Interview with Blind AT Hiker Walking 2,175 Miles

“Make no little plans: They have no magic to stir men’s blood”
- Daniel H. Burnham

 

Mike Hanson, completely blind, will hike the Appalachian Trail this year with no guide and no guide dog. Just a white cane and using GPS.  He will be followed – but not interfered with (Mike will do all the navigation) by videographer, Gary Steffens.  Mike and Gary are making a documentary to help demonstrate that blind people can be independent and that their capacities are underrated by the general public.  It is his hope this will help overcome the perceived limitations of blind people.

Mike is starting the Appalachian Trail at Springer Mountain on March 3rd, he was kind enough to interrupt his preparations to answer a few questions for me via email:

1. What type of hiking and backpacking have you done to prepare for this journey?

I have backpacked in Colorado, around Mt. Rainier, tested my GPS system in Shenandoah National Park, and done a good many other hunting, fishing, and canoeing trips.

2. A few other blind men have done this, such as Bill Irwin, have you talked to any of them? Were they able to give you any helpful advice?

I will be the first blind person to hike the AT using only GPS and a white cane to the best of my knowledge. I have talked extensively with Bill Irwin and briefly with Trevor Thomas. I found their advice helpful, particularly concerning methods of resupply and difficult trail sections.

3. Did you consider bringing a guide dog? I understand that GPS will keep you within 10 feet of the trail or so, put from personal experience I know a many point on the AT a few feet from the trail can be sharp cliffs and GPS data can be out dated. You are OK with these risks?

I considered using a guide dog. Bill Irwin fell quite a few times.  According to Mr. Irwin's book, I believe this had something to do with him training his guide dog to avoid rocks and obstacles below a certain height. I opted for a white cane because I believe I can reduce the risk of falling by using a cane, as opposed to a guide dog. GPS will give me the location of points of interest, location of the trail, and similar information. My white cane will give me information about cliffs, rocks, and other obstacles or hazards close to me. I am aware that GPS data can be outdated. Maps can also be outdated, due to wash-outs and other things that occur since their publication. I experienced this while hiking in Shenandoah National Park. I understand there is an element of risk in any outdoor activity. I have done the best I can to minimize these risks and am okay with the remaining risk.

4. Will you be bringing a "SPOT" and /or updating you blog so we can follow along? What device are you brining to update your blog (if you are)?

I plan to activate a spot and will bring it with me, both for emergencies and so people can follow my progress. I will also update my blog at www.blindhiker.wordpress.com and a page for the Hanson Appalachian Trail Campaign on Facebook via either a smart phone or a small laptop.

5. What is your backpack base weight? How would you classify you self as backpacker - "Ultralight", "Light weight" or "I bring a U-haul"?

My backpack's weight when full will be thirty to thirty-five pounds. This is as light as I can make it, given the need to carry a GPS system and extra batteries. I am sure it will feel like I am pulling a U-haul at times, particularly at the start. I have been training for over a year but there is only so much one can do to get in shape.

6. Can you give us a glimpse of what is in you pack - Tarp or tent - what kind? What kind of stove?, what pack, bag, anything special?

I will be carrying a Granite Gear Stratus backpack. I will carry a Lost Ranger sleeping bag and Seed House tent. Granite Gear and Big Agnes have generously donated these items. Smartwool, Tilley Hats, Leki, Backpacker's Pantry, Sun Valley, Cloudveil, Primus, and Vasque have generously donated socks, long underwear, hats, trekking poles, food, rain-wind gear, a stove, and boots. Midwest Mountaineering has generously given us an expedition discount and a great deal of useful advice. I will carry a primary and backup GPS system and about ten extra batteries for these systems. I will also carry a charger that works off of a standard outlet, a laptop, or a 9-volt battery.

7. How much money have you raised? Do you have enough? Many thru-hikers try to do the hike on a minimal budget, Do you think there is added costs due to being blind?

I have raised about $10,000 in cash, commitments, and in-kind contributions. See above or visit the websites listed below for a list of sponsors and what they have donated. We estimate the cost of the hike and filming the documentary to be $25,000, including necessary electronics to allow me to use GPS, update my blog, and award-winning Videographer Gary L. Steffens of Fresh Images Video Productions to film the documentary. We hope to raise money as we hike the AT.  There are two factors that increase the cost substantially. First, electronics I need easily cost me $4,000. These costs are directly associated with my visual impairment and desire for as much independence as possible.  Second, Gary's camera equipment cost at least $8,000. This is directly associated with the message I want to communicate in my answer to your final question.

