Great, real life summation of the FT. The Florida Chamber of Commerce should have sponsored you! “Every day is a reset” great quote! Been in White Springs for a couple of weeks now doing work for stay at the B&B here. Don’t really need to but wanted to pay it forward to the owner Judy, that is truly a trail angle! I’m taking another few weeks off to paddle the 250 mile Suwannee River from Okefenokee swamp in GA. to the Gulf, should be a hoot. Take care and be careful on this Alabama section, the people there can be very friendly or very interesting.
That sounds awesome. I really want to come back out and do some more paddle trips. I did the mangroves along Turner River a few years back and that was a lot of fun
I finished the pct this fall and am now unexpectedly doing the Florida trail. Seems absolutely wild. The pct looks like a walk through heaven compared to this.
@@FirstChurchofTheMasochistHikes lmao I’m not even on the Florida trail yet and I am already there!!! However, the Florida trail being so isolated and relatively undisturbed unlike the pct or at makes it seem worth it. Doing the pct in 2022 can be summed up by the fact that I once had to wait in line to cross a river in the Sierra. Soooo many people. I met people I love but I wasn’t out there to socialize
@@JazzFlop212 the pct is an amazing trail but it’s kind of amazing how busy it’s gotten. Seeing pictures and comparing it to our experience in 2020 is mind boggling
@@FirstChurchofTheMasochistHikes Yeah absolutely. It’s spectacular and glorious but oh my god I almost feel like it needs a few years without any hikers just to recover from 2022. I can’t even imagine what it was like in 2020, I’m guessing it was pretty blissful.
@@JazzFlop212 under 300 of us finished the trail that year. You could go for long stretches without seeing people. I had the I10 oasis all to myself. Downside some of the towns and such were closed down and there was a lot of uncertainty especially around the start with the PCTA pushing people to get off the trail. The biggest downside though is I loved the whole pct experience but I don’t think I could do it again under current circumstances. Crowds would just be too mich
I’ve been following you since you started the FT and I have to confess, I didn’t know there was a long trail in Florida! Thank you for sharing your adventure with us.
So glad that you enjoyed the FT part of your ECT hike! Your retrospective has great information and is extremely well thought out. We plan to share it with the FT community. Thank you! Best of luck on your continuing journey. Looking forward to your next videos. Jerry and Kelley
Great summary Masochist! Looking forward to following you on UA-cam as you go through AL, GA, and then on the AT. Will provide you a beer (and/or coffee) when you get to the Northern Virginia area! So will be watching! Hike on! Tortoise
Super interesting to hear about the triple crown comparisons - thank you Tater! And a lovely presentation - not to say you’re not lovely Matt, just in a different way 😆
They make adapters where you can use your propane stove on a butane canister. Weights less than an oz. I use a multi-fuel so I can use gasoline if I can't find canisters. Little heavier but I'm not a gram counter. My sleep system is a hammock, tarp, bivy, and a bug net, no tent. Weights a little over 3 lbs. Haven't found a place yet I can't just step off the trail and make camp. Enjoy your videos and hope you make it to Main.
Hey Matthew, glad you're doing ok! Concerned for you with the twisters and bad storms in Alabama and Georgia. Have been following you since Key West, really enjoy your information and the hike. Great info on the trail too! Thanks so much!! Hike on brother! From super swoop!
I hated those 3 pit bulls. They attacked and would not leave me alone. I walked backwards for a long way before they gave up on me. I'm sad to hear they bit some one and had to be put down. I understand the thought process of letting your dogs run free in these rural areas, but not if they are vicious. I love the FT. I've only hiked about 750 miles of it, but hope to finish it. I've been through Big Cypress twice, in a wet season and in a dry one. They both have their charms. Good luck on the rest of your hike.
I too looked like I had chicken pox from the noseeums in the keys. Just awful. We have them here in the Adirondacks but the bites don't swell and itch like down there.
Awesome break down!!! I'll be out on the AT with you and hope to see ya! I would love to do what you're doing and may plan on doing it right after the AT, I dont plan on ending at katahdin, gonna make my way up to Canada boarder then if all goes well I'll go back to the AT start and work south, that way I'm hoping to beat the bad winter thru alabama and north fl and then have nice cool weather for south fl 😁 thanks for the breakdown and by the way, you're awesome!!!
