I love your videos for one main reason. I’m wheelchair 🦽 bound now with ms. I love all the hikers who post videos. Gives some sort of peace in hard times. Thank you 🙏
HiYa Mr Batten! My Sis has MS. Of the three of us sibs, she was the fiestiest and most competitive. Now I'm an old guy of 75 and for me the Appalachian Trail still calls and my sis would just LOVE to follow along so in a way, you see, she is counting on me. God bless you, sir.
Great video, like always. I took a friend on a backpacking trip, his first...told him Oh it's a short hike, maybe half an hour. It was after an ice storm, downed trees EVERYWHERE, we'd go down the trail, unmarked, not an official trail, and have to hike around to find the the trail again, watching for widow makers above. Took maybe 90 minutes, not forever but not the introduction you want to give someone new. To his credit it wasn't his first and last trip! Embarrassingly, after 30 years of backpacking in our Nat'l Forest land, passing massive trees cut from the trail (talking 2 foot plus diameter) I found out trail maintenance was done by VOLUNTEERS. Even stranger, because it's a designated wilderness area power tools aren't allowed, not even for trail maintenance. I signed up to be a volunteer and learned the beauty and pain of the crosscut saw! As for pack weight...27 pounds...that might cover food and beer LOL.
I can’t wait to get back on the Pinhoti! I miss those blue blazes! I hate to see all the blow down from Mother Nature. I know the Pinhoti Trail maintenance crew are working hard to clear it up. When my friend and I started section 1 back in April there was a ton of blow down to maneuver through. Managed to traverse five sections before life took us off the trail in May. It is so pretty out there when the leaves are changing. That cow just wanted to walk with you! 😂 So cool that you got to camp with Randall and Bourbon. The road walking is something I don’t miss! Nathan and Kimm are amazing folks! Thanks for taking us along with you! ♥️ Looking forward to your reviews to come.
Thank you so much. I found your channel in 2018. It was the year you were hiking the PCT and it was the year I was getting into backpacking for the first time. Because of your amazing content and research suggestions I entered backpacking confident. Oh, sure I made mistakes, but thanks to you those mistakes never left me discouraged but were lessons for next time. I have a tribe of women that have followed me into backpacking and I use your videos as a strong, confident, women to teach them about hiking and backpacking. I live in Washington and the Olympic Mountains are my home. I might see ten people on a crowded day. Because of the encouragement and inspiration I gain from watching you I completed the Press Expedition Traverse through the heart of the Olympics. Covid prevented trail maintenance and it looked very similar to this trail. Next year I will be piecing a route together to walk the circumference of the Olympics. A third of the way in I will be meeting up with the Pacific Northwest Trail and following it to the western terminus at Cape Alava. It will be 164 miles, my longest trip yet. Thank you for being a positive role model for all of us. You are amazing.
I've been watching your experiences for a long time and refer new backpackers to your videos. Hoping the Pinhoti gets better for you I'll keep watching. For the most part the trail is clear now 12/11/20. There are only a few of us that actually clear the trail, so it takes several months to cover it all. I started volunteering in 1993 (Snow Storm) and it took 2 years to get it all back open. Then 2 years later hurricane Opal hit. I'm 73, so hoping the younger folks that see your Pinhoti video will see what you experienced and help. This is a beautiful trail and maintenance is an on going thing with all the storm we have in Alabama.
Thanks for the very kind words for us Trail Maintainers... the storm definitely followed the Pinhoti and we still have some areas to clear. Nathan and Kimm #PinhotiOutdoorCenter really are some incredible folks and their support of the Pinhoti hiking community is stellar! Great video and your blow down walk over was exciting to watch!
I know we cleared the first section after the roadwalk right before Thanksgiving, and where we didn't have time, we flagged a temp reroute below it. Was curious to find out Dixie is probably delaying posting several weeks so she won't have the woods full of hiker paparazzi looking for her! And the folks like Nathan and the chance hikers along the way she asks to not post for a while either.
What do you you Trail Maintainers of the Pinhoti need? Where can we send contributions? Thats a lot of work to move that much timber. . . . . maybe you can use it for new bridges and shelters. ;)
Wow, what I’m really getting from this video and your recent “compressed” thru-hike videos is the quality of the videography, insightful editing, and choice of shots. You are making films, capturing an experience. And it’s one that makes me think I need to “see” more when I hike. Well done. Crystal ball prediction: you start a nature film production company somewhere down the line. As for the Pinhoti: I’m planning to do it in late Feb/early March, but I wonder about all the blow downs and whether they can clear it by then. I’d go anyway, but it’s clear it was heavily impacted. Thanks for your hard work!
Kiss my grits....you are a southern lady aren't you? Lol. Those grits and that plate you had from the store.... Lol. I'm so glad God saw fit to let me be from the Southeast. My prayers are with your Pop, you, and all of his people.
Dix, I love how you capture beauty in all the little and small things most of us just pass by. You have changed how I admire and appreciate nature on my hikes. Thank you for the perspective!
To the point comment! Could you please visit my channel! I am solo mountain hiker from Chitral Pakistan. I usually do hike on the Hindukush Mountains. Unfortunately number of female viewers on my channel is Zero (0). Hope you will visit my channel and support my content by sharing with your friends!
If you sweet talk a dog, most times they'll give you a look that says "Do I know you??", and if you ask them "Where's Mama (or Daddy, or Papa)" they'll look back over their shoulder and let you walk on. Sometimes, I'm very glad that I hike with poles, though! Never had to whack a strange dog, but there's no way I'm going to get bit! With my luck, the owner would shoot me, so dog whacking is a last resort measure.