8. Many of us dream of taking six months to hike the AT but find it difficult to carve out time from work and family. How are you dealing with these issues?

I am grossly underemployed. I have a law degree from the University of St. Thomas, passed the Minnesota State Bar Exam on my first attempt, and am currently licensed to practice law in Minnesota. People who are blind face a staggering seventy percent unemployment rate according to conservative estimates. I am not immune to this high unemployment rate. Some of this unemployment might be due to the current state of the economy. I took a leave of absence from a part-time telemarketing job to undertake this hike.

9. Is there any specific message or something you would like to say?

I hope the hike and resulting documentary demonstrate the independence of persons with visual impairments and the increasing role of adaptive technology in our independence. I am trying to say that our capabilities are underrated by the general public, due to misconceptions about what we are capable of and how we overcome perceived limitations. I chose to hike the AT for two reasons. First, travel is a highly visible perceived limitation. Recent advances in technology, including GPS have made it much less of a limitation than it used to be. Second, the AT had the most complete data I could find for any major or minor hiking trail.

Below is a video of Mike discussing his plans:

Mike created the websites below to spread the word and ask for contributions. "$10 helps Mike walk another mile."  People are sending notes on Facebook to see our YouTube video and offering donations.

Please visit www.hansonatcampaign.com or www.blindhiker.com (accessible to persons with visual impairments) to learn about Mike’s sponsors and to learn how you can help.

 

BackpackBaseCamp.com

Southbound – A Tale of Two Sisters…Backpacking on the Appalachian Trail

“All that is gold does not glitter, not all those who wander are lost.”
- - J.R.R. Tolkien, Lord of the Rings

A review of the book Southbound by Susan & Lucy Letcher

This book is a bit different than the typical Appalachian Trail journal. Obviously our heroes are walking south – Maine to George; whereas the vast majority of hikers go North. Of course the primary reason for the migration north is the weather. Most thru-hikers walk with (or into summer) spring, avoiding the dangers of winter. Our sisters are starting in Maine in black fly season and hiking directly into winter. They’re doing this with the added challenge of attempting to hike the trail barefoot – at least for “as long as it’s fun”. For me it would be comfortable for about two minutes and I’d have my boots back on. But I don’t think the sisters are crazy, they actually enjoy being close to the earth and are willing to patiently train their feet and minds to handle it. This process slows down there progress considerably, including an injury (that could have happened with or without boots) and puts them in the Smoky’s in mid February.

Walking south, fighting winter and trail stories is not what sets this book apart. The book is written by two sisters alternating writing a few pages at a time. The reader gets both of their points of view. We get a genuine understanding of the thoughts and emotions of each of the hikers. They’re not holding anything back. They’re not sugar coating reality. From ranting about the AMC to Jackrabbit (Susan) struggling on an off with what appears to be mild depression. Jackrabbit is younger (just out of college), very athletic with a black belt in Taekwondo and a passion for playing the piano. Iris (Lucy) is a few year older. She feels responsible for her little sister but starts out on the trail feeling inferior – not in the same physical condition as Jackrabbit, she’s afraid she will be left behind. Their adventures bring them to the depths of despair. Struggling with real life and death situations, learning to cope with loneliness as well as being engrossed in the beauty of nature and the solitude it allows. You can see them grow in mastery over their own minds and bodies as they approach Georgia. This book is honest and straight forward, filled with tenderness and love; it touches the depth of human emotions.

This book also has a sequel…I look forward to reading it soon.

 

Related Articles about AT Adventures….

White Blaze Fever

Ten Million Steps

Halfway to the Sky

 

Walkin’ On The Happy Side Of Misery and Ten Million Steps

This summer I’ve been reading several books about thru hikes on the Appalachian Trail.  Two of these books have become my new favorites.  Walkin’ On The Happy Side Of Misery by J. R. “Model T” Tate - A 4 time thru-hiker and Ten Million Steps: The Nimblewill Nomad’s epic 10-month trek from the Florida Key to Quebec by M. J. Eberhart.  This is the story of walking the entire Appalachian mountain range from Florida to the far north of Quebec, Canada; a.k.a. The Eastern Continental Trail.  Both of these men have incredible hiking experience and a true talent for writing.  The differences and similarities between the two men make both books more interesting when read one after the other.  You would expect books about such long journeys to be long, and they are; Walkin’ On The Happy Side Of Misery is 554 pages and Ten Million Steps is 528 pages.  Actually i find many books about thru-hikes surprisingly short.

