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Saturday, October 9, 2010

A Break From the Routine

I will not be backpacking or hiking this weekend as I will be moving my office to the beach for a week. When I return I am planning a multi-day trip up on the Pinhoti Trail in Eastern Alabama. The Pinhoti Trail is now a feeder to the Appalachian Trail. The beginning point is in the Sylacauga area and continues to the Georgia border in the Piedmont area. The trail then continues on to the Benton/McCaye trail that ties into the Appalachian Trail at Springer Mountain.

I am going to section hike the whole of the Pinhoti Trail (in excess of 300 miles) over time. My start will be the Adams Gap, Chinnabbee and Skyline trail loop on the side of Mt. Cheaha. I am going to try this loop as a light-weight backpacker, meaning sans tent. Instead I will be using a hammock and tarp combination. I am interested to seeing how this works out. If all goes well I will not be taking a tent to Big Bend but instead will take a tarp.

The hammock could be utilized in the Chisos Mountains of Big Bend but would be of no good down in the desert. The main reason is there are very few trees in the desert to hang the hammock between. That is a real shame because the hammock is a lot more comfortable to sleep in versus the hard ground. The trade-off is that when sleeping on the ground you get an insulating effect from the ground. In a hammock you get air flow from below and my big tush compacts my down bag. The obvious effect of that is a cold butt. I will counter that with my poncho liner from VietNam.

Well, more on that later, for now enjoy the week and I will be back soon.

1 comment:

  1. Billy, this is such a joy to travel along with you via FB. As I've said before how much I love the outdoors. I have enjoyed hiking but for one reason or other seem not to go. Maybe going deep into the woods alone makes me feel uneasy therefore I walk the woods with my 7 dogs and my son's pit on the farm which is also tucked up against 1000 acres of timberland feeling quite safe - until deer season :) At any rate I am always looking for an adventure one way or the other. Thank you for allowing me to ' tag ' along --- again. Remember how we all would play for hours upon hours in the cane patch or the bird's nest on the Children's Home property? Be safe and have a GREAT time. Take lots of pictures so I get to see too ! Love, Fran

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