วีดีโอ

Channel counts as a tag if you ask me. Good stuff man!

I was bummed when I heard the ATC news as well. Great training hike!

Herman Melville's great great granddaughter lived across the street from us in Bridgewater Ma. ( back in the 60's)😊

Happy New Year! 🎊 Beautiful day out on the trail. 👊👊

Happy New Year from Mt. Grace in Warwick Ma on our first hike of the year! Bacon Wrap and the "Ottada Way Cafe "😊

Nice day to train on a beautiful trail.

I'm following you as you go.

Can't wait to follow! Your intro video in front of that pond near Greylock is meaningful to me. When I hiked that section, I was having a rough day. I had seen the pond/cabin in many videos, but didn't realize I'd see it that day. When I came to the view of it, I had a little cry. It's funny how some places on the trail just feel like they embody the journey. I'm a trail angel in PA and set up magic about once a week, so hope to run into you when get to my territory!

Good luck guys

Subscribed! My crew is setting off from Springer a little after you. Hope to see you on trail!

Excited for all of you! Great videos. I will be doing my final LASH: Pawling NY to Mt K. You may catch me! Good luck. Following.

Have a good hike. HikerBling

Right in my backyard. Berkshires, Massachusetts. Peace

As a fellow tosser turner, I found that quilts worked well. I even used my 20' bag like a quilt & it worked just fine.

In my first year of providing train magic in 2019, I was following one thru hike from NH. I met him at the parking lot across the street from Tom"s campsite and next to the bike path parking lot. This past year I received permission to setup shop at the campsite but we decided to go to VT instead .

Bummer that site closes in winter. I was thinking of doing Mass in January.

Nice video. Why didn't you bring the dogs? Its the kind of weather that water proof socks are made for. Have you tried them? Happy Trails. Good Luck, Rick

Hawk will be doing #8 in 25'

We look forward to following you AT thru-hike adventure from the safety and warmth of the computer in the hostel. Followed!

Cheering you guys on! -Matador

Love the bluegrass music

Prayers for speedyvrecovery

Awesome trail video, thanks for sharing! I just connected and would love to grow together :)

This is one of the most enjoyable videos! I love the relaxed pace and the music is great. Thank you, I will be sure to check out any others you have and will follow your hike.

Hi just found your channel. Great job with the vlog. I thru hiked and vlogged in 2022. Loved hiking thru the state of Mass where the trail was maintained really well. Good luck to you guys and I look forward to following along. I’m out doing trail magic at times and hope to run into you at some point!!

It's always awesome, when Ruth, The Cookie Lady 2.0, sends blueberry with Sobos to Upper Goose Pond for pancakes 🥞 😊 BACON WRAP p.s. we make pancake burgers ( 2 small pancakes wrapped around burger) at the "Ottada Way Cafe " ( located anywhere on the A.T in the New England area)😊

Happy Trails from the "Ottada Way Cafe " BACON WRAP 😊

I agree on the one person per tent sleeping arrangement. It's hard to sleep two, even with a 3 person tent. I have a 3 person Big Agnes that my son and I sleep in on Boyscout trips. It's tough getting dressed, etc. with two in such a tiny space!

I love your videos because they give one a peaceful, low-key kind of feeling. I am looking to buy an Arc Haul pack, but I'm concerned about the weight capacity. I think that's what you are carrying. If it is, do you think a person could carry 35 pounds in it comfortably. I've had people tell me that 40lbs is comfortable and others tell me to not dare go above 25lbs. I plan to buy the beefed up waist belt and shoulder pads. I love Quicksand and Hawk; they inspired me to start seriously backpacking. I think Hawk is up to 7 or 8. He did a Yo Yo finishing it NOBO and SOBO in one year.

I met Captain Jack up in Killington great guy

Nice video. The cold sucks the energy out of you, especially as you get older. Happy Thanksgiving. Good Luck, Rick

Also, if your training hikes on the AT take place in the same 12 months as your thru hike, you could, if you want, leapfrog over those sections on your thru hike, and it all still counts as a thru hike. Just be sure to document those with dates and sections hike, which you're already kind of doing in these videos.

