Hello, Norovirus!

Norovirus
Being the super planner I am, I decided to track updates via the AT Updates website, which -- in red text, no less -- describes the outbreak of Norovirus on the trail, causing stomach pains, nausea, and diarrhea for 1-3 days. Fan-freaking-tastic. Luckily, the major outbreaks appear to be in Tennessee, North Carolina, and Virginia, not my beloved starting state, Vermont. I did not intend to stay in many trail shelters when I planned this trip -- being the loner I am -- but now I will definitely be steering clear of them. (Not depending on shelters also affords the weary AT traveler more options for when and where to stop for the day.)

Stoves
I once owned a WhisperLite Stove which I used during a primitive camping trip in Canada. It was very functional, but I'm trying something different. I read somewhere once about cat food can stoves. Clean out a cat food (or tuna) can, punch holes in the sides, fill with fuel, light, and set the pot on top. You'll have boiling water in no time.

Cat Food Can Stove
Image Source

I like this idea a lot. First, it's cheap. Food cans are cheap, and the fuel can be ordinary rubbing alcohol (isopropanol, for my fellow chemistry nerds), both cheap and easily found in stores. I am, at this very moment, sitting in my parents' kitchen in a suburb of Chicago. They have two cats and plenty of cat food cans. I'll mess around with them and see what I come up with. Here's an alcohol stove website I like: Adventures in Stoving.

Another option is the Esbit Pocket Stove, recommended to me by a good friend. The stove is about $10, with refill fuel cubes very affordable as well. I don't know what exactly the fuel cubes are made of, which interests me. I'll be stopping by REI this weekend and look for more information. 

Esbit Pocket Stove
Image Source

Food Storage
Somehow, in my travels, I have never needed (or thought I needed) to suspend my food to avoid bears and other hungry wildlife critters. In areas I have camped where there were bears, I was close enough to a car or metal food lockers to not worry. Now, approaching the AT, I'm looking into food storage options.

Option 1: Bear Canister

• heavy & bulky
• expensive
• easy to use

Option 2: Ursak

• light & small
• expensive
• easy to use

Option 3: Bear Hang (food sack & rope)

• light & small 
• cheap
• requires skill (and available tree branches)

Since I have zero expertise in this arena, I've decided to practice with rope and a food sack before leaving Chicago but check in with trail officials when I get to Vermont to inquire about advised food storage.

Only a few days until I head East to Vermont!

Start Date: July 1

Okay, in truth, I should be leaving Chicago on July 1, so Day 1 on the AT will be a later date. Stopping by Niagara Falls and a few other sites along the way would be pretty cool, so I don't have an exact trail start date yet. Starting location is still near Rutland, Vermont, depending on parking availability.

Parking options on the AT near Rutland, Vermont

Ending location and date depends on several factors: whether I do a loop or straight shot, resources, weather (e.g. bugs and rain), the limitations of my mental and physical capacity to be on the trail unassisted for weeks at a time, and (ahem) funds. More hiking trip updates to come!

Side note: I'm becoming painfully aware of my limited writing skills. Reading my previous blog posts, I don't write nearly as eloquent and witty as I (must surely) speak in real life. If only I had started blogging when blogging was actually cool, I would have been a more seasoned blog writer by now. Oh well.

There are some blogs I occasionally visit. They're better than me at this, so check them out:

• AT Blog (including a list of AT thru-hikers' blogs on the main page)

Other, non-AT-related blogs that I enjoy from time to time:

• Mark's Daily Apple
• Nerd Fitness
• The 4 Hour Work Week
• Stone Soup
• Dave Ramsey
• Get Rich Slowly 

What I was listening to while writing this post: "Doin' it Right"

New Route: Loop?

After looking at park & ride options, I'm considering doing a loop (walk south, turn around, walk north back to car) instead of doing a straight shot south and getting a ride back to the car.

A few links...

• Getting to the AT (from the National Park Service)
• AT Parking (from David & Cyndi Rohland's website)
• AT Parking, Shuttles, & Transportation (from Appalachian Trail Conservancy) 
• AT Parking Guide (from SectionHiker)

I've also bought more gear; check out the new Gear tab!