Great to see you enjoying one of Alabama's incredible natural resources. The Pinhoti is great, with some challenging sections and awesome vistas. Also works great for those wanting to test the water for thru hiking! Thanks Dixie!
Thank you to all the trail crews out there! I was an eagle scout and 50-miler member back in boy scouts. . .One of the things they taught us about backcountry camping was to leave the back-country better than you found it. (similar to leave no trace, but do a good turn also for people in dedicated recreation areas). We always would try to clear the trail as much as possible and put tumbled cairns back in place and fix anything in the shelters we came upon. Those lessons still apply later in life. Do a good turn if you can, and Semita Logicae
Wishing your dad a Happy Birthday! and many more to come, I hope he feels better soon. I would have been afraid of the steer too Dixie! I think you handled that well. Being an old city boy i would have thought it was a bull. The dogs wouldn't have scared me on the road I know they sense fear and will go after you. I generally run at them and they get scared and the best way to keep from getting bit is to put your hand in their mouth. Hold your hand in a salute position and shove your hand sideways into their jaws and push back toward their tail and wrap your hand over the lower jaw. Try this with Fancy when you get home. You will find that they can't close their jaws with the pressure. You know I'm bored sitting around wishing i was hiking with you and trying to figure out which way to go around the blow downs. Getter done Dixie! Capt. America
You can strap a tent on the side opposite WaterBottles for weight balance. Use the cordage to hold it down. That is where I carried my Hammock Tarp on my AT Thru. When I tent camp, I sometimes carry the tent on the inside of the pack with the pack liner/trash bag with all the other gear crammed to the left of it. I carry a sit pad where your current tent is. The Mariposa will be a good pack to try opposite the Ohm. Looking forward to it. Thanks.
Hey Dixie, my playground is the AT in Maine from bigelow north - Blowdowns are my Hiker Kryptonite. I hate them! I can deal with bugs, wet feet, being cold, etc but a long day of blowdowns just kills my spirit. Those trail crews Are Angels!
Wow, what a storm that must've been! I always love watching your videos... you seem like such a friendly, warm, comfortable person to be around , with a certain lightness in your being and a fundamental confidence and trust in life. You're an inspiration! Thank you for sharing your hikes with us. I walked the Camino de Santiago, but I don't have any experience (yet) in thru hiking with my own tent and everything. It's my dream and vision as a next step. It's good to know you're out there, sharing your experience and knowledge with us!
To the point comment! Could you please visit my channel! I am solo mountain hiker from Chitral Pakistan. I usually do hike on the Hindukush Mountains. Unfortunately number of female viewers on my channel is Zero (0). Hope you will visit my channel and support my content by sharing with your friends!
OMG I MADE THE VIDEO!!!!!!!! @ 7:26 Update: I used the folding saw on the next day to clear a few limbs on the trail after stopping for the day early. Also, the last pine tree blowdown you went over, I had the same issues. i ended up taking my pack off, and belly crawling to get through it. was the worse blowdown on the whole trail that I saw.
Sorry for the second comment. I was just in Utah and went to ULA to get a new pack. You can have those (tent) straps put anywhere. You can customize it all over, adding or removing whatever you like. - Did yours not come with a pocket on the other side for the tent Dixie? - I bought this new one to replace an EE Mariposa that I had used all of one day. The hip belt on the EE is very stiff and has no padding along the bottom to buffer the hard plastic riding exactly on my sciatic nerves. I tried using the included sit pad wrapped around the belt, but it wasn't enough. I went with the ULA because the belt doesn't sit all the way at the bottom of where it's installed, (It's adjustable up and down to some degree, whereas the Mariposa isn't.) and it had so much more padding between me and that rigid belt.
You have inspired me with your videos and I have registered to do the AT in April I know you are probably super busy and don't have much time for random comments but I have lots of questions that I haven't seen in a video or article that I can find. Glad to see some new content. Thank you.
That stretchy front mesh pocket on ULA packs is their greatest weakness. Doesn't take much to get a hole in them. For me, that is usually what gives out first on my last 2 CDT packs when the holes became big enough to let things fall out. ULA use to offer to repair them for a charge, but I haven't bothered in awhile given the CDT pack is so much cheaper than their other models, so I don't know if they still offer the service. Years ago, the mesh use to be heavier but much more durable. Part of me thinks it would be worth the weight hit for them to go back to it. Previously, I thought if I ever did the Pinhoti Trail, it would be more scenic to hike in the fall as the colors change. Your video footage is looking like a confirmation of that, though that tropical storm doesn't look to have helped the trees any.
Good grief!!! The blow down, a loose cow, dogs, this is the Pinhoti Trail? I guess you get what you get and you don’t throw a fit. Chalk it up to a little spice. Did you keep any of the Sassafras roots for tea? Yum... Smells so good and with a touch of sugar or honey it’s tastes good too. Hope the pack works out. Thanks for sharing the hike. Texas
Speaking of a stick up your...shoelace, I was walking and a stick popped up and went directly into my shoe toe box just behind my toes. I had to pull out the stick from the shoe (no flesh damage) but a hole is now in the top of my shoe! Blow downs like crazy on that trail. I would hate to be a trail maintainer! "Looks like I picked a bad day to wear shorts! " LOL Those jets/planes were a tad close! John from MI
Dixie the gymnast! Just another set of skills we now know about. Felt like I was hiking right along with you on this video. Guess I'll have to add the Pinhoti to my "must hike" list. Hike on! Tortoise
Hi Dixie, I've watched your triple crown and your hike in Europe, but it is great to follow you in your home state where you know more of the biology. Thanks from a retired biology/ecology teacher! Keep the videos coming.
