From: Atkinson, David L, JR (FannyPack), BGM
Sent: Thursday, December 30, 1999 12:13 PM
To: Atkinson, David L, JR (FannyPack), BGM
Cc: 'Fannypack96 (E-mail)'
Subject: 1999-12-30 - update from FannyPack

To all 98ers/99ers & other AT friends:            
 

Use REPLYALL when responding so I can get your msgs at work: mailto:datkinso@att.com & on the road mailto:fannypack96@hotmail.com
   
>>>> 1) If u are receiving this msg & do NOT want to receive these msgs, just e-mail me & I will NOT send these msgs to u again.

>>>> 2) Also if u want your e-mail, name, etc added (or corrected) at the bottom of the future msgs, the let me know.  Hopefully we will be able to continue to share these msgs with each other.

>>>> 3) NOTICE: To reduce the size of our msgs, in the future, we will try to remember to send the list of addresses only the 1st send of every other month.   We are working & taking suggestions on how to improve these communiqués, pls give us your suggestions.  We enjoy sharing these msgs with u & hope to make it an enjoyable experience for u.
        - FannyPack & Lucy & Roger
   
  I. Questions or inquiries or info to share:
=================================================
added/changed the following names to our list:
  ----------------------------------
  Amishrejec - Dan Beachy -mailto:Sanders777@hotmail.com - 1999GA2ME- added 12/22/99
  Potato Picker -Don DuRussel Jr. mailto:ddurussel@provide.net -1999GA2ME -added 12/23/99

  Soccerball -James Varner -mailto:jvarner261@att.net -1999GA2ME -added 12/23/99

does anyone have an e-mail for:
Sweet Blood -Rodney Robinson- mailto:summit@ioa.com  99GA2ME -e-mail doesn't work 12/16/99

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rom: Ronald Moak <ronm@fallingwater.com>
To: 
Subject: [at-l] PCT/AT Single season Hike just completed.
Date: Wed, 22 Dec 1999 07:01:53 -0800

This just came across my desk. Weathercarrot.  Two hikers complete the first ever single season hike of both the PCT and AT.

Hey there,

Just wanted to let everyone know that Culvert and Bung (Sven and Jarrod) have successfully completed their PCT/AT double hike. Gruff (AT'97) and I met up with them at Hawk Mountain Shelter on their last night and then accompanied them for the last seven miles to Springer the next morning (Sunday). Also with us at the summit were Sven's parents and at least seven
other finishing southbound thru-hikers.

Staying up well into the night at Hawk Mountain the previous evening we were able to catch up somewhat on eight months of adventure. After hearing stories from a combination of places such as Vermillion Valley Resort and Boiling Springs, it became quite striking that all those experiences wrapped up into one trip of both trails in a final on-the-trail night of reminiscences was unique.

It started as a phone call to Sven from Seattle in September of '98 after I had completed the northern half of the PCT. While out there, I had gotten all fired up about doing a PCT/AT hike the following year ('99), feeling attracted to the mental challenge, and wondering if the fact that it hadn't been done would be motivation enough to keep me going. I told Sven the
plan, and he was immediately interested in joining me, but thought it unlikely.  As the months progressed, I drifted further and further away from the idea, and he got more and more excited. Finally, I backed out and he was going for it, a complete reversal from the original phone call.

Sven set out from Campo April 24 and finished on Springer December 19 with Jarrod (who joined him in CA) largely following my original plan. Previous attempts at the calendar double hike have been to go north on the AT followed by a southbound PCT. This unfortunately leaves you in the high Sierra very late in the fall when deep snow has already set in. By going the
other way, you hit the Sierra when thru-hikers normally do (June), and clear northern New England before the weather turns very bad. In this year's case, all that was helped by unusually good weather from Mount Rogers to Springer.

It was great to see them at the finish. They were ready to not be hiking any more, but clearly happy to have had this experience.

A reporter from the local paper in Gainesville, GA showed up for the finish, and after walking into about ten gas station convenience stores this evening, I finally found one that still had a copy of today's paper Tuesday, December 21) with the article she wrote. Here it is below, including some minor inaccuracies:

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HIKERS COMPLETE TWO MAJOR TRAILS IN ONE YEAR - Trip down Appalachians ended
Sunday in Dawson County.
By Debbie Gilbert, The Times

For Most People, walking the entire Appalachian Trail (2,160 miles, Georgia to Maine) or Pacific Crest Trail (2,650 miles, Mexico to Canada) would be the achievement of a lifetime. To "thru-hike" both trails in a single calendar year seems unthinkable. So unthinkable that until this week, no one had done it. But about 1pm Sunday, former Atlanta resident Sven Thesen and his hiking partner Jarrod Gasper reached the plaque marking the Appalachian Trail's terminus on Springer Mountain in Dawson County. Upon reaching the end of their 4,800 mile, eight month journey, the two men reversed course, joking, "OK, now let's go north."

Several friends and Thesen's parents, who live in England and flew over for the occasion, met the hikers where the trail crosses a U.S. Forest Service road and accompanied them for the last mile to the summit. Champagne and fine crystal goblets materialized out of backpacks for a toast. "We think it's fantastic," said his mother, Loveday Thesen. "It's like he was running a marathon every day."

