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Started By
Message
re: Appalachian Trail Completed
Posted on 10/13/13 at 1:43 pm to LSU Tigerhead
Posted on 10/13/13 at 1:43 pm to LSU Tigerhead
CSB.
For real though.
For real though.
Posted on 10/13/13 at 1:59 pm to LSU Tigerhead
Nice...I'll do it one day, not going to take 6 months off of work to do it, probably 20-30 days here and there.
Posted on 10/14/13 at 8:51 am to Dodd
Thank you all for the congrats! This was probably the toughest and most rewarding thing I've ever done.
Now to answer a few of your questions.
I lost 60 lbs on the trail. Started out at 230 lbs and now I'm around 168-172 lb range. I won't know exactly until I get back home in a couple of days and weigh myself on the same scale I did before I left.
I started taking 1000mg of vitamin C every day a couple of weeks before I started and learned later, after I had lost close to 50 lbs, that vitamin C helps convert fat to energy. I think this helped me to lose so much weight so fast (lost about 45 lbs half way through).
My feet are OK now. I have thick calluses on the bottom of my feet. They hurt a lot initially and when I got to Boiling Springs, a little over half way, I strongly considered giving up on the trail because of the intense pain in my flat feet. I got through it on much Ibuprofin and Alleve. Every night it was hard to fall asleep because of the throbbing pain in my feet and in the mornings I found it hard to even stand up, but once I got my boots on I was ok. Eventually the pain subsided and my feet were no longer a major issue.
I was able to take off work by listing myself as "inactive." I work for the SBA as a disaster reservist. They call me up when there's a disaster like hurricanes, tornadoes, flooding, etc.
My favorite part of the trail would probably be Maine. It was beautiful there. The mountains in the southern part of Maine were as tough as the Whites but the trail got easier to hike on and I was able to step up the pace. Going through the White Mountains was hard but not as hard as many people think. The going was very slow only because you had to watch every step and chose each step carefully. There were very few sections of the trail you could move at a decent pace. Typically if you did 15 miles per day on average, through the Whites you might do 8 or 10 miles if you had a good day. It was just slow going, but not overly strenuous. (By this point you had good mountain legs anyway.)
The second half of Pennsylvania was horrible. We called it Rocksylvania. There were so many damn rocks to hike through.
For me, the toughest part of the entire trail would be Georgia. Not because it was actually tougher than other parts (it wasn't) but because I was 60 lbs heavier and had no mountain legs. It took me about four weeks to build up muscle for uphill and downhill and even longer to develop better cardio to the point where I wasn't out of breath so quickly on uphill climbs. I started out as a fat couch potatoe and did no training before the trip other than a few day hikes through Louisiana and Mississippi with the hiking club.
I've uploaded a couple more videos to YouTube but it'll be a while until I can go through them all and make a proper trail video.
Sunrise on Moxie Bald, Maine
A view above Carter Notch Hut
A view above the clouds
Now to answer a few of your questions.
I lost 60 lbs on the trail. Started out at 230 lbs and now I'm around 168-172 lb range. I won't know exactly until I get back home in a couple of days and weigh myself on the same scale I did before I left.
I started taking 1000mg of vitamin C every day a couple of weeks before I started and learned later, after I had lost close to 50 lbs, that vitamin C helps convert fat to energy. I think this helped me to lose so much weight so fast (lost about 45 lbs half way through).
My feet are OK now. I have thick calluses on the bottom of my feet. They hurt a lot initially and when I got to Boiling Springs, a little over half way, I strongly considered giving up on the trail because of the intense pain in my flat feet. I got through it on much Ibuprofin and Alleve. Every night it was hard to fall asleep because of the throbbing pain in my feet and in the mornings I found it hard to even stand up, but once I got my boots on I was ok. Eventually the pain subsided and my feet were no longer a major issue.
I was able to take off work by listing myself as "inactive." I work for the SBA as a disaster reservist. They call me up when there's a disaster like hurricanes, tornadoes, flooding, etc.
My favorite part of the trail would probably be Maine. It was beautiful there. The mountains in the southern part of Maine were as tough as the Whites but the trail got easier to hike on and I was able to step up the pace. Going through the White Mountains was hard but not as hard as many people think. The going was very slow only because you had to watch every step and chose each step carefully. There were very few sections of the trail you could move at a decent pace. Typically if you did 15 miles per day on average, through the Whites you might do 8 or 10 miles if you had a good day. It was just slow going, but not overly strenuous. (By this point you had good mountain legs anyway.)
The second half of Pennsylvania was horrible. We called it Rocksylvania. There were so many damn rocks to hike through.
For me, the toughest part of the entire trail would be Georgia. Not because it was actually tougher than other parts (it wasn't) but because I was 60 lbs heavier and had no mountain legs. It took me about four weeks to build up muscle for uphill and downhill and even longer to develop better cardio to the point where I wasn't out of breath so quickly on uphill climbs. I started out as a fat couch potatoe and did no training before the trip other than a few day hikes through Louisiana and Mississippi with the hiking club.
I've uploaded a couple more videos to YouTube but it'll be a while until I can go through them all and make a proper trail video.
