With my Mom and Dad in town there hasn`t been much training in the last few weeks. Dad has been shovelling the snow for me and Mom is fattening me up for slaughter. I was planning to start a new exercise program and diet restrictions but if this keeps up much longer 2009 is going to be a drastic departure in an effort to get back into some semblance of fitness before I have to take off my bulky sweats.
I did get out on snowshoes for an hour Christmas day with Lady J. She had fun so we will have to look for a set of snowshoes for her. Something in her size since my canoes made the walk an extra challenge for her.
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Race Face: The Flatter Course
I did the first (of four) Madtrapper races today. The snow was deep and the air was cold. -18 degrees Celsius at kick off. My legs were a bit heavy from going out with the running man Thursday evening. I forgot how much faster than me he is and while we ran our 8 (he tries to say 6) km along the canal I felt fine. Stiff legs yesterday said that was too much two days before a race. A hot yoga class (@ HYER Destination) helped limber that up some but this morning after an unusually poor nights sleep I was not near 100% but I was still going to try for a sub 1:30 time.
Things went smoothly at first, the drive was good so I got there with just the right amount of time to prep. I had my super power shake rented a set of running snow shoes and started out strong (for me). Being the fat guy and comparatively slow I run at the back of the pack so the path is well packed by the time I get there. About 7km in I realized I needed an energy bar - and that my bars were still in the kitchen cabinet at home. In my defence I was distracted while packing this morning. So at km 8 I bonked and a promising pace died in the frigid mountain air. I briskly walked the last two kilometres fair shivering with cold. Running on empty in -18 is not ideal. I made it back to the ark with all my fingers and toes and a hot plate of chili really hit the spot. The post-race repast is one of the big attractions of the Madtrapper IMO.
Gear notes:
1. I`m happy with my winter running kit except for the gloves. I want a slightly heavier set of gloves for these colder days. The gloves I have are fine only to about -10.
2. Gortex socks ROCK! I`ve been singing their praises all fall but now I can really rave since I can compare them directly to my pre-gortex sock life. (Was that really life or just punishment for some past wrongs?) My feet were warm and dry start to finish. Properly applied they are top notch gear and worth every penny.
3. If I`m going to be out for more than one hour I must remember to carry an energy bar and ideally something to drink. Of course one guy said his water bottle was iced up on the second lap so he would not bring it again.
Results:
In the end I finished the 10km in 1:36 and not in last place! I had been on target for about 1:25 when I bonked so next time (if I remember to pack the energy bar) under 1:30 should be no problem :). Next time is the hilly course which I actually find easier. I tend to fly down the hills with reckless abandon while the flats mean actually trying to find a running rhythm on a totally unstable platform.
Things went smoothly at first, the drive was good so I got there with just the right amount of time to prep. I had my super power shake rented a set of running snow shoes and started out strong (for me). Being the fat guy and comparatively slow I run at the back of the pack so the path is well packed by the time I get there. About 7km in I realized I needed an energy bar - and that my bars were still in the kitchen cabinet at home. In my defence I was distracted while packing this morning. So at km 8 I bonked and a promising pace died in the frigid mountain air. I briskly walked the last two kilometres fair shivering with cold. Running on empty in -18 is not ideal. I made it back to the ark with all my fingers and toes and a hot plate of chili really hit the spot. The post-race repast is one of the big attractions of the Madtrapper IMO.
Gear notes:
1. I`m happy with my winter running kit except for the gloves. I want a slightly heavier set of gloves for these colder days. The gloves I have are fine only to about -10.
2. Gortex socks ROCK! I`ve been singing their praises all fall but now I can really rave since I can compare them directly to my pre-gortex sock life. (Was that really life or just punishment for some past wrongs?) My feet were warm and dry start to finish. Properly applied they are top notch gear and worth every penny.
3. If I`m going to be out for more than one hour I must remember to carry an energy bar and ideally something to drink. Of course one guy said his water bottle was iced up on the second lap so he would not bring it again.
Results:
In the end I finished the 10km in 1:36 and not in last place! I had been on target for about 1:25 when I bonked so next time (if I remember to pack the energy bar) under 1:30 should be no problem :). Next time is the hilly course which I actually find easier. I tend to fly down the hills with reckless abandon while the flats mean actually trying to find a running rhythm on a totally unstable platform.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Whoomp, there it is
Ah the white stuff is on the ground at last and a middle aged man`s mind turns to one of his more masochistic pursuits. The Mad Trapper Snowshoe series!
http://www.synergyark.com/mad-trapper.html
The running man and I did this last year and it is buckets of fun. Highly recommended. Especially if you are one of those people who enjoys occasionally coughing up a lung. There are four races this year with the first being December 13th so I`m going to have to start my training program right away.
