Looking for advice on the best way to maintain a journal on Trailjournals.com during my upcoming thru-hike this summer on the AT. Should I handwrite on the trail and then type and upload it when I get to town? Or is there a better way?
_Bearski_Posting Your Journal from the AT
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#1
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#2
I carried a pocketmail device on the PCT, and it made for a great journal and great communication with friends at home and on the trail. But now I think the 8 oz device is too heavy. I make notes on the trail and type them up when I get to a computer. I've never tried cellular technology and won't carry a phone on the trail, either. In some areas where computers are few, I'll send my notes to a friend to transcribe.
_garlic_
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#3
I have carried my JVC pocketmail on every trip, but I don't plan to this time. The extra weight is unnecessary now that there are computers available most everywhere. I, like Garlic, will make notes and the put them on the computer with I get to town. I do carry a cellphone and use it in town when I can get service, but it is not really good for typing journal entries.
_Red Hat_
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#4
I LOVED having my PocketMail. With PocketMail, you just hold the device up to a landline and hit a button. I thought it was nice to not have to spend hours at the library on a computer when I was in town. This let me keep in touch with friends and family along the trail as well. I used lithium batteries and it weighed just over 7 oz. It depends how serious you are about having that communication. I was pretty serious about wanting to have a journal and communication.
_Nicole_
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#5
I am considering a PocketMail thingy. So you hook it to a phone line? I was wondering exactly how it works.
_Nature_
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#6
I really love my pocket mail as well. i don't want to go to the library in every town. i am not a good typist and i don't like retyping my stuff. I took one last year for the Colorado trail but thought i would just type it in then re do it in town, trying to save money. that was a VERY dumb thing for me to do. what a pain in the neck ! What a mistake !..lol... never again. I sorta like being in my tent writing my journal instead of feeling eyes in the back of my head if i am on the puter too long in town.
_yappy_
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#7
With PocketMail, you type and save your emails. When you get to a landline, you just have to hold the transmitter up to the phone and press a button. Depending on the amount of data being transmitted, this might take one to fifteen minutes. At this time, your emails are sent and you will receive any emails that have been sent to you. My lithium batteries lasted a long time and I often used the light on it at night. PocketMail is a service that you can order beginning at three month increments.
_Nicole_
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#8
Thanks everybody, I appreciate the info. I will look into the
option of bringing a PocketMail device.
_Bearski_
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#9
I relied on town libraries unless I knew that I was headed into a section with no towns with access and then I handwrote them and sent them to a friend who typed them up for me.
I found it really easy to remember what happened in the 2-4 days between towns, especially because I had my wingfoot book and trailguide and map next to the computer as I typed.
I am still amazed at how vivid my journal is to me. I personally wouldn’t carry a pocketmail thing because I need a full keyboard to really write what I think. When I have a tiny keyboard I usually don’t write as much and this experience, I would hope, is one where you don’t want to miss a thing.
windex
_windex_
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#10
We had originally decided to carry a pocketmailer and my hiking partner bought one off ebay. After some further thought, though, we decided to go with a Treo 700p smartphone (a lot like a Blackberry) because it worked with our solar charger and gives us the ability to update our jounal anywhere we get cell service. So if you need a pocketmailer, we've got one for cheap!!
_tiller_