I will definitely be watching your journey. I will be back on the trail in April 2025. One step at a time.

I look forward to following you! Best wishes for a fruitful thru hike in 2025!

Such a pretty fall hike.

I was on Route 20 the other day, but in Charlton. Actually I was underneath it! We were on the Midstate Trail that goes through, what they call the cow tunnel. We did over a six mile section going NOBO. This was the first time we used two cars. Usually I'm doing a yoyo section. On your thru hike are you planning to do blue blazes, and slack pack?

Can’t wait to follow your adventures!!

Hello Jeff and Sarah. I am subscribed. Can/t wait to follow yall all the way!

Nice to see you are getting out there. Would love to join you sometime.

Look up Ramdino on the trail

All the excercises are nice but, you have to get your body used to carrying the pack and dealing with the rough trail. 50+ years ago, those Army rucks were very heavy and barely padded. After a few weeks we got used to it. We had the 5 activity PT tests in those days and they didn't really help. Your day hikes are going to do a lot for you. If you plan to start in January or February, consider lighter fluid burning pocket warmers. If nothing else, they can dry your shoes and socks overnight. Good Luck, Rick

I'm sorry for your loss. Thank you for your service. Thank you to your spouse too. I've been watching Ramdino. Trail maintainers are working hard on clearing the trails from storm damage. I'm sending y'all positive energy for a safe and fulfilling AT experience.

So sorry for your loss. Thank you for your service. It’s a very difficult life. Best wishes on your hike. I’ll be following along.

My dude, you need to stretch those corners way more before you put up the poles. Like, drum tight. And yeah, you're gonna find it's harder to do that with the Pro 2, which requires a massive amount of space.

I had carpal tunnel 35 years ago but, took it easy so I didn't get the surgery. I got called up for Desert Storm and teamed up with a Physical Threapist for morning runs. It was kinda funny two 40+ year olds running together while all of the kids passed us. She taught me a stretching excercise for my wrists that has worked for 34 years now. Hands together against your sternun, fingers pointed up and heals of hands touching. Slowly turn wrists away from you. When you feel your wrists get tight, hold it for a little bit, then back off. Repeat this whenever your wrists feel tight. With time you will loosen your wrists and get a lot less pain from them. Wear wrist braces at night. Remember that people tend to develop tunnel vision and only see their solution. Surgens seem to be this way. Good Luck, Rick

I have the exact same tent and have practiced 5-6 times. It's an awesome tent. I took some guy outs from other tents and I have them in the stuff sack to attach if needed. The ones that will make the most difference are off the ridgeline in terms of stability in super harsh weather. I also bought some ironwire from Durston gear and added about 4 ft of line to the corner stakeouts in case I need to use rocks or the original stakeout point has an obstacle. Make sure you bring a swedish cloth or piece of shamwow for the condensation - It can get intense in colder weather. Only other thing I did was attach a zpacks DCF patch at each inside top peak with a couple of loops to hang a line in the tent if needed. Hope to see you out there!

Sorry Jeff, the only time I ever spent in a tent was in the Army, and that wasn't much. 🙂 I am glad to see you practicing though; that's very wise, because you might end up having to put it up in the dark or some other unfavorable conditions. Have you practiced or thought about practicing hanging a bear bag for your food? I think I remember reading that it isn't as easy as it looks.

SUBSCRIBED

I have an X-Mid 2P Solid (the sil-poly version). I enjoy the "porch mode" setup a lot when it's warm. I always stake out both vestibules. I also usually use 2 or 4 guys lines. I installed the 4 MSR version guy lines on the top corners and the midpoint of the vestibules. They're red and reflective, so the stand out. Also, the hacks in Hans Kirk's video below I have used many of and found them very helpful. th-cam.com/video/eQ1An8yVARc/w-d-xo.html

I'm from the Blackstone valley and will be watching your A.T..adventure. Maybe we will see you at our fifty year, one day trail magic somewhere in the Mass/Vermont area!