Laughing Fox

Thru-hiker, M.J. Fox, wanted to treat me to a nice send off, complete with subs, a boat ride and some trail talk.

There is this zoo in NY that the trail cuts through and it is said to be a very emotional experience for many through hikers. It is one of the spots on the trail that I am very excited to see and experience so I asked, Fox, what he thought about it.

"Oh, it's lame...wicked small," he said. "Oh..." That brings a whole new meaning to emotional experience, I thought.

He then started to talk about how great it was to take dips in the rivers in Maine, but than stopped himself and said that it was going to most likely be too cold for me to do the same.

There were a few other things that he said, but you have to realized, this was a conversation between a nobo (Northbounder) and a perspective sobo (Southbounder). There are perks to hiking the AT in both directions.

It was a very comical boat ride and it got to the point were I finally laughed and said, "Mike you need to stop, you're killing me!"

He was not saying these things to get a rise out of me they were just coming out in conversation. Time spent with Fox always results in a comical post.

He asked me what I was going to wear while I did my laundry in town. Hm, I thought, good question. "Lots of the girls brought a town dress, they kept them in zip-lock bags," he explained.

"What did you wear?" I inquired.

"I used to wrap my sleeping bag around myself and camp out in the laundry mat until my clothes were done."

I think I'll go with the town dress, I have a feeling it would probably draw less attention.

Updates

I have not been able to blog for a while since I have been incredibly busy with preparations. To give you an update: all 24 of my drop boxes are packed and labeled, I just this morning seam-sealed my tent (it takes 6 hrs to dry so it is going to remain staked outside till 2pm) and I am making a trip to REI to spend my 2010 dividend...most likely on nylon cord, compression sacks, and some fancy freeze-dried food.

I will be able to blog while I am on the trail, so you will be able to be apart of my journey from home.

I thank you all for the support and I look forward to reading/ responding to your comments and questions.

Karma

Ok...I may have overreacted when I said that grocery stores were terrible and ripping people off. The fact that I bought food today at a grocery store makes me hypocritical, however, I remember my favorite English teacher from high school explaining that being a hypocrite is not a bad thing. In fact it is human because it shows that are thoughts and opinions are dynamic. And how boring an individual would be who is steadfast in their thoughts and beliefs as to not be deemed hypocritical. 

I went back to BJs for round two and loaded up on beef jerky, peanut M&Ms, almonds and snickers. At the self checkout line, while I was scanning my goods, my purse accidentally got knocked into the trash can. Karma...I thought, BJs was getting me back for abandoning my cart a month ago when I walked out because I realized I could get Ramen for much less at WallyWorld.

Since then I bought nuts, grains, and legumes from a local natural food store. However, they tend to cater to vegans.

Hypocrite or not I know that I am a hungry prospective thru-hiker that needs her jerky.

Paper Trail

http://www.sentinelandenterprise.com/ci_18119304?IADID=Search-www.sentinelandenterprise.com-www.sentinelandenterprise.com

The Plan

I graduate in 2 1/2 hrs and I am still in my PJs. I should have spent the morning soaking in the tub, styling my hair and going to the book store to make an early bird purchase of my robe (yes...I gave in). Instead, I spent the morning finishing my preliminary planning. It looks as if it will take somewhere between 4.5-5months to hike the trail. I still have to run back through the Companion and tally the number of drop boxes I need (make some adjustments so that there are no more than twenty-five),  determine how many pounds of food need to go in each box, account for days off and type up an itinerary for the fam.

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Standard Shipping

Drop boxes...they are not going to ship themselves...they demand money. I did a preliminary search the other day on the UPS website and was shocked to discover that shipping a 10lb box would cost $53 dollars.

To get you up to speed, my trip requires anywhere from 22-25 boxes which would result in over $1000 dollars in shipping!!!

I was a bit depressed these past couple of days to think that all my money would go towards shipping and I started to wonder if I was really saving money by feeding myself this way.

Today I stopping in at the post and told the nice gentleman behind the counter about my drop boxes. "I'll need to put about 10lbs worth of food in each box and I will need over 20 boxes," I said. "How much do you think you could fit in that box?" he asked. I looked over to where he was pointing and saw a 3x10x13 cube of cardboard. "I think that'll do just fine!" I exclaimed. "I think I'll be able to fit 10lbs of food in that." "You could put 100lb of food in it...whatever you can cram in there...and it would still only be the standard shipping cost of $14.95," he said. I wanted to hop over the counter and plant one on his cheek, I was so happy! 

"Oh...and the boxes are free," he said with a wink. 

"So, how many do you want?" 

"Oh, I'm still planning I explained, but I'll be back soon I leave next month."

"Talk about pushing the envelope!" 

I love this place! Not only do they have great rates, they also have a sense of humor, I thought. 

Snapshot

Today I had my last final of my undergraduate career. I graduate on Saturday and then I will be free at last! It hasn't really hit me yet though, I think it will next fall when instead of buying books, going to class and working part time, I will be buying a nice suit, going to interviews and working my charm to get the job.

Just the other day I had an unexpected and exciting invitation to speak with Ms. Caraganis, reporter at the Fitchburg Sentinel. She wants to interview me tomorrow morning and hear my story.

With school under my belt, I can now devote 95% of my time to planning and 5% to work:). As for now I need to get my beauty sleep because tomorrow involves a camera and hopefully puff-free eyes.

3 Bushes

Miche says when I come back I will have three bushes...My mom says that she is going to wash my hair, shave my legs and give me a manicure, Boulder doesn't know how I'm going to pull off using a smooth stone, and Jenny thinks the Diva Cup is gross...This is not going to be a glamorous trip by any means.

I've been planning my trip...so far I am in Woodstock, VT crossing the Gulf Stream Bridge. It takes so much thought to plan. I have to guess at what my pace will be, where I will stay each night, how much food I have to carry between drops, what sites I want to see, where I can meet up with friends, and how I can score free meals. It's exciting though. It's exciting to know that my dream is becoming a reality.

I'm feeling a bit nostalgic this week. It's coming down to the wire and I have to complete three finals by Wednesday, graduate on Saturday, finish planing my trip and say fair well. We had our employee party at the climbing gym, and I am going to miss the crew. I was talking to my sister on the phone today and she put nephew Bob on, "Ha!" "Say I love you," I heard my sister say, "eh-uhv-oo." Close enough. When I get back he'll be able to ask me how I enjoyed the Blue Ridge Mountains and what type of pack I wore.

A note about graduation. I have to buy a cap and gown for 60 bucks. No worries I thought, I'll borrow my friend's robe who graduated last year. "They changed the color," explained Megan. I swear they do this on purpose. What about Rent-a-Robe, or Good Job Here's-a-Robe or Wear-Your-Robe from High School Graduation. I have decided to wear mine, it is white so I am going to dye it green. How about them apples?!

Why would I buy a robe for $60 which will only see the light of day for two hours before it gets stowed away in my closet which I already cleaned out?

Fruits of My Labor

Today I purchased 30 lbs of mixed dried fruit (online at:http://www.bulkfoods.com/) which contains: apples, apricots, papaya, peaches, pears, pineapple and pitted prunes for, $119.33 plus 5$ shipping. I also need to pick up the 25lbs of brown rice that I ordered in bulk at my local natural foods store.

So far I have aquired 295lbs of food for my trip for a total of, $737.25.

Counting Calories

Saturday I thought I'd get a workout in at the gym, since I get a free membership through my work. I walked in with my pack, not fully loaded, but with a good 15lbs worth of gear inside. Derek, my coworker laughed nervously and asked If I was really going through with it as he raised his eyebrows. I can't blame him, after all, how many gym-goers break a sweat donning a backpack and hikers? Oh well, I wasn't worried because it's supposed to be a judgment free zone.

I jumped on the stairmaster for a interval session at level 10 (I had no idea what this arbitrary number meant so I went mid-way). After 10 minutes I was miserable. With nothing to watch on the TVs and no fresh air I wanted to be done. Hiking is going to be so much more enjoyable when I am not constantly checking my time and calorie expenditure, I thought. Originally I had signed up for 30 minutes, but when a nice gentlemen asked if the stairmaster was open next to me and we observed that it was still in use I saw this as an opportunity for an act of kindness...or an act of desperation, "I'm done with mine...it's all yours!" I exclaimed as I took my leave from my stair disaster.

Next I hopped on the treadmill for a 20 minute session at different inclines. This machine was much easier than the stairs but I couldn't stop obsessing about how few calories I burned in comparison.

I was explaining my gym time to Tank the following day and he asked, "So will it be the last day training?"

I plan on going for more hikes outside, where I will be able to train while watching Molly's feather plume of a tail leading the way and counting the days till I depart.

Bears and Bearded Men

According to the, "Thru-Hikers' Companion," there are several issues that a traveler will need to contend with-

The two that are most frequently brought up by individuals who first learn of the thru-hiker's endeavor are those of wild animals and wild men...which technically are the same thing.

For all of my followers who have thought or breathed the questions: "Aren't you afraid?" What will you do to protect yourself," the Companion states that "violent crimes have occured on the trail, with a frequency rate of less than two every ten years, on a footpath more than three million people use each year."

Below are several suggested safety precautions:
*For the blogger-don't post in real time
*Refrain from staying at shelters within a mile from the road
*Leave an itinerary for the fam
*Inform the fam once a trail name is given and
*Trust your gut!

As for bears, it is important to make noise and prepare and store food properly. The following steps can be followed to prevent bear breaches:

* Cook and eat meals away from the shelter
*Hang food, water and hygiene items 6ft from a tree and 10ft off the ground.
*Don't feed the bears

This last point of advice is seemingly obvious, although, I remember this one camping trip in the White Mountains. A ranger was warning us about the bears and told us about a couple that went camping with their 4 year old daughter. "It was site 16" he said as he pointed with a weary finger. He went on to say that a bear strolled into their campsite and the mom rubbed jelly on the girls face to attract the bear and so that she could snap a cute picture. A picture that would be pulled out of her purse to show her friends as she'd say, "look at this cute picture of Katie and Yogi Bear!"

This was a say cheese and die moment, and the girl did not have a face left to smile with.

The last piece of advice deals with bear attacks:
*"Fight for all you are worth with anything at hand-rocks, sticks, fist." Hoooorah!

I will wedge myself into a canyon as did King Leonidas from 300 and spear the beast, provided I get charged and there is a crevasse near.

Cargo

The back of my car fully loaded with 6 months (235lbs) worth of legumes, grains and nuts.

Thru-Hiker's Companion

My 2011 edition of the, "Thru-Hikers' Companion" by the Appalachian Long Distance Hikers Association has become my thru-hiker bible. It was $14.95 and includes everything I need to plan my trip!! If you are wondering what I will be doing for the next month I will be reading.

Caloric Intake

So I'm just going to come out and say, becasue I have no shame in doing so, that I am about 130lbs...127 on a good day. I swear to you most of it is muscle thanks to family genes.

All the experts suggest carrying no more than 25% of your body weight on an extended hike which is 32.5lbs.

It is interesting to note that most all men loose weight on the trail, save for Machine McCarron who gained 15lbs, but he is a special case all together finishing the trail in 90 days and kicking it off with 24.9miles the first day. It is common for women, on the other hand, to gain weight during their thru-hike do to a gain in muscle. I have no idea how the trail will change my body, but I will keep Ed's formula in mind and adjust my caloric intake accordingly.
So long story short, both my pack and I together will weigh about 162.5 lbs. Below is a table of calorie needs based on both weight and activity as seen on dietbites.com:

CALORIE NEEDS BASED ON WEIGHT
Weight	Inactive	Moderate	Active
161	2093	2415	2737
162	2106	2430	2754
163	2119	2445	2771
164	2132	2460	2788
165	2145	2475	2805
166	2158	2490	2822
167	2171	2505	2839
168	2184	2520	2856
169	2197	2535	2873
170	2210	2550	2890

http://www.dietbites.com/Pyramid-Diet/161-170-daily-calorie-needs.html

According to the chart on average I will require 2445ca/day. Hmmm...I have some calculating to do.

Food Pickup

Now for a bit of food talk. Friend Ed. S of Northland Adventures suggests planning on eating 2lbs of food per day while I'm up north and reducing it to about 1.5lbs/day as I get further south. He explains that "all days are not equal...colder days require more food than warmer days."

I plugged my numbers into Ed’s equation and it turns out that I should require 2lbs of food/day for the 1st 2months and about 1.5 for the remaining 4 for a total of 300lbs of food for my 6month long trek.

It is weird planning what you are going to eat for 6 months in less than 30 days.

Today I pick up my 235lbs of nuts, lentils and grains from my local natural food store. 

My dad joked and said that the boxes were going to bottom out my roller skate.

My package will consist of: 25lbs brown rice, 50lbs red and green lentils, 25 lbs barley, 30lbs peanuts, 25lbs quinoa, 25lbs peas, 25lbs beans and 30lbs raisins. I realize that a lot of this food does not have a lot of flavor so I am going to invest in some spices to flavor my nutritional meals. There is also a thing called nutritional yeast which replenishes all of your B vitamins which comes in sprinkle form.

According to the article published on WhiteBlaze.com, "Food, protein, greens, and digestion: OVERVIEW," by Yerba Jon:

• Many hikers fail to eat enough calories on the trail.
• Many hikers fail to eat enough protein on the trail.
• Most hikers fail to eat enough vegetables on the trail.
• Most hikers fail to get enough calcium on the trail.

http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?p=95264#post95264

Since meats and jerky are expensive and I dropped the ball in terms of dehydrating my own meat, I am planning my meals as if I am a vegetarian. By combining vegetable proteins such as rice and beans I will be replenishing my body with all 9 of the essential amino acids found in meat and other animal products (which are considered to be "complete proteins." Quinoa, aside from soy, is one of the only sources of a complete protein from a plant source.

My 30lbs of dehydrated veggie soup is on the way and I still need to order 50lbs of fruit.

Ed says that "food is everything, it makes fast friends, bad days turn good, and it puts the pep in your step."

I was planning on living off of Ramen and gorp for 6 months but after a trip to the natural food store, I realize that nutrition is extremely important. I am my own vehicle and beans and lentils have a higher octane. I see my trip as a retreat from luxury, something my pallet will have to get used to, but I am optimistic.