Southbound hike AT '02

imported
#1

I’m gearing up for my SOBO hike in 2002 and would like advice from previous southbounders on when to start. Currently I plan a departure as early as feasible, on May 15th. For the most part, I chose this date so as not to arrive too late in Georgia (six months would make it mid-November). I’ve heard all the warnings about blackflies and snowmelts, but wonder whether it’s worth pushing back my start date a couple of weeks. (One advantage is that I’d be able to go to Trail Days!) Thanks for your input. --TR

Teddy Roosevelt

#2

Oh, those black flies. And I’m from NH. The bug season is usually over by mid August but this year they were gone by July 10. We were in Gorham July 20th and hardly any were about. Must be a fluke. Quote from Bruce at Hikers Paradise. “You should have seen the sobos in June. They all looked like they had small pox when they came out of the woods”. BoyHowdy waited until mid August to south bound. It looks hard to get down fast enough. You probably will hit snow in NC. Don’t forget to post your journal here on TJ’s.

Bushwack

#3

It was a bad year for blackflies in all honesty. The skeeters were the real bastards if you pardon my hiking language. I entered Maine June 2nd and put up with insectasoids for 23 days. it was a mental challenge that exceeded the cold and snow I encountered in Feb. and March. After saying all that though, I would say still leave early. Go for it. Infact, mid-April may be a possibility depending on the snow this winter. Hehe, how crazy do you wanna get? Maine will be a tough intro no matter when you start (bugs, heat, mud, snow, slush, rain, wind) it’s always something. Spin the wheel bro.

Sweeper

#4

I believe in Leave-No-Trace hiking, and I abhor medications and pharmaceuticals of any kind, but when I’m in the woods I use the “big guns” of insect protection. I’ve found that a combination of DEET and permethrin will stop almost any bug or insect out there. Some may say it stinks, some may say it feels greasy, but for me it’s the way to go! Now we’ll just see how it works in New England in the Spring…

For those who are interested, these chemicals have no known deleterious effect on the environment, and of course the bottles should be packed out, just like any others.

Teddy Roosevelt

#5

Yikes there Mr. president, I would steer clear of the DEET. The jury is still out on what all this nasty concoction can do to the environment and you. 80% or so is retrievable in your urine. So this poison is in fact getting into your blood stream. I broke down and bought Ben’s. It did keep the skeeters somewhat at bay, but it was temporary and not fully effective. With those Maine skeeters, you best to do what I did, put on long sleeves and run! They’ll get ya! I would not carry Deet if I had to do it again. I got sick in Baxter and felt awful and attribute that to ingesting some amount of Deet, or maybe just using it as I started to do so thru the Gauntlet in the Wilderness. Just trying to help…

Sweeper

#6

Well, we tried using the Natrapel citronella stuff after we’d gotten attacked by skeeters in Mass. That stuff is totally useless. We ended up using Deep Woods Off, which is 23% deet (I think) not the 100% stuff. That worked pretty well. I’d use it again rather than try to evade the bugs or suffer the bites; I seem to be a bug magnet.

Bramble

#7

I’ve tried them all…citronella, Off, Avon skin-so-soft, bug netting… nothing works like deet. The manufacturers say the concentration doesn’t have to be higher than 12 to 15% (unless you hike in teh jungle!). If you eat foods with food coloring and dyes or put sweet n low in your coffee, you’re already dealing with lots of chemicals… I don’t think deet’s any worse than the preservatives and stuff in teh food we eat every day.

Hiking Visitor

#8

Try the SAWYER brand. It has the Deet incapsulated with a polymer (or something like that) that deters its absorption. I’ve read serveral good reports on it. They have a web sit at sawyerproducts.com. Deet has been around since WWII when it was developed for our troups in the South Pacific. There has never been a reported problem caused by deet. With the threat of the Nile virus on the east coast, I want go without it.

Charles

#9

Screw the Skeeters! It’s the Deer tics that creeped us out. Many of our friends dropped like, well, flies from Lymes. We both got bit twice each and were lucky enough to find them right away. Others weren’t so lucky. I think one guy’s record for tic off count in one day was seventeen. Don’t sit in the grass, check your arms and legs after every contact with plants and field crossing. Wash the mud off as most of it can be tics. The nymphs were small as pepper flakes. We only used some Deep Woods Off in Mass and Conn. The skeeters ate us alive. (hair up on my neck now) We mostly carried something for the now and then encouter and didn’t use it every day. Tried the 3M paste, way to sticky. Citronella was useless and we couldn’t find enough garlic either to eat. 20% deet in a spray was fine and a smokey fire at night for a hour or so, camp high and in the wind too. Everyone is different. Some tastier than others. Learn how to run with a pack on.

Bramble '01

#10

BTW…that last post was actually Bushwhack…the forum doesn’t “remember” him…only me! :slight_smile:

Bramble

#11

Howdy, Just wanted to say that my husband and his brother did a sobo hike in 99/00. They left June 10 and were forced to return early in November b/c of the Georgia weather. They then returned in the spring to complete the trail. So your idea of May 15th should work out pretty good. :slight_smile:

Beth