Post-Trail Thoughts - 1

The Outsider Badge

This morning I lost my Outsider Badge.  The Outsider Badge is something I made up that you earn after you have been living outside for a time.  It means you spend the majority (or all of) your time in the out-of-doors.  No artificial climate control (except possibly fire). No four walls (unless they are a tent or some such).  Subject to the whims of weather and temperature.  Someone living outside.

I didn't "lose" it in the physical sense (although I did make little plastic badges to represent this achievement)  If you don't maintain your Outsideness, your badge is revoked until you can earn it again.  For the past five nights, I have slept indoors and this is what it takes for you to lose your badge.  You can always earn it back again, but you must once again live outside to do that.

One of the many reasons I had for embarking on my Quest for Pamola was to be an Outsider for a time.  I was able to do that and I really enjoyed being an Outsider.  I do wish I had been able to earn the advanced Tiers of the Badge, but that didn't happen. Not this time anyway.  

When I first conceived of the badge, the criteria to earn and keep it was pretty simple and easy.  As I spent time as an Outsider, I tightened up the guidelines as my experience grew.  Here are the rules and guidelines for the Outsider Badge.  

To earn the Badge's Tier I level (Fledgling), you have to have been living outside for two weeks.  Staying indoors from time to time is inevitable for a long hike, so you could not have had more than three nights indoors during this time.  If you exceed this criteria, your earning is delayed however many days you went beyond the three.  

We earned our Outsider Badges (Fledgling) on May 10th.  That was day 15 and we had only stayed indoors at Neels Gap, The Top of Georgia Hostel and in Franklin.  

To earn the Tier II level (Journeyman), you must have been living outside for two months total with no more than 12 nights indoors during that time.  Once again, any nights beyond that 12, would delay your advancement by the number of extra days.  We were on track to earn this level on June 21st, the first day of Summer, or in my calendar, Mid-Summer's Day.  (It is also widely know as Hike Naked day, but that is another subject for another post)  The fact remains, that we won't be advancing to that level on that day, as I am once again sleeping indoors.  

The last level, Tier III (Master) would have been earned after four months of being an Outsider.  With no more than 24 nights indoors.  Someday, I hope to earn that level.  

You keep the Badge as long as you remain living outdoors.  If you get off trail and start sleeping indoors, after a time, you will move back through the levels until you lose the Badge altogether.  Here are the criteria for losing your levels/badge.

If you are a Master, then after five days indoors, you would move back to a Journeyman, then another five days later a Fledgling and after another five days, you would lose the badge.  Each five days lowers you until you are no longer a wearer of the Badge.  

Since I was only a Fledgling, last night was my fifth night in a row that I slept indoors, so that is that.  I hope to earn it again some day, as I really enjoy being outside.  I am "at home" there.

Here is the Outsider Oath I made up to go with the Badge:

The Oath of the Outsider

I am an Outsider

I live my life in Nature

Four walls can't surround me

The forest canopy is my roof

I take each day as given

A fire is my warmth

The wind cools my body

All I need, I carry on my back

The outside is my home 

I am an Outsider

Weight Loss

Another of my reasons for this Quest was to lose weight.  Since I have retired (and actually it had started before that), my weight has slowly crept up, from the low 200s to up around 240 or so.  That was my weight on day one of the hike.  With my back problems and a general laziness that I developed, I couldn't seem to lose any weight.  Snacking was also a contributing factor.  Since I knew most men lose a lot of weight when they go out on a long distance hike, I thought that I could lose some poundage.  All I had to do was walk all day for several days and the weight will fall off like magic.  I even wrote an article about it on The Trek.  

I am very happy with how this worked.  As the days and weeks went on, we could easily tell that I was losing lots of weight.  I certainly had a lot that I needed to lose, so I was happy that the pounds were going away.  The sporadic scales you encounter along the way would each tell a different story.  I had no idea how accurate they were, so I would use them, but reserve my joy until I was able to step on the same scale I had the day we left on our Quest, the one in our bathroom at home.  

When I did get back home and the next morning I stood on the scale, I was indeed happy with what I saw.  I had lost about 31 lbs.  Not the 40 I had thought, but no little number.  I had basically lost the weight of my pack.   

