With "Summit Weekend" approaching (it is now an officially named event), advice as to what gear one should bring might be in high demand for many. Interestingly enough, Parkwood has some senior players in this game, and when it comes to practical knowledge of man skills we have an all-star team. Over the next few weeks we will have some of our weathered trail warriors give some first class wilderness wisdom, share stories, and give good advice for those who may have more questions than answers.
This week Miles McCart will be sharing some of his best secrets specific to the Knobstone:
I have used the Knobstone Trail to get ready for a hike to the bottom of the Grand Canyon and out, as well as a trips to climb in the Tetons. It has all you need to test your mettle and endurance in the various sections it provides. The trip from Jackson Road to Deam Lake is one of the easier routes to take, so it is a perfect beginning trail. Initially there is a big gully to go down and climb out of. After that strenuous section, the trail basically loses altitude back to Deam Lake. Slow and steady is the ticket. Here is my advise to those not accustomed to hiking the rugged terrain on the Knobstone. Wear durable and comfortable footwear. Well used hiking boots are best, but hybrid / cross training athletic shoes will suffice. The key phrase is "broken in". Two pair of socks works for me. For the first pair, I use a thin synthetic sock called a "liner". This helps to keep the feet dry and prevent blisters. For the top pair, I use a heavy duty hiking sock. Cotton socks can work, but are not recommended. There is no telling how hot it will be September. I would recommend a minimum of one gallon of drinking water to start out with. For you bigger guys, you may want a quart or two more if the day is hot. If you have had a good breakfast, food will not be such an issue for the hike. If not, an energy bar or two might go down well. A light hiking pack is recommended to carry water/food/first aid supplies, etc. There are briars, ticks, spiders, and dear flies on the trail. I like to take hiking poles to keep briars off my legs and if you are first in the hiking line, to knock down the spider webs. Long pants are hotter, but will keep the scratches to a minimum. Flies can be a bother in hot weather. I like to wear a ball cap and spray it down good with insect repellant as well as my shirt. I have even worn a bandana over my head and under my hat to cover my ears a couple of times when they were really bad. Wear a comfortable shirt and again, cotton is not recommended. Long sleeves?? Up to you. On long hikes I always use compression shorts that extend down the thigh to right above the knee as my underwear. They are tight, stretchy, synthetic, and look like those bicycle shorts you said you would never be caught dead in. I have never had a galled area between my legs or a "hot spot" elsewhere. I think they are worth their weight. I would be glad to answer any questions.
Regards,
Miles
PART II
Father like son, right? Well in this case father-in law like son-in law. Following right on the heels of Miles, this week, Jim Dimmitt will share with us his woodland know how. Jim has extensive hiking experience and even a few survival stories to boot. In the hiking business, the saying goes: "what doesn't kill you, only makes you an expert." Well, Jim Dimmitt has seen some grueling times when it comes to beating the odds, and not only that, his day time job makes him an expert at all things "pedestrian".
You may choose to hike in long pants and long t-shirt versus shorts. This can help with walking through some brush that may be covering the trail. This can also be helpful with tics. Tics have been very bad the last couple of years around here. It would be wise to wear some type of hat to assist with keeping the tics off your head. Some form of bug repellent is a must. Be sure to check yourself at the end of the day.
Remember with off trail camping, whatever you need you will have to carry (food, water, tent, clothing, etc...). There is not clean water anywhere on the trail, be sure to carry what you will need for the day and some for the next morning. There is some water in some of the streams or Deam lake, but you would need to treat it before drinking. For a overnight hike you should be able to carry all the water you will need.
Don't hike too fast, enjoy the trail and peaceful surrounding of the woods. You can pick up the pace if the guy behind is talking too much; this will cause him to use more energy hiking and have less for yapping (ha). One last thing, you don't have to be fast enough to out run the bear, only faster than the guys you are hiking with.
This week our trail expert is Todd Crosby. For those who think being in the ministry will make you too "soft" for this stuff, check out this guys resume. Former US Marine and experienced Appalachian Trail hiker, Todd brings to us experience like no other:
Brennan asked us to post about our experiences on the Knobstone trail but I will have to confess that my experience on that trail is fairly limited (only 3 hikes). The bulk of my hiking experience has been on the Appalachian Trail and I have completed all of the section in Georgia and most of the North Carolina/Tennessee portion. All told, I have a couple hundred miles of backpacking experience so I want to share what I believe will help you have a more enjoyable hike. The section we will be doing is only five miles so you don’t have to go overboard on buying equipment but you will want a few basic necessities.
The key to enjoyable hiking is comfort. Since your feet are the means of locomotion this means you had better wrap them in good footwear. Normal athletic shoes are rarely good because the soles will not keep you from getting stone bruises. I came away with these on my first hike and they made walking downhill excruciating. For what we are doing, some trail running shoes should work or a decent pair of hiking boots. If the soles of your footwear are super-flexible you may want to look at purchasing something else.
Next comes socks. I use a very thin, synthetic liner sock underneath a pair of SmartWool socks. Why wool? Because it is nature’s most efficient wicking material. The deadly enemy of your feet is moisture because it leads to blisters. Wool pulls the moisture away from your feet so that it can evaporate away. There are some synthetic materials that claim to do this but I find that they are clammy. I stick with tried and true wool.