Sunrise on Moxie Bald, Maine
A view above Carter Notch Hut
A view above the clouds
quote:Thanks! My brothers keep telling me I should but I don't think so. I'll be adding the rest of my journal entries in the coming days.
ShubutaMS
Been wasting a good deal of time reading your journals. Thanks. There is enough material there to write a book.
This post was edited on 10/14/13 at 8:58 am
Posted on 10/14/13 at 9:11 am to LSU Tigerhead
That's absolutely incredible man Another reason why my life is so frickin boring
Posted on 10/14/13 at 9:32 am to LSU Tigerhead
Congrats on the great accomplishment! It is a goal of mine as well.
Posted on 10/14/13 at 9:48 am to LSU Tigerhead
Thanks for posting, that is an incredible achievement. I hiked the Maine portion several years ago and was always impressed to see the people on their last leg still hauling arse down the trail.
Posted on 10/14/13 at 9:52 am to LSU Tigerhead
Man that is awesome!!!
Wish I would have seen this thread earlier, I was at Baseball Tavern and would have bought you some beers.
Very impressive
Wish I would have seen this thread earlier, I was at Baseball Tavern and would have bought you some beers.
Very impressive
Posted on 10/14/13 at 10:36 am to LSU Tigerhead
quote:this is what scares me. I can't afford to lose ANY weight
Lost 60 lbs
Posted on 10/14/13 at 10:50 am to LSU Tigerhead
I am jealous of few people in this world, but you have earned my envy. Congrats on the hike.
Posted on 10/14/13 at 1:34 pm to LSU Tigerhead
So Jealous.
This is my one remaining ambition in life.
If you want to do a 10 day--- 14 day trip next spring/Summer-give me a heads up and I'll meet you bro.
The thought of going alone unnerves me.
This is my one remaining ambition in life.
If you want to do a 10 day--- 14 day trip next spring/Summer-give me a heads up and I'll meet you bro.
The thought of going alone unnerves me.
Posted on 10/14/13 at 2:36 pm to LSU Tigerhead
Gear heads are curious about you carried.
Posted on 10/14/13 at 5:33 pm to LSU Tigerhead
Congrats! I've wanted to do this for a few years now. Hopefully one day I will quit making excuses for myself.
Thanks for the inspiration.
Thanks for the inspiration.
Posted on 10/14/13 at 5:45 pm to LSU Tigerhead
congrats!
did you encounter any of the warrior hike group out there? one of my Marine Corps brothers just finished the trail a couple of weeks ago with the warrior hike program. i've been following him and warrior hike on facebook, as they hiked the trail. was really cool following their progress day to day; i've always wanted to hike the trail but following them has really stoked the fire.
warrior hike is an amazing program. people should check it out.
did you encounter any of the warrior hike group out there? one of my Marine Corps brothers just finished the trail a couple of weeks ago with the warrior hike program. i've been following him and warrior hike on facebook, as they hiked the trail. was really cool following their progress day to day; i've always wanted to hike the trail but following them has really stoked the fire.
warrior hike is an amazing program. people should check it out.
Posted on 10/14/13 at 8:10 pm to Lsupimp
quote:The thing is you won't be alone. I would suggest to anyone interested in the trail, to hike a short section next year at the start. You meet so many fantastic people in such a short period of time and EVERY ONE OF THEM are as friendly and kind as can be. Most tend to start in late March or early April. Last year I hiked the first 52 mile section of the trail from Springer Mountain to Unicoi Gap, and was so amazed back then at the comaraderie of the trail that I told myself I'd try to do the whole thing this year. Fortune smiled upon me and I did. One of the greatest aspects of the trail is the people you meet. It's such an incredible journey.
If you want to do a 10 day--- 14 day trip next spring/Summer-give me a heads up and I'll meet you bro.
The thought of going alone unnerves me.
I'm hoping to hike the start again next year if possible and to do some trail magic afterwards--maybe cook a pot of gumbo for hikers.
If I am able to go I'll post here and see if anyone else is up for it.
This post was edited on 10/14/13 at 8:12 pm
Posted on 10/14/13 at 8:49 pm to LSU Tigerhead
I don't know anything about the trail but what you've done seems to be impressive.
Congratulations
Congratulations
Posted on 10/14/13 at 8:58 pm to LSU Tigerhead
quote:
I'm hoping to hike the start again next year if possible and to do some trail magic afterwards--maybe cook a pot of gumbo for hikers.
That'd be nice. I met a guy named "hollywood" who was repaying his "debt" this year on the PCT. We weren't through hikers, climbing Three Fingered Jack, but he didn't care. He had it all, including bourbon/ . Great guy, good times.
Posted on 10/14/13 at 9:14 pm to LSUintheNW
quote:
That'd be nice. I met a guy named "hollywood" who was repaying his "debt" this year on the PCT. We weren't through hikers, climbing Three Fingered Jack, but he didn't care. He had it all, including bourbon/ . Great guy, good times.
Off topic but stories about the PCT from last week are pretty crazy. Anyone enjoying the OP's journal may want to check those out, a lot of folks got stranded in a pretty massive snowstorm for 5-10 days.
Any other big outdoor plans, OP? I'll probably never get to do the whole trail, but would like to hit some highlights in time. Going to try and get to to the Roan Highlands this winter, weather permitting.
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