Sometimes it feels like my journey to an AT thru-hike is in slow motion. Then I remember that my realistic start date is still probably years away. So, I continue to take my AT journey a few bites at a time. This past month I was able to snack on a few conditioning day hikes; four to be exact for a total of 21 miles. Today’s hike was again at the Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary, which has become my favorite group of day hiking trails. Jug Bay also checks off a site on the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail. And to cap it off, today’s hike completes all the various trails at Jug Bay. Little bites; yet forward progress. These conditioning hikes have also provided an opportunity to do minor gear field-tests. During my AT section hike last year, I decided that I really want to have a water bottle conveniently attached to my pack strap. I have been using two Nite-Ize 12” Gear Ties, which have been a functional yet imperfect option. I recently viewed a YouTube video in which I saw the Aqua Clip in use and decided to give those a try. I still need to add a shock cord band (instead of one Nite-Ize Gear Tie) to keep the bottle from swinging; nevertheless, I think this will be the best solution. And I finally have tired of using the REI Co-op Packmod Rainshield Pocket on the opposite pack strap for my mobile phone. I still want a pocket on that strap to keep my phone, but the REI pocket simply is about a ¼ inch too short to hold my Samsung S8 in a Defender Otterbox. Searching the internet, I can find ultralight pack strap pockets that are either too big or with an attachment system that will not match my Osprey Kestrel pack straps. So, going back to Nite-Ize, I picked-up a Clip Case Cargo Holster for a mobile phone. This holster comes in various sizes to fit mobile phones with a protective case and worked exactly as I want on my pack strap. Unfortunately, it is fairly heavy (3.2 oz) for backpacking purposes; however, since I cannot find an acceptable ultralight option, I will have to pay the weight penalty. If a company like REI, ULA, ZPacks, or Gossamer Gear made a pocket with ultralight materials and this mobile phone holster design, I am certain it would be a profitable effort. Hey, free idea; all I ask is to get one free!
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The Appalachian Trail has been the focus of this website. As is well-known, the AT is one of three National Scenic Trails that make up the Triple Crown of Thru-Hiking; the other two, of course, being the Pacific Crest Trail and the Continental Divide Trail. There is actually a total of eleven National Scenic Trails. National Scenic Trails are also one of three groups of trails that make up the National Trails System. The other two groups are the National Historic Trails (19 trails highlighting U.S. history) and the National Recreation Trails (almost 1300 local trails). See: National Park Service - National Trails System Living in Maryland means that many of these various trail systems are close-by and provide an interesting framework for preparing for my eventual thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail. Technically, a thru-hike is not possible on most of these trails since most are really just a series of historic landmarks or other points of interest. However, many provide actual trail routes that can be used for day hikes. In some cases, there are even opportunities for overnight backpacking trips such as the 26.6 mile Catoctin Trail located along the eastern portion of the Blue Ridge Mountains of Western Maryland and just east of the Appalachian Trail route through Maryland or the 71 mile Massanutten Trail several miles west of the AT as it passes through Shenandoah National Park. Other aspects of the National Trails System overlap with my other interests. For example, the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail combines both my interest in boating and in history. So, I have decided to start tracking and chronicling my hikes on the National Trails System as part of my AT thru-hike journal. While not the magnitude of a Thru-Hike Triple Crown, this still feeds the thru-hiker urge to click off miles, sections, and milestones. |
Quiet Man
I don't have a bucket list. At 61 years old, I have already had the adventures of a lifetime, especially after a 30-year Army career, five years of teaching high school, and a 37 year marriage still going strong. But I still have this deep desire to complete the Appalachian Trial. Archives
February 2022
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