4/17/11 Porter & Pace Check-in

I had several calls and emails from people wondering if the guys were alright and if they were affected by the storms in the south. I received this message.

PORTER

 Latitude:36.03494

 Longitude:-82.59644

 GPS location Date/Time:04/17/2011 16:58:13 EDT

 Message:This is Porter and  Pace. Everything is going fine. Until the next check-in...We'll keep on hiking!

 Click the link below to see where I am located.

http://fms.ws/4cu6F/36.03494/\-82.59644

Porter and Pace hiked a 10 mile day on Saturday, 4/16, and called it an early day because the weather turned to rain and it was getting cool. Porter called at 6:45PM on Saturday and they guys had set up their tents and were settled in for the night.

They plan on being in Erwin, TN on Tuesday to meet Porter's sister, Debbie, and his brother John. On Wednesday, Pace's parents are supposed to meet them there. They are looking forward to the family visiting with them.

Here are a couple of pictures Porter sent.

Trillium - there was a field of these flowers.

On the way to Max Patch 4/14/11

Porter met these nice people on Max Patch, a field over 4000 ft up

There names are Joe and Cynthia Ward

 (Don't forget to click on the title to bring you to the latest map.)

Ground Control a/k/a Dreamer

Trail Angels...Snow Angels

Trail Angel: Someone who provides unexpected help or food to a hiker.
Snow Angel: is a human-made depression formed in an area of snow in the shape of an angel. Making snow angels is a common childhood game.

(I have created another way for you to view the progress of our hikers. If you click on the title "Trail Angels" at the top of the post, you will be brought to another website that has a bigger map to play with. I'll continue to add the little map to my posts, but I thought it would be cool to have a better view of where they are.)

• 4/8/11 - From Fontana Dam they most likely hiked to either Russell Field Shelter or Spence Field Shelter. No privies there. They had to dig a hole in the field to "do their business."
  
• 4/10/11 - I'm not sure where they stayed on the 9th but they ended up in Gatlinburg, TN on 4/10.
• 4/12/11 - Pace stayed in Gatlinburg and Porter took the shuttle to the trail. Porter stayed the night at Pecks Corner Shelter mile 215.1, elevation 5280.
• 4/13/11 - Pace leaves Gatlinburg and is on his way to catch up with Porter. Porter stays in Davenport Gap Shelter, mile 235.1, elevation 2600
• 4/14/11 - Porter hikes to Walnut Mountain Shelter where Pace catches up to him after a 30 mile day! mile 258.7, elevation 3999.
• 4/15/11 - to arrive in Hot Springs, NC for Trail Fest, mile 271.8, elevation 1326

Porter and Pace have been having lot of fun and adventures along the trail and also in town as they resupply their food. Here is a little overview of the past week.They have run into some really great people, known to Pace and Porter as a trail angels. A special THANK YOU goes out to Beth and Kevin Corbin. While on their way to visit their daughter for her birthday, they met the guys at Clingman's Dome. They were kind enough to give them a ride into Gatlinburg even though it was out of their way and they had another car following them. Serious trail angels there.

Kevin and Beth Corbin, Porter and Pace (Nice shoes Pace!)

While in Gatlinburg, the guys met other nice trail angels, Genevieve and Jason who kept them company and bought them a cold drink. Porter and Pace didn't even have to "Yogi" them. They are just nice people.

Genevieve and Jason (front), Porter & Pace 4/10/11

There is another interesting person on the trail that Porter mentioned. He is an older man, probably in his 70's, with the trail name Bible Ben. Bible Ben is on a mission to place a bible in each shelter that he is able to day-hike into from Georgia to Maine. He leaves his vehicle open for hikers to take food and water if they wish. He has hiked the trail in the past and now has this vocation to fulfill. We wish him success on his journey.

While Pace decided to take another ZERO day (a non-hiking day) in Gatlinburg, Porter took the shuttle back to the trail. It was his first time hiking alone and he said he enjoyed it. He was listening to an audio book. Unfortunately, his ear buds (head phones) got wet or broken when he stepped on them but thankfully he has tiny little speakers in his mp3 player.

On one particular day Porter was caught in a torrential downpour. He was wet and cold by the time he made camp. Other hikers were in the shelter and he was thankful they had started a campfire. Porter changed into dry clothes and warmed himself. During the night it had gotten cold and snowed. He started the next morning out with ice on the trees and snow on the ground. As the day got warmer he had to put on his raincoat and backpack cover because the snow and ice was falling from the trees and binging him on the head. By mid-day, the weather was beautiful and the snow was gone.