Serious thanks for your retrospective vides and your Florida Trail and Pinhoti Vids. I am leaving Aug 5 at Baxter to hike sobo through Florida and these vids have been a great resource. From your current pace on the AT there may be a chance I run into you on the trail - If I do, I surely owe you a dinner and all you can drink beers. Thanks again.
Very thorough summation of what we watched. So you're off the FT now and in my recommended up pops Dixie...out on the FL Trail. She's not bothered by wildlife as she spent a lot of time in FL as a youngster. I on the other hand, am not sure I want to relive the trauma of the blistered feet. What I found most interesting is; compared to the #NCT.MI section in my state, you really have your pick of where and how you want to train for #AT & #PCT. Florida or Michigan.😉🥾👉
Thanks! California also has all sorts of options but they aren’t as developed. Before I did the PCT I did the San Gabriel Backbone Trail and the first bits of the CA Desert Trail and Hot Spring Trail followed by about 190 miles of bushwhacking along the Condor Trail. Resupplying and doing things thru hike style is harder on those however
New sub. Bought and sold. Enjoy your journey because I am. Dixie is doing the FT and has ingrown toenails. She saw 10 gators in 1 day and 10 was an absolute monster who slid quickly and unexpectedly into the water going toward her and 9 came along also. I screamed like a little girl myself on her behalf. Gators are dinosaurs and cool but scary.
Thanks! Gator photos always seemed to get the most reactions when I posted them but as with bears and snaked they’re generally less of a threat than people thing. They’re ambush predators so they almost always flop into the water as soon as they see you even if they’re on the other side of a canal. Except for that one in Rice Creek that was parked on the bridge and didn’t want to let me by
Nice recap and very helpful for those looking to do the trail. I guess I would have to say that the dogs were absolutely the worst part of that hike and the canals, road walks, and waist deep swamp walks not as bad as they seemed. I would have thought the bugs would be the worst but I guess they didn't really come out in force until evening when you had your tent to duck into. All in all.....well done !! Must feel good to have completed one leg of the journey....and on to the next ! Congrats again for that milestone ! Happy Trails Masochist !
SOBO is great as long as you don't end in March. Also depends on which "side" you take. Usually people go through the east side in ONF. There are flood threats in the Suwannee section, so SOBO helps with that because it is much drier in January.
Also, will say, there can be a LOT of bushwhacking because it is not as well maintained as other trails. Greenbriar, sawgrasses, saw-palmetto, and thistles will rip your legs up and stickers and sandspurs will stick to your clothes. Cheap pants like Frog-toggs are a kinda good idea to have for those situations. You can toss them and get a new pair after it gets too bad. This is also usually better in the winter, as the plants are somewhat dormant and don't grow as much and the trim lasts longer. You will have sections that are pretty poorly maintained and trees down, overgrowth, etc.
This was excellent. Thank you! I’m doing LASH hikes thru the Florida Trail. Your information and videos have been very helpful. My next bucket trip is the Pinhoti. Onward to Canada!
Nice video. A few years ago I bought an anti-wind umbrella with a 360 degree relief near the top, It worked for me. Well, I bought 2, lost one somewhere, it's very easy to forget your umbrella, especially if it stops raining.
I got hooked on your channel and caught up on all your videos! I love the honesty and humor too. I can't hike for long periods anymore so this is a real treat. Safe travels and good luck! I told my friends to subscribe too!
GOING SOUTH instead NoBo is tip #23 on my list of ways to make the Florida KEYS walk survivable and possibly quite pleasant (I discourage people from making this walk. But if you must connect your footsteps there are many things that can be done to make it safer, slightly more scenic impossibly enjoyable)
I would love to do the ECT/IAT someday. Which means having to do the Florida Trail. But I would never just do the Florida Trail on its own. All those people & taxpayers in Florida & that trail just looks like the Stone Ages.
I enjoy the way you film and narrate your videos. RE: Florida Trail 2021 It appears this was an unusually wet hiking season in Florida. I've watched the video series by Chris Berry who did the trail in 2016. He had a much drier hike season. Also, it was before the hurricane. God Bless for safety and success on your journey!
