Two nights on the AT w/ new friends

So I had a great weekend on the trail testing my new WBBB 1.7 DL/Superfly and my new Hammock Gear 20* UQ. We started at Pen Mar park and hiked south to the Cowall shelter. While everyone else was setting up their tents, I was busy setting up my hammock. I got a few weird looks but by the time I was done I had lots of explaining to do. None of the folks I was hiking with had ever thought of backpacking with a hammock and I loved hearing them complain about crappy they slept due to the slope, rocks...you name it.

Meanwhile....I slept pretty good the first night. I had a few issues with the UQ moving around (I still need to figure a way to stop that) while I tossed and turned trying to find that perfect spot to sleep in. I'm sure I would have fallen asleep earlier if it hadn't been for the road noise, noisy owl or the Boy Scout troop roaming around at 4 am. I don't have a TQ yet (it'll be a HG 20* too) so I used one of my sleeping bags and I was warm until the UQ slipped one way or the other.

The second night was way better and there was another Hammock Forum member testing their hammock out too. Even though the night was colder, I managed to stay warm and slept most of the night with no issues. I love my hammock, tarp and UQ, I don't think I could have done any better for the first trip.:D

Looks like you had a great test run with your new gear. Nothing better than getting above ground.

Glad you had a good first trip! I ordered my wbbb friday. How long did it take for you to get yours? Thanks.

good looking rig..

Nice !!! Love it when the plan comes together :). I found that when I hung my uq if I tied or clipped the suspension lines above my head that helped keep the uq from sliding out from underneath me and stayed in place pretty much. Think or search triangle thingies here on forumns. Thnks for the report

I have the same setup and I just ordered some Dutch quilt hooks to keep the UQ in place. Hopefully that will work. Looks like a great trip.

--louis

It took about two weeks to get the WBBB and it was worth the wait!

Great trip report and a great setup you got there. What Osprey pack is that?

HEY!! Nobody called me for this!! :lol: JK. Nice looking rig Nikki, I'm freakin' jealous! No UQ or TQ for me right now. Hopefully before November though!
What were the temps over the weekend up there? It got down to 54 here in H'town.

Nice diggs!
Glad to hear the trip worked out well.
I'm curious about the rest of the trip. Where did you hang the second night? Did you have any trouble parking at Pen Mar - did you use the spaces on the side of the road or is there another option. I am still trying to do this section this fall.
Thanks,
Jason

how was the hike south from pen mar? a few of us are planning that trip to gathland state park for the MAHHA in a couple weeks. how many miles south did you hike?

Gotta love the Blackbird. I bet by the morning you were the envy of all of the hikers! Looks like a nice little area. I'll have to put it on the list of places for me to hike in the DMV area!

The pack is an Osprey Ariel 65. It's not the lightest pack but it's comfy. I'll be upgrading to a ULA sooner or later.

The temps were in the 40's at night and I was really warm with the UQ and my 40 degree sleeping bag.

We parked across the street from the park and there were no issues at all with leaving the car. The trip from Pen Mar SOBO to Dahlgren (South Mountain Inn) is 24 miles. We did 9 miles a day and because of an foot injury we skipped the last 6 miles. The first day was really strenuous and we stated at Cowall, the second day was much easier and we stayed at Pine Knob.

great first trip! just keep fiddling with the setup and you'll have it tuned in in no time!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by NikkiC

We parked across the street from the park and there were no issues at all with leaving the car.

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That is really good to hear.

The AT guides (Miller, PATC) only seem to note the 2 spaces on the pull out, just across the Penn line. I have been checking possible parking locations on google earth/maps. You are talking about the large open parking area across the street (east) from the paved/marked parking spots,-it looks like there is a tree in the north half of it?

Thanks again for helping with the details.
Jason

Quote:

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Originally Posted by NikkiC

I had a few issues with the UQ moving around (I still need to figure a way to stop that) while I tossed and turned trying to find that perfect spot to sleep in.

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Look into Dutchware, or PM the man himself. Two little Dutch hooks in the right place and I have yet to have my UQ slip out of place and I move a lot at night.

Jason, that's the place. It's a gravel lot directly across from the park.