Ice on the trees.

Snow on the ground - no Snow Angels here!

Snow and ice is gone and it was a beautiful and warm day.

On 4/14 I was happy to hear that Pace had caught up to Porter. Pace had a long haul of 30 miles on the 14th. He was hoping that Porter was staying at Roaring Fork Shelter which would have given him a 25-mile day, but when he read that Porter had moved onto Walnut Mountain Shelter he had to hike another 5 more miles. Pace must have had some tired legs and feet after all those miles! Good thing he has those bright lime-green camp shoes.

The guys plans for Friday, 4/15-4/16, was to hike from Walnut Mountain Shelter to town of Hot Springs, North Carolina for Trail Fest. They especially wanted to hit the all you can eat spaghetti dinner at the community center. How much do you think they ate?

I have a You Tube video I put together from the pictures Pace and Porter sent from April 4 - 8, 2011. Enjoy. (I had the Traveling Wilburys song End of the Line for the music but YouTube wouldn't let me...darn copyright laws.)

4-15-11 Porter & Pace

AT white blazes that mark the trail.

Where are they heading next? I'm not sure but they will be white blazing. Keep on trekking guys...

Ground Control a/k/a Dreamer

Crossing into Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Pace and Porter have been steadily moving along and will be crossing into the Great Smoky Mountains National Park southern boundary on Saturday 4/9. On Friday night they stayed in Fontana, a dry town, where they feasted on BBQ ribs. Porter was hitting the salad bar for some fresh veggies, but Pace has never really met a veggie he likes so he avoided that and went straight for the ribs.

From Franklin, NC the guys have still been averaging about 15 - 20 mile days. Here are some highlights along the way.

• 4/5 Franklin to Wayah Shelter, elevation 4,810 feet. - mile 118.7
•  4/6 Arrived at Nantahala Outdoor Center around 11am - elevation 1723 - mile 135.00 - stayed in town.
• 4/7 This was a tough day. It was very hot and they had a lot of  elevation loss and gain the entire day. As usual, they pushed through it and made good time to their next shelter. 
• They went from an elevation of 1723 at Nantahala to 5062 at the top of Cheoah Bald mountain and then down to 3800 feet where they stayed at the Brown Fork Gap Shelter at mile 151.
• 4/8 hiked to Fontana, elevation 1810, mile 162.6 (BBQ ribs and salad)

Pace in his new "house" for the night.

Pace and Porter's beds. Pace's sleeping bag is red and Porter's is green and black. Aren't they neat?

On the way to Wayah Bald

A cold and frosty morning.

Frost and ice on the trees.

A hiker's feet are very important to them and it's important that their boots are adjusted just right.

Porter adjusts his boot for comfort.

Pace had a big blister on the side of a big toe. It popped and looks pretty raw. I'd show you a picture, but it is just too gross. The good thing is that he has "magic tape" to help cover and protect it.

What is magic tape you ask? It is a medical grade tape that is thin, flexible and won't fall off if it gets wet. We all swear by it and the guys use it to cover hot spots from shoes rubbing wrong on their feet. It's called Hypafix Dressing Retention Tape and you can get it online.

Wayah Bald, Stone Tower - elevation 5342 - mile 117.8

One of the most common questions Porter had from the different classes at Schodack Central School was, "Where do you go to the bathroom?"  Well here are pictures of a privy.

Privy also known as the outhouse.

The privy seat. No running water here! Although, it does look to be handicap accessible. Interesting.

Trail Slang
 Yogi-ing is the good-natured art of "letting" food be offered cheerfully by strangers without actually asking them directly (If you ask, it's begging!).

Porter has Yogi-ing down. He scored a fresh apple! Pace, take lessons from Porter.

I have also started a Shutterfly picture album. These are pictures that Pace and Porter have uploaded for us.
PorterPace Picture Album

Keep on hiking!

Fontana, NC

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Be sure to check out the Shutterfly pictures.

Meanwhile keep the messages coming. They appreciate the support and encouragement you share.

Ground Control a/k/a Dreamer

Franklin, NC

Pace and Porter crossed the Georgia - North Carolina state line on April 2.

