Backpacking Appalachian Trail in Virginia in April-May

[Vaughn]

LOL... I was watching a PBS show about the Appalachian Trail and they showed the number of cameras left behind at the first station.

And the gear left at the bottom of the Grand Canyon every year could fill an outdoor supply store! LOL!

Have a great hike! I spent 5 months or so bicycling in New Zealand with a 4x5 -- I exposed about 75 sheets...which is only about a half sheet a day...so 4 sheets a day sounds fine to me. I only used one lens, but that was my normal set-up and not just my traveling one. Two would be "safer" if one gets dropped or the shutter stops working (I took a pinhole as my "spare" lens).

I took a spare GG in a film box, since that is one of more fragile components -- and critical. A bit of rope to attach a weight (rock, etc -- or a nylon bag to put dirt/sand in) to the center of the pod might come in handy for stabilizing such a light pod in the field.

The more accessible the camera gear, the more likely one is to haul it out and use it. In other words, don't bury it in the bottom of your pack. I ran into that on the bike -- as I tended to stash various camera bits and pieces on different parts of the bike.

Vaughn

[Alan Rabe]

Burkes Garden. It was a mountain that collapsed in on itself a long,long time ago. It has some amish farms in it and a big white church and cemetary right in the middle. It is just east of Tazwell. The AP Trail runs right along its eastern edge

[tgtaylor]

I use a Nagaoka also, and don't believe that any tripod/