Snowshoeing is a lot like hiking but much harder. The big shoes mean a wide leg stance which means discovering muscles you didn`t know you had. So for snowshoe running last year I worked out a program to help create stability and hit those `new` muscles in the gym. Nothing complicated really - wide stance squats and leg presses. Lunges and the ever hated core work focusing on the stabilizing muscles of the lower abs and obliques. The snow is not a very stable running surface so you have to make up for that with your own muscles. And yes, that is as exhausting as it sounds.
This year I am adding `barefoot` treadmill running. I`m not actually barefoot I`m running in these:
http://www.vibramfivefingers.com/
Yeas it hurts the feet. Well, tires them out anyway. I`m up to about 20 minutes now before my arches get tired.
You might be wondering what all this madness has to do with the AT. The Mad Trapper Series gives me motivation to keep training in crappy weather and I think in the long run it will make me stronger overall therefore decreasing the physical adjustment period to the AT.
http://www.synergyark.com/mad-trapper.html
The running man and I did this last year and it is buckets of fun. Highly recommended. Especially if you are one of those people who enjoys occasionally coughing up a lung. There are four races this year with the first being December 13th so I`m going to have to start my training program right away.
Snowshoeing is a lot like hiking but much harder. The big shoes mean a wide leg stance which means discovering muscles you didn`t know you had. So for snowshoe running last year I worked out a program to help create stability and hit those `new` muscles in the gym. Nothing complicated really - wide stance squats and leg presses. Lunges and the ever hated core work focusing on the stabilizing muscles of the lower abs and obliques. The snow is not a very stable running surface so you have to make up for that with your own muscles. And yes, that is as exhausting as it sounds.
This year I am adding `barefoot` treadmill running. I`m not actually barefoot I`m running in these:
http://www.vibramfivefingers.com/
Yeas it hurts the feet. Well, tires them out anyway. I`m up to about 20 minutes now before my arches get tired.
You might be wondering what all this madness has to do with the AT. The Mad Trapper Series gives me motivation to keep training in crappy weather and I think in the long run it will make me stronger overall therefore decreasing the physical adjustment period to the AT.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Check it out!
filebox.vt.edu/users/wdickhan/
This is an awesome site IMO. No fluff, nothing over the top, very informative and interesting.
In the pics you`ll notice Bill has one piece of gear I really want - a good set of trekking poles. I have read that trekking poles can reduce the strain upon the knees by as much as 25%. I am presuming that would be when going downhill when the knees are under the most duress. In any case for a gimp like me good poles would appear to be a wise investment. Maybe I'll get fancy ones with a camera mount on top... and blackjack. and hookers. Forget the blackjack. and the trekking poles...
http://search.mec.ca/?N=10&Ntt=trekking+poles&bmUID=1227140003170
Trekking poles are expensive. I guess the manufacturers figure they are one of those non-essential extras so people who buy them are just looking to spend money. Or maybe they have huge R&D budgets? I guess they have a point though. If you don't need lightweight yet durable shockabsorbing telescoping carbon fibre poles and ergonomically moulded grips you could just pick up a couple of sticks on the ground for free...
I have some snowshoe poles already. I think the only real difference is the basket. I could get some small trekking baskets and maybe rubber tips and then only the word "snowshoe" written down the side would give me away as the cheapskate I am. Of course my snowshoe poles were like $30 so they probably aren't as uber as actual trekking poles.
This is an awesome site IMO. No fluff, nothing over the top, very informative and interesting.
In the pics you`ll notice Bill has one piece of gear I really want - a good set of trekking poles. I have read that trekking poles can reduce the strain upon the knees by as much as 25%. I am presuming that would be when going downhill when the knees are under the most duress. In any case for a gimp like me good poles would appear to be a wise investment. Maybe I'll get fancy ones with a camera mount on top... and blackjack. and hookers. Forget the blackjack. and the trekking poles...
http://search.mec.ca/?N=10&Ntt=trekking+poles&bmUID=1227140003170
Trekking poles are expensive. I guess the manufacturers figure they are one of those non-essential extras so people who buy them are just looking to spend money. Or maybe they have huge R&D budgets? I guess they have a point though. If you don't need lightweight yet durable shockabsorbing telescoping carbon fibre poles and ergonomically moulded grips you could just pick up a couple of sticks on the ground for free...
