Filming the AT starting in Maine, Summer 2007

[Jane McMichen]

I've been researching this for almost a year now – lightweight backpacking gear, lightweight video cameras, maps, breaking the hikes into 3 or 4 day trips at first to get my bearings, etc.

Interested parties can visit http://www.downeastwebs.com/AT for extensive gear lists, explainations of the project, sample videos, etc. (This site in the works for you guys to go over at your leisure, point and giggle, etc). Please keep in mind this is also for potential sponsors and donors to peruse, so take the hype with a grain of salt, eh? Gear lists subject to change with more intel and experience under my belt & certain potential sponsor requirements off the table. ;-)

What I can't get until I actually go is some notion of what to expect on the AT from Mt. Katahdin to Mahoosuc Notch. Any tips, photos (especially photos!), stories, advise anyone would like to share? Anything you'd like to share would be greatly appreciated!

[Sam Haraldson]

You probably already have, but if not, be sure to post this at WhiteBlaze.net as well. I'm not a frequenter there but that is THE dedicated AT Forum.

[Jane McMichen]

Thanks Sam. I had looked at this site a long while ago, but it got lost in all the activity since then. I will definitely go back now and re-read everything about Maine with new eyes. I appreciate the post!

[Jeffrey Kuchera]

The Maine section of the AT is probably the most rugged section of the whole trail in my humble opinion. Switchbacks are non-existent. Trails simply run your sorry butt straight up and down anything you must go over. Expect to cross and wade plenty of streams and small rivers. Drinking water will definitely be readily accessible throughout most of Maine. Skeeters can be really nasty especially in the 100 mile. Blackfly season is definitely something to be aware of. If you will be out in blackfly season be prepared. French Canadian camp groups may temporarily ruin your solitude.

Maine- the way life should be. Maine was also my favirote section of the AT. You have black bears and moose. Maine provides the closest thing to a wilderness experience along the AT. Maine also provides many great swimming holes and even some natural sand beaches (Hint hint 100 mile). The "True Mainer" accent is interesting as well.

I would be happy to converse in length by phone if you are interested. My PM function is enabled. So if this interests you just shoot me a PM. I hiked in Maine in 2005 so I may not be able to answer highly specific questions on demand.

Whiteblaze will be an excellent tool for you to exploit!!!

[Jane McMichen]

Thanks Jeffery. You confirmed what I suspected. Would you have any pics from your hike that you could share? A friend sent an article about Mahoosuc Notch that got my attention and respect. Since I'll have fragile equipment along, I want to plan ahead as much as possible. My husband and I are combing WhiteBlaze.net and other forums for photo albumns, etc. Anything specific you can add would be great. I'm better at email than phone calls. That OK?

[Jeffrey Kuchera]

Hi Jane. My photos were all shot with a 35mm. I rock it old school. I would be more than happy to send them to you thru the mail providing that you would ship them back after awhile. In the interest of speed however my friends John (Big Fish) and Katie (Lady Bug) shot with a digital and posted online. Check out their website stinkyhikers.com (I would post the link but I am not good with tech stuff). Click on the link that reads "the last group of pictures are now posted". Photo sets titled "2005-07-07" and "2005-08-01" are Maine AT pics. I think the second set ends with some New Hampshire. This should prove to be a bountiful source of Maine AT photos. I appear in photo 105 of 176 entitled Heather and Jeff at Pine Ellis Bed and Breakfast from the 2005-08-01 photo set. I appear in several other Maine photos as well. I hope to check out your website soon so that I might be able to comment on the durability of chosen gear. BPL has a PM function and mine is enabled if you wish to contact me. Posting to this thread is also a fine way to exchange info as well.

jeff aka frankenfeet

[Jane McMichen]

Thanks Jeff. I will check out the pics online and let you know about mailing yours. I found some great pics on WhiteBlaze.net, too in Pappa Bear's albumns.

[Jeffrey Kuchera]

Jane is your website up and running??? I mean the AT part. I found downeastwebs but no AT stuff. Maybe I just can't find it. Maybe your still building it. Let me know. Thanks.

[Jane McMichen]

Jeff, you must use caps on the AT part of the address. Maybe not a good move on my part? Anyway, here's the address: http://www.downeastwebs.com/AT/

BTW, how do I post a clickable url in these messages?

[Douglas Frick]

>BTW, how do I post a clickable url in these messages?

Type the following text into your post:

<a href="http://www.downeastwebs.com/AT/">Filming the AT</a>

and the phrase Filming the AT will show up as clickable. You can, of course, give the URL as the phrase, in which case the URL will be clickable. Thus,

<a href="http://www.downeastwebs.com/AT/">http://www.downeastwebs.com/AT/</a&gt;

will appear as http://www.downeastwebs.com/AT/ in the post. (See Sam's post, the second in this thread, for another example.)

[Jeffrey Kuchera]

I would be interested in participating in your project as a support hiker. I understand that this will be an ongoing process and that you may have your support team in place for the first leg of the project. Keep me in mind though. I think this project is a worthy endeavor. It seems that an experience that some could never attain due to physical and mental handicaps may be afforded to them thru your project. The educational value of the project excites me greatly as well. On another note your gear list appears to be very well thought out. Excuse my ignorance in regards to locating your site and thanks to you and the gentleman who posted the link for pointing the way more directly.

[Jane McMichen]

Thanks for your help, Doug. I should have known it was basic HTML – duh! And I will keep your reference in case another support hiker drops out, Jeff. I appreciate your interest as well as your time to look at the website. Of course I think this project is great and everyone will love it, but hearing it from others always helps. Pass the word to anyone you think might be interested if you would. We'll need all the help we can get! Thanks guys!

[george carr]

Jane, you might also want to try Papa Bear's Backpacking Reports (you'll have to google the address) and Trailplace.com. Papa Bear's page features detailed info on his AT hike in Maine along with many pics. Good luck.

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