Now, the challenge will be keeping the weight off (and maybe losing a few more lbs). I seem to have this constant hunger now that I remember from when I was actively dieting back in the day.  I need to embrace that hunger feeling and not give in to it.  I have a feeling it won't be easy.  One thing is, with my lighter body, I feel a bit more energetic and my need to walk everyday is as strong as ever.  I'm just not walking 15, 16 miles a day.  I will need to keep going back to the Gym as much as possible, walking the dog several times a day and walking to places instead of driving if I can.  

So, I achieved my goal on this note, but will have to be diligent on keeping the weight off and staying active, limiting my snacking (and beer drinking) and walking as much as possible.  Wish me luck. 

Long Distance Treker Achievement

The last thing I will talk about today on my Post-Trail Thoughts is another Achievement I made up called the Long Distance Treker Achievement (LDT).  It too has multiple levels, but once you have earned a level, it is yours forever.  

Before this Quest/Hike, I have only hiked about 100 miles at the most at one time.  I wanted to do way more than that and the LDT is a good way to measure how far you can go at one time.  

You first earn the Achievement after hiking about 100 miles and have resupplied a couple of times.  It has to feel right.  It's all part of the experience of a long hike.  Going along your route, resupplying your food and other consumables and walking lots of miles.  You will know when the achievement has been earned.  Offering some fat and oil to Pamola will also help you along.  If you do that, the next morning's weather will let you know how the Storm God thinks about your achievement.  So, that's level 1 LDT.

Level 2 is earned after 200 miles.  That is the level LoGear and I earned.  Level 3 is at 500 miles.  I was less than 40 miles away from this one.  Level 4 is 1000 miles.  Maybe one day, I will get there, but I'm ok with my Level 2 achievement.  

The final level, Level 5 is earned after 2000 miles.  It would be quite an achievement to be a Level 5 LDT, let me tell you.  Those that have the physical and mental ability to do this trail from end to end are the earners of this Level of the Achievement.  The Rock Stars of the trail, so to speak.

What's Next

That's all I have for today.  In the coming weeks, I hope to talk about the different Sections of our Quest (Phase I).  That's all a long hike ever is, one section after another until you are "done".  That is how I approached this hike.  I would only plan the next section's hike.  Where we could stay, where the next resupply was...

Also, I want to talk about the wonderful filthy animals I met out there on the trail.  I tried to get all of their names, but I'm sure I missed many.  The people are the trail and I want to share with you those who made our hike special.  

Stay tuned as I process my thoughts and feelings and hopefully transform them into something you would want to read about.  Once again, wish me luck.

Peace,
EarthTone and LoGear

Mail Drop List for Care Packages

Care Packages and Mail Drops
I set up a list of potential Mail Drops on our Trail Journals page in the event some kind soul, family member or friend wants to send us some love.  It is always a huge boost to our morale when we know we have a package waiting in the next town.  We will lovingly accept anything you send, but please take into consideration that we must carry (or give away or leave in a Hiker Box) anything that is sent.  Canned goods probably aren't the best idea.  I'll list some potential options below, but we truly appreciate anything and everything that is sent to us.  

Our List:
You can find the active list on the Trail Journal page.  These are places where the trail actually goes through the town, so it is guaranteed that we will have to pass by these post offices and establishments.  I have added addresses that cover the whole length of the trail.  I will add and edit as we move along, adding or removing drops if needed and adjust ETA dates as appropriate.  I hope to update the ETA date on the next waypoint about a week to ten days before our arrival.  If you are following along on our progress, you should be able to make your own educated guess.  It doesn't have to be perfect as the Post offices hold the package for 30 days and the other places will hold it for at least two weeks and usually longer.  

The list has a mixture of post office addresses and places that accept mail drops for hikers like outfitters, hostels and hotels.  I decided on each on the likelihood that we will stay or visit the business and hopefully we will be able to hit the Post Offices while they are open and not have to zero a day or two to wait.  

The way the list displays the address is kind of funky, but I'm sure it would work no matter how you order the lines, as long as all the important information is there.  Here is how I would rearrange the lines:

Joe or Lisa Harold
C/O Fontana Lodge
300 Woods Rd.
Fontana Dam, NC 28733
Attn: Hold for AT Hiker ETA: 5/14/2017

Mailing Tips:
If you would like to send something, I recommend mailing two weeks
before the planned arrival date. Add time to this two weeks if you live further 
from the trail. This will allow ample shipping time as well as a few buffer days 
in the schedule. Some places don't like to hold mail for longer then necessary. 

If you are mailing in advance of two weeks to a place of business other than a 
Post Office, I would confirm it with the receiver first. Space is often limited. 