Trail officials said there appears to be no precedent for doing both trails in the same year. "As far as we can tell, these guys are the first," said Joe Sobinovsky of the Pacific Crest Trail Association. "There was another guy who attempted it twice, but didn't succeed." About 3,000 people try to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail, according to Dan Bruce of the Center for Appalachian Trail Studies, and only about 300 of them finish. On the Pacific Crest Trail, about 60 of 250 starters complete the trip, according to Sobinovsky.

Thesen, 36, who now lives in Berkeley, Calif., said the toughest thing was that in order to finish on time, they had to walk 25 to 30 miles each day without a break. "When I did the AT the first time (in 1994), it took me five and a half months. This time we did it in three months."  The pair were able to cover ground quickly by adhering to the "ultralight" method of
backpacking - using a tarp instead of a tent, for example, to conserve weight, and wearing tennis shoes instead of boots.

Like Thesen's first "thru-hike" five years ago, the journey was a fund raiser for Inner City Outings, a Sierra Club outreach program that takes disadvantaged kids on hiking and camping trips. Thesen has been active in ICO chapters in Atlanta, Memphis, and New Orleans. This time, he raised about $1,500. "I wish it had been more," he said. "But as an ICO leader I
think of it as $1,500 that someone doesn't have to worry about raising themselves."

He began his hike in April, in Campo, Calif., across from the Mexican border. Following along the crest of the high Sierras, he met up with Gasper, 23, of Portland, Ore.. Both chemical engineers by trade, the two decided to complete the PCT together, braving knee-deep snows in the Cascades. On Aug.31, they reached the end of the trail in Manning Provincial Park, British Columbia. Gasper chose to defer graduate school for a semester and accompany Thesen on the second leg of the journey. They flew to Maine and began hiking the Appalachian Trail on Sept.12. Five days later they were stranded, out of food, unable to cross a stream swollen by storms from Hurricane Floyd. But they were able to continue after the waters receded, and others hikers shared some food. Thesen said that was the only mishap during the trip - unless one counts the time they were inexplicably attacked by a herd of goats in Virginia.

Now that it's over, will they attempt another long-distance trail anytime soon? "Not for five years at least," said Thesen. But Gasper was more gung-ho. "Sure," he said, rattling off other cross-country paths such as the American Discovery Trail and Continental Divide Trail. "They're building trails faster than I can hike them."

---------------------------------
End of article. So I guess that leaves the calendar-triple-crown still open.
Any takers?? Take care,

Greg, The Weathercarrot
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----Original Message Follows----
From: Steve Landis <landis@epix.net>
To: ATL <at-l@backcountry.net>
Subject: [at-l] Earl Named to Top Ten of the Century In His Hometown
Date: Wed, 22 Dec 1999 21:06:49 -0500

Hello Sports Fans,
On Monday 12/20 Earl Shaffer was named number 6 on the York Dispatch's list of  the Top Ten Sports People of the Century from York and Adams counties in  PA

http://24.104.2.26/10sptfig/index.html - main article
http://24.104.2.26/10sptfig/06.html - No. 6 - article about Earl
SL
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MSG from 99er:
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-----Original Message-----
From:
Sent: Thursday, December 23, 1999 10:42 AM
To: Atkinson, David L, JR (FannyPack), BGM
Subject: Peaches'n creme

Dear Fanny Pack,
I wanted to take a minute and thank you so much for all the trail magic and support you gave all of us hikers on the trail.  Just when things seemed frustrating all of a sudden there appeared sodas, or other treats to lift our spirits!  The day Rockhopper and I found the big coolers of cookies and drinks, i will never forget.  We were so excited and grateful! I also love getting your email messages and hearing about people we hiked with.  Rockhopper, Schoolboy and i finished on Springer Dec. 14th!  It was a great feeling of accomplishment, and an experience we will hold in our hearts forever.  Ice Cream Man and his friend Zack met us at Springer and we all hung out in Atlanta for a few days afterwards.  Just wanted to say Congrats to all our friends who finished on the 17th!  Sorry we couldn't finish with you!  We had great times with many of you
and we're looking forward to hearing from you! 
Take care, and thanks so much again, Fanny Pack! 
              Peachy Keen :)
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98 SOBO'er stories from one year ago:
-------------------------------------
I just put Felix's url to save space in this msg, pls checkout Felix's journal from his 1998 SOBO hike....
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----Original Message Follows----
From: "Felix J. McGillicuddy" <AThiker@smithville.net>
To: AT-list <at-l@backcountry.net>
Subject: [at-l] Take care ya don't kill yerself
Date: Sat, 25 Dec 1999 10:14:54 -0500

<snip>
(again, this story is on my page at
http://Felixhikes.tripod.com/AT/ew.html)
--
Felix Navidad

ME-->GA 98
"Your Move"
http://Felixhikes.tripod.com/

* From the Appalachian Trail Mailing List |  http://www.backcountry.net  *
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-----Original Message-----
From: Brooks Kelley [mailto:Brooks@Kelley.Net]
Sent: Sunday, December 26, 1999 12:46 AM
To: Atkinson, David L, JR (FannyPack), BGM
Subject: Christmas Hike

Hey FannyPack,

I had a great time hiking from Unicoi Gap to Neel's Gap with my friend Andrew these last few days. Andrew handled my mail drops during my AT adventure and wanted a chance to try the trail himself. He had a hard time convincing me -- he he ;-) .

