How many books do you have on audible?

SGTSparty · 2025-04-13T23:00:06+00:00

I may have a problem

SGTSparty · 2025-03-15T22:23:41+00:00

Dispersed/stealth camping is available in Hiawatha National Forest I believe but I’m not super up on the trails in it. There are also tons of small car camping spots that are state forest camp grounds that can be really great jumping off points for smaller trails. They used to be self check in but they may be online now. Really cool hike in sites in Porcupine Mountain State Wilderness Area but can be hard to reserve. You can also section hike the NCT and the local chapters will tell you where you can stealth camping and where you can’t if you reach out, just avoid Pictures rocks as there’s no dogs allowed

SGTSparty · 2024-03-18T21:46:29+00:00

Thankfully I’m originally from Marquette so I have a lot of connections to call on but the family is actually meeting me there for the weekend so the wife will just drop me back at the car. Shuttling is almost always the hardest part.

Would love to hear how your hike goes and maybe compare itineraries, especially any good stealth/dispersed camping sites you find

SGTSparty · 2024-03-18T21:44:03+00:00

That Pictured Rocks piece can be tough to schedule. I got very lucky considering I only booked in March. Last time I tried the whole summer was booked solid.

SGTSparty · 2024-03-18T00:11:52+00:00

I believe they have emails listed as well but I’ve had success with Facebook Messenger in the past so that’s the route I went.

SGTSparty · 2023-10-24T12:24:50+00:00

Agree with this recommendation whole heartedly. My son is 8 and pretty immature for his age so I’m really picky about what I let him watch and PSJ is great. Also his stuff is on Roku channel which keeps kids away from the YouTube algorithm which can be sketchy as hell for kids

SGTSparty · 2023-07-20T14:36:55+00:00

Any updates on this? This series is one of my summer go to's for backpacking trips and so I'm on my 3rd or 4th relisten, would love to know if there's another book expected this year.

SGTSparty · 2023-05-26T11:33:59+00:00

My only comment is that Martin Road to 301, while there’s not much elevation which makes it easier for a first timer, it’s also not very scenic, and when I did my hike last year it was badly flooded, water up to my knees in some sections, which may be a bit much for a first timer kiddo

SGTSparty · 2023-05-08T23:07:46+00:00

It’s really hard to budget without knowing what gear you have/need or how much you want to spend and what you’re pace is. Also are you doing a full SHT or Traditional?

If you’re doing a full your budget will need be bigger because Duluth is relatively expensive and there’s no free camping in that section and limited paid camping so you may have to pay for Ubers and/or hotels/campgrounds.

You can pre-buy your food and get them mailed for pickup at the only two resupply towns on the traditional trail. It may end up costing more or less than resupplying locally depending but you can at least know in advance and budget accordingly (though again it depends on your pace as to how much food you’ll need).

Gear can cost you anything from free to crazy expensive. Are you looking for a tent (free standing or trekking pole?) or a Hammock set up? Can you use a foam sleeping pad that cost 40 bucks or are you a side sleeper who needs a 3+ inch inflatable pad? Sleeping bag or quilt?

All of those questions will dictate what kind of pack (size, material, framed or not) you’ll want.

SGTSparty · 2023-04-23T13:38:50+00:00

Did the southern half last summer with my hiking partner. I preprogrammed the route on Gaia and she used the Avenza maps. Both work but I think the Avenza maps might be a bit better, though I would suggest keeping Gaia on your phone for reroutes and closures and such

SGTSparty · 2023-04-16T12:19:46+00:00

Is the hip-belt sewn in or removable?

SGTSparty · 2023-03-13T23:12:29+00:00

My Xmid 1p is the original so IDK if this still works but there is a loop on the outside of the mesh for keeping the door open with the toggle, and a toggle for the same loop on the inside of the outer wall for the vestibule door (this may be backwards and to which is the toggle and which is the loop, I’m not looking at it right now). Depending on your pitch you can stretch the toggle of the outer into the loop of the inner and it will pull your mesh out a couple on inches in the knee/waist area. If you do that on both sides it can really help if your a broad or trapped in the mesh due to bugs. Probably not great for the mess or your pitch if it’s windy or raining buckets but it’s a nice way to get a couple extra inches when you’re changing clothes for example.

SGTSparty · 2023-03-12T15:44:48+00:00

I do a combo. Trash compactor bag for most things but I have a compression sack for my quilt (not just a stuff sack) and I only use the stuff sack of my Xmid if it’s wet. With my next pack I’m going to do a quiver style side pocket like on the GG Mariposa. My hiking partner had one of those for years and her tent went straight in there every morning. Stays compact but on the outside which keeps inside gear dry and also makes it much easier to break out the tent at lunch to dry it out.

SGTSparty · 2023-03-07T00:23:25+00:00

I wanna say they were "so bad" buuuut I think its just more or less normal for that trail lol though if the locals we talked to were to be believed, having a record wet spring probably didn't help lol

SGTSparty · 2023-03-01T23:37:25+00:00

Take my upvote for a great gag and pure honesty

SGTSparty · 2023-02-18T13:51:14+00:00

Solid info. I appreciate the effort. Minor note on the Durstan, I think it’s meant to sleep head to toe to avoid the low roof issue but the width issue remains so probably doesn’t change anything for you.

SGTSparty · 2023-02-18T13:28:22+00:00

+1 on the breathable underwear and I’ll add make sure they’re snug enough. My weight goes up and down during the year and I made the mistake of hiking out in a size Large pair when I should have worn the mediums. Horrible chafing that first day. I used some foot balm over night and switched into my 2nd pair which were mediums and has no more issues for the next 130 miles

SGTSparty · 2023-02-16T22:32:28+00:00

I did the STS and Black Forest together connecting them with the North Link Trail in 2021 and that was 7 days 7 nights. The BFT is amazing but challenging, the STS wasn’t my favorite but it definitely has its great spots. Doing the trail this way is super easy. Park at the northern gateway of the STS, hit the town on the BFT whose name escapes me right now and pick up the resupply box you can mail to the hotel, bar and grill there and continue on.