I’m sure you have already mentioned this in a prior video, but what is your expected end point? You say “Canada”, but do you mean just the border, or do you mean the end of the North American IAT in Newfoundland?
@@FirstChurchofTheMasochistHikes Thanks! The Chic Choc range of Quebec is amazing- and a great opportunity to see caribou. I hiked there in late September and it was stunning.
I was a Dixie fan, but you are far better ( at least for me ). I am looking forward to the balance of your hike. Walking through miles of water where you can't see your feet would freak me out as much as the dogs.
Excellent summation! Looking forward to the rest of Alabama and the ECT.
Great, real life summation of the FT. The Florida Chamber of Commerce should have sponsored you!
“Every day is a reset” great quote!
Been in White Springs for a couple of weeks now doing work for stay at the B&B here. Don’t really need to but wanted to pay it forward to the owner Judy, that is truly a trail angle!
I’m taking another few weeks off to paddle the 250 mile Suwannee River from Okefenokee swamp in GA. to the Gulf, should be a hoot.
Take care and be careful on this Alabama section, the people there can be very friendly or very interesting.
That sounds awesome. I really want to come back out and do some more paddle trips. I did the mangroves along Turner River a few years back and that was a lot of fun
Great information, glad you made to Montgomery.
Stay safe, I'll be following along.
This was a really nice summation w valuable insights! Way more helpful than a lot of other sources I’ve looked at...
Thank you!
Just saying January start SOBO on the AT is where it’s at, get your polar bear patch
I finished the pct this fall and am now unexpectedly doing the Florida trail. Seems absolutely wild. The pct looks like a walk through heaven compared to this.
It really makes you appreciate just how straightforward the PCT / AT is
@@FirstChurchofTheMasochistHikes lmao I’m not even on the Florida trail yet and I am already there!!! However, the Florida trail being so isolated and relatively undisturbed unlike the pct or at makes it seem worth it. Doing the pct in 2022 can be summed up by the fact that I once had to wait in line to cross a river in the Sierra. Soooo many people. I met people I love but I wasn’t out there to socialize
@@JazzFlop212 the pct is an amazing trail but it’s kind of amazing how busy it’s gotten. Seeing pictures and comparing it to our experience in 2020 is mind boggling
@@FirstChurchofTheMasochistHikes Yeah absolutely. It’s spectacular and glorious but oh my god I almost feel like it needs a few years without any hikers just to recover from 2022. I can’t even imagine what it was like in 2020, I’m guessing it was pretty blissful.
@@JazzFlop212 under 300 of us finished the trail that year. You could go for long stretches without seeing people. I had the I10 oasis all to myself. Downside some of the towns and such were closed down and there was a lot of uncertainty especially around the start with the PCTA pushing people to get off the trail. The biggest downside though is I loved the whole pct experience but I don’t think I could do it again under current circumstances. Crowds would just be too mich
The owner of 3 pit bulls gave it a thumbs down lol.
I’ve been following you since you started the FT and I have to confess, I didn’t know there was a long trail in Florida! Thank you for sharing your adventure with us.
So glad that you enjoyed the FT part of your ECT hike! Your retrospective has great information and is extremely well thought out. We plan to share it with the FT community. Thank you! Best of luck on your continuing journey. Looking forward to your next videos. Jerry and Kelley
Great summary Masochist! Looking forward to following you on UA-cam as you go through AL, GA, and then on the AT. Will provide you a beer (and/or coffee) when you get to the Northern Virginia area! So will be watching! Hike on! Tortoise
Sorry the Ft. too much road walking.. ✌️👊
Loved your recap, the Florida Trail is unique, I must admit I lived in Florida and didn’t know it existed! 😂 I enjoy your posts, keep trekking! 🏃🏽
Hope your AL road walk went well and you get on the Pinhoti safely.
Super interesting to hear about the triple crown comparisons - thank you Tater! And a lovely presentation - not to say you’re not lovely Matt, just in a different way 😆
I can see where dogs could be a problem.
They make adapters where you can use your propane stove on a butane canister. Weights less than an oz. I use a multi-fuel so I can use gasoline if I can't find canisters. Little heavier but I'm not a gram counter. My sleep system is a hammock, tarp, bivy, and a bug net, no tent. Weights a little over 3 lbs. Haven't found a place yet I can't just step off the trail and make camp. Enjoy your videos and hope you make it to Main.