I gained an appreciation for how difficult a storm can make a trail to manage from this video. In a remote setting, that kind of hindrance could be quite dangerous. I was worried for you, Dixie, on some of those blowdowns.
I agree that having that tent bobbing around behind your head would be bothersome. Have you thought about rolling your tent up a bit more narrowly and putting it into the other side pocket? You would need to tie the top of the roll to the pack higher up to be sure it stays put, but it could then balance out the water on the other side.
Those blowdowns at 11:23 bring me back to the Monument 78 trail in June. They'd just lifted the restrictions in Manning Park, BC, and hadn't been through to clear the trail yet, so I had to hurdle and crawl under about 100 deadfalls. It wasn't so bad inwards, but the first few were huge clumps like this one, where footing was very tricky.
Driving back an hour to celebrate another Birthday with Dad is worth the gas and time spent. I'm glad he made it out and hope he's doing better than expected on his road to recovery (or has recovered.) Now back to watching more.
And to answer the question on the Ohm 2.0 - yes, they can customize it further to add straps/loops where you want. I have one that I got for the spouse as a Christmas gift 2 years ago (not the Ohm but another) and had some customizations added on and it's been worth it. So yeah, reach out to them and ask since they have their lifetime warranty on it, too. (3 bags from them and if I needed a 4th larger capacity one, they're the ones I'm calling to have it made.)
The loose dogs drives me a bit nuts. I've had several "Don't worry he's nice" dogs attack mine while mine were on a leash. Just being calm and trying to diffuse the situation is about all you can do. I keep mine leashed; I may love them but not everyone else will. It would be wonderful if people could remember that. - rant over. Just arrived down south. Lots of blowdowns all along the coast from Texas to Florida. Be safe!
Oh Dixie! You’ve made me miss being on the trail! I remember being in the Sespe Wilderness having to navigate blow downs like that. It’s so tiring. But the terrain is magnificent! I have an old ULA pack that Brian Finkle fitted for me before he sold the company. The most comfortable pack I’ve ever worn. 5’1”, chubby and 73. Still going, sort of. JustSit.
I have the Ohm 2.0 also, and although I generally use it for hammock-hikes, one of the side-pockets should be good for an ultralight tent, with additional lashing on the side webbing.
Judging by the leaf color, you recorded this a while back, but just in case you have not finished this hike, I'd like to remind you that the bulk of the Pinhoti runs the Talladega National Forest. It is also deer season. You need to wear some hunter orange. At least a cap. Shed any white, too. I hunt, but there are always an idiot or two out there.
Some great footage of the footwork needed sometimes on the trail. And a great scene of focusing on humble nocturnal aquatic animals. That is what nature is all about, loving that stuff.
So good to see you out hiking a trail again. Your videos are always a breath of fresh air, and much needed in these times. So hard to negotiate that trail but you are doing it.
Backpacking aka bushwhacking the Pinhoti trail. 🤣 Watch out for those young bulls. I was hiking once and one wanted to play, that was not fun for me. Luckily he backed off when I yelled at him. He did look sad, lol. Happy trails ❤️🏜⛰
I can only imagine how fun it must be to clamber over and through those tree obstacles and then have to go back through to retrieve your camera...and then negotiate it yet again. :D
A little folding saw can be nice for cutting smaller branches in blow down like that. Instead of just bending or trying to snap off branches and them flinging around and giving you a gash on your face. Ask me how I know. It won't save you time but it might make it easier on others.
Happened to have my headphones on when those plans went over, in one ear out the other ... very cool! Went through some pretty serious blowdown this past Fall myself, hard to get across to viewers just how tough and how high off the ground you actually do get at times! Thanks again Dixie!
Great that you could hit the trail again! I love hiking in wooded areas, especially in autumn with all the different colours and mushrooms. I'm glad your dad is feeling better!
The trail sure did take a whoopin with all the blow downs. Hopefully the whole trail wasn't messed up. Nice to see you testing out the ULA pack, I've had my eye on them for a long time and wondered just how they are. Can't wait to hear your full review and thoughts on how it worked out for ya.
Ma'am I cannot believe you refused that moo puppy the pets it clearly desired. I could never. 😂😂 I would've been squished if that was his goal cause I was for sure reading his body language as like "will you please be my friend? 🥺" 😂😂😂
That's some good looking cocoa, I think the crew is going to need a bigger chain saw. The cow just wanted to be friends! Oooo that chicken! I know your dad appreciated it. Incredible blow downs!
Your episode with the dogs reminded me of being a cross country runner in college. We did a lot of road running out in rural, farm areas, with the attendant dog races. One time, I had to face down a dog coming at me full speed, so I turned around and sort of trotted backwards so I could yell the dog down. That didn't work because, of course, I tripped and fell flat on my back. Once I was down, though, the dog came right up to me, looked at me flat on my back, then trotted back to his farmhouse. I guess he had proved his point.
Good Lord, you’re doing an obstacle course more than hiking it looks like. That night time water video was so cool! I’m glad you got to celebrate your Dad’s birthday!
