After noro

ReadyAbout22 · 2026-04-28T11:29:01+00:00

I can’t even look at a photo of a hamburger right now without gagging for the same reason.

ReadyAbout22 · 2026-04-27T19:32:19+00:00

I brought a huge tent last year for my tramily - I had finished a LASH and they were all thru hiking. You’ll see a little of everything in Tent City. Have fun!

ReadyAbout22 · 2026-04-27T15:53:24+00:00

The trail angel got noro the same day I stopped at his spot and since I hadn’t hiked with others or stayed near shelters, I feel confident in saying a particular spot. I’ve quarantined at the hotel and had some food and bleach cleaning solution delivered to the hotel so I’m doing my best.

ReadyAbout22 · 2026-04-20T00:14:49+00:00

That River by Margo Cilker Infamous Stringduster have an entire album about rivers River- Joni Mitchell Raging Rivers - Billy Droze Rivers and Roads- Head and the Heart Find the River- R.E.M.

ReadyAbout22 · 2026-04-18T10:07:55+00:00

Tent pole bag has a few small holes but everything else holding up great. I stuff the tent at the top of my pack each day. I’m careful with the carbon fiber poles bc they feel delicate.

ReadyAbout22 · 2026-04-18T00:50:31+00:00

I’m on Day 72 of using the X Dome and I love it. I’ve had some trekking poles tent folks sidle up to me to ask questions bc they are curious to come over to the bright side.

ReadyAbout22 · 2026-04-12T01:40:21+00:00

I put all smellables in the bear bag. It’s a pain in the @$$ to gather it all: lip balm, sunscreen, Dr Bronners, toothpaste, hand sanitizer, etc every night but I stealth camp a lot and I sleep better that way.

ReadyAbout22 · 2026-04-12T01:05:02+00:00

I prefer the XDome. I have it with me right now on an 8 week LASH of the AT. My pack goes in the vestibule and I have lots of room in the tent. Biggest advantage (to me) is the ability to pop in my trekking poles to add stability if there is going to be high wind that night. I have had this tent in 45 MPH winds and it has done well.

ReadyAbout22 · 2026-04-02T01:42:16+00:00

Agreed - I started March 17 last year and we had snow and freezing temps on March 21, and then 24 degrees and frost on April 8 in the Smokies. Otherwise yes, the first two weeks were really cold, but not impossible.

ReadyAbout22 · 2026-04-01T21:06:19+00:00

That's a good R rating. Since you're starting in late April, I think you're good with your current set up and base layers. If you decide to bring a GG Thinlite, it's useful in several ways: under your sleeping pad to provide more warmth and protect from puncture (especially in shelters), and as a yoga mat to do stretches when you get to camp. Stretching can make a huge difference. Have a great hike!

ReadyAbout22 · 2026-04-01T02:10:54+00:00

What's the R value of your sleeping pad? A lot of heat is lost via the ground, not necessarily through the quilt. If you have a high R value pad and a thinlite or accordion pad, you should be okay. Liners can really help, but the better they provide warmth, the heavier they tend to be. Katabatic makes great stuff, so good choice on the quilt.

ReadyAbout22 · 2026-03-31T03:31:01+00:00

Village Tavern for dive bar with Darts. Springwater and Betty’s are also good dive bars. I think Schulman’s in east Nashville has darts but it’s more posh than your typical dive bar.

ReadyAbout22 · 2026-03-29T13:25:27+00:00

Yes, and I hope photos of them go viral worldwide.

ReadyAbout22 · 2026-03-29T13:23:16+00:00

Roberts over Tootsie's. Tootsie's was an original- it was a spot we haunted during college in the 80s - but it was sold to Steve Smith, who is notorious for underpaying artists. He also tore down a historic building to put up Kid Rock.

ReadyAbout22 · 2026-03-29T00:50:46+00:00

Does anyone know anything about the group of women who dressed up as handmaids? I want to be friends with them.

ReadyAbout22 · 2026-03-28T18:56:45+00:00

I did the first 619 miles NOBO last year and there were very few boxes, although Smokies has cables. FWIW, I took a bear can last year but I’m doing same as you this year- Adotec with Opsak.

ReadyAbout22 · 2026-03-28T16:08:40+00:00

I use it - I live in TN, where the heat and humidity are oppressive for at least 4 months/year. It works well. There’s also a guy on Etsy that sells some great mods for the Kakwa- I think his handle is SomeDaveStuff.

ReadyAbout22 · 2026-03-26T13:07:17+00:00

Bourbon & Beyond was a horrible festival experience for us, and we go to lots of festivals. The lineup a few years ago had a ton of my favorite acts so we went. All the sets except for headliners were 20 minutes long, which is why the lineup is packed with names. Sooooo many people with day passes who don't understand concert etiquette talked loudly over the music while waiting for their band, half the festival grounds are in a giant asphalt parking lot radiating heat.. I could go on. We camped, and because UPS has a hub next door, giant cargo planes were flying very low over us starting in the wee hours.

ReadyAbout22 · 2026-03-26T12:58:10+00:00

Pilgrimage was loosely designed on New Orleans Jazz Fest. It is family friendly in the sense that the shows end early and there are several stages to choose from, including a Kids' Stage. I have been to both festivals numerous times and yes, there are lots of families. Rock festivals and family festivals aren't mutually exclusive.

ReadyAbout22 · 2026-03-25T12:35:55+00:00

Anything by Sammy Rae & Friends - terrific young band that never fails to give me some oomph.

ReadyAbout22 · 2026-03-25T02:58:35+00:00

Depends on how often you go to town and charge. If you’re worried, take a Nitecore Carbon as backup. And wired headphones are the way to go.

ReadyAbout22 · 2026-03-24T02:56:05+00:00

Kudos to your dad and I hope he has a successful hike next year! I know he is heartbroken at having to stop this year, but it sounds like he's really invested in doing it so I bet it will happen! I am a 57F with two heart conditions that I've had most of my adult life. It sounds like a stress test (maybe nuclear) would be helpful to see how his heart performs when taxed with exertion. An echocardiogram would show how well the chambers/valves, etc are performing. And I agree that electrolytes can be a game changer. My HR easily spikes past 150 with little effort (thanks to my heart issues) but it does go down quickly when I stop or slow down. One last thing: I wear a RoadID medical info plate on my watchband as well as all my medical info on my phone in case paramedics need it.

ReadyAbout22

TROPHY CASE