolded me and set me down here in PA, but told me we were in NC I'd believe you. It's the same exact flora and fauna everywhere and thus far it's consistent across 1100 miles.

Anyway. 10 days into this thing and I can say with certainty I'm already trimming up. I've probably already dropped 5 lbs. I estimate I'll lose between 50 and 60 lbs which will have me somewhat underweight when we wrap things up. Every hiker drops weight out here and from our conversations most hikers, even the ones who were pretty fit heading into the trail have dropped 30-40 lbs so far. Obviously my weight loss will be faster up front because it's just math; it takes a lot more energy to move 220 lbs than it does 180.

So. There you have it! I came out here to lose weight and get a nice re-set and 10 days in both are coming along nicely.

- Doc

[_Res Ipsa]

Doc, thanks so much for posting updates. I’m jealous as hell and love reading your reports. Enjoy and stay safe.

[_Jersey Girl]

So there I was in Walmart checkout line and looked in here on my phone and I'm like "Oh god! He posted!" I quickly threw my phone in my bag to save reading the post until I got home.

At this point, you guy's trip has become my summer reading. I love what you are doing!!

Here's the map I'm mainly following you on and yes, I'm living vicariously through your posts. You get no apology from me in that regard.

https://nps.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webapp ... d25453e4e0

If anyone is interested, move the map up over into PA until you see "Piney Mountain" and then enlarge the image. You'll see where they are.

I've been pulling up topo maps as well, but that's only my personal obsession interest about nature/ecosystems going on there.

Also, what is remarkable is just how BIG the Appalachian bioregion is. If you blindfolded me and set me down here in PA, but told me we were in NC I'd believe you. It's the same exact flora and fauna everywhere and thus far it's consistent across 1100 miles.

YES! PA is beautiful! If you were to fly over your route you'd see clearly what you are seeing on the ground only with a birds eye. If you were flying from West to East, you'd see the increasingly dense deciduous forest landscape of PA--that's how I know I'm almost to Jersey when I fly. And those are OLD trees that you're seeing around there. Everything back there is old and well established.

I was originally thinking that given the length of the trip, it would put you in Maine in fall--you could see the leaves turning/acorns dropping (I know I'm insane, you don't have to tell me). But it seems like, even though you say through hikers are picking up 20-30 miles per day, I overestimated your total travel time, but who knows since you're taking your time and actually enjoying the trip--which (in my view) is exactly what you guys should be doing.

Heat/humidity. Oh yeah you can count on it. Heat, humidity, downpour rains. But enjoy your enormous adventure! I'm too impressed with what you guys are doing!

And you're soon headed to Jersey...

From the Upper Montane,

Jersey Girl

[_Jersey Girl]

I started to mention this twice in my posts and didn't want to insult you. Doing it anyway. I hope you know how to ID poison sumac/ivy/oak. It's very prevalent out there.

[_canpakes]

I started to mention this twice in my posts and didn't want to insult you. Doing it anyway. I hope you know how to ID poison sumac/ivy/oak. It's very prevalent out there.

I'm betting that Doc has that covered, otherwise his posts would have more typos from having to work with swollen, itchy hands.