~ L.T. FAQ ~
Are you serious?
Yes.
Why would you want to do
that?
Because I can.
Those are the two questions that I am most
commonly asked so I figured I would get them out of the way as soon as
possible. The rest of the questions are a little more serious, or may have
answers that are not obvious to someone who doesn’t enjoy hiking and
backpacking. Either way, I have been asked all of them at least once since I
announced my intentions to stop working and attempt the A.T. and L.T.
How
long will it take?
That depends on the hiker but the average
is usually about a month’s time. The Long Trail is, mile for mile, probably the
hardest long trail in the country. At least, that’s what the guidebooks say,
and after hiking the LT, I am inclined to believe it.
Are
you going to walk the whole way?
Yes – except for town and resupply stops
that are several miles from the trail. Then, my trusty thumb will be sticking
out in hopes that a kindly person will pick us up and shuttle us into town.
Road walking is the pits.
What
is a blaze?
A blaze is what marks the trail. They are
2”x6” white strips painted onto trees, rocks, et cetera that indicate which way
you are to travel. At trail junctions and crossings, you will find two blazes,
indicating which direction you need to take. Other colored blazes (i.e. blue)
indicate side trails or trails to shelters/water sources.
What
will you eat?
Everything we can get our hands on. Our
time on the A.T. made food planning for the L.T. much easier. Ramen and Lipton
Sides are daily staples in our diet, along with any source of protein we can
dig up. Occasionally, we get creative after a resupply and feast on chili dogs
and hot subs for dinner. Lots of snacks keep us fueled all day long. Crackers,
cheese, Snickers, nuts, dried fruit, and jerky are favorites.
How
do you get your food?
One of two ways, for the most part. I plan
on doing most of my food shopping in trail towns, every 5-7 days. This seems a
better option for me so I can buy what I am craving and be a bit more flexible.
The second option is to have pre-packaged mail drops sent to a town you will be
stopping in. I plan on having 4-5 maildrops
throughout my time on the trail. Many hikers have more, I think I’ve read about
those with up to 20 maildrops. I just don’t want to
be that reliant on post office hours.
How
long does it take to plan?
I joked that the A.T. trip took me 25
years to plan…and if that’s true, planning the L.T. took about 25 seconds.
Beyond buying the guide books and a map, there was no planning. Four maildrops were packed for my mom to send, but that’s about
it. Proof that even long distance trips don’t always require
months and months of obsession. That said, after 2 months on the A.T.,
we had a solid idea of how long distance hiking worked, which made it a lot
easier.
Who
hikes the L.T.?
Anybody that wants to
experience the trail, whether it’s a day hike or an end to end hike. We met and saw people of all shapes,
sizes, ages and backgrounds. The trail does not discriminate and has much to
offer anyone that wants to be a part of it.
Where
do you sleep?
More often than not, nights were spent in
my Sierra Designs Mach 1 tent, nestled amongst the trees or on top of a windy
cliff. I prefer my tent to shelters because the sites are so much more
beautiful and solitude is precious to us.
What
about, um, going to the bathroom?
Most shelters and lean-to’s that are on
the trail have a privy/outhouse for use. Most backpackers carry the elusive
orange trowel (though a stick could serve the same purpose). They are used to
dig a “cat hole” which is a hole about 6-8 inches deep and basically, do what a
cat does and then cover it up so that it may properly decompose. Personally, I
recommend removing your pack before attempting to balance and aim over a little
hole in the ground. I have experienced and heard
numerous horror stories involving backcountry bathroom adventures. A good book
on the subject is available by
What
is a “trail name”?
A trail name is a nickname that is given
to one while they are hiking. Typically, you do not choose your own name, your
name chooses you. For example, there was a girl thru-hiking a couple of years
ago that almost set the shelter on fire with her gas stove. Hence, she was
known as Scorch from that point forward. I had a fear that I would fall on my
face in the first week of my hike and be called “Faceplant”
for the rest of my backpacking life. That came really close to reality on our
first night of the A.T. when I all but fell out of Hawk Mountain Shelter.
However, I was later dubbed “No Whammies!” and “Tailgate”. You’ll have to read
my journal for those explanations.
Are
you going alone?
Nope. It was Fire Monger and I at it
again.
What
if it rains or snows?
Hey, it’s part of the hike. I’ve got cold
weather gear and rain gear. Unfortunately, there will be days we will be
walking in miserable weather, but it’s all part of the journey. I’m sure I will
have days on end of being wet and tired, but that’s simply not enough to send
me home. The best you can do is to be prepared for the worst and hope for the
best.
Are
you carrying a gun?
The only thing I carry that’s much of a
weapon at all is my pocket knife. The trail is probably the safest place to be.
Aren’t
you afraid of bears?
Not so much on the Long Trail. Bears are
not that commonly sighted on the LT, to the best of my knowledge. We bear bag
our food and take precautions so as not to attract them. I much more afraid of
the bull moose in rutting season!
Are
you afraid of crazy people in the woods?
Newsflash: I AM one of those crazy people
in the woods. There are crazier people living in
Won’t
you be bored?
Not in a million years. It’s not just
walking, it’s an adventure. It’s a challenge physically, mentally, and
spiritually. There are amazing views, amazing wildernesses, and amazing people
the entire length of the trail. I’ve never been bored for a minute while hiking
and backpacking. I will have a lot of time, yes, but I am looking forward to it
because it will be MY time. Being away from the “normal routine” of fast meals,
fast cars and technology gives me the time to stop and really see what is
around me.
What
are you going to do after your hike?
It’s back to
I
don’t get it.
It’s okay. Not a lot of people do. The
beauty of it is that you don’t have to get it.
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