GA-NC border - mile 76.4 - elevation 3825 feet

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The guys are staying in Franklin, NC tonight. Porter went to the ER at Angel Medical Center to get his knee checked out because it is hurting him. He is fine. The official diagnosis is, "He's OLD!" Well, maybe the doc didn't exactly put it that way but it's wear and tear that comes with age. Porter was given a couple of ace bandages to wrap his knee and some Advil and was sent on his way. Porter reports that he is doing fine but wanted to be safe rather than sorry. It is nothing that will keep him down, he said. (If you enlarge the map enough, you can actually see Angel Medical Center.)

They had a laundry day on Sunday. Glad to know they will smell good for a least one day. They also met some other hikers and had a meal with them. 

Pace on top of the Albert Mountain, fire tower - mile 98.0- elevation 5250 ft

Porter on top of Albert Mountain, fire tower - mile 98.0- elevation 5250 ft

 

 

 

Shelter along the trail.

The duo continue their hike...happy trails.

Ground Control a/k/a Dreamer

 Franklin, NC

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Neel's Gap: Blood Mountain

Pace and Porter have been cruising right along. They are averaging about 15 miles a day without any problems. Because of that, they arrived at Neel's Gap a day early. From Springer Mountain they went to Gooch Mountain Shelter, from there they arrived at Neel's Gap.

They were full of stories. They met a man that had hiked 1 hour. He had a big bowie knife strapped to his chest. He asked they guys if they were thru-hiking the A.T., when they answered "yes", he said, "You can have it! I'm done!" There was one person who gave up early in the process.

At one of the shelters there was a young man that tossed and turned all night long, groaning and making strange noises. The next morning Porter and Pace talked to the guy. He didn't seem to be doing very well. The good thing about Porter and Pace is that they are both New York State Licensed Guides with wilderness first aid training. Porter starting to question the man and it was determined that he had hypothermia and is a diabetic. They wrapped him in one of their jackets to warm him and gave him some candy to get his blood levels back to normal. He was doing well when they left but the young man decided to stay the day in the shelter to give himself a rest.

Pace also helped a woman whose feet were pretty blistered. He wrapped her feet in a special tape he has for just the purpose. So as you can see, both Porter and Pace were good CITIZENS on the trail, helping those in need.

Now you might think that everyone is having a hard time on the trail. Not so! They have met others that are cruising right along, having fun and meeting the challenges of the trail.

Porter called me to say that they had arrived at Neel's Gap a day early and asked if I would be able to meet them on 3/30 instead of 3/31. I was staying with my family outside of Atlanta, GA so I hopped in my car and drove to Neel's Gap. It was the most winding road I have every been on. It was as if they let a snake decide where they should pave the road! It was very foggy as I got close to the summit and my destination, Blood Mountain Cabins. For $60 a night for the cabin they found a great spot to stay. Each cabin is assigned an animal name, theirs was the Beaver Cabin.

There is even a resident stuffed beaver as the cabin's mascot.

Porter celebrated his birthday a day early. Pace had sent down a 30 pound box of presents and beverages for Porter's special day. He even gave Dreamer a special "thank you" gift for writing the blog and driving them down. Porter got some special gifts, including Silly String, cheese in a can, cigars, Peeps, and lots of cards from his family and even from their cat and dogs. One funny gift was from his sister Liz (Burps) although she might be missing a tooth. Anyone need a slightly used retainer? A good gag gift is always appreciated and Porter's family excels at giving them.

Porter gives a big THANK YOU to his family for his birthday wishes. He had lots of fun opening his gifts and cards. He is wondering where the ears went on his chocolate bunny...strange. ;-)

You might wonder if Porter carried all that weight, the answer is: NO! Pace and Porter drank their special beverages and ate a bunch of the snacks that were sent. You'll be able to tell what happened to the Silly String.

 Lots of gifts for Porter.

Porter thought it would be fun to Silly String Dreamer while she opened her gift. It is a Pez dispenser with a little duck on top.

After all the fun of opening the gifts we went in search of dinner. We went down the winding road of the mountain in search of a restaurant that turned out to be closed. The one very cool thing we saw was a mother boar (wild pig) and her six piglets that were on the side of the road. We couldn't get a picture before they ran into the woods, but what a sight it was to see wild pigs. We ended up eating frozen pizza that we bought at the camp store. It was actually very good.

Planning their next day using a map. The image below is taken from the book they use. It shows where shelters and other places are including where to find water. It also illustrates the elevation and gives mileage to their next destination.