It started off with Tom Edwards of the Take a Hike Trail Shop in Hiawasse outfitting us rather well and making sure my car was waiting for me at Neel's Gap through his calling on Papa Mac for assistance. Andrew and I arrived at the trail head where Papa Mac joked that we might get arrested  for speeding by a state trooper for leaving the parking lot so fast. Ironically, a few minutes later as Papa Mac took our photos, a State Trooper showed up to ask us if we were going hiking and we asked him if that could happen. He had a good laugh and warned us of a freezing rain forecast for Friday night. It never happened.

We climbed up to Blue Mountain Shelter and enjoyed a beautiful sunset and a wonderful sunrise the next morning. The moon shone real brightly and it was like daylight in the shelter. The next day, I stopped at Low Gap with Andrew and showed him where I stayed the night and then we hiked to a spot just above Hog Pen Gap where we had another nice sunset. But, in the
morning, we had the most spectacular sunrise. Yes, it was five degrees to be sure, but the sun was a deep red and came up over a cloud bank and turned yellow. After it had turned its usual white, the frost on the ground and the trees glistened in the morning sun. We hiked in to Neel's Gap enjoying all the clear views of Georgia. The ground was so cold and hard frozen that it made each step an adventure to see if the ground would accept each foot fall.

Icicles now are hanging from the rock walls along side the trail and make sounds like glass breaking as you hit them with your hiking stick. The ground is covered with rime ice and some    frost. It even tried to snow on us the second day which left a little white dust on the leaves.

Needless to say, I think my friend Andrew is hooked. He has acquired the hiker shuffle and is finding it hard to walk right now. That has explained to him what I was going through when he saw me in Hampton, TN, at Kincora. His wife was glad to have him back home and I thanked them both for this most wonderful Christmas gift. It was a rich blessing from God to have hiked such a neat section of the trail again.

A side note, I got a Maptech map of the White Mountain National Forest for a Christmas present from my friends Richard and Joan in Binghamton, NY. Loved the gift.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year,

Mr. Boo '99
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From: Snodrog5@aol.com 
To: at-l@backcountry.net
Subject: [at-l] Baxter/Katahdin Info :O)
Date: Tue, 28 Dec 1999 18:50:58 EST

 Hi everyone!
 There is no "Official" web page for Baxter. The best page I know of is put up by a Ranger and is at http://www.katahdinoutdoors.com/bsp/
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-----Original Message-----
From: DealEm01@aol.com [mailto:DealEm01@aol.com]
Sent: Wednesday, December 29, 1999 1:52 PM
To: Atkinson, David L, JR (FannyPack), BGM
Cc: fannypack96@hotmail.com
Subject: Re: 1999-12-22 - update from FannyPack

Thanks for the updates FannyPack and hello to all my southbound friends.

PopTop
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From: Big G [mailto:big_g@mad.scientist.com]
Sent: Wednesday, December 29, 1999 2:33 PM
Subject: Big G's trip is delayed

Well this message should start off by saying something like, "I'll be leaving for the Greyhound station later today".  Sadly though, I've fallen victim to a heinous and phlemy illness and have to postpone my start date until I'm fully recovered.

I'm disappointed but I'll be on the trail next week so it's not too bad.

<cough>

-=G=-
GA -> ME 2000
http://BigG.penguinpowered.com/
______________________________________________
FREE Personalized Email at Mail.com
Sign up at http://www.mail.com?sr=mc.mk.mcm.tag001
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I heard that Too Obtuse aka Brian Kelly 98GA2Me & 99GA2ME is planning hike up Mt Washington on Jan 1, 2000...there is probably room on the trail for one more.......

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From: 
To: at-l@backcountry.net Save Address 
Subject: [at-l] Today's Boston Globe
Date: Tue, 28 Dec 1999 21:38:37 EST

Interesting article in today's Boston Globe.  New Hampshire will now be
billing careless hikers for rescues.  Evil c@#l ph&@#s are mentioned.
http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/362/metro/Careless_N_H_hikers_will_be_billed_for_rescues+.shtml

Camel
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Use REPLYALL when responding so I can get your msgs at work: mailto:datkinso@att.com & on the road mailto:fannypack96@hotmail.com
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Use REPLYALL when responding so I can get your msgs at work: mailto:datkinso@att.com & on the road mailto:fannypack96@hotmail.com
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PACK IT IN!!!   PACK IT OUT!!!
Trail Magic, PB&J's, & AYCE rule.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is a process; working together is success. -Henry Ford
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Thanks for your feedback & cooperation.
David  L  Atkinson Jr
mailto:datkinso@att.com
Fanny Pack
96GA2ME
cell -   703-470-2320
work -   703-713-7320
pager -  888-602-7551
PO Box 2892
Sterling, VA 20167-2892
-------
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