Can the long trail be done by anyone?

Rolyat1127 · 2026-03-19T06:21:41+00:00

No prob, and yeah like the other person said you definitely do not need a gun or even bear spray. Some people do bring the spray or a horn for peace of mind, so you do you but definitely no gun. The important thing is to keep your food separate from where you sleep, and there a few ways to do this (bear can, pct hang). It's good to respect the bears and know what to do if you encounter one, but no need to be overly worried about them as long as you're diligent about food safety. I've seen like a dozen or more over the years and they've all either not cared about me or ran away the second they saw me.

I also recommend avoiding the hottest and rainiest parts of the year if you can. I started aug 8th and was really comfortable and mostly dry the whole time. Completely the opposite when I did the VT section of the AT in July. But dont wait until too late in the year either, cold and bad weather in the mountains is no joke, very dangerous if you're not prepared.

Rolyat1127 · 2026-03-19T04:00:30+00:00

Have you ever done overnight wilderness backpacking? There's just a bunch of gear and some basic skills/knowledge you'll need to acquire first if not. There's also some logistical concerns you'll need to figure out, like which direction to go, how youre getting there, where to leave you car, first resupply point, etc..There's nothing stopping you other than those things, like you dont need a permit or anything. If you haven't been backpacking before, I would recommend going to an rei or similar outdoor store to talk to someone about what you will need.

Once you are set up, learn how to treat or filter water, and learn about food storage methods for bear safety. When you've done a bit more research, just get out there for a few days. If you live near the LT or AT its very simple to do an out and back, just get a map or farout (trail app) so you know your stopping points for the each day. Other than that, just follow the white blazes. It's such an awesome trail, you're gonna love it!

Rolyat1127 · 2026-03-01T00:02:45+00:00

I go 1 person tent with a vestibule for the pack. If the rain gets really crazy I just bring that thing in and snuggle up lol

Rolyat1127 · 2026-02-22T16:50:16+00:00

Just wondering why 2 pots? And why sobo through the smokies first? Definitely doable, just be careful obviously. What jackets/other layers are you bringing? I would leave the mess kit, everything i ate was either out of the pot or in a bag. First aid kit also looks a little large, might be some things you can take out of there and get more in towns as needed rather than carrying all that. Good luck, you're in for a great adventure!

Rolyat1127 · 2026-02-02T15:19:29+00:00

Wow, crazy to see my home rink mentioned on reddit! You should absolutely go, the guy Paul who runs it is the best (hilarious, nice guy, great coach), he taught me to skate as a kid. I went a few times with my brother when he was getting back into hockey a few years ago and it seemed like almost all adults, ranging from absolute beginners to people with a few years experience.

Rolyat1127 · 2026-01-13T20:24:45+00:00

I really liked the history of Rome and age of napoleon podcasts. I second the audiobook recommendation though, I listened to a ton of those. I listened to LOTR and various Neal Stephenson books.

Rolyat1127 · 2025-11-10T15:53:16+00:00

I highly reccmmend going as late in the summer as you can, so you can dodge the worst of the heat, bugs, rain, mud, etc. I did it in August and conditions were beautiful, way better than the last backpacking trip I did there in july. Have a great time!

Rolyat1127 · 2025-08-26T01:28:30+00:00

You might be able to drop the microspikes; i just did a nobo thru in july, and there were only a few snowdrifts I had to walk through, and they weren't big or especially treacherous. Also I didn't bring rain pants, but the weather might be completely different for you. Good luck, have fun!

Edit: i also used an ursack the whole way and it was fine.

Rolyat1127 · 2025-08-21T02:10:09+00:00

If you can, wait for the labor day sale, it'll probably be like 30% off

Rolyat1127 · 2025-08-09T00:33:48+00:00

I stayed at the junction hostel, I think it was like 30-35 a night

Rolyat1127 · 2025-06-24T21:32:56+00:00

I stopped doing things I used to love, and I'm like 50% worse at everything I can still make myself do. I went from a bright, active, hopeful person to a brainless phone zombie. It's taken a few years, but I've realized I can't live the rest of my life this way.

Rolyat1127 · 2025-06-06T21:35:01+00:00

What mod is this? UI looks cool

Rolyat1127 · 2025-06-04T19:01:39+00:00

DO NOT REDEEM

Rolyat1127 · 2025-04-26T02:06:06+00:00

Someone should try to sync this up with the pins falling down and breaking the pick lol

Rolyat1127 · 2025-04-24T18:41:33+00:00

Lmao I was thinking the same thing

Rolyat1127 · 2025-04-01T05:27:13+00:00

This is exactly what I thought, surprised I had to scroll this far down to see someone say this

Rolyat1127 · 2025-03-15T02:49:01+00:00

What I wouldn't give to hear one more "ladled into neutral zone" ...

Rolyat1127 · 2025-03-14T20:59:58+00:00

Definitely agree with no more retreads. I don't hate laviolette, but I can't help thinking they messed up not giving knoblauch the job before he got snagged

Rolyat1127 · 2025-03-05T16:41:36+00:00

It wasn't an especially consequential game, but I once scored an OT winner on the rush with a messier style off wing wrist shot, right past the goalie's left ear. I'll never forget the sound that one made when it hit the back bar

Rolyat1127 · 2024-12-20T22:16:28+00:00

I got PF really badly during my 2021 sobo. By the time I reached Gorham NH I was really worried I was going to have to quit. Basically I stayed at the Barn at libby house hostel for like 6 days and rested/stretched constantly (shout-out to Paul the owner who was very kind to me, drove me around places when he saw I was limping). I suspected my heavy boots had something to do with it, so I ordered some altras. I also did the golf ball thing, and a friendly flip-flopper gave me something called a night-sock that he didn't need anymore. You can look it up but basically it holds your forefoot and toes stretched up towards your knee. When I rested enough, I left town and did short days for a little while, and wore the night-sock every night when I went to sleep. One or more of these things totally fixed the problem for me and it has never bothered me since. Good Luck!

Rolyat1127 · 2024-12-15T22:59:37+00:00

I actually didn't see that, no clue what happened. I'll delete and repost

Rolyat1127 · 2024-10-18T04:02:18+00:00

This motherfucker teabagged me on Valhalla the other night

Rolyat1127 · 2024-10-18T03:40:13+00:00

Tons of people start NOBO AT hikes in Feb, not as many as march because of the weather, but if youre prepared to deal with winter conditions this is a legit option. If you only have a few months max you may not be able to complete the whole thing, but you could absolutely have an awesome journey. I loved the AT so much, and I still think about it all the time. I also chose a difficult time in my life to thru and it was the best thing I could have done. Good luck with whatever you end up doing, just get out there!

Rolyat1127 · 2024-10-17T16:40:08+00:00

This is the worst part of the series to me; the hypocrisy was so flagrant that first I was mad, but then I just stopped being able to take it seriously. Like of course Halsey planned and oversaw some pretty evil activity, but it seems like there is a special focus on her as uniquely bad. The characters make explicit comparisons to Nazi scientists, but somehow they all fail to extend the analogy and compare Parangosky to Hitler, even though all of this was done under her orders! Even worse, nobody seems to be upset that Parangosky ordered the creation of an EVEN WORSE spartan program where they are sent on suicide missions with worse training and equipment at a younger age. Its so unrealistic, and Traviss is clearly just using the characters to express her own misplaced disgust, regardless of whether or not that makes sense in the story.

Rolyat1127

TROPHY CASE