Dreamer left Porter and Pace once again to start their travels. They started out in a misty and foggy day but in wonderful spirits.They are very excited about their journey, and although they miss friends and family back home, they know that you are all cheering them on. 

Off they go from Neel's Gap and onto their next adventure!

Till later,

Ground Control (a/k/a Dreamer)

Off they go!

Porter and Pace started their day in a slight drizzle. The temperature was in the 40's and it was seriously foggy as they climbed the approach trail to Springer Mountain.

Access to the beginning of the Appalachian Trail is by foot from Amicalola Falls State Park. Dreamer hiked 1 mile up to Amicalola Falls with the guys. It was foggy but the falls were still very pretty. I said goodbye to my husband Porter and asked them to watch out for each other. They promised they would. It was hard to say goodbye but I look forward to seeing them on Thursday before I head back to New York. Porter will be 47 on 3/31 so we have some celebrating to do!

Spot seems to be working and I received two "I'm okay." messages from them. Once I get back to New York and have better internet capabilities I will upload pictures that were taken their first week. It should be interesting to hear about their initial travels.


Till later,
Dreamer a/k/a Ground Control

Starting the AppalachianTrail

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Porter and Pace Have Just a LITTLE Hiking Experience

On July 4, 2003, Matt and Shelley started to hike the Northville-Placid Trail in the Adirondacks of New York State. The first night they met Mike, a guy with a leather hat, long hair, a pipe, and a 70 POUND backpack. Strange they thought.

Mike looked at this husband and wife team as they hiked in and saw a small chair on the back of Porter's backpack. He thought they must really be rookies to hike with a chair! Okay, it was a little backpacking chair, but still, it was a chair.

Little did we know that from July 5th forward we would become good friends and faithful hiking partners. Here is a run-down of our hiking experience and who was in the hiking party.

• July 2003 Northville-Lake Placid Trail – New York -  133-miles 
• Matt & Shelley (Porter & Dreamer) met Mike (Pace) this first trip and hiked two weeks together. This was the trip the guys were talking about hiking the Long Trail and the Appalachian Trail dream.
• July 2004 Long Trail – Vermont – 272 miles 
• Porter, Dreamer & Pace - This is where our trail names came to be. It rained 25 out of 30 days in Vermont. It was the wettest summer in 100 years. Still, it was fun.
• July 2005 Cohos Trail – New Hampshire – 162 miles 
• Pace, Porter & Dreamer - we walked into a beautiful historic resort hotel. The bellman took our backpacks up to the room on a brass cart. Very fancy.
• December 2006 - January 2007 - The Ocala National Forest, Florida - 75 miles
• Porter, Dreamer and Porter's sister "Burps" known in the real world as Liz.
• August – October 2008 – 46 High Peaks – New York 
• 46 mountain peaks higher than 4,000 feet 
• Porter and Pace became 46's in about 2.5 months. Dreamer only completed 11 high peaks and Burps was pushing closer to her 46.
• August 2009 – Wonderland Trail – Washington State – 93 miles
• Pace, Burps, Dreamer & Porter - this was the most beautiful and amazing trip yet. Perfect weather for two full weeks.
• August 2010 – West Coast Trail – British Columbia – 47 miles
• Pace, Burps, Dreamer & Porter - can you say FOG? It was fogged in solid on the coast for the entire trip. It was awesome to walk on the beach and to see whales from the shore.

So the journey of Pace and Porter starts on Monday. Dreamer will send them on their way. It's only a couple of sleeps and off they go.

Dreamer 

St. Rose supports Adventure Challenge Program

A great way to support Saint Rose's Adventure Challenge Program on behalf of Pace.  Read on...

On behalf of Mike D’Attilio, Fr. Chris DeGiovine, John Ellis, Jason Manning, Sean Peters and Debbie Polley

 

Mike Stratton’s Appalachian Trail Adventure

Have you heard? Mike Stratton, an employee of the College for the last 17 years and the Director of Computer and Media Services is hiking the Appalachian Trail! This 2,180 mile hike starts in Georgia and ends in Maine and usually takes hikers about 5 – 6 months.   The Appalachian Trail, the Nation’s longest footpath, starts at Springer Mountain, Georgia and crosses 14 states before ending at Katahdin, Maine.  Of the estimated three million people who hike on the trail each year, only 1,200-1,500 people attempt the entire hike and, of those, less than one-third complete it.  It is estimated that it will take five million steps to complete the trail. 

