2011 Appalachian Trail Trip

Well my son and I have decided to take a 5 day backpacking trip on the Appalachian Trail sometime in Spring or Fall of 2011. SO the planning has begun. We have most the equipment already so now we just have to pick a 30-40 miles section of the AT that we want to see and start planning and getting into shape

Big Hill Pond Camping April 2-3 2010

Day 1 total 4 miles
Total This Trip 4 miles

J and J Total 30.83 miles

Well Jacob and I and a friend of mine and his son decided to do some camping Friday and Saturday of Easter weekend. We got to Big Hill Pond State Park around 2:30 Friday afternoon and headed to the parking area south of the lake and did a short loop hike. We walked over the half mile board walk and when we got to the other side I point in the direction UP the big hill and told the two boys if they walked straight that way they will hit the tower and we will meet you there. My friend and I walked the path to the tower. So the two boys headed straight up the hill and they reached the top of the first hill and didnt see the tower so they found a path and took it the rest of the way to the tower, since the tower was on top of the 2nd hill. They did actually beat us by a couple minutes. We then took the horse trail down to the lake and across the dam and back up to the parking area. We then drove over to Scout Camp 2 and set up camp. Had a nice dinner and fire and sat and talked till about midnight and then hit the sleep bags. About 2 or 3 am or so it started hearing thunder and seeing lightning, LOTS of it with some heavy rain. It stopped about 7am or so and we slept till about 8am so noone got wet. We got up had a good breakfast and did some sight seeing around the park by truck and then headed home. We all had a great time. Saw 4 deer run across the trail after we left the tower but that's all the wildlife we saw.

Well I have been reading all this stuff about people making pancakes and biscuits when backpacking, but I didnt have a frying pan. SO I went and ordered me a Primus 1.0 Litech Trek Kettle Pot which comes with a 1 liter pot and a frying pan for a lid. Cant wait to have trail pancakes.

Got my new Lafuma Extreme 600 +45 Sleeping Bag in and its it packs small and it so light. Packs down to 5"X10" and only weights 20 oz. Best part is, it was only $29.93 from REI.

Headed to Wall Doxey state park in Holly Springs MS. this weekend to do some cabin camping. Should be nice it has a fireplace inside and a fire pit out side.

Places we want to hike

TENNESSEE TRAILS
Mousetail Landing State Park -
Nathon Bedfor Forest State Park
Natchez Trace State Park North and South Sections
Land Between the Lakes Canal Loop
Land Between the Lakes Fort Henry Trail System
Land Between the Lakes North South
Meeman Shelby Forest Trails
Fort Pillow
Big Hill Pond

MISSOURI TRAILS
The Ozark Trail Taum Sauk Section - 33 miles one way
The Ozark Trail Marble Creek Section - 8 miles one way

Arkansas Trails
Ouachita Mountains - Eagle Rock Loop - 30 miles
Hot Springs National Park - Sunset Trail Loop - 15 miles
North Sylamore Trail - Mountain View - 13.75 miles one way

Alabama Trails
Sipsey Wilderness

Well I decided to try and figure out my total lifetime miles of hiking and backpacking and my sons total.

Mine
Philmont as Scout 70
Boy Scouts as a Scout 100
Boy Scouts as a Leader 25
J and J total 31
My lifetime total 226 miles

Sons
Boy Scouts 40
J and J 31
My sons lifetime total 71 miles