It's also a necessity to let us know ahead of time that you sent us something and what it is, either a letter or a package. Often the letters and packages are not in the same place. 
If we don't know you have sent us something, we most likely won't stop by the post office or ask the hotel desk about mail.  This is very important.

Thanks
We appreciate all the support we can get as we head out on our Quest.  

Here are some ideas of what you can send us.  Not all inclusive of course.
Tuna packets
Drink powders
Instant coffee packets
Candy bars
Candy
Sweet and Salty bars
Mountain House Meals
Trail Mix
Almonds
Raisins
Crasins
Dried fruit
Nutella
Jerky
Real Bacon Bits
Baby Bell cheese
Summer sausage
Peanut butter
Mayo
Salt and pepper packs
Knorr rice and noodle sides
Ramen

All the Ways we Share our Journey

This is most likely redundant if you have been following us on Social Media, but if you just stumbled on it and want to follow along on our Journey, here is where our presence will be known.

We are going to try and share our Journey as best as we can. I have several sites where I will possibly be posting our progress and my thoughts as we move up the Trail. I know that it is hard to walk all day, do your camp chores, then find time to write and post and signal can be sporadic at certain places, but if I am posting, then these are the possible places I will be posting.

1. Here (Our Blog: The Adventures of EarthTone and LoGear). I started this Blog about seven years ago and have more or less added to it as things happened in my life and I had the desire to write about them. If you dig down into it, you will see its theme change from time to time. Evolving into what it is now. This is my personal blog. I invite you in to check it out. Eventually this will contain a complete rendition of the hike. I will probably update this more on a weekly schedule if I can.

2. Our Facebook Like Page - Adventures of EarthTone and LoGear: https://www.facebook.com/EarthToneLoGear/ This will probably be my go-to, as near as daily as possible, easy place to post. If you use Facebook and Like this page, you will see my updates in your feed.

3. My personal Facebook Page. If you are my friend (or following), then you will see it, but the above Like page will be our main depository of updates. https://www.facebook.com/johar923

4. Trailjournals website: http://www.trailjournals.com/pamola... I hope to keep this up-to-date with a nice mileage accumulation and maybe a picture or two, but it is a unwieldy to use with a phone out on the trail, so updates may come late and in chunks. Eventually, it will be updated with all the data as a record of the hike. My other hikes are all documented here.

5. Instagram: earthtone923 - From time to time I might post a photo. Not my go to app, but who knows.

6. SnapChat: earthtone923 - I followed a few hikers on this for the 2016 season. It is kinda cool, but can get annoying at times. I might do a few short videos from time to time when I get the inkling

7. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/johar9... I don't plan on posting many videos, but you never know. I don't plan on being a filmmaker out there, so anything I post will probably be pretty raw and in need of editing.

8. The Trek (formerly Appalachian Trials): https://thetrek.co/author/joseph-ha... I joined up to write a blog entry from time to time. When I have a decent topic and have the time and inclination to write something, I'll post an article.

Follow if you like.  I hope I can keep at least one or two going as we head North.  

Peace,
EarthTone and LoGear

Final Test Hike

We loaded up our packs and headed North to the AT Museum area.  We took the movable Halfway Sign up to Dead Womans Hollow Rd and erected it for the season.  Jen and Tom, volunteers from the A.T. Museum came along to help.

2017 Halfway Point - Dead Womans Hollow Rd.

After that chore was complete, we went back to Shippensburg Rd and started hiking North.  It had rained all the way up from home, but had stopped by the time we arrived in the area.  It was a chilly day with temps on the upper 30s and everything was drippy.

A misty, drippy day

We made our way down to Toms Run shelter, where we would set up our new hammocks and spend the night.  The hike in had been good at an easy 4.8 miles, but we still felt that soreness you get when you first start carrying weight along uneven terrain. 

I took a time lapse video of our antics as we worked to figure out our new gear which was amusing.  I'm glad we did this trip as it was enlightening to say the least.  We are still climbing up the learning curve.

Our hammocks await us

We ate dinner and gathered some wood for a fire, but everything was pretty wet and we were tired enough to not want to fiddle with it much, so we didn't waste the effort.  As the light faded from the misty forest, we both headed to our hammocks to read, then sleep.

My night seemed restless, but I wasn't cold at all.  LoGear didn't fare as well as she said she was shivering all night.  She is ready to go back to her warm, but heavier bag.