First; “Model T”, of the two I must say i prefer his writing stay the best.  Tate is a retired Marine Corps officer and you can see the Corps is a deeply engrained part of his Self.  Although some people may not appreciate it, Tate has a quirky sense of humor that made me smile all the way through the book.  It is easy to identify with some of his trials and tribulations throughout the book.  He comes across as a very ‘human’ kind of regular guy. Model T is not just his trail name but his alter ego.  After long periods walking alone many people sometimes find that they are talking to themselves – sometimes out load.  Walkin’ on the Happy Side of Misery is written in this way.  At times it actually seams like you are following two people walking the trail.  Model T is definitely a “people person” (as is Eberhart).  As often happens to thru-hikers, he forms intimate friendships with several other hikers along the way.  Tate is able to bring across the emotions and special moments of hiking the trail in a way that really makes you understand what it is like to be out there.

Ten Million Steps is written quite differently, much more in the style of a journal (as most thru-hiking books are).   “Nomad” starts out his ten month trek on the Florida Trail heading north (finishing the Keys-Everglades walk at the end of the trip).  This is the summer of 1998 and El Niño has flooded the trail and immediately we see that Nomad is no ordinary hiker. He is hiking in water and mud up to his knees, sometimes up to his hips, literally for miles and miles through the Everglades, having a difficult time just finding a dry spot or “island” to camp the night.  As Nomad puts  it; “..The most difficult, nerve-racking,and dangerous treadway that I would encounter… Dragging mud, water, and grass step after step, mile after mile…. The depth of the murk and slosh I’m pushing along climbs up and down my legs but stays below my belt as I stumble along in the dark.”  Not many hikers would continue to plod along in such a frightening, sometimes terrifying swamp.  This is no “regular guy”.  By the time Nomad reaches the southern start of the Appalachian Trail he is in extraordinary physical condition and the AT seems like a breeze compared to the wilderness he just hiked.

Both of these books, and both of these men inspire me. To hike, to push on when the going gets really tough, to appreciate the beauty around us, to see people as they are, to let our emotions be free.  These are two men that truly love to hike.  Tate has a wonderful way with words - in so many ways in the book he expresses “the happy side of misery”; “The Dawn came up softly, a soothing rose-colored potion that seemed to refresh aching muscles and listless bodies and renew languid ambitions. I breathed in deeply and exhaled, welcoming the morning aloud. “Ahh! The adversities on the Trail are wondrous to behold!”.

This is video interview with Nimblewill Nomad (Eberhart) and shows his true love of the trail.

 

Interview with Nomad

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Both Tate and Eberhart have web sites;

Model T’s web site is: http://modelt.homestead.com/Index.html

Nimblewill Nomad’s web site is: http://www.nimblewillnomad.com/

Reading to Inspire a Hike

Ever have some trouble getting the kids motivated for a hike?  How about your spouse?  Maybe you are married to someone that has a hard time understanding why you want to wonder around sleeping in the woods for weeks at a time?  Well, I was wondering around Campmor a few weeks ago and stumbled across this children’s book Halfway to the Sky by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley.  It’s written for pre-teens (of which I have two).  It looked interesting so I picked it up.  I read it first (Sometime ago I was under the misguided impression that I could read all the books my kids read – before them to make sure they are OK.  This long ago went by the wayside since my eleven year old daughter reads about twice as fast as me and has five times more time to do it).

Halfway to the Sky is the story of a twelve year old girl, Dani how is going through a tough time.  Her older brother died of muscular dystrophy and her parents are recently divorced.  Dani runs away from home.  So that her parents don’t find her, she plans to hike the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine.  Her mother figures out where she has gone and catches up to her on her second night.  Dani is able to convince her mom to hike with her for a while.

During their hike, the experience of the trail is a catharsis for Dani and she is able to let go of her anger.  In the process Dani and her mom have bonded together.  When my daughter finished this book I could see she gained both a better understanding of how to deal with grief and anger and a much better understanding of how hiking and backpacking can free a person from the day-to-day ruts we all get stuck in.  It is always hard to put into words and explain to someone why it is we really love hiking.  This book allows the reader to get some insight into what the trail experience is like. 

The book is written for children, but after my daughters good reaction to it, my wife read it also.  Same reaction. I highly recommend it.

 

BTW: The links for the book on this page go to Amazon.com; If you by this $5.99 book via one of these links, this web site gets a 24 cent commission on the sale!  All I need to do is get about 25 people to buy this book and it will pay for the copy i purchase at Campmor!

BackpackBaseCamp.com