Perseids, August 2010

The upshot: a few days' backpacking along the Appalachian Trail, culminating in a campout on a bald to watch the peak of the Perseids (12-13 Aug). This will require considerable planning & preparation, as we'll be carrying everything with us: food, shelter, and gear.

The details

• Proposed start date: 5-8 Aug.

• End date: 13 or 14 Aug.

• Endpoint: Big Bald

• Proposed starting point: contingent on who's hiking with me vs. meeting us at the bald.

Time to pick a place to start. This will be determined both by our start date (looks like the 7th to accommodate Ally?) and by which people are hiking--less athletic/inexperienced hikers will mean we go slower, cover less ground. (I am not averse to this, just pointing it out. --SteveKillen) In any case, the hike will be physically demanding. This is the Smokies.

We will need to plan our itinerary from shelter to shelter. We will very likely be hiking up to (but not more than) 8 miles or so a day, with considerable elevation changes in any given stretch. I'll be acquiring the 2010 Data Book before too long, and will update before June with a complete proposal.

We will need to plan our food for the entire time (5+ days), water access points, and ways to avoid attracting bears. Think yummy, lightweight, and easily prepared/cleaned up. Breakfast, lunch/snacks, and dinner are pretty necessary for full-day exertion.

Waterproofing your pack and including rain gear are musts--it will rain. You must have a pair of good boots. These are not optional.

You won't need much in the way of packed entertainment (games, etc.). We are in good company for making our own, and you'll be exhausted anyway. Trust me.