Eventually, a Pileated Woodpecker announced the new day.  I opened my eyes and saw dawn had arrived. 

We slowly got up, made some breakfast and packed up.  LoGear headed out first as I was puttering around, in no hurry.

She was motivated by the hot tub and warm bed back waiting at home as we headed back the way we had come the day before.

We quickly got back to the truck and started for home.  Both of us sore and tired.  This was a good dose of what we will have to face on our hike and even though we didn't get actively rained on, we were able to experience some less than ideal weather.  

We will now make our final decisions on gear, finish up our food bags and Fontana resupply and be ready for the start of our Quest.

As always, we will stay flexible and make any needed changes to gear and technique as we start the Adventure.  25 more days until the Quest for Pamola starts.

Peace,
EarthTone and LoGear

< 30 Days - Dad, Food and Final Preps

Yesterday, we fell below 30 days in our wait time until we hit the trail.  Things have progressed along and I have gone from feeling like the hike is a very long way away to getting nervous that it is fast approaching and I still have things to do.

Korean Vet

My Father, who has had a few conversations with St. Peter at the Pearly Gates (who kept sending him back) is once again reunited with my Mother in happiness.  He was 87 years old and his body had finally reached the point where it was ready to release his spirit.  He passed peacefully between breakfast and lunch on St. Patrick's day.  My sadness at knowing that I will never have a two way conversation with him again in this lifetime is tempered by a happiness that I know he is now with my Mother again, who my Father has missed every day since December of 2011, when she passed.  He's with his Honey Babe now.

circa 1960s

circa 1980s

When I go back through my memories, I constantly see him as that tall, strong being.  Always there for us, even when he was on a job far away from home, building man's structures.  He was definitely the steady rock of our family.

My Father is also the one most responsible for my love of the outdoors and spending time hiking and camping.  I remember as a pretty young child he would rent an old Scotty 6 sleeper and we would hitch it up to the Buick Stationwagon and head out for a traveling vacation.  We would work our way to the beach and then the mountains.  It was a great introduction to the woods and spending time there.  In the 70s we had a camp up by Moraine State Park.  We spent most of the summer up there and Dad would come up each night or on the weekends.  He really liked to rake the leaves that filled the ground in our campsite.  From there it was some time in the Boy Scouts and then going out on our own.  Hiking and backpacking.  He planted the seed which has grown to this Quest of a long distance hike on the Appalachian Trail.  

He had a long life and he taught me many things.  He had one wife, five children, nine grand children and two great-grandchildren.  I like to think that he also had a good life.  He was certainly a large part in me saying I'm having a great life.  

Shauni and her Pap

I will miss him and his ready smile and easy laugh.  I hope I can find a fitting tribute to him as I use his strength to reinforce me during this upcoming hike.

Dad's last visit to the cabin

Our gear sits in the basement in the "Gear" area and we constantly pitter with it.  Adding this, deleting that.  I have decided on my first four days of food and have started to fill my "operational" food bag with what I already have on hand as I check the shopping list that will complete the contents.  We also started filling our only pre-planned food drop that we will be sending to Fontana Dam in North Carolina.  Sort of a supplement to what we expect to find at the store in the village.  

I have been collecting a lot of condiments in my last several years of doing sections and overnights, so we sorted through that and figured out what we are taking and what has been sitting at the bottom of my shopping bag sized food bag a little too long and needs to hit the trash.

Food bags and resupply

This upcoming Friday, we plan on heading up to my old stomping grounds in PA near the Museum to do a final overnight to once again become more familiar with our new hammocks and quilts.  I also need to get some dirt time.  Just some easy time outdoors for a while.  Before we head to Toms Run Shelter, we will erect the portable Halfway Sign at its location for the 2017 hiking season.  It is once again at Dead Woman's Hollow Rd, so we will put it there and hope to hike back to it, arriving some time in July if all bodes well.

My Before I HIke ToDo List is still pretty full, but I hope to start checking off some of them every day for a while.  Things are scheduled.  Things need to wait a bit still, but I'm confident it will all come together when it needs to and not a second before.  Just like a traveling wizard always arrives precisely when he means to.  

Georgia will be here before we know it and we will step out, with our backs heavy, but our hearts light to take on the challenge that is the Appalachian Trail and our Quest of Pamola.

