2010 AT Thruhike - Hyway

“btw a recent pic of the beard:

”

“Hey HOI, I get a message saying I have to register to view your lovely image.”

“must be one of them "adult" sites”

“oh well - I guess attachments on another forum can't be linked easily

well anyways I think hyway might have put a pic up on facebook that shows the beard blowing in the wind at Crescent Rock overlook

I don't do facebook so I gots no idea if its there or linkable”

“That's a mighty impressive beard, HOI!

Who is the hiker in the green shirt? Way back when I first met HPM, his hair looked just like that.”

“that's Tornado and the other guy in the background is Sofar”

“Damn HOI, you doubling as Santa at the mall or what?”

“I was the kinda kid that would pull beards, just to make sure.

I was thanking that same thing treebait about white afro.”

“Wow HOI, great beard!”

“With HOI's beard, and green shirt's fro. you could rule the world.”

“Hey Hyway, did the bro in law make you wash your pack, or all of your gear? :D”

“The pack lives on the balcony. I did wash all my clothes though.”

“Lol...Just so you know the enzyme-based stuff that gets out cat pee smell works well on hiker funk. The thing is you have to give it time and let it soak. The Petco brand version works very well.

How badly did you sunburn?”

“did treebait just say that thru-hikers smell like cat pee?”

“That would be a compliment to a few I met.”

“Some of 'em do, CB. Really, really acrid. So do I , after only a day or two. I've given car rides to a few who smell even worse than that. On those trips I kept the windows open, no matter the weather.”

“I wish that knucklehead would update his journal. geez...”

“Is he still offtrail/ hanging with family?”

“I think he was supposed to get back on the trail on the 15th. That may have changed.”

“New Plan. The pack goes in the trunk, I'll make room." I never notice how rank that thing is but he did


im surprised hyway didnt get thrown in the trunk, too. thru hikers are smelly beasts”

“Hyway updated his journal today.”

“I so much want to see him in Damascus in 2 011. Go, Hyway.”

“On Facebook, Hyway is thinking about a flip-flop. He is at Harpers Ferry VA. or nearby.”

“The hot weather is killing him. It's been a hot June.

Fly season may not be over yet up north.”

“Hyway - as I previously said ... wish in your mind that it was hotter and muggier and more buggy. Your brain will trick you into thinking it's too cold. You're almost half-way there. You can do it!!”

“Hyway...try some emergenc it is better than gatorade and will perk ya up!”

“...nuff said...”

“emergenC is the best stuff EVER!”

“Wishing it was hotter and more muggy is the dumbest damn thing I have heard.”

“Have you ever tried it? or are you just assuming it won't work?”

“I've used it!....It can really make a dif....”

“Hike nekkid!!!!....woooo hoooo!!!!”

“Damascus, 2 011.”

“im not sure what to think about hyways decision to flip-flop this early

it may be too early because of blackflies, but then on the other hand, he'll be escaping the heat, but then on the other hand, if he thinks the hiking is tough now, he hasnt seen anything yet. maine and nh is gonna kill him. on the other hand, it removes the pressue of the oct 15 deadline

overall, i like the idea of flip-flopping for him, but i think he should wait a little bit
last edited: 6/21/10 8:45:03 AM”

“good luck Hyway! Already 45%! Now you're trained and fit for the hard part!

"Hyway! Hyway!"

(Was gonna say to tell 'em "It's my way, or the hyway." ... but that's redundant.) lol”

“I vote for the hike nakid....works for me!!!”

“GO Hyway!!!! You've done more than 98% of us bozo's here!

Switch your water bottles out for used Mtn Dew bottles, if you think it's Mtn Dew, it must be Mtn Dew according to HPD's line of thinking.”

“he could wish in his mind that it was warm piss, and then when he took a drink of water, it would taste like cold delicious mt dew”

“Have you tried that Opie?”

“Hmmm, I'm with you CB. Good idea about leaving behind the hot weather and bugs (big fat NOT on the latter however).

As to everything there are pro's and cons. I'm thankin there are a lot more cons to this one. Is he gonna hafta keep his pace up if he stays the course? Yes. But..... leaving behind bugs is a terrible understatement! If anything the bug situation will likely be worse, actaully, far worse. The black flies are terrible thru the ME woods, skeeters should be prolific too, in the summertime. And as CB mentioned, Maine is gonna kick his arse! Being a Suthun app mtn boy, I always thawt the grand Smokies were the toughest, sure of it in fact. But I was way wrong, the White's are pretty tough, and then comes MAINE........ now THAT'S tough! About 3 weeks tough in fact, not so much the hunnert mile wilderness tho, that's nice going.

