Trail Logistics

A thru-hike on the Appalachian Trail is an exercise in logistics. Many have asked us about different aspects of the hike, like; how do you get food, how to you cook, where do you sleep? Boy am I glad they made me think these thing through.
We are going to be like the turtle family. Our home is on our backs. Our back packed kitchen includes 2 pots and a one burner stove. The pantry is dried foods with a few treats. The most important thing about food is the weight. Water is available all along the way so we can rehydrate foods easier than we can carry the extra weight. We will have to carry 4-5 days worth of food at a time. At 2 pounds per person per day that comes to 16-20 pounds of food between the two of us.
We plan to resupply our food stuffs every 4-5 days. There are towns on or close by the trail for that purpose. We will buy some foods at the store and we are preparing some of things at home now and Amy will mail it to us at Post Offices in the towns along the trail. Jen is experimenting with possible menus now. Last night we had burritos with red chile sauce. The whole meal weighed less that 1 pound using dehydrated beans, hamburger, and chile powder. It tasted just like home made and will taste even better after a long day of hiking. When we get to a town, I plan to feast on burgers and fries.
We will be carrying our bedroom on our back as well. I am carrying a two person tent that weighs 6 pounds. We both have self inflating sleeping pads and down filled sleeping bags. Jen’s bag is good down to 0 degrees, mine to 15 degrees. Hopefully we won’t experience weather any worse than that. If the bags are too warm when we walk into summer we plan to buy lighter bags and mail these home. They will have to be mailed back to us in New Hampshire.
All along the trail there are shelters that are available on first come first serve basis. They sleep from 8 to 20 people, but you still need a sleeping pad and bag. Our plan is to not stay in them. On town days there are campgrounds, hostels, and of course hotels. We will spend some nights in those as well.
We will have a cell phone for outside contact when we make towns. Their use is frowned upon while on the trail. Last summer Jen and I took a hike in the Wasatch. After several hours of climbing we reached the summit of Mt. Aire. There was a lady at the summit on her cell phone. She was having an argument with her daughter. I have to say, it was a wilderness experience spoiler. On the trail we will only use the cell phone in emergency.
Along the trail, at hostels, hotels, campgrounds, outfitters, and other places, you can borrow or buy internet access. It is there I will post updates on our progress to this blog and send an email to Amy. Amy will send an email to any who are interested telling them there is a new posting at the blog.
“How will you get to the trail?” is another question we are often asked. “Where will you leave your car?” is another. We will leave our car in the garage in Salt Lake and catch a Delta flight to Atlanta. We will arrive about midnight on the 14th of March. After a night at the red roof inn at the airport our plan is to take MARTA, the Atlanta subway, to the northern most depot. There we will be met by a friend who will take us to the trail. Our hope is to hike 8.8 miles that day to Springer Mountain and the beginning of the Appalachian Trail. After that it is only 2174 miles to Katahdin Mountain, Maine.
One last question we are asked. “And you are doing this because?” If that is your question, read the previous blog.
48 days til we leave. 49 days til we hike.