One of Mike’s hopes and dreams for this trip is that in some way it might benefit the College and particularly the students. In order to assist in the fulfillment of that dream, a group of us have begun a scholarship fund to assist students who might want to sign on to one of our programs but do not have the funds to do so. Mike has been the guiding force and director for our Adventure Challenge program, a part of Pathways to Saint Rose, a first-year experience, including Adventure Challenge, Arts Encounter and Urban Launch.  All three programs offer once in a lifetime memories, hone critical skills for teamwork and develop student leadership skills. Adventure Challenge focuses on group process, problem solving, communication and trust through low and high ropes course activities, canoeing, raft building, swimming and hiking.  Arts Encounter introduces students to the artistic and musical riches of New York’s Capital Region.   Urban Launch provides an immersion experience for students eager to explore the City of Albany through service and urban awareness.  The cost for each student is approximately $135.  If we had a scholarship fund we could support students who cannot afford the cost but still want to participate.

If you are interested in supporting our Pathways scholarship efforts in honor of Mike’s Appalachian Trail adventure you can send a check made payable  to The College of Saint Rose to Jason Manning in the alumni office.  In the memo line on the check please note that this donation is to be used for the “Stratton Pathways scholarship”.  You can also make a gift online by visiting www.strose.edu/giveagift.  When asked to designate your gift, select free type and enter Stratton.   Any and all donations small or large will be gratefully accepted and will help our students attend the program. 

It is one small way we can let Mike know how much his Saint Rose family supports him and his work with the Pathways program and that we’ll be cheering him on throughout this challenging adventure.

Our Information Technology Services will be keeping us updated on Mike’s progress throughout this adventure.  Watch the Digital Signage monitors on campus to follow Mike’s progress. We will also post the information on the Blackboard portal page.   Or follow his blog site at http://porterpace.blogspot.com/

An Interview with Pace

Michael Stratton works for The College of St. Rose in Albany New York. He was granted a six-month leave of absence to fulfill a longtime dream. He got the trail name "Pace" while he hiked the Long Trail in Vermont. It is short for Pacemaker. It is not because he sets the pace when he hikes but because he has a pacemaker installed to keep his heart beating regularly. With a recent "tune-up" he should be good to go for this amazing hike.

What inspired you to hike the Appalachian Trail?

• When I was a kid, my parents took me hiking near the Delaware Water Gap. On the trail we met two girls that were thru-hiking the A.T. I asked them what was their favorite dessert was on the trail. They showed me small peppermint candies. That stuck with me. It is all about keeping the pack weight down they said. I was hooked and wanted to hike the trail too.

You have a birthday in May, isn't that right?

• Yes, I will turn 40. What a cool way to celebrate life.

So how is Pace getting ready for his hike? 

• I have been jogging Monday, Wednesdays and Fridays and usually run about 4 miles. I have also have been snowshoeing, taking the stairs instead of elevators, stretching and strengthening my legs and knees. Porter and I have also taken training walks of up to 20 miles in a day.

What else have you been doing pre-trip?

• Recently I visited the 4th grade at East Greenbush Red Mill Elementary School. Mr. Goodwin's students asked lots of great questions. They wanted to know about the trail. They also wanted to know what I was going to eat and what kind of clothes I would wear. Another question is where I would go the bathroom. In the woods off the trail of course. (Leave no trace.)They were also concerned about what kind of animals I might encounter like bears and snakes.

 Is there anything else you have done to prepare?

• Yes, I have carefully gone over what I'll be carrying in my backpack. I have a gear list that I put together and I weighed everything down to the ounce. It is important not to carry too much weight. But, it is also important to have all the necessities for safety.

Porter and Pace show how light their packs are. Porter uses 1 finger.

Porter's little Yorkie Scout watches Pace check out his gear. Scout wishes he could go on the hike too.

Come SPOT Come! Testing SPOT, Porter's new best friend.

This is a test of SPOT the GPS system. If you can't see the map, play with the settings. It will show if you use the "Hybrid" setting. 

Porter and Pace plan on checking in morning and night. Over the next few days Porter will be testing the GPS unit to see how well behaved SPOT will be. How will the maps look? Are they easy to use?

We will find out together. Please be sure to leave a comment. If you don't sign up with a user name, please be sure to leave your first name with your post.  This should be fun!

Dreamer a/k/a Matt's wife Shelley

GPS Test

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