I have some snowshoe poles already. I think the only real difference is the basket. I could get some small trekking baskets and maybe rubber tips and then only the word "snowshoe" written down the side would give me away as the cheapskate I am. Of course my snowshoe poles were like $30 so they probably aren't as uber as actual trekking poles.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Wolf loop
After attending the Rememberance Day Ceremony Downtown today I zipped over to Gatineau Park to take advantage of the mid-week day off and hit the trails. There were a lot more people than I expected on the trail today.
My goal this afternoon was to do the 10.5 km Wolf Loop Trail in 72 minutes. To some people 72 minutes may sound like a lot of time to do 10.5 kms but in my defence the park map claims Wolf Loop takes 4.25 hours (that means it should take an active person about 3 hours to walk).
Why 72 minutes you ask? My Voyage into Trance (Paul Oakenfold) mp3 is 72 minutes of the best running music I`v ever heard. Trance music is the shiznit for running as far as I`m concerned. I guess the trance beat is my ideal running cadence.
My goal looked ambitious after the first kilometre which was mostly ankle deep mud - a trend that continued on the flats for the whole trail. Mud and wet rocks with cold, wet, heavy, feet is not condusive to fast times - just good times! In the end I managed to finish in 68 minutes 34 seconds.
I very happy with my time especially considering the trail conditions. I might not be so happy when I wake up sore and stiff tomorrow...
My goal this afternoon was to do the 10.5 km Wolf Loop Trail in 72 minutes. To some people 72 minutes may sound like a lot of time to do 10.5 kms but in my defence the park map claims Wolf Loop takes 4.25 hours (that means it should take an active person about 3 hours to walk).
Why 72 minutes you ask? My Voyage into Trance (Paul Oakenfold) mp3 is 72 minutes of the best running music I`v ever heard. Trance music is the shiznit for running as far as I`m concerned. I guess the trance beat is my ideal running cadence.
My goal looked ambitious after the first kilometre which was mostly ankle deep mud - a trend that continued on the flats for the whole trail. Mud and wet rocks with cold, wet, heavy, feet is not condusive to fast times - just good times! In the end I managed to finish in 68 minutes 34 seconds.
I very happy with my time especially considering the trail conditions. I might not be so happy when I wake up sore and stiff tomorrow...
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Gearhead 1 - the Stove
Stoves - Everywhere I read I see the MSR pocket rocket ( http://www.msrgear.com/stoves/pocketrocket.asp ) as the pinnacle of the lightweight food heating implement and the fuel canisters are readily available along the trail. The running man owns a Pocket Rocket and we used it in the ‘Dacks. It is an impressive piece of equipment - small, lightweight and very effective. The MSR Superfly also looks like an option albeit heavier and more expensive because it will accept a variety of fuel canisters reducign the chance of being caught without fuel. Plus it`s called the SUPERFLY!
It’s only real competition in my mind is this: http://www.zzstove.com/sierra.html . I’ve never seen one of these things so it would be a bit of a gamble but it sounds super cool. It’s more economical in ther long run as it only requires an occasional battery and on a forest trail I would not have to be concerned about fuel usage. Sustained damp weather might present a problem as the fuel is scrounged off the ground.
Weight: Cooking time: Price:
MSR Pocket rocket with fuel: 7 oz. 3.5 mins $38.00
Spare fuel canister: 4 oz. 36 mins $4.75
ZZstove with battery: 16 oz. 4 mins $57.00
Spare battery (D-cell): 1 oz. 2100 mins! $2.00
The SUPERFLY is $44.00 and weight 4.6 oz. One real drawback (for me) to the MSR stoves is that the fuel canisters are not refillable and I don`t want to be lugging around empty fuel canisters until I find a place that will recycle them...
The way I see it the MSR stoves are easier lighter and in the long run more expensive for me and mother earth. The ZZ stove is heavy and I can envision fuel issues. There is a titanium version of the ZZ stove that weights only 10 oz. but then costs $129.00.
I’d be interested to hear from the peanut gallery.
It’s only real competition in my mind is this: http://www.zzstove.com/sierra.html . I’ve never seen one of these things so it would be a bit of a gamble but it sounds super cool. It’s more economical in ther long run as it only requires an occasional battery and on a forest trail I would not have to be concerned about fuel usage. Sustained damp weather might present a problem as the fuel is scrounged off the ground.
