View Full Version : HF Thru hikers 2008
Been meaning to post these for a couple of weeks. Here's the start of Cerberus and Cannibal's thru hike
Zak with his ENO and Black MacCat Deluxe
Cannibal and his Warbonnet
Cannibal, Ewker, Zak, Lost, Lil'Red (from WB), Shadowmoss, Shiloh - send off dinner
Cannibal and Zak packed and ready to go
We had a blast that weekend. They actually left on 3/2.Shiloh's been on the trail since Monday, 3/11.
It's going to be fun following them on the trail.
glad everyone had a blast. zac looks freezing cold!
need to start reading tj for them... falling behind..
Neither have posted in TJ since the 8th, and that one was brief! If you go to Zak's, he is doing a photo journal, so look at the pictures. Some great one's there already.
As far as being cold - he was actually practicing his "Cerberus and Hooch in the Woods" look to scare Cannibal:D
rigidpsycho
03-15-2008, 18:11
I'm glad to see that they are having fun.
Shadowmoss
03-15-2008, 18:14
Heard from Shiloh today, he made it to Neals Gap. Hiked down Blood Mountain in a raging thunderstorm. His journal should be caught up in the next few days.
Sounds like Shiloh is making good time. Talked to Zak today. He now has a trail name - Nest. They kid him and said every time it rains, he hangs his gear and builds his nest (in his Eagles Nest) and settles in!
He and Cannibal are both in Franklin and having a great time.
Cannibal
03-15-2008, 18:38
Ha! I caught up with Zak "Nest" today! Can't believe the old man is catching the marathon runner.:D I'm going to try to update the journal tomorrow. Ron Haven is a Trail Angel to the billionth power.
Weather is suckin right now, but we are both having a blast! Live long and hang high.
i am glad you made it to frankin cannibal. hope your knee is feeling better!
zak, awesome pictures
glad to hear shiloh is doing well
i am glad you made it to frankin cannibal. hope your knee is feeling better!
zak, awesome pictures
glad to hear shiloh is doing well
I've got a whole lot more. The problem is that a lot of these computers around here are either really slow or on satellite. So either it takes forever to load a photo with the slwo ones, or the satelie looses signal and the connection is lost. So I will upload a lot more when i get to a reliable puter.
Heard from Cerberus aka Zak aka Nest tonight. I think I'm having an identity crisis here, or he has developed multiple personalities:confused: !
Everything is going great, really enjoying himself and meeting lots of nice folks. Weather has been rough, but to agree with Hammock Engineer on his SOBO last year, shelters aren't so bad when it means not having to pack wet gear. Heading for the Smokies.
Shiloh is in Hiawassee, heading towards Franklin tomorrow.
Not sure where Cannibal is, but somewhere between Franklin and Fontana.
They are all wanting to hit the Hot Springs hang out next month, so we may have to do a little shuttling. I'll keep you guys posted!
GrizzlyAdams
03-21-2008, 23:24
Heard from Cerberus aka Zak aka Nest tonight. I think I'm having an identity crisis here, or he has developed multiple personalities:confused: !
Everything is going great, really enjoying himself and meeting lots of nice folks. Weather has been rough, but to agree with Hammock Engineer on his SOBO last year, shelters aren't so bad when it means not having to pack wet gear. Heading for the Smokies.
Shiloh is in Hiawassee, heading towards Franklin tomorrow.
Not sure where Cannibal is, but somewhere between Franklin and Fontana.
They are all wanting to hit the Hot Springs hang out next month, so we may have to do a little shuttling. I'll keep you guys posted!
So I recall this friendly wager between Cerberus a.k.a. Zak a.k.a. Nest on who would go to ground first. Now using a shelter doesn't necessarily mean going to ground, but that's the usual approach. Can we infer that C-Z-N has already spent a night on-trail but not-in-hammock?
jest wondering.
Grizz
With all the rain, hail, snow and winds, I'm almost positive they have both stayed in a shelter! They are saying the bet was who would unintentionally go to the ground. They keep changing it as they go along.
The last bet I heard was who could get the most photos of girls in their hammocks or something like that. I tried not to listen:rolleyes: Some things a Mom is better off not knowing...
GrizzlyAdams
03-21-2008, 23:33
With all the rain, hail, snow and winds, I'm almost positive they have both stayed in a shelter! They are saying the bet was who would unintentionally go to the ground. They keep changing it as they go along.
The last bet I heard was who could get the most photos of girls in their hammocks or something like that. I tried not to listen:rolleyes: Some things a Mom is better off not knowing...
can't say as I blame them. No purist, me.
All my life I have followed the principle that there are some things my mother is better off not knowing.... :eek:
Grizz
You get those two together and no telling what you'll hear!! I'm just kidding about all that. Fortunately, we have a great relationship and friendship. Heck, he let's me go camping and hiking with him and only laughs when I hit the ground!
And, all this accumulation of gear is his fault!!! I'm getting old and was planning on resting in my old age. Now he has me planning 10 days on the trail and the Grayson Highlands after Hot Springs. Believe me, they will be LOW mile days for Zak!
slowhike
03-22-2008, 05:28
You get those two together and no telling what you'll hear!! I'm just kidding about all that. Fortunately, we have a great relationship and friendship. Heck, he let's me go camping and hiking with him and only laughs when I hit the ground!
And, all this accumulation of gear is his fault!!! I'm getting old and was planning on resting in my old age. Now he has me planning 10 days on the trail and the Grayson Highlands after Hot Springs. Believe me, they will be LOW mile days for Zak!
Grayson Highlands is a beautiful area. you'll like it!
but there are some pretty decent hills there that you may want to take your time on.
Sounds like you guys are having a great time. You might already be doing it, but a few southbounders last year had a good network of phonenumbers. We tried to text back the trail updates on water and important changes. Then make notes in registers. They were a huge help most of the time. Once it was way off though.
From the look of it, it sounds like you guys got the right idea. Just go with it and don't let the way other people think or the way you thought before your hike get in the way. Go with it and have fun. And not letting virtual hiking get in the way of real hiking.
Heard from Zak. Now in Newfound Gap, Mile 204. 1/10th of the way! He said the weather has been terrible, and last night was the coldest he's been. About 4" of snow.
Has anyone heard from Cannibal or Shiloh?
For starters, the original bet was the first one to have their hammock/suspension break. Voluntary groundism doesn't apply. Not many hikers in the smokies right now anyways, so it's pretty much guaranteed that you stay in a shelter for now.
Cannibal
03-26-2008, 09:51
At the Fontana Lodge recovering. Got caught in a white-out at the top of the mountain coming down into Fontana. Lost the trail 3 times! Who's the brainiac that decided to paint white blazes on boulders anyway?! Learned what it feels like to sleep in a wet hammock in wet clothes with wet quilts. Still, I haven't hit the ground (or shelter floor) yet! HANGIN HIGH BABY!!!!!!!!!!
I did hang in one shelter just for the experience; my tarp is way better cover!
slowhike
03-28-2008, 05:32
looking forward to seeing you guys at hot springs! ...tim