Peace,
EarthTone and LoGear

Earl F. Harold Jr.  1929 - 2017
and me  :)

The Time Between Now and Then

This is a hard time to endure.  The time between being ready to go and being able to go.  Our packs are waiting ready.  Our gear is pretty much set.  We tick off each day as it passes and watch others start their own journey.  It's hard seeing them head out and not being out there with them.

Mama Bear (Ginger) after her first surgery.  Now she needs her ACL worked on

As usual, obstacles keep throwing themselves in front of us.  The tentacles are already reaching for us, even before we hit the trail.  Dog surgeries, dental work, mysterious bloody noses.  Each of these, and more, keep jumping up in front of us.  We have learned that each obstacle can be overcome by going around, over or through, so we handle each as it comes up and continue to hope that all will fall into place before we head to Georgia and start our Quest.

Dog walking with my pack

I try to wear my full pack whenever I can.  Most of my neighbors have gotten used to me walking through the neighborhood wearing my pack.  On our way to the woods where we walk the flat, sandy trails.  Some ask me what is up, others just stare and wonder.  

At least once a week, LoGear and I try to get out to the only place around here that has decent elevation changes, Patapsco State Park.  We can do a couple different loops from a couple of miles to somewhere near ten.  Mama Bear gets pretty excited when she sees us getting our packs ready.  It is going to be hard on her (and us) when we do it in late April and leave her behind with Home Base (Brandi).  

Taking a packs off break in Patapsco State Park

I'm itching to get out there.  Even if it is just an overnight.  The weird spring like weather has messed my mind up even more.  It feels like it is time to go, but there are still miles of things to do before we hike.  The obstacles keep us at home.

Until it is our time, and all (or most) of the obstacles have been handled or mitigated, we will continue to watch the videos and read the journals of those who are out there now, hiking their hike. The time between now and then continues, until it is our turn to add our feet to the trail and our voice to the song that is the Quest of Pamola.  

Peace,

EarthTone and LoGear

LD-08: Hike Your Own Hike

Hike Your Own Hike

Anyone who has dipped their toe into the world of the Hiker has most likely heard this ubiquitous saying. Its individual meanings are endless and have so many nuances, that at times, it has become meaningless. But we will continue to use it and embrace the meaning we have chosen to use as we hike on down the trail, hiking our own hike.

What "hike your own hike" means to me
As I said above, there are so many meanings to this saying that I probably can't list them all. Here are two that I consider often.

1. An expression of the freedom that a long distance hike allows for the hiker. To go out and commune with nature and be one with it. To be at home in the woods and move along the trail as best as you can, doing what you want (as long as it doesn't infringe on other's hikes). It means, you hike your hike and I will hike mine. No judgment or criticism.

2. A pseudo polite, semi-passive aggressive way to say Shut the Fuck Up. I really don't want or need the unsolicited advice you are giving me, so please go find someone else to impose your will on.

It is usually pretty easy to figure out which meaning I'm using...

What does it Not mean to me? It doesn't mean to go out there and do whatever the fuck you want, disregarding the others you share the trail with. It doesn't mean to ignore LNT. It doesn't mean to ignore all the trail etiquette you have read and heard about. It doesn't mean you have free rein to be loud, obnoxious and basically an asshole.

The golden rule fits nicely with this concept. Treat others the way you would like to be treated. It is as simple as that.

Further resources
With today's Interwebs, there are countless resources of information about attempting a Long Distance Hike. Some if it is good, some, not so much. The thing is to go out there and see what you can find. Weight the advice and information you see and either try it, discard it or save it for later. I love planning hikes. Whether they be one or two nights or five or six months. Using all the resources I find on this great information highway is always fun. Here are a couple of go to websites that I have found very useful:

1. The A.T. Guide - You need to have a guide and this is the one that I recommend. It has a gold mine of information that helps you along the way. You can get a pdf version for your phone, but I will always also carry the paper edition. I have cut mine in half and will carry only the half I need. AWOL's website also have some handy resupply planning spreadsheets that come in three different Miles Per Day variations.

2. Lighter Pack - This website helps you obsess about your pack weight. It gives you a nice visual display of where the bulk of your weight is and lets you plan how to cut it down.

3. ATC's Interactive Map - Great for getting a clear visual clue of the trail. It can show you shelters, parking, vistas and more.

4. Distance Calculator - Another great planning tool. Enter start and stop locations and it gives you a good breakdown on the mileage between way points.

