I learned a new hiking term today! Red Bull and his nine companions are doing a "slack pack" hike today! The Four Pines Hostel offered to transport their gear to a designated location 30 miles North on the trail. The trail is muddy, and the only shelter in the vicinity of where they would normally stop is closed due to bear activity.
The Four Pines Hostel took their gear in the "Dragon Wagon" to the Howard Johnson's in Troutville, Virginia for a flat fee of $40. Splitting this fee 10 ways made it $4 per person. They could then hike the 30 miles quickly since they were not carrying the extra weight of packs. Red Bull's pack tends to weigh about 35 pounds. This is the first time they have tried "slack packing", and it was mainly due to the mud and closed shelter.
The Howard Johnson's placed the hikers' gear in their rooms. When they arrived from their 30 mile hike, their belongings were waiting for them. Interesting way to hike, this is just off mile 729 on the A.T., at an elevation of 1,300 feet.
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| photo from HoJo.com This Howard Johnson's looks remarkably like Red Bull's old elementary school! |
Red Bull told me they stopped at a gas station that we had made a visit to on our way to Georgia. We had come across two females who were thru-hiking the A.T.. they had started in February. It was interesting to think that Red Bull and his pals were now the hikers stopping at the same gas station.
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