I saw the bacon jerky and the grits but Girl you gotta try a packet of Mountain House biscuits and gravy with that.....it's the Bomb!!! Speaking of bomb's that trail was just totally NUKED!!
Oh wow you were so brave with that cow-they totally freak me out 😱 I daren’t pitch up anywhere I can see them as I’m always convinced they’re gonna crush me and my tent 🤣🤣
Great video, thank you for sharing! I like that you took the time to give a shout out to the folks that maintain the trails...unsung heroes imo. Very much looking forward to your in-depth review of the Ohm 2.0. It’s my go to pack at the moment and I find it spacious and a great balance between weight and durability. Familiar with it but haven’t actually tried the Gossamer gear pack that you might compare it against so will be interesting to see how they stack up against one other. I do manage to fit my tent inside my ULA pack though along with gear and 5 days with of food supplies.
I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one to grunt and struggle with major blow downs. I was amused by your crayfish hunting. I haven't done that in decades. Thanks for taking us along.
I found this channel yesterday while searching some stuff about hiking and now I'm completely in love. This channel is pure gold, keep making good content! Greetings from Colombia
That ‘big honkin’ camera’ was responsible for that beautiful opening videography! So nice to see through your eyes. Also, I am emboldened by Kimberly’s post last week which changed up Sweet Home Alabama. Not only was it good, it highlights one of your many endearing qualities; changing lyrics on the fly for any given situation ( think mosquito ). About three weeks ago I started practicing Christmas songs which we play in our jam group. I was playing and singing Alabama’s Christmas in Dixie and this is how the refrain came out: 🎶Merry Christmas Dixie, the snow is on the pines Merry Christmas Dixie, to you and all your folks tonight🎶
Omg speaking of blowdowns! I got lost and had to climb through so many areas of downed trees with lots of branches to wiggle through in Mississippi a couple months ago it was horrible! I tried following the trail on the All trails app and that’s the only way I made it through! I believe the trail may have been closed but there were no signs at all on that trail saying it was closed and the beginning was clear so I didn’t even think twice before starting it but I regret it so much!
I loved the sassafras (which smells so good!) and the JET!! I love when jets come over low. Sassafras used to be used to flavor root beer but not now because of a potential link to carcinogens. Great video!
You mentioned you enjoy road walking. Would you ever be interested or do something like the Last Annual Vol State Road Race? It's an ultramarathon/multi-day stage race, 314 miles from Kentucky, through Tennessee to Georgia. I think they have check in points, but no specific course, and a 10 day time limit to complete and be considered a finisher. Just curious! Nice to see your videos again!
That makes me sad....that you haven't seen tadpoles in creeks since you were a child.....I hope you can get out back in nature soon even if it's just a sundown in a city park or a pull off in an overlook.
You make the BEST hiking videos! Wish mine came out half as good, then again, wish I had the patience to keep setting up the camera🤣 Cool socks, what are they and where’d ya get em? Great hike, critters and all👍
I love your videos for one main reason. I’m wheelchair 🦽 bound now with ms. I love all the hikers who post videos. Gives some sort of peace in hard times. Thank you 🙏
HiYa Mr Batten! My Sis has MS. Of the three of us sibs, she was the fiestiest and most competitive. Now I'm an old guy of 75 and for me the Appalachian Trail still calls and my sis would just LOVE to follow along so in a way, you see, she is counting on me. God bless you, sir.
@@bullwinkle734 thank you
Great video, like always. I took a friend on a backpacking trip, his first...told him Oh it's a short hike, maybe half an hour. It was after an ice storm, downed trees EVERYWHERE, we'd go down the trail, unmarked, not an official trail, and have to hike around to find the the trail again, watching for widow makers above. Took maybe 90 minutes, not forever but not the introduction you want to give someone new. To his credit it wasn't his first and last trip! Embarrassingly, after 30 years of backpacking in our Nat'l Forest land, passing massive trees cut from the trail (talking 2 foot plus diameter) I found out trail maintenance was done by VOLUNTEERS. Even stranger, because it's a designated wilderness area power tools aren't allowed, not even for trail maintenance. I signed up to be a volunteer and learned the beauty and pain of the crosscut saw! As for pack weight...27 pounds...that might cover food and beer LOL.
I can’t wait to get back on the Pinhoti! I miss those blue blazes! I hate to see all the blow down from Mother Nature. I know the Pinhoti Trail maintenance crew are working hard to clear it up. When my friend and I started section 1 back in April there was a ton of blow down to maneuver through. Managed to traverse five sections before life took us off the trail in May. It is so pretty out there when the leaves are changing. That cow just wanted to walk with you! 😂 So cool that you got to camp with Randall and Bourbon. The road walking is something I don’t miss! Nathan and Kimm are amazing folks! Thanks for taking us along with you! ♥️ Looking forward to your reviews to come.
Thank you so much. I found your channel in 2018. It was the year you were hiking the PCT and it was the year I was getting into backpacking for the first time. Because of your amazing content and research suggestions I entered backpacking confident. Oh, sure I made mistakes, but thanks to you those mistakes never left me discouraged but were lessons for next time. I have a tribe of women that have followed me into backpacking and I use your videos as a strong, confident, women to teach them about hiking and backpacking.