As for your clothing, you simply want to wear things that will keep you dry. This means that cotton is not the best choice. Cotton gets wet and stays wet so you get hot and sweaty while you are hiking then when you stop your clothing has no ability to insulate you because it is wet. It is best to stick with synthetic materials that wick moisture away from your skin and dry quickly.
Another helpful tip is to use a hiking pole or poles. This can be a stick you find in the woods or a high-tech set of poles you buy in a specialty store, but whatever you use the will reduce pressure on your feet and knees and increase your balance when walking. I use two poles but even one will make a lot of difference.
Most of you guys do not need to go out and by an expensive pack for this trip, but if this little hike gives you the backpacking bug you will want to invest in a comfortable pack. My first trip I used my military ALICE pack. While durable and able to carry heavy loads, it was murder on the hips. I soon learned the value of a comfortable pack and you will generally get what you pay for here. CamelBak makes some great small packs that are built around their hydration bladders. I use one of these for short hikes.
I know this is a lot of information so if I can help any of you guys prepare feel free to ask. Backpacking is a great activity and I look forward to our upcoming trip.
-Todd "Pastor" Crosby
Part IV
This week we have Expert manly, man Keith Akers with a first hand, first time account of being on the Knobstone. Be sure to ask him the full details while your on the trail...your sure to be rolling!
Shut Up and Walk - Keith Akers
After eight hours in the sun, I’ve lost about five quarts of water and I am ten percent dehydrated. At this point most people suffer from heatstroke, but not me…not me. I have to finish this hike in twenty minutes or less so that I can make it to my daughter’s fourth birthday party. I’ve been up for 36 hours and I have to close my eyes for a moment to keep the forest landscape from spinning. I can’t come up with a plan, I’m not even sure where I am. It’s difficult to breathe and I kneel down for just a moment, then collapse forward into deep green undergrowth, unconscious. Okay, I didn’t really pass out(came very close) and you probably won’t either if you take our advice.
Listen, up to this point, you’ve been given some sage advice from some really sharp men. I have learned quite a bit about the outdoors from Miles and Jim and I would follow Todd just about anywhere. Now its my turn to unfold the my knowledge and wisdom on the subject. But first let me share with you a man who logged countless hours in the woods, my papaw, Bob Akers. Papaw didn’t hike in the woods, his dog did. Papaw just went for a walk. He didn’t own a pair of NorthFace hiking boots; he did his hiking in the same pair of work shoes he wore everyday. Papaw didn’t own a telescoping Nordic walking pole; he’d just find a stout branch lying on the ground before the walk. Papaw didn’t head into the woods with a CamelBak hydration system strapped to his back; he had a jug of warm water waiting for him behind the seat of his truck. Now don’t get me wrong, I have some of these luxury items but I’m a lot softer than Papaw was. That is to say I’ve gotten softer through the years. I have a wife and three girls now. We can’t go half a mile down the road without someone telling me they need a drink or a snack or it’s too hot, too cold etc. Believe me the last time I tried to be a tough guy in the woods I failed. Fortunately and unfortunately there were witnesses(thanks again Miles).
My Papaw was more than twice the outdoorsman that I am and for years I tried to be just like him. He would take us on long walks in the woods and I would try to keep pace with him. Taking the lead, I hoped that a wild animal might rear its ugly head so that I could fend it off, protecting my family and proving myself worthy. Never happened. Before long my brother or my cousins or all of them at once would begin to cry out “I’m thirsty! It’s too hot! My feet hurt!”. Hey, I felt the same way. I was thirsty and it was hot. But again, trying to impress my papaw, I would bark back “Shut up and walk!”. Now Papaw was always calm and comforting in these situations but I always felt that is what he wanted to tell them.
Now I told you about my papaw, not so that you would rush into the woods with no water or improper footwear, but to let you know that you can over-prepare just as easily as under-prepare. If you’re new at this, you will get some blisters, you will get hot, thirsty, hungry, uncomfortable. Good! Take the advice of these brothers and learn from your mistakes. With each walk in the woods you’ll become more comfortable and maybe a little tougher than the last.
Below are some tips for a sweet walk in the woods and don’t worry if not everything goes as planned. Nobody wants to hear a story of a day hike that went perfect anyway.
1. If you have a comfortable pair of cross trainers or hiking boots that are about ½ size too big for you, that would be ideal because your feet will probably swell a bit.
2. A couple of large bottles of water should be sufficient for this hike. Putting one of them in the freezer the night before is a good idea.
3. A bandana is nice to have. Get it wet and tie it around your neck to stay cool. Why do you think The Duke always wore one in his movies?
5.Peanut butter! Peanut butter crackers, granola bars etc.
6. Listen to your heart, your actual heart. It will tell you if you need to slow down.
7. Finally, enjoy the peace and quiet of the forest. Listen to the sounds of your feet as you tread the path and if the guy next to you doesn’t seem very vocal as you rattle on with your one man debate about transubstantiation…….SHUT UP AND WALK!
-Keith "Manly, Man" Akers