Hey Matthew, glad you're doing ok! Concerned for you with the twisters and bad storms in Alabama and Georgia. Have been following you since Key West, really enjoy your information and the hike. Great info on the trail too! Thanks so much!! Hike on brother! From super swoop!
So far so good. Rode out the latest storm in Montgomery and I’m still headed north
I hated those 3 pit bulls. They attacked and would not leave me alone. I walked backwards for a long way before they gave up on me. I'm sad to hear they bit some one and had to be put down. I understand the thought process of letting your dogs run free in these rural areas, but not if they are vicious. I love the FT. I've only hiked about 750 miles of it, but hope to finish it. I've been through Big Cypress twice, in a wet season and in a dry one. They both have their charms. Good luck on the rest of your hike.
I too looked like I had chicken pox from the noseeums in the keys. Just awful. We have them here in the Adirondacks but the bites don't swell and itch like down there.
Awesome break down!!! I'll be out on the AT with you and hope to see ya! I would love to do what you're doing and may plan on doing it right after the AT, I dont plan on ending at katahdin, gonna make my way up to Canada boarder then if all goes well I'll go back to the AT start and work south, that way I'm hoping to beat the bad winter thru alabama and north fl and then have nice cool weather for south fl 😁 thanks for the breakdown and by the way, you're awesome!!!
I live in SWFL btw so I'll just be hiking home! Hope hurricane season agrees is nice to me!
Great info for future FT hikers. Good Luck, Rick
Thanks for the information about the FT and sharing how it was with you on that hike.
I’m glad that overall you enjoyed doing the Florida trail, but it’s still a hard pass for me.
Serious thanks for your retrospective vides and your Florida Trail and Pinhoti Vids. I am leaving Aug 5 at Baxter to hike sobo through Florida and these vids have been a great resource. From your current pace on the AT there may be a chance I run into you on the trail - If I do, I surely owe you a dinner and all you can drink beers. Thanks again.
Glad you found them useful! I don’t expect to hit Katahdin until end of August at best so there’s a decent chance we may run across each other
Enjoyed every mile travelling with you.
This was such an overall, great, informative video. Thanks!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Very thorough summation of what we watched. So you're off the FT now and in my recommended up pops Dixie...out on the FL Trail. She's not bothered by wildlife as she spent a lot of time in FL as a youngster. I on the other hand, am not sure I want to relive the trauma of the blistered feet. What I found most interesting is; compared to the #NCT.MI section in my state, you really have your pick of where and how you want to train for #AT & #PCT. Florida or Michigan.😉🥾👉
Thanks! California also has all sorts of options but they aren’t as developed. Before I did the PCT I did the San Gabriel Backbone Trail and the first bits of the CA Desert Trail and Hot Spring Trail followed by about 190 miles of bushwhacking along the Condor Trail. Resupplying and doing things thru hike style is harder on those however
Thank for your thoughts on the Ft. ✌️👊
Good Video
New sub. Bought and sold. Enjoy your journey because I am. Dixie is doing the FT and has ingrown toenails. She saw 10 gators in 1 day and 10 was an absolute monster who slid quickly and unexpectedly into the water going toward her and 9 came along also. I screamed like a little girl myself on her behalf. Gators are dinosaurs and cool but scary.
Thanks! Gator photos always seemed to get the most reactions when I posted them but as with bears and snaked they’re generally less of a threat than people thing. They’re ambush predators so they almost always flop into the water as soon as they see you even if they’re on the other side of a canal. Except for that one in Rice Creek that was parked on the bridge and didn’t want to let me by
I have no gator or croc experience. I am fascinated.
Nice recap and very helpful for those looking to do the trail. I guess I would have to say that the dogs were absolutely the worst part of that hike and the canals, road walks, and waist deep swamp walks not as bad as they seemed. I would have thought the bugs would be the worst but I guess they didn't really come out in force until evening when you had your tent to duck into. All in all.....well done !! Must feel good to have completed one leg of the journey....and on to the next ! Congrats again for that milestone ! Happy Trails Masochist !
Thanks! The funny thing on the mosquitos was that I never got bit as long as I was in the tent by dusk and didn’t get up to early
SOBO is great as long as you don't end in March. Also depends on which "side" you take. Usually people go through the east side in ONF.