I live in Washington and the Olympic Mountains are my home. I might see ten people on a crowded day. Because of the encouragement and inspiration I gain from watching you I completed the Press Expedition Traverse through the heart of the Olympics. Covid prevented trail maintenance and it looked very similar to this trail. Next year I will be piecing a route together to walk the circumference of the Olympics. A third of the way in I will be meeting up with the Pacific Northwest Trail and following it to the western terminus at Cape Alava. It will be 164 miles, my longest trip yet. Thank you for being a positive role model for all of us. You are amazing.
I've been watching your experiences for a long time and refer new backpackers to your videos. Hoping the Pinhoti gets better for you I'll keep watching. For the most part the trail is clear now 12/11/20. There are only a few of us that actually clear the trail, so it takes several months to cover it all. I started volunteering in 1993 (Snow Storm) and it took 2 years to get it all back open. Then 2 years later hurricane Opal hit. I'm 73, so hoping the younger folks that see your Pinhoti video will see what you experienced and help. This is a beautiful trail and maintenance is an on going thing with all the storm we have in Alabama.
Thanks for the very kind words for us Trail Maintainers... the storm definitely followed the Pinhoti and we still have some areas to clear. Nathan and Kimm #PinhotiOutdoorCenter really are some incredible folks and their support of the Pinhoti hiking community is stellar! Great video and your blow down walk over was exciting to watch!
Thank you for maintaining trails. You and all trail maintenance folks are true nature angels. ❤️
I know we cleared the first section after the roadwalk right before Thanksgiving, and where we didn't have time, we flagged a temp reroute below it. Was curious to find out Dixie is probably delaying posting several weeks so she won't have the woods full of hiker paparazzi looking for her! And the folks like Nathan and the chance hikers along the way she asks to not post for a while either.
@@edwinmartin5365 You got it ;)
What do you you Trail Maintainers of the Pinhoti need? Where can we send contributions? Thats a lot of work to move that much timber. . . . . maybe you can use it for new bridges and shelters. ;)
Thank you for all u do.
Wow, what I’m really getting from this video and your recent “compressed” thru-hike videos is the quality of the videography, insightful editing, and choice of shots. You are making films, capturing an experience. And it’s one that makes me think I need to “see” more when I hike. Well done. Crystal ball prediction: you start a nature film production company somewhere down the line.
As for the Pinhoti: I’m planning to do it in late Feb/early March, but I wonder about all the blow downs and whether they can clear it by then. I’d go anyway, but it’s clear it was heavily impacted.
Thanks for your hard work!
Kiss my grits....you are a southern lady aren't you? Lol. Those grits and that plate you had from the store.... Lol. I'm so glad God saw fit to let me be from the Southeast. My prayers are with your Pop, you, and all of his people.
Dix, I love how you capture beauty in all the little and small things most of us just pass by. You have changed how I admire and appreciate nature on my hikes. Thank you for the perspective!
The way you talk to animals, insects and critters in general, might be my favorite part
I had to chuckle when she started saying "be sweet" cause that's how my wife talks when our animals start playing rough.
To the point comment! Could you please visit my channel! I am solo mountain hiker from Chitral Pakistan. I usually do hike on the Hindukush Mountains. Unfortunately number of female viewers on my channel is Zero (0). Hope you will visit my channel and support my content by sharing with your friends!
If you sweet talk a dog, most times they'll give you a look that says "Do I know you??", and if you ask them "Where's Mama (or Daddy, or Papa)" they'll look back over their shoulder and let you walk on. Sometimes, I'm very glad that I hike with poles, though! Never had to whack a strange dog, but there's no way I'm going to get bit! With my luck, the owner would shoot me, so dog whacking is a last resort measure.
@@danielkutcher5704 I literally stopped an aggressive pitbull doing that.
Great to see you enjoying one of Alabama's incredible natural resources. The Pinhoti is great, with some challenging sections and awesome vistas. Also works great for those wanting to test the water for thru hiking! Thanks Dixie!
Thank you to all the trail crews out there!
I was an eagle scout and 50-miler member back in boy scouts. . .One of the things they taught us about backcountry camping was to leave the back-country better than you found it. (similar to leave no trace, but do a good turn also for people in dedicated recreation areas). We always would try to clear the trail as much as possible and put tumbled cairns back in place and fix anything in the shelters we came upon.
Those lessons still apply later in life.
Do a good turn if you can, and Semita Logicae
Wishing your dad a Happy Birthday! and many more to come, I hope he feels better soon.
I would have been afraid of the steer too Dixie! I think you handled that well. Being an old city boy i would have thought it was a bull. The dogs wouldn't have scared me on the road I know they sense fear and will go after you. I generally run at them and they get scared and the best way to keep from getting bit is to put your hand in their mouth. Hold your hand in a salute position and shove your hand sideways into their jaws and push back toward their tail and wrap your hand over the lower jaw. Try this with Fancy when you get home. You will find that they can't close their jaws with the pressure. You know I'm bored sitting around wishing i was hiking with you and trying to figure out which way to go around the blow downs. Getter done Dixie! Capt. America
You can strap a tent on the side opposite WaterBottles for weight balance. Use the cordage to hold it down. That is where I carried my Hammock Tarp on my AT Thru. When I tent camp, I sometimes carry the tent on the inside of the pack with the pack liner/trash bag with all the other gear crammed to the left of it. I carry a sit pad where your current tent is. The Mariposa will be a good pack to try opposite the Ohm. Looking forward to it. Thanks.
Hey Dixie, my playground is the AT in Maine from bigelow north - Blowdowns are my Hiker Kryptonite. I hate them! I can deal with bugs, wet feet, being cold, etc but a long day of blowdowns just kills my spirit. Those trail crews
Are
Angels!