5. Trail Journals - This is a great site for sharing your journey. Although it is a little challenging to use from the trail, it isn't impossible, if you have a bit of signal. It has great tools to show your gear, let visitors offer encouragement and tracks your mileage and other stats from your hike.

6. Zero Day Resupply - This fairly new concept lets you plan and execute mail drops without all the prep work. You just go to their website, fill your box or pack and tell them where to ship it. The prices are fairly comparable to grocery store, but remember you are paying for a service too.

7. AT Mailing Labels - If you are doing the mail drop thing (or just need someone to send you something) this site has a good database of addresses, both Post Office and Businesses. You always want to double check with most of these as they may disappear without notice.

8. Facebook Hiking Groups - There are dozens of these that you can join and share your knowledge and ask your questions. A word of warning. You might want to do a little of your own Googling first because you can ask a simple question in any one of these groups and get so many conflicting answers, that it just confuses you more than before you asked. They are good to see who is planning to get out there and it is possible to make friends early and also decide who you really don't want to hike around.

This is the final installment of my Long Distance Hiking 101 series. I hope I was able to provide a few tidbits of wisdom. What works for me, might not work for you so please don't consider anything I have advised here as the only solution. Everyone has a slightly different experience out there, but for most, it is a really great experience that affects them for the rest of their lives.

Have a great hike and remember the Hike is about the Journey. The experiences are to be cherished. The destination is just where you sigh and say, "What's Next?"

See you out on the trail.

Peace,
EarthTone and LoGear

LD-01 - LD-02 - LD-03 - LD-04 - LD-05 - LD-06 - LD-07 - LD-08

Overnight Gear Test

Since we upgraded our sleep and shelter system, I have been chomping at the bit to get out in the woods and see how it feels.  We decided that last weekend would be good, as the temperatures were going to stay in the 40's for a couple of days.  Rain was in the forecast, but weather never interferes with our plans.  In fact, a couple rainy days were perfect to test our gear (and ourselves) to possible wet conditions.  We were also bringing Ginger our Golden Doodle (now trail named Mama Bear).  She loves to come out with us when we head out, so we thought it would be good to bring her for our short hikes. 

Mama Bear and LoGear heading down the misty trail

The original plan was to drive to old Rt 40 at the Old South Mountain Inn, hike into Rocky Run shelter, overnight, then hike back to the car, drive to the Rt 70 overpass parking and hike to Pogo Campground for a second night.  Plan B would be put into effect on Saturday after an unexpected challenge. 

LoGear works a night shift, so she usually doesn't arise until after Noon.  She had Fridays and Saturdays off.  We had everything ready to go and got on the road at around 1240 on Friday.  The drive was a little over an hour and after a quick stop for lunch at McDs, we were at the A.T. Parking lot next to the Inn and on the trail around 1400.  

The weather was damp.  Scattered showers had been coming through for a while and even though we didn't get rained on, everything was a little drippy.  We arrived at the shelter after the quick, easy 2.1 mile hike at 1455 and set up camp.

LoGear wanted to test her new sleeping pad along with her new quilts, so she set up in the empty shelter.  The plan was for Mama Bear to sleep with her.  We brought a couple of blankets for her.

  

LoGear's set up

I wanted to see how my new under quilt and top quilt worked in my new hammock, so I set up right outside the shelter where Mama Bear could see me.  She likes to know we are safe.  

EarthTone's hammock set up

It was still pretty early in the day, so we puttered around the shelter area, getting water and gathering wood.  The temps were in the low 40s, but felt comfortable with a puffy on.  

Darkness comes early in the winter so we ate dinner as darkness settled in the holler.  Even after a nice fire, we were contemplating heading to the quilts at around 1830 and we did just that.  

Here is my notes from Friday:

Moonsday, 30 Afteryule:Left home around 12:40ish. Parked at South Mountain Inn. Hiked about 2 miles to Rocky Run Shelter. Arrived at 14:55. Set up hammock, gathered wood, fed Ginger. Made a fire and dinner as it got dark early. Went to hammock around 1830. Lisa is in shelter with Ginger. It's about 40 degrees with rain off and on all day. Nothing while we were hiking and only a few minutes when we were up on the hill top checking out the camping area. There is a breeze, but the woods are calm and quiet. Ahh, winter in the woods. I can feel some cold on my back, but it isn't too bad. The setup probably needs adjusting. This is why we are out here. To test the new gear and learn how to use it.

