Anything I've done I've not been too far from support, had a very specific set of kit that had to be with me, and was with a crew of 3-4 others all similarly equipped...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Finesse
I did an 85-mile and 100-mile trails in Ireland by myself.
There are always discussions about personal safety, as a solo female hiker you will be told you should be scared. That's up to you to decide... You should definitely read 'Wild' by Cheryl Strayed and 'The Cactus Eaters' by Dan White. They are about the Pacific Crest Trail but the same principles apply.
The Appalachian Trail DOES have bears and dangerous snakes. It is really important to be able to identify what animals you should and should not be afraid of.
Get GOOD gear. Spend the extra money for the lightweight, durable stuff. Get a membership with REI - if anything happens to your gear and they can track your purchases, they will ship you a replacement for free to the nearest post office on the trail. Decide what your comfort level will be. Do you need to keep your gear with you in your tent or do you want to hang it from a tree, allowing you to carry a smaller one-person tent, or do you want a lightweight hammock that keeps you off the ground? Can you leave your razor and deodorant at home? How okay are you with looking and smelling like a hobo? Cause you will. How many hot meals are you expecting per day? Get a camping stove that runs on denatured alcohol, aka isopropyl alcohol. The propane canisters suck because they take up weird space in your pack and you cannot tell how much is left. I did the calculation once with my Trangia mini stove about how much it would cost me to boil one liter of water and how long it would take and how much fuel I would use, if you want me to go find those numbers I can dig thru my notebook.
Get Bridgedale socks.
Think about how you want to document the trip. Photos, journal, video? Nothing at all?
Packing IS a big challenge! The general rule is that you can go as far, as fast if you are carrying up to 20% of your body weight as you would if you were carrying nothing. I find it to be true.
Also, A Walk In The Woods by Bill Bryson.
Water purification. Chlorine dioxide. There is plenty of water on the AT but always assume it is contaminated with chemicals (there is fracking in some areas of the AT and god knows what else)
If you have any specific questions I could help with, PM me, I loooove chatting about distance hiking.
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Depending on when you were in Ireland you've probably been warned about Larry Murphy, the prime suspect in the disappearances, they knew he was a serial killer, he was caught with a raped woman bound in the boot of his car, told the hunters who caught him that she was lucky & he was still given a short sentence and had 25% taken off... he was released a few years back, unfortunately though not through a trapdoor with a rope around his ****in neck
That'll keep you clear of the majority of creepy crawlies & off wet ground, wet = cold, carrying a roll-top drybag in your backpack and keeping a bit of dry gear to sleep in is a probably the best strategy. In the morning it's back into the wet gear for the day.
Whatever about chemicals you'll want to kill whatever pathogens are in it before you drink it, either by boiling or puritabs
Quote:
Originally Posted by subxero
A sling shot could be a better option to a firearm. A 22 isn't gonna do much for protection against a bear or mountain lion, maybe a coyote. But that's what the bear spray is for, no need for accuracy or pin point precision, just spray in general direction.
A sling shot would be lighter, easier to pack/carry. Ammo, just pick some up off the ground. (could pack a small bag of ball bearings as well) A lot of times along train tracks you can find little balls of iron that make great sling shot ammo as well and you will definitely pass your fair share of train tracks.
If you can hit it, you can easily take down most small game on the East coast with a sling shot, ask me how I know  |
A loud pop may be enough to send them on their way, admittedly planting a round on target will likely just piss it off.
Long arms are usually a bit more legal, with the shotgun at the least regulated end. It's loud enough to scare most animals, and will do a fair bit of damage with a dose of buckshot if needs be, downside is it's size & weight and that it'll shred small game.