“Don’t think about it too much right now.”
Takes a step.
“Ok, I thought about it.”
Lol
Wow, what a storm that must've been! I always love watching your videos... you seem like such a friendly, warm, comfortable person to be around , with a certain lightness in your being and a fundamental confidence and trust in life. You're an inspiration! Thank you for sharing your hikes with us. I walked the Camino de Santiago, but I don't have any experience (yet) in thru hiking with my own tent and everything. It's my dream and vision as a next step. It's good to know you're out there, sharing your experience and knowledge with us!
To the point comment! Could you please visit my channel! I am solo mountain hiker from Chitral Pakistan. I usually do hike on the Hindukush Mountains. Unfortunately number of female viewers on my channel is Zero (0). Hope you will visit my channel and support my content by sharing with your friends!
I love this channel and really like how she loves being in the little moments and enjoys the small things. Wonderful!
OMG I MADE THE VIDEO!!!!!!!! @ 7:26 Update: I used the folding saw on the next day to clear a few limbs on the trail after stopping for the day early. Also, the last pine tree blowdown you went over, I had the same issues. i ended up taking my pack off, and belly crawling to get through it. was the worse blowdown on the whole trail that I saw.
Sorry for the second comment. I was just in Utah and went to ULA to get a new pack. You can have those (tent) straps put anywhere. You can customize it all over, adding or removing whatever you like. - Did yours not come with a pocket on the other side for the tent Dixie? - I bought this new one to replace an EE Mariposa that I had used all of one day. The hip belt on the EE is very stiff and has no padding along the bottom to buffer the hard plastic riding exactly on my sciatic nerves.
I tried using the included sit pad wrapped around the belt, but it wasn't enough. I went with the ULA because the belt doesn't sit all the way at the bottom of where it's installed, (It's adjustable up and down to some degree, whereas the Mariposa isn't.) and it had so much more padding between me and that rigid belt.
Well, it's official: you're no longer a backpacker, but are a full-fledged filmmaker! Great video, Dixie. Looking forward to the next one.
What a beautiful opening with a perfect blend of music and scenery. 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 So relaxing. ☺️
You have inspired me with your videos and I have registered to do the AT in April I know you are probably super busy and don't have much time for random comments but I have lots of questions that I haven't seen in a video or article that I can find. Glad to see some new content. Thank you.
The double whammy of two tropical systems in a row! They were both Hurricanes when they came ashore in coastal Alabama. Thanks for sharing Dixie!
That stretchy front mesh pocket on ULA packs is their greatest weakness. Doesn't take much to get a hole in them. For me, that is usually what gives out first on my last 2 CDT packs when the holes became big enough to let things fall out. ULA use to offer to repair them for a charge, but I haven't bothered in awhile given the CDT pack is so much cheaper than their other models, so I don't know if they still offer the service. Years ago, the mesh use to be heavier but much more durable. Part of me thinks it would be worth the weight hit for them to go back to it.
Previously, I thought if I ever did the Pinhoti Trail, it would be more scenic to hike in the fall as the colors change. Your video footage is looking like a confirmation of that, though that tropical storm doesn't look to have helped the trees any.
Good grief!!! The blow down, a loose cow, dogs, this is the Pinhoti Trail? I guess you get what you get and you don’t throw a fit. Chalk it up to a little spice. Did you keep any of the Sassafras roots for tea? Yum... Smells so good and with a touch of sugar or honey it’s tastes good too. Hope the pack works out. Thanks for sharing the hike. Texas
Speaking of a stick up your...shoelace, I was walking and a stick popped up and went directly into my shoe toe box just behind my toes. I had to pull out the stick from the shoe (no flesh damage) but a hole is now in the top of my shoe! Blow downs like crazy on that trail. I would hate to be a trail maintainer! "Looks like I picked a bad day to wear shorts! " LOL Those jets/planes were a tad close! John from MI
Dixie! MAN it's great to see you again!! On the trail like the good Lord intended! Be safe and be well!
Dixie the gymnast! Just another set of skills we now know about. Felt like I was hiking right along with you on this video. Guess I'll have to add the Pinhoti to my "must hike" list. Hike on! Tortoise
LOL, Dixie channeling Elly May Clampett with the love of critters @ 13:41.
Hi Dixie, I've watched your triple crown and your hike in Europe, but it is great to follow you in your home state where you know more of the biology. Thanks from a retired biology/ecology teacher! Keep the videos coming.
Nice video Jessica. Great to see you out and about in this still very crazy world of ours. Stay safe an happy hiking.
I gained an appreciation for how difficult a storm can make a trail to manage from this video. In a remote setting, that kind of hindrance could be quite dangerous. I was worried for you, Dixie, on some of those blowdowns.
I agree that having that tent bobbing around behind your head would be bothersome. Have you thought about rolling your tent up a bit more narrowly and putting it into the other side pocket? You would need to tie the top of the roll to the pack higher up to be sure it stays put, but it could then balance out the water on the other side.
Another good video Dixie, you narrate very well and your enthusiasm is great. Looks a nice trail, though the trees challenging in places! Thanks 👍
Those blowdowns at 11:23 bring me back to the Monument 78 trail in June. They'd just lifted the restrictions in Manning Park, BC, and hadn't been through to clear the trail yet, so I had to hurdle and crawl under about 100 deadfalls. It wasn't so bad inwards, but the first few were huge clumps like this one, where footing was very tricky.