 I went to my hammock and read for a while and then tried to get some sleep.  My sleeping was sporadic and not very fitful.  I don't think I had my under quilt set up exactly right and from time to time I would feel cold under me.  I also need to get used to the top quilt.  It isn't like a sleeping bag where you can zip yourself in and virtually eliminate most drafts, but acts more like a blanket.  It sure does feel warm though, but I will need to adjust to how it works.  I hung out in the hammock until I was ready to start the next day which was around 0530.  11 hours in the hammock.  Nice.

Mama Bear seemed to have a restless night.  She wasn't content to just sleep next to LoGear, but had to patrol the area and check on me every so often.  She seemed just as content sleeping in the shelter, under my tarp or in the middle of the blue blaze trail coming into camp.  In the morning we christened her Mamma Bear as she seemed to be protecting and watching over her "babies" all night.  

I got up in the darkness and just took it easy.  I knew it would be a while until LoGear rolled out as I could tell she was up a lot during the night checking on Mama Bear who was checking on me.  She also needs a couple of days to adjust to a different sleeping schedule, where she can get up along with the sun.  But the sun wasn't going to be seen all day.

I started the day with a couple cups of coffee with some Carnation Instant Breakfast stirred in.  Next we went down to the spring to fill up the bottles.  There was a super dense fog.  We were in the midst of the cloud so to speak.

Next I gathered some wood for a morning fire.  Everything was damp to wet, but my nice fire starters never let me down.  I ate breakfast and started breaking down my camp.  I know my tarp was going to be packed up wet because nothing was drying in this damp, drippy weather.  

Mama Bear enjoying the foggy morning

The woods woke up, but the quite remained.  It was super peaceful and I glorified in being outside and enjoying the day as it was given. Eventually LoGear had enough of laying in the shelter and came out for breakfast.

Here is my Saturday morning notes:

Treesday, 01 Solmath: Slept kind of cold. Up around 0530. Made coffee, got water, collected damp wood, ate bfast, etc. 38 degrees with fog and dripping trees. The metal shelter roof is like a drum beat for every drop. I need to figure out my under quilt. I'm not sure I have it set up right. We headed out of camp at 1048.

Just before we left, we met two hikers coming in.  We chatted a bit.  They had just come in from where we had parked for the night.  They went up on the ridge to set up as we headed back down the blue blaze to the trail.

We hiked back out in the foggy morning, passing about seven others coming in, stopping at the Dahlgren campground for a bit to use the porta potty.  This site is really nice in the warmer seasons, as it has showers and running water.  

We were quickly back at our truck.  Yesterday we had been the only vehicle in the lot, but there were already four or five vehicles parked there now.  I was a little surprised that so many other were coming out on this dreary day, but I guess there are a lot of others who are like me and don't let weather be a factor in whether or not they go out.  This would be an omen of things to come.

We headed to the next parking lot.  A pretty large lot on Rt 40 just before it passes over Rt 70.  I followed the GPS instead of going a somewhat longer, but straighter route which turned out to be a twisty, windy series of back roads that I feared would upset Mama Bear's stomach.  

She used to get car sick when she was young, but had pretty much outgrown it for the most part.  We were asking for trouble by risking it.

When we arrived at the parking lot, it was completely full.  Even the overflow area had a car in every slot.  This sucked pretty much.  We decided that we had learned a good deal from our one night out and would schedule more as we can.  It was time to end this adventure and head home.  

Mama Bear was acting thirsty and LoGear gave her a little bit of water.  Just as we pulled away to head to McDs again, she covered my middle console with some nice dog puke.  

After a clean up we were on our way.  This was not the first time she has done this, but last time I was able to catch most of it in her bowl.  Oh well, next time we will get out of the vehicle and let her drink, then let her stomach settle.  

We had packed basically our whole kit for this test that we will be bringing on our Hike along with some extra stuff for the dog and our packs weighed in at 28 and 29 pounds.  My pack felt good on my back and LoGear said she felt good too.  

Some Lessons Learned:
1.  Learn the proper way to set up that underquilt
2.  Adjust to using a quilt instead of a bag
3.  I will be bringing my crocks.  The DIY "sandals" I had made were OK for slipping them on for a quick walk to piss, but I just like having the crocks, so I will take on the extra 12 oz or so.  
4.  Mama Bear doesn't sleep well when we are separated in the night. 
5.  Don't give Mama Bear water inside the vehicle any more.

I look forward to our next gear test.  

Peace,
EarthTone and LoGear (and Mama Bear)