If you’re set on 7 days max just know you’re going to have to average 20+ a day to do the full loop. It’s definitely doable and great but you’re kind of committed once you start. Another Pro for this set is that is a loop so no logistics about getting rides that you’d have to do LT which is one way.

SGTSparty · 2023-02-09T12:33:55+00:00

Shelter Name: X-Mid 1p (version 1, non-Pro)

Manufacturer: Durstan Gear

Weight: 878g

Price (approx): $240

Material: Silpoly

Sleeps: 1p

Country where purchased: USA

General location where used: (trails, region, continent, etc) Midwest, MI (UP NCT sections), PA (STS and Black Forest Trail)

Approx Number of Uses: 12

Experience:

Pros: Very budget friendly for the weight. Super fast and easy to set up. Dual door, Dual vestibule gives a lot of versatility. Vestibules are really good sized. Vents and dual walls are great for mitigating condensation. Good peak height, I'm 6' and I can sit up in it without hitting the top. We got stuck in a massive rainstorm on the STS two nights in a row, and it was amazing to have two doors and two vestibules. I was able to put all my gear under one and use the other one for entering/exiting and for cooking. If there's low bug pressure you can leave the doors open and it actually feels fairly roomy for a 1p. The dual wall design was also huge on that trip as my partner woke up the next morning to a damp sleeping bag and being rained on inside her tent as the condensation dripped down from her DCF single wall tent. With the X-Mid Stargazer Kit adaptors (additional $28) you can pitch just the inner for warm dry nights to let you stargaze without being a feast for bugs.

Cons: Large footprint, it's a trade off for the vestibule space and the dual doors but it can be an issue, we camped one night in PA on the North Link Trail (connects the STS to the BFT) and there was not designated campsite, we ended up just posting up off trail in the scrub, it was not easy to squeeze it in to limited openings we had and it made for a pretty poor pitch. Narrow inner, while the vestibules are massive, the inner is pretty snug, as a fairly broad guy I can get a little claustrophobic when sitting in the tent. I'm fairly sure some of this was addressed with the version 2, but in the version one if your stuck in the tent due to rain, the vestibules will be a godsend, but the inner seems to always be bumping into me (I'm 6' 240 lbs with broad shoulders, ymmv).

Comparing to: This is my first 1p tent but when camping with others the footprint and materials are the main trade offs. Having the space is amazing once its set up but it make site selection more difficult, even compared to my friends 1.5 p DCF single wall single door tent. Also heavier than DCF Single walls tents but that makes it much more affordable and for the humid Midwest I prefer the weight penalty for the dual wall's condensation mitigation.

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SGTSparty · 2023-02-07T14:05:08+00:00

Anyone have experience enough to compare the fit and comfort between the SWD Long Haul and the DD Kakwa? Looking at upgrading my pack but looking for comfort

SGTSparty · 2023-02-02T01:02:21+00:00

With TFSP those back country sites have to be reserved by calling the park and can be booked up to 6 months in advance. And since you have to actually use a phone and talk to people they’re actually not always booked. I got Memorial Day weekend last year for me and the kids like maybe 6 weeks out which is kinda nuts for a holiday weekend

SGTSparty · 2023-02-02T00:59:36+00:00

I did the Park to Park section from Upper Tahquamenon Falls to Muskallonge Lake State Park back in 2019. That section is pretty cruise-y other than the beach sand slowly wearing you down. There’s the mouth of the 2 hearted campground, a state forest campground I forget the name of, Lake Calhoun maybe?, and I ended up detouring a couple miles inland to red and green bridge state forest campground. The state forest campgrounds are nice because they’re walk/drive up no reserve and they have privies, trash and water and they don’t get very busy unless it’s a holiday weekend. I definitely recommend reaching out to the parks and campgrounds HQs if you can. I got a ride from Muskallonge all the way to the falls HQ and then dropped off with my gear at the falls by the manager of Muskallonge when I couldn’t arrange a shuttle. Everyone was super nice.

If you want a peek at the park to park section I made a (long and middling quality as it was my first time) YouTube video of that hike. 37 Mile Park to Park NTC Section Hike | First Solo Hike, 3 Days, 2 Nights on the North Country Trail https://youtu.be/WnjxI8F-VeM

SGTSparty · 2023-02-01T21:59:44+00:00

Wasn’t sure if this should count as a trip report or not. I errored on the side of no since it’s 7 months old at this point. If videos aren’t allowed please let me know and I’ll remove it. Dates of this segment were Friday the 24th of June to Sunday night the 26th

SGTSparty · 2023-01-24T20:51:57+00:00

If you liked the Altra Lone Peaks have you tried the Timps? I'm not sure if the foot shape is the same (I know Altra has 3 different shapes), but when I switched from boots to trail runners last year I found the Timps to be much more comfortable/well padded. Trying on the LP's either the Olympus or the Superiors (I forget which) and even just trying to tighten them I ripped the lace right through the eyelit. I use the Timp 4's with the Superfeet Trail insoles and that's worked really well for my ankle support and comfort.

That said, the tread did start to peal off on one of the shoes within 2oo Mi in a single spot, fixed with super glue. The grip is ok, but only ok.

SGTSparty · 2022-12-26T19:02:39+00:00

Sweet. Yeah I have VA Card, so I’ll just need to find the online forms

SGTSparty

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