Driving back an hour to celebrate another Birthday with Dad is worth the gas and time spent. I'm glad he made it out and hope he's doing better than expected on his road to recovery (or has recovered.) Now back to watching more.
And to answer the question on the Ohm 2.0 - yes, they can customize it further to add straps/loops where you want. I have one that I got for the spouse as a Christmas gift 2 years ago (not the Ohm but another) and had some customizations added on and it's been worth it. So yeah, reach out to them and ask since they have their lifetime warranty on it, too. (3 bags from them and if I needed a 4th larger capacity one, they're the ones I'm calling to have it made.)
And no, I'm not employed or sponsored by them - just a very happy customer with the product and service.
Loved Franz Gordon's piano at the beginning!
Good call going to see your dad. I lost my dad in January. You'll never regret a moment you spent with them.
The loose dogs drives me a bit nuts. I've had several "Don't worry he's nice" dogs attack mine while mine were on a leash. Just being calm and trying to diffuse the situation is about all you can do. I keep mine leashed; I may love them but not everyone else will. It would be wonderful if people could remember that. - rant over. Just arrived down south. Lots of blowdowns all along the coast from Texas to Florida. Be safe!
Such a beautiful place!
best channel on UA-cam.. Information, scenery, humor, music and commentary.
Here we can see a travelling Dixie in her native habitat.
Seeing that shirt again is like deja blu.
Oh Dixie! You’ve made me miss being on the trail! I remember being in the Sespe Wilderness having to navigate blow downs like that. It’s so tiring. But the terrain is magnificent! I have an old ULA pack that Brian Finkle fitted for me before he sold the company. The most comfortable pack I’ve ever worn. 5’1”, chubby and 73. Still going, sort of. JustSit.
I have the Ohm 2.0 also, and although I generally use it for hammock-hikes, one of the side-pockets should be good for an ultralight tent, with additional lashing on the side webbing.
Judging by the leaf color, you recorded this a while back, but just in case you have not finished this hike, I'd like to remind you that the bulk of the Pinhoti runs the Talladega National Forest. It is also deer season. You need to wear some hunter orange. At least a cap. Shed any white, too. I hunt, but there are always an idiot or two out there.
Some great footage of the footwork needed sometimes on the trail. And a great scene of focusing on humble nocturnal aquatic animals. That is what nature is all about, loving that stuff.
... aaaand here comes the Airforce !!! :)
So good to see you out hiking a trail again. Your videos are always a breath of fresh air, and much needed in these times. So hard to negotiate that trail but you are doing it.
Backpacking aka bushwhacking the Pinhoti trail. 🤣
Watch out for those young bulls. I was hiking once and one wanted to play, that was not fun for me. Luckily he backed off when I yelled at him. He did look sad, lol.
Happy trails ❤️🏜⛰
I can only imagine how fun it must be to clamber over and through those tree obstacles and then have to go back through to retrieve your camera...and then negotiate it yet again. :D
You really have a talent for videography. Love your music choices as well. Thanks for sharing! :)
A little folding saw can be nice for cutting smaller branches in blow down like that. Instead of just bending or trying to snap off branches and them
flinging around and giving you a gash on your face. Ask me how I know. It won't save you time but it might make it easier on others.
Whoah, those blowdowns give me flashbacks rom my last hike in the Cohuttas in Georgia. Love the background music on this one.
Happened to have my headphones on when those plans went over, in one ear out the other ... very cool! Went through some pretty serious blowdown this past Fall myself, hard to get across to viewers just how tough and how high off the ground you actually do get at times!
Thanks again Dixie!
Lookin more like the Pincrappy trail! But you always make it look easier somehow. Hope dad is doing well!
ULA has fantastic customer service. I recommend contacting their customer service and see if they would add the straps on the bottom of the pack.
Sound of freedom at 15:04. 😀
4 fans of freedom!
Great that you could hit the trail again! I love hiking in wooded areas, especially in autumn with all the different colours and mushrooms. I'm glad your dad is feeling better!
Happy to see you out on the trail. I’m so glad you were able to have another birthday with you Dad.
loving the trail. Happy Birthday too your Dad. and saying a prayer for his recovery. Thank You Dixie and stay safe.
The trail sure did take a whoopin with all the blow downs. Hopefully the whole trail wasn't messed up. Nice to see you testing out the ULA pack, I've had my eye on them for a long time and wondered just how they are. Can't wait to hear your full review and thoughts on how it worked out for ya.
Ma'am I cannot believe you refused that moo puppy the pets it clearly desired.
I could never. 😂😂
I would've been squished if that was his goal cause I was for sure reading his body language as like "will you please be my friend? 🥺"
😂😂😂
That's some good looking cocoa, I think the crew is going to need a bigger chain saw. The cow just wanted to be friends! Oooo that chicken! I know your dad appreciated it. Incredible blow downs!
Your episode with the dogs reminded me of being a cross country runner in college. We did a lot of road running out in rural, farm areas, with the attendant dog races. One time, I had to face down a dog coming at me full speed, so I turned around and sort of trotted backwards so I could yell the dog down. That didn't work because, of course, I tripped and fell flat on my back. Once I was down, though, the dog came right up to me, looked at me flat on my back, then trotted back to his farmhouse. I guess he had proved his point.
Oh, running in the country... It's an experience. "He's friendly!" Sure. ;) Your story made me giggle.
Hey, thanks for the tip on the Sassafras tree ID. I know we have some in upstate SC, and now I can find them.