There are flood threats in the Suwannee section, so SOBO helps with that because it is much drier in January.
Also, will say, there can be a LOT of bushwhacking because it is not as well maintained as other trails. Greenbriar, sawgrasses, saw-palmetto, and thistles will rip your legs up and stickers and sandspurs will stick to your clothes. Cheap pants like Frog-toggs are a kinda good idea to have for those situations. You can toss them and get a new pair after it gets too bad.
This is also usually better in the winter, as the plants are somewhat dormant and don't grow as much and the trim lasts longer. You will have sections that are pretty poorly maintained and trees down, overgrowth, etc.
This was excellent. Thank you! I’m doing LASH hikes thru the Florida Trail. Your information and videos have been very helpful. My next bucket trip is the Pinhoti. Onward to Canada!
Nice video. A few years ago I bought an anti-wind umbrella with a 360 degree relief near the top, It worked
for me. Well, I bought 2, lost one somewhere, it's very easy to forget your umbrella, especially if it stops raining.
I recognize thbat first pic!! Cannals..
What an award winning.off the cuff lecture!Your on a roll! Very nice .
I got hooked on your channel and caught up on all your videos! I love the honesty and humor too. I can't hike for long periods anymore so this is a real treat.
Safe travels and good luck! I told my friends to subscribe too!
GOING SOUTH instead NoBo is tip #23 on my list of ways to make the Florida KEYS walk survivable and possibly quite pleasant (I discourage people from making this walk. But if you must connect your footsteps there are many things that can be done to make it safer, slightly more scenic impossibly enjoyable)
I think that would likely have made things better along with not being there on New Years.
Just starting into the sport and in Florida, so I appreciate the insight.
Thanks for doing this vid, very informative. I'm in the planning process for a January 2024 start of the FT northbound.
You'll have a blast! The FT is still on of my favorite thru hikes
thanks great vid ,planning this is going to be alot of work.
Great recap and thanks for the honest feedback without being critical. We love our trail even with its faults. I wait impatiently for your posts.
this was a great review of the FT. Thank you for taking the time to do this! I hope to hike this trail at some point and this was very helpful!
I watched all of your videos for this trail, your synopsis of it here is brilliant, you would be good at lecturing on subjects like this. cheers
I would love to do the ECT/IAT someday. Which means having to do the Florida Trail. But I would never just do the Florida Trail on its own. All those people & taxpayers in Florida & that trail just looks like the Stone Ages.
I enjoy the way you film and narrate your videos.
RE: Florida Trail 2021
It appears this was an unusually wet hiking season in Florida.
I've watched the video series by Chris Berry who did the trail in 2016. He had a much drier hike season.
Also, it was before the hurricane.
God Bless for safety and success on your journey!
My understanding was it was unusually wet this year. Big Cyprus was highest water in 15 years, more rain, and of course the flooding
I’m thinking of buying a Nemo how did yours work out so far? Leaks??
I have the Hornet 2p and it works great for me. Used it for most of the pct last year and it’s brought me through quite a lot of rain on this trip
This is an excellent discussion on the FT! I really enjoyed it!
awesome
Interesting to go over your time spent down there. I enjoyed it.
I’m sure you have already mentioned this in a prior video, but what is your expected end point? You say “Canada”, but do you mean just the border, or do you mean the end of the North American IAT in Newfoundland?
Hoping to reach Cap Gaspe if conditions allow and if the border is open
@@FirstChurchofTheMasochistHikes Thanks! The Chic Choc range of Quebec is amazing- and a great opportunity to see caribou. I hiked there in late September and it was stunning.
What happened with weather thru Alabama...that’s what I want to know.
Still being rained on as of yesterday with more on the way
Thank you for taking the time to explain it to us in detail.
Glad it was helpful!
👍👍👍😊😁☮
Great honest summary
I was a Dixie fan, but you are far better ( at least for me ). I am looking forward to the balance of your hike. Walking through miles of water where you can't see your feet would freak me out as much as the dogs.
Dixie is fine, especially for beginners & navel gazers, but after a certain point you have to get serious and you simply out-grow her.
Very useful info. Guthooks is now FarOut