If he flips now, or soon, he'll hit the revered Whites in NH when school is still out, full-bore summertime. Absolutely not ideal. He'll miss however the beautiful fall colors of rugged Maine, and the awesome moose horny season.

One hugely important factor, a mental difficulty, as that the "family" aspect of hiking the AT will vanish completely. Few SOBO'S wait this late to begin a hike (one aspect that's pretty cool is that hyway will pretty much have ME AT all to himself). But .... ends your "AT Journey", more or less. Actually (obviously) it won't "end", but it will completely change, perhaps not for the better, do take that to heart hyway.

As an armchair thru-hiker, I'd suggest you do what you're supposed to do ....... just keep walking N. In 2 months, if you're cutting too close the Oct 15 deadline of Baxter closing, flip then. More than likely, several around you would be considering the same. All of you perhaps could hitch N and then be a SOBO "family" leap-frogging on your way S instead of N.

You're halfway, there's stretches w/o water, you have heat and bugs ..... ain't no diffit than any other year more or less, welcome to an AT thru-hike. You still thank it's a trip to Vegas, HPD (ape mumbles dipshyt under his breath)? You're gonna hafta drop the sleeping late routine and opt for the early a.m. hiking. Do the rest bit in the heat of day, say 1 to 4, or even 5, and then make yourself get hiking thru the late evening, don't be relying so heavily on the shelters. It's not a permanent alteration, just for the next 4 or 5 weeks. Plus, as rain fronts move thru, you can sleep later and hike all day, on those days. On those heat days, snack a little as you hike and save a good lunch for your 1ish rest stop, somewhere lowlaying and shady, possibly with your feet in a stream.

Also, keep on top of hydration. At night go to bed with a waterbottle or bladder in the footbed of your sleeping bag. First thing you do when you awake, even b4 getting outa your bag, camel-up that somewhat warmed water, every bit you can manage. I always did a quart and a half, I saved the other half of my Nalgene for wetting my mouth if needed as I hiked along. The 20 minutes or so of getting ready to hike outa camp will allow that big water bolus to somewhat get thru your stomach and you'll be able to hike w/ no bloated stomach discomfort.

Water bladders were brand new technology then, so cameling up might not be as important now as then. But still I clearly remember hiking those numerous miles in the early a.m. and not being a bit thirsty. I hiked early for a diffit reason tho, for seeing wildlife. First hiker thru always sees the wildlife, so I made sure that guy was always me, man did it pay off. Not only are you the first one thru, virgin forest for the day, but you are alone, which means you're not blabbing about something and will literally walk right up onto an animal before it knows you're there.

Hike on bro!!!

ape <---- arms in air, fingers dingling

Good vibes coming your way hyway!!!!”

“the "family" aspect of hiking the AT will vanish completely

thats going to be tough on an attention who--- i mean outgoing, friendly guy like hyway”

“I'm not flip flopping. That was just an idea to try to stay on the trail. I think I've had enough. I know I'll always wish I stayed the course but I have always disliked summer. Hiking in this heat has done me in. And it hasn't even been all that hot yet. Its going to get even hotter.”

“almost half way - you can do it!

just stay hydrated and try not to think about the mental and physical pain of being under the hot sun without any shelter. stay focused!”

“How about you not getting your nerd glasses, pocket protector, and panties in a wad. You are the biggest "reported"er on here, AND the biggest loud-mouth, it's not surprising really.

Reported or not, it still begs to be asked, do ya reckin' hyway would compare his hike thus far to a trip to Vegas? Plz don't waste any space answering, it's called a "rhetorical question".”

“I got your back Hyway. Its suppose to be enjoyable, when it isnt, its time to stop.”

“I agree with nemster.”

“Sometimes it takes more courage to know when to quit. It is your choice ...you have to do what is best for YOU!!!

HUGS”

“Brother hyway, you're in our prayers. Whether you trudge N, or head home, I'll be with you. You have done, and are doing a wicked awesome adventure. I assure you, in either case, you will remember this forever!

If you go home, do this one thing, for all future hikers and particularly for the ATC and it's historical archives: finish your journal. I mean totally complete it! Stay with it for weeks, and come back to it for updates even months after the fact. You'll never have closure, not fully anyhow, and with your insight and grand writing style, you can honestly tell the untold stories of the many, many thousands who have walked your difficult path. Indeed, THIS may be your chosen path.

Altho, if you stay the course, phuk all that above schyt !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

“Hike your own hike, Hyway.”