Enjoyed this video...a very relaxed pace.
Wow this was beautifully made!
Whoa! Some serious blow downs. 😲. That must have been some storm ⛈.
rain saturates the soil and prolonged winds = blowdowns
Good Lord, you’re doing an obstacle course more than hiking it looks like. That night time water video was so cool! I’m glad you got to celebrate your Dad’s birthday!
I saw the bacon jerky and the grits but Girl you gotta try a packet of Mountain House biscuits and gravy with that.....it's the Bomb!!! Speaking of bomb's that trail was just totally NUKED!!
"Just don't think about it too much..."
"I thought about it"
haha, the tone of voice was perfect.
Oh wow you were so brave with that cow-they totally freak me out 😱 I daren’t pitch up anywhere I can see them as I’m always convinced they’re gonna crush me and my tent 🤣🤣
I think the Pinhoti trail looks so incredibly peaceful and beautiful 🥰
Good and beautiful !😃 I am so happy ! Thank you so much from Corea!🎵
Really enjoyed the video. Wow all the blowdowns. Crazy.
Great video, thank you for sharing! I like that you took the time to give a shout out to the folks that maintain the trails...unsung heroes imo. Very much looking forward to your in-depth review of the Ohm 2.0. It’s my go to pack at the moment and I find it spacious and a great balance between weight and durability. Familiar with it but haven’t actually tried the Gossamer gear pack that you might compare it against so will be interesting to see how they stack up against one other. I do manage to fit my tent inside my ULA pack though along with gear and 5 days with of food supplies.
Thanks Dixie! It’s great to have you back on the trail again. Lovely video.
I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one to grunt and struggle with major blow downs. I was amused by your crayfish hunting. I haven't done that in decades. Thanks for taking us along.
Glad you made it over those trees. I liked how you talked yourself through the fear. Keep trekking.
Nice footage. I know sometimes its too difficult to go over a dead fall instead of under. Be careful out there!
Could you show more of your tent setting up and meal preparation? Loved the scenery!!
I think she made grits, the yellow mash in the beginning.
I found this channel yesterday while searching some stuff about hiking and now I'm completely in love. This channel is pure gold, keep making good content! Greetings from Colombia
Check out her 2015 AT thru hike. Priceless!
This video makes me smile, thank you- glad you’re able to be out and about. Vicarious hiking!
We love your videos. So down to earth and we second the animal/bug chats.
That ‘big honkin’ camera’ was responsible for that beautiful opening videography! So nice to see through your eyes. Also, I am emboldened by Kimberly’s post last week which changed up Sweet Home Alabama. Not only was it good, it highlights one of your many endearing qualities; changing lyrics on the fly for any given situation ( think mosquito ). About three weeks ago I started practicing Christmas songs which we play in our jam group. I was playing and singing Alabama’s Christmas in Dixie and this is how the refrain came out:
🎶Merry Christmas Dixie, the snow is on the pines
Merry Christmas Dixie, to you and all your folks tonight🎶
So much I enjoyed about this video! Your skill with a camera has come so far but you are still as authentic and kind as you were from the beginning.
And she scores a perfect Ten on the balance beam 😊 but no fancy dismount or “ta-daa” 🙃
she did not want to show off too much.
and no broken bones neither
Mitten, sock, glove. Sassafras leaves, that’s how I was taught.
Omg speaking of blowdowns! I got lost and had to climb through so many areas of downed trees with lots of branches to wiggle through in Mississippi a couple months ago it was horrible! I tried following the trail on the All trails app and that’s the only way I made it through! I believe the trail may have been closed but there were no signs at all on that trail saying it was closed and the beginning was clear so I didn’t even think twice before starting it but I regret it so much!
In this world of nonsense, I'm so happy to see you out and about enjoying yourself in nature.
and she did not break a leg!
Nonsense? You mean Democrats?
@@Remembering-rq6si Hahah!
@@nonameman9291 only a sheep believes in Democrats and Republicans 😂😂😂 Do you believe in Santa Claus and the tooth fairy too?? 🤣🤣🤣
@@Remembering-rq6si you're an insult to 1992
I loved the sassafras (which smells so good!) and the JET!! I love when jets come over low. Sassafras used to be used to flavor root beer but not now because of a potential link to carcinogens. Great video!
You mentioned you enjoy road walking. Would you ever be interested or do something like the Last Annual Vol State Road Race? It's an ultramarathon/multi-day stage race, 314 miles from Kentucky, through Tennessee to Georgia. I think they have check in points, but no specific course, and a 10 day time limit to complete and be considered a finisher. Just curious!
Nice to see your videos again!
Excellent video, thank you for sharing.
When I was a kid I used to see tadpoles and crawdads in the creek behind my house, nice to see there are some still around!
That makes me sad....that you haven't seen tadpoles in creeks since you were a child.....I hope you can get out back in nature soon even if it's just a sundown in a city park or a pull off in an overlook.
Please be careful, I realized I was holding my breathe while you were climbing through those branches. The world needs our Dixie.
You create the best videos and I just love watching your adventures!!! Thanks Dixie
Sure glad you made it through those trees in one piece! 👍🏼
You make the BEST hiking videos! Wish mine came out half as good, then again, wish I had the patience to keep setting up the camera🤣
Cool socks, what are they and where’d ya get em?
Great hike, critters and all👍
Thanks once again for showing the great Pinhoti Trail. Very special trail that really starting to come into its own.