Weight: Cooking time: Price:
MSR Pocket rocket with fuel: 7 oz. 3.5 mins $38.00
Spare fuel canister: 4 oz. 36 mins $4.75
ZZstove with battery: 16 oz. 4 mins $57.00
Spare battery (D-cell): 1 oz. 2100 mins! $2.00
The SUPERFLY is $44.00 and weight 4.6 oz. One real drawback (for me) to the MSR stoves is that the fuel canisters are not refillable and I don`t want to be lugging around empty fuel canisters until I find a place that will recycle them...
The way I see it the MSR stoves are easier lighter and in the long run more expensive for me and mother earth. The ZZ stove is heavy and I can envision fuel issues. There is a titanium version of the ZZ stove that weights only 10 oz. but then costs $129.00.
I’d be interested to hear from the peanut gallery.
Monday, November 3, 2008
Pine Grove
First things first - despite the photo it wasn't very piney. As expected it was flat with a broad clear trail. More like a soft top road than a trail really.
Not really the best place for hiking but it is an excellent place for running. No traffic, nice soft ground to run on, quiet, lots of ridiculously friendly people (dog walkers mostly with a fair portion of runners). Even through it's technically a trail the broad flat surface disqualifies it as "trail running" IMHO. I didn't do all three loops as had I planned as a poor choice of socks left me with a heel blister and, quite frankly, it was kinda dull. Did I mention it was all flat all the time? No scenic views or wildlife to speak of either, too many dogs for the wildlife I guess.
So about the blister, one pair of loose hand knit wool socks was not a good idea. Yes, loose even on my size 12.5's. I think I'll either have to stick with the lightweight sock and a sock liner plan which has worked well in the past or maybe I just need to soak my feet in tea. I prefer to drink my tea but I read that soaking your feet in tea will make them tough and leathery therefore helping to prevent blisters.
In closing, sock liners and technical hiking socks can start off Ken's Christmas wish list.
(notice how I seamlessly slipped the sizing into the narrative above!)
(notice how I seamlessly slipped the sizing into the narrative above!)
Friday, October 31, 2008
Geocaching
Wikipedia describes geocaching as:
I think geocaching is pretty neat and if I owned a GPS I would definitely try it out. That said I am not going to go buy a GPS to start geocaching. I have a long list of gear I want to get before a handheld GPS.
My hardcore side doesn`t like the GPS. It somehow feels like it would take the edge off of being in the woods. Like carrying a cell phone instead of a survival kit - you haven`t really left civilization behind at all if you have a phone.
But again geocaching has some advantages. You get to work on your map reading skills without all the running of orienteering and you get to hike with a purpose in mind which is good for motivation. Who doesn`t like to find stuff? Hidden stuff!
Sunday morning I`m going to hike the Pine Grove trail on the Greenbelt. It should be a flat 13 kms. I figure to bring my stove and boil a cup of tea somewhere along the way just for S&Gs. I plan to leave Parking lot 18 (which is on Davidson just off Hawthorne) by 9AM and if I do the full loop I will treat myself to a hot coffee in some establishment that shows football on the TV when I`m done (any suggestions?). This is part one of my scouting the East end greenbelt trails for some convenient afterwerk trail running/snowshoeing locations.
an outdoor treasure-hunting game in which the participants use a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver or other navigational techniques to hide and seek containers (called "geocaches" or "caches") anywhere in the world.See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geocaching
I think geocaching is pretty neat and if I owned a GPS I would definitely try it out. That said I am not going to go buy a GPS to start geocaching. I have a long list of gear I want to get before a handheld GPS.
My hardcore side doesn`t like the GPS. It somehow feels like it would take the edge off of being in the woods. Like carrying a cell phone instead of a survival kit - you haven`t really left civilization behind at all if you have a phone.
But again geocaching has some advantages. You get to work on your map reading skills without all the running of orienteering and you get to hike with a purpose in mind which is good for motivation. Who doesn`t like to find stuff? Hidden stuff!
Sunday morning I`m going to hike the Pine Grove trail on the Greenbelt. It should be a flat 13 kms. I figure to bring my stove and boil a cup of tea somewhere along the way just for S&Gs. I plan to leave Parking lot 18 (which is on Davidson just off Hawthorne) by 9AM and if I do the full loop I will treat myself to a hot coffee in some establishment that shows football on the TV when I`m done (any suggestions?). This is part one of my scouting the East end greenbelt trails for some convenient afterwerk trail running/snowshoeing locations.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Sectonistas
Some people have mused about joining me for a portion of the AT odyssey which sounds great to me as long as they bear in mind a few things. The first 30 miles is supposedly the most difficult terrain. So either you join me in February to hike the most difficult miles or you join me when I'm up to speed. Well I suppose there is that narrow period after those first 30 miles and before I really get my legs under me.
