North Georgia Hikes? Really?

No, I am not hiking in Georgia right now.  I've never hiked in Georgia.  Not yet!  So, let me explain....

At work, we are having our annual Charitable Virginia Campaign to raise lots of money for all kinds of worthy causes.  I always donate by payroll deduction, but there are also many fundraisers, and my division often does a used book sale.  I need more books like I need 10 more pairs of used running shoes, but in the afternoon yesterday, I finally had a break from a very busy week at work to check it out.  And lo and behold, prices were slashed in half - just 50 cents for paperbacks and a buck for a hardback!  The first thing I saw was a paperback entitled "50 Hikes in the North Georgia Mountains" by noted outdoor author Johnny Molloy.  I read an article about him over the weekend that said he spent more than 200 nights outdoors so far this year.  Oh, and his girlfriend just broke up with him!  Coincidence?

Anyhow, I live hundreds of miles from the mountains of North Georgia, but for 50 cents - just a penny a hike - how could I not buy this book?  After all, I could win the lottery and quit working.  Or maybe I will retire some day (year, decade, century) and have a lot more time to hike.  So I bought it!  I'd like to hike in Georgia someday, and I bet after reading this book, I'll really want to.

It got me wondering: how many of the 50 states have I hiked in?  So I added them up.  I only counted states where I have done at least one real hike - not a stroll in a city or a footrace - of at least a few miles.  Here is what I came up with:

Maine
Massachusetts
New Hampshire
Vermont
New York
Pennsylvania
Virginia
North Carolina
Florida
Michigan
Utah
Arizona
Washington
Alaska
Montana
Wyoming

16 states: almost one third of them - not too bad.  I was tempted to count California, because I hiked once in Muir Woods, but it was only a mile or so.  And with all the great places to hike in the Golden State, that can't really seem to count.  It would be cool to hike in all 50.  I think I need to set a goal to hike in at least one new state next year.

In the meantime, now I can read all about hiking in the Georgia Mountains.  If I win that lottery or get that retirement check, I'll have to head down that way and take a hike.  After all, I don't want to waste my 50 cents!

How many states have you hiked in? Take my poll!

Poll Results

A few weeks ago, I did a poll asking what things you could not bear to leave behind if you were going on a backpacking trip.  You could choose up to three things.  Here is what people picked, with seven people responding:

Changes of underwear - 6
Camera - 6
Hot chocolate, coffee, or tea -4
Hatchet - 2
Lightweight binoculars - 1
Field guide - 1
iPod or other music device - 1
Paperback novel - 1
Small gas fired backpacking stove - 0

On the second day of my Mount Rogers pack trip last month, I actually saw a guy with one of the stoves.  It seemed like a lot of extra weight, but they were sure enjoying the little pizzas he baked, and the cinnamon buns he was planning for two mornings later sounded very tempting.

Poll - What Couldn't You Bear to Leave Behind?

I'll try another poll.  This works whether you backpack or not.  If you don't just visualize what you could not do without for a three day hike, and also visualize your pack getting heavier with each thing you add.

So, you are preparing for a three day backpacking trip.  Let's assume there is plenty of water on your route.  You have the 10 essentials* in your pack.  You would never hit the trail without these, right?  You have a tent and a sleeping bag, your little stove, cooking gear, and a comfortable sleeping pad.  You have meals for three days, and an extra shirt and clean socks.  You have a little kit with sanitary items.

So consider this list of items.  If you had room for just three of these, which three would you take?  What could you not bear to leave behind for three days.  In the poll, vote for no more than three items.

hot chocolate, coffee, or tea
changes of underwear
hatchet
lightweight binoculars
field guide
camera
small gas-fired bake oven
iPod or other music device
paperback novel

* The 10 essentials, even for a day hike, are:
headlamp (with batteries)
first aid kit
sunblock
emergency trail food
two sources of fire
knife (or multi-tool)
water bottle and purification method
insulation (jacket)
topographical map and compass
raingear (not a reindeer - RAIN GEAR!)

Ever Been Lost?

Back in my sailing days, so long ago it barely seems possible, when I sailed my 23 foot sloop off the unforgiving Coast of Maine, I heard the following:  There are three kinds of sailors: those that have run aground, those that are about to run aground, and those that lie.  I was the first type of sailor.  I'd had the boat less than a year when I misinterpreted a chart and slammed the boat's keel into one of Maine's many treacherous underwater granite ledges.  I never did it again. Came close now and again, though.

But I wonder if the same applies to hikers?  Are there three kinds of hikers: those that have gotten lost, those that are about to get lost, and those that lie about getting lost?  So I thought it would be fun to put a poll out there on the subject.  I've not done a poll in a good long while, so what the heck?

Even such a luminary as Daniel Boone could get lost, although he had a slightly different take on his experiences in the trackless wilderness of Virginia and Kentucky.  When asked if he had ever gotten lost, the intrepid outdoorsman reportedly said, "No, but I was bewildered for three days once."

Me?  I've never been lost in the woods.  Nor have I ventured into trackless wilderness.  I've probably been bewildered for a bit now and then, of course.  And maybe I am in that second group of hikers: those that are about to be lost.  But that is why I carry a compass and a topographic map, and also my trusty GPS (something that didn't exist when I would sail the "Snowbird" in Casco Bay).

How 'bout you?  Ever been lost?  Ever been bewildered for three days?

Poll Results - Hiking Alone

My poll about hiking along closed yesterday. Here are the results:

Would not hike alone - 0%. I am glad that people are willing, and not afraid, to hike alone!

I'd hike alone, but never anywhere I was not familiar with: 33.33%

I'd hike alone, even someplace new, but I would not go backpacking alone: 33.33%

I'd go backpacking alone: 33.33%

I didn't vote in my own poll, but if I had, I would have been in the backpacking category. Even though I have not gone backpacking alone in a long time, and although I prefer the company of others for a lot of reasons, I would not let it stop me if that was the only way to get a trip in.

Whether you hike alone or with others, have a great time doing it!

Another Poll

I got 9 votes on my last poll about your favorite thing about hiking, broken down as follows:

Getting away from it all - 6
Fresh air and exercise - 1
Great scenery - 1
A chance to have an adventure - 1

All others - no votes

So I thought I would try another poll. Would you hike alone? Would you backpack alone? I'll leave the new poll open for a couple of weeks, until Christmas.

Poll - What is Your Favorite Thing About Hiking?

I've set up a new poll on my blog. I don't usually get a lot of response from these, but I am nothing if not persistent, so here we go again. I'll leave the poll open until December 10. So vote for what your favorite thing is about hiking. Hopefully, I've covered most of the bases with the choices I put out there, but if not, you can always vote for "other."

As always, comments are welcome.

Where Would Your Grand 2011 Adventure Be?

With a new year, I thought I would try a new poll, so here it is:

Assuming money and time were no object, which of the following would you pick for a grand outdoor adventure in 2011? I’ll leave the poll open for the rest of January.

1. Traveling across Alaska, British Columbia, and the Yukon

2. Hiking in all of the Rocky Mountain, California, and Pacific Northwest National Parks

3. Hiking one of the long trails: Appalachian, Pacific Crest, or Continental Divide Trails

4. Trekking across the Alps

5. Trekking in the Himalayan Mountains

6. Hitting all the major East and South African National Parks on wildlife safari

7. Visiting Antarctica and wild places in the Southern Oceans

8. Outdoor adventures in Australia and New Zealand

9. Other – Where? Leave a comment!

National Park Poll

Well, my last poll (ideal hiking group size) didn't get much response. Three people responded, one saying that they like to hike solo, and the other two saying three or four people is the ideal size. I'm with the latter group, although any number from 1 to 20 or so is fine with me for a nice hike!

But I thought I'd try another poll. The question is: how many national parks in the United States and/or Canada have you been to in your life? I will leave the poll up for a month. At the end of that time, I will hopefully have all my Alaskan trip reports posted, and I will tally up my own number of national park visits (increased by three this month).

All polls are anonymous, by the way!