Backpacking @ Red River Gorge

[taherrmann4]

Two weeks ago went backpacking to the Red River Gorge area in Southeastern Ky, it was a great trip. This was my wifes' and dogs' first backpacking trip and my first one since I was in the Boy Scouts 25 years ago. We hiked 5 miles in the first day a mile and half short of what I anticipated, but my wife was still getting used to hauling 25lbs on her back, and the dog was tired also. On the second day we hiked 3 miles back out. We camped along a creek and met a Russian man who asked if he could camp by us, freaked my wife out at first because when he asked if he could camp about 50' away and I said sure as he turned around I saw he had a 12" survival knife, turned out to be a really nice guy. Here are some pics...

 

[taherrmann4]

A few more pics of the dog resting and our camp. We hope to go back this weekend if it is not too hot.

 

[j.w]

Beautiful pix T-mann...........love all the rock formations and looking up to Heaven through them. My DH is always saying we should hike the Appalachian Trail. Maybe we will someday. Have you ever hiked it?
Poor pup.......looks dog tired:lol:

 

[taherrmann4]

Beautiful pix T-mann...........love all the rock formations and looking up to Heaven through them. My DH is always saying we should hike the Appalachian Trail. Maybe we will someday. Have you ever hiked it?
Poor pup.......looks dog tired:lol:

No not yet, but that is my dream to do someday. I have read several books that people have written about their experiences on the trail. Yeah she was dog tired. Got to camp and she slept for several hours in the tent while we made dinner and played cards.

 

[addy1]

Beautiful shots taherrmann, looks like you had a great time.

I have hiked a lot of the trail, but not the total distance. It is beautiful. My dream was to hike the trail as our honey moon, was older and in arizona by the time I got married, lol so didn't do it.

 

[j.w]

Well dear DH seems to think we could do it...........might take us a year to do it and I would not want to be out on the trail in freezing weather so we better get in shape before we try so we can do it in the time allotted however long that is

 

[addy1]

When I have read of ones doing the trail, most seem to go from south to north. And it takes around 6 months. They start in the winter, milder in the south and try to get to the north before winter.

At least there are a lot of hotels in towns you pass you could bail and rest lol.

 

[taherrmann4]

I read an article about a blind man walking it (section hiked it) over several years.

Yeah addy most that I have read they start in south and go north, some have said they do it that way becuase of the weather being warmer in march/april time period and six months later when they reach the last section it is cold but not too bad. Others have said b/c the northern section is more difficult and by the time they get 3/4 through they are in shape to handle the difficult stuff.

 

[CJ's POND]

Oops! Callie [feline helper] posted thanks to addy1, well she's trying to help me . Loved your pics taherrmann! Better half is from KY. We do some hiking here in OH [Huston woods & John Bryan mostly] but not with 25#'s on our backs, more like a canteen & trail mix- ha ha. I don't do camping. Like sleeping indoors. Besides, my cooking isn't the best under the best of conditions, so cooking ????on a camp fire???? not. But I do like to hike, bike or just walk .

 

[j.w]

6 months is still a long time and I wonder how much stuff you have to carry w/ you.................glad to hear about hotels on the way

 

[taherrmann4]

6 months is still a long time and I wonder how much stuff you have to carry w/ you.................glad to hear about hotels on the way :lol:

From what I have read you carry enough food to get you from town to town (maybe a weeks worth) and you can either buy more or you have it mailed to you from someone back at home to points along your route when you are supposed to be there. You can also stay in hostels, but with the bed bugs situation I would rather sleep in the woods. I am not a big fan of the dehydrated meals you can buy so it would probably pasta and rice for six months for me..

 

[addy1]

There are a lot of apple orchards, you could live on apples lol. on the north part. Have to worry about deer ticks too, snakes, I stepped on a rattler coming over a bump on the trail, it was sunning. But loved every second we were on the trail

 

[j.w]

Even tho I tend to eat lo-carb I imagine those carbs will be needed on a journey such as this.
I love carbs, that's my problem! A weeks worth of food sounds like a lot but if you are carrying things that are light weight such as rice and noodles I guess that would work. I wonder if there is drinkable water on the way or do you need a water filter to carry along? Water is heavy but you must have it. I need to check out an online reality plan posted somewhere that we can check out to see what all of this entails.

 

[j.w]

There are a lot of apple orchards, you could live on apples lol. on the north part. Have to worry about deer ticks too, snakes, I stepped on a rattler coming over a bump on the trail, it was sunning. But loved every second we were on the trail

Thank you Johnny Appleseed Maybe a little protein inside them also

 

[taherrmann4]

My wife and I each carry 3 liters for ourselves and I carry 1 liter for the dog. If you are backpacking for any length one would take a small water purifier, then you just siphon it out of the creek. A nice website is backpacker.com, it is also a magazine they have good reviews on stuff. It is a lot of fun and very peaceful, you can go at any pace.