I'm not planning to be fastpacking unless I have to but I will have time constraints so anyone thinking about joining me for a section should figure on an absolute minimum of 20 km per day with their pack on rough terrain day after day or I will have no choice but to leave them behind. I figure I will need to average 28 km per day to complete the trip in five months (what I would like to do), 24 km per day to complete the trip in 6 months (what I expect to do) or 20 km per day to complete the trip in seven months (last resort).
Of course these are averages and some parts of the trail are easier than others and different parts offer different hiking experiences. Some parts shadow a highway, others are untamed wilderness and in places the trail goes through downtown. Supposedly the 70 miles through Pennsylvania will destroy a set of boots and the Smoky Mountains, while beautiful, are full of curious bears.
Then there is the time of year and the incumbent weather conditions - cold, hot, rain, bugs, snow? I hope to mitigate the cold/hot thing by leaving the deep south in the dead of winter, but really, how cold can it get in Georgia? (in February about -4 Celsius) .
I see this in four general sections:
February-March in the Southern Appalachians lots of up and down to keep me warm.
March-April in the Virginias supposedly the easy section where a thru hiker should plan on doing at least 30 km per day.
May-June in the mid-Atlantic states not so bad but rocky and difficult in places. (see Pennsylvania comment above)
June-July in New England pretty good through the Green Mountains, pretty tough through the white Mountains and then the 100 mile wilderness sprint to the finish!
OK enough about the AT. From now on I`ll try to stick to more generic hiking or the Adirondack trail which will be the pre-AT practice/second thoughts?/gear testing hike in fall `09.
I'm not planning to be fastpacking unless I have to but I will have time constraints so anyone thinking about joining me for a section should figure on an absolute minimum of 20 km per day with their pack on rough terrain day after day or I will have no choice but to leave them behind. I figure I will need to average 28 km per day to complete the trip in five months (what I would like to do), 24 km per day to complete the trip in 6 months (what I expect to do) or 20 km per day to complete the trip in seven months (last resort).
Of course these are averages and some parts of the trail are easier than others and different parts offer different hiking experiences. Some parts shadow a highway, others are untamed wilderness and in places the trail goes through downtown. Supposedly the 70 miles through Pennsylvania will destroy a set of boots and the Smoky Mountains, while beautiful, are full of curious bears.
Then there is the time of year and the incumbent weather conditions - cold, hot, rain, bugs, snow? I hope to mitigate the cold/hot thing by leaving the deep south in the dead of winter, but really, how cold can it get in Georgia? (in February about -4 Celsius) .
I see this in four general sections:
February-March in the Southern Appalachians lots of up and down to keep me warm.
March-April in the Virginias supposedly the easy section where a thru hiker should plan on doing at least 30 km per day.
May-June in the mid-Atlantic states not so bad but rocky and difficult in places. (see Pennsylvania comment above)
June-July in New England pretty good through the Green Mountains, pretty tough through the white Mountains and then the 100 mile wilderness sprint to the finish!
OK enough about the AT. From now on I`ll try to stick to more generic hiking or the Adirondack trail which will be the pre-AT practice/second thoughts?/gear testing hike in fall `09.
Monday, October 27, 2008
Gimpy
So I've been gimped up of late. A hip has been bothering me since I did the big rake job on my yard. Usually I use the mower one last time in the fall to scoop up the leaves and pine needles but my mower is in sore need of some TLC. The hip is much better now so I expect to get in couple of short runs this week and another hike on the weekend. I'll probably take my camera out on the bird watching loop to play it safe.
In the meantime I picked up a Backpacker magazine so I could check up on all the recent innovations in walking. It had a really weak article about "how to do anything in the woods" with helpful suggestions on how to find water anywhere like - climb to the top of a hill and look for water or find water on the ground. Luckily I salvaged some of my dollar value in a surprise article about the AT. I don't really want to focus on At specific research until I've completed the Adirondak trail and I am sure I`m willing to spend seven months of my life walking but it was full of fun facts.
The trail has many shelters some that are maintained and run like wilderness retreats with stores and everything. The article talked about not bothering with too much advance planning. Mailing stuff to postal stations in advance is considered unnecessary as there seems to be a trail industry to sell whatever the hiker may want along the way. Itineraries with "this shelter by this date" are considered counterproductive. It also mentioned that one shouldn't plan to do the whole trip with one set of gear. One sleeping bag will not suffice for the cool spring and the hot summer and the author suggested a new pair of boots every 4-500 miles! That seems ridiculous to me although he did suggest light synthetic (pathetic) boots. I figure leather boots and a can of Saddle soap.
Oldest person to thru-hike the AT: 81
Youngest person to thru-hike the AT: 6
Fastest thru-hike (unofficial): 47 days, 13 hours, 31 minutes. Thats an average of about 72 km per day!
Fastest thru-hike (unofficial): 47 days, 13 hours, 31 minutes. Thats an average of about 72 km per day!
Sunday, October 12, 2008
The Gats
I went on a day hike yesterday in Gatineau park with some of the boys. We went from Old Chelsea up to the King Mountain Loop. It was all climb to the Mountain but pretty easy going. Most of the trail was shared hiking-biking trail which means hard base and easy walking. Light packs and perfect weather also help make for a pleasant day. According to the string we did a total of about 14kms including wrong turns. We were out for about 4 hours so we were probably moving along at an average of about 4km hour if you factor in the stop on the escarpment for tea.
The park was beautiful with the fall colours and clear skies but that also means it was maggoty with people. Lots of people taking their little kids out to see the leaves, trail runners in singles and packs and a few mountain bikers. Fewer bikers than I expected actually. Here are a few pics:
It was a good day but I will need to find some more challenging terrain or pick longer routes. I would like to get in some long days of walking. And I probably should carry more stuff. Or maybe I`ll wait until next summer to do all that. For now I`ll focus on my trail following and map reading skills :)
The park was beautiful with the fall colours and clear skies but that also means it was maggoty with people. Lots of people taking their little kids out to see the leaves, trail runners in singles and packs and a few mountain bikers. Fewer bikers than I expected actually. Here are a few pics:
It was a good day but I will need to find some more challenging terrain or pick longer routes. I would like to get in some long days of walking. And I probably should carry more stuff. Or maybe I`ll wait until next summer to do all that. For now I`ll focus on my trail following and map reading skills :)
Monday, October 6, 2008
16 months
The current plan is to head out on the trail just after the Vikings` 2010 Superbowl victory (even on the off chance they do not win) and get back to the concrete jungle in time to start the fall semester at college. That gives me about 16 months to prepare.
I plan to do what is called thru-hiking the trail which is to do the entire 3500 km in one season. According to Wikipedia this takes 5- 7 months and ain`t easy. In recent years the completion rate of registered thru-hikers has gone up to almost 30%. So less than 1 in 3 people who set out finish the journey and less than 10,000 people have done it since the trail was built in the 1930`s.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appalachian_Trail
I plan to do what is called thru-hiking the trail which is to do the entire 3500 km in one season. According to Wikipedia this takes 5- 7 months and ain`t easy. In recent years the completion rate of registered thru-hikers has gone up to almost 30%. So less than 1 in 3 people who set out finish the journey and less than 10,000 people have done it since the trail was built in the 1930`s.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appalachian_Trail
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
New Blog
Hi all,
So I have created this new blog because I could never get the old blog (thealmightysarlaccworldtour.blogspot.com) to accept comments. I think comments are a fun part of the blog idea. Although I`m not much of a fan of anonymous comments.
So anyways the point of this blog is for me to be able to look back on what I was thinking as I prepare to turn my life on it`s head in the form of hiking the Appalachian trail. I expect this to be more of a thinking out loud kind of thing but hopefully with some informative stuff like my friend Mark`s running blog (http://2733metres.blogspot.com/). But hopefully without all the pain :)
That`s all for now.
So I have created this new blog because I could never get the old blog (thealmightysarlaccworldtour.blogspot.com) to accept comments. I think comments are a fun part of the blog idea. Although I`m not much of a fan of anonymous comments.
So anyways the point of this blog is for me to be able to look back on what I was thinking as I prepare to turn my life on it`s head in the form of hiking the Appalachian trail. I expect this to be more of a thinking out loud kind of thing but hopefully with some informative stuff like my friend Mark`s running blog (http://2733metres.blogspot.com/). But hopefully without all the pain :)
That`s all for now.
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