if i want to be able to do 220 miles a day in GA what sould it do to get into shape. how long how manys miles sould i bike. if that is the best way to get into shape for the trail. what is the trail like in GA is it like mass.
boy who wanders
Pace - Appalachian Trail
system
#2
Have you tried a worm hole? Still the only reliable way to travel long distances without that nasty black hole squishing effect. There’s always one of those left over Star Trek transporter gizmos. I saw one on Ebay a few days ago. I think Campmor has some. Happy disapperating.
BW
system
#3
sorry I ment 20 miles a days and I have been able to do that along all the section I have hiked i have done exspect the wihtes. I just want to know if I want to get to maine how is the best way to train.
boy who wanders
system
#4
many folks who were experienced hikers started with 16+ mile days from springer. i doubt you’d have any problems with it at all. getting to woody gap is not all that tough, considering a large part of that section is relatively flat or down hill. the 1st 3 miles is appreciably down hill and after gooch gap it is fairly level. the next 20 would be a challenge for me, but i could probably do it now that i understand i have all day to get over the bumps along the way. and low gap has a few memories for me. I personally wouldn’t like to hike from low gap to deep gap in a day…i found the hike up blue mt to be mentally tough, then to add tray mt…well i have never done the 2 together…let me take that back, actually the second time i did GA, i did do just that…oldtimers…it can be a tough spot in GA. then you have the state line. no biggie.
for training. nothing prepares you for hiking, like hiking. (pack on) walk. get yer feet used to the pounding…the mind and rest of the body will follow.
in the wisdom of an old timer, slow down, don’t go too far too fast. but honestly, 20 mile days in GA is no stretch of reality. i would think most sobo’s think GA is level, cause they walk thru it like it was.
on my attempted thru, i took it slow in GA then made the race for fontana…i felt great so i did some nice big days. my starting buddies acted like i was insane, but i just felt good about what i was doing, i think that is what you’ll face too. if ya feel good, enjoy!
burn
system
#5
If there’s one thing Ive learned hiking on the AT, is you really dont know how far you can get until your actually on the trail. Even the best prepared plans sometimes go haywire due to unforeseen circumstances. Maybe you have a good day and go 20+, maybe you just get tired faster than normal and only have a 12 mile day. Be prepared for having to stop early, or making good time or going farther than you thought you could. Listen to your instincts on the trail. Hiking the AT shouldnt be a race, go your own pace.
Like Burn said. The best preparation for hiking is HIKING. Find a local trail in your area and plan a weekend trip. Take a full loaded pack and go hike it. If you plan to use a gym, spend lots of time on the stairclimber machine or a treadmill with the angle set high. Set the treadmill at about a 45deg incline and set it on a walking speed…then do it for about 35-45min or so.
If you start from Springer,and you make good time you’d be doing really well to get to Gooch Gap if its your first time on the AT. If for some reason you do get tired faster than you thought, there are campsites at Stover Creek, Long Creek Falls, and a shelter at Hawk Mtn for stopping if you need to.
Its mostly downhill from Springer to Three Forks, then it levels out somewhat for a while, and then you start your bobbling ascent to the top of Hawk Mtn. If you take the Benton McKaye shortcut across from Springer to Three Forks, its a gentle uphill, then you go to a nice downhill switchback section. Taking the Benton McKaye will cut about 10min off your total time to Hawk Mtn…depending on how fast you are going. I would recommend taking the AT instead of the Benton McKaye. While the Benton trail cuts down your time, there is some georgeous scenery on the AT section you skip, and some really nice trail. The Benton is a little overgrown, not much scenery on that section.Water is abundant until you get to the bridge over Stover Creek. Then you probably wont have a easily accessable water source until Hawk Mtn.
Get a good map, and sit down with it and plan out your trip. Spend sometime figuring out not only where your best case scenario stopping points are, but where you will stop if the AT kicks your butt, and you need to stop early.
Most of the GA AT is what I would call bumpty bumps. Your basically ascending and descending fairly steep mountains/hills, with a few big mountains inbetween like Springer, Blood, etc. There is some GEORGEOUS scenery to be seen. Anytime you pass a waterfall on your trip, the side trip is definitly worth the time. All the waterfalls are awesome. The first falls on the trail is Long Creek Falls, its a short side trail(really short) to get to the falls, and they are a really nice small waterfall. Its a great place to stop and shoot some pictures and eat a snack, and refill on water. The trail is really well marked, and you shouldnt have any problems staying on track. Terrain ranges from dirt, to gravel, to rocks, to wood bridges,etc. The steepest sections are probably about 60 degrees or so, but are rare. Normally its around 40-50 on the steep sections.Its not uncommon to ascend or descend 1000+ ft sections in a mile or less, be prepared for hiking uphill and downhill for long and short stretches. The best time to go hiking in Georgia is Late October/Early November in my opinion. The clear skies offer the best views from the mountain tops, rain is rare, Temps are around 50 in the day and 30 at night. Just awesome weather during that time of the year, you may even see a very rare snowfall during that time.
Enjoy your trip…your gonna love it.
bryan
system
#6
i have done section hikes but this time i want to thru hike the trail if i can get out and hike before had is biking the best and how many miles. i want to be able to do 20 miles day not aways do them just be able to when i start. i was thinking about that to that sobo must thing GA is a walk in the park.
boy who wanders
system
#8
I have done section of the trail but this time I want to thru hike it. If I can’t get out and hike before hand is biking the best way to get into shape. If so how may miles should I ride before hand. I want to be able to do 20 miles a day when I start.
boy who wanders
system
#10
I cycled the eastern half of the Southern Tier to prepare for my AT thru-hike, and I was hiking 20 miles a day right out of the gate. I was riding 50-75 miles a day on my tour, if that’s any help.
Pacer
system
#11
hey Pacer how many day did you ride before you started hiking. how many miles a weeks did ride andt for how long. thanks
boy who wanders
system
#12
Boy Who Wanders -
It was one of the great surprises I had on my 2004 thru-hike (trailjournals.com/postcard), I didn’t know that I could do so many and still have easy recovery. I trained for three months at the health club. Three days a week with a trainer for the leg muscles for two of those months, but usually 5 to 6 days a week. I didn’t want the Approach Trail to beat-up on me on day one. I don’t favor the “hike yourself into shape” mantra. The health club helped me to have a joyful trip from day one, as a result, I looked up more, felt more in control…which we are not. My approach to this allowed me to start later (May 1) thus avoiding the crowds and summit Katahdin four months and sixteen days later(Sept 16). And that was with 20 zero days. Getting yourself into shape comes down to what shape you’re in now. I needed three month. That first visit to the club had me only able to do a mile and a half…before I hit the Approach Trail, I was up to an hour of treadmill (walking on incline and running-shuffling between the two) and then doing an hour on the stairmaster. Two hous of endurance training. And doing it all in the hiking shoes you plan to start with (except the running days). There’s lots of ways that have worked for others, but that’s what helped me and also avoid any blisters.
Doing 20+ miles should not be the goal unless it pleases you to do them. That’s what the hike is all about. Joy. I enjoyed walking throughout the day and being an early riser, they just happened frequently. Good luck and have fun. -Postcard
Postcard
system
#13
It was roughly 1500 miles over 30 days. I have a journal here:
http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/journal/?o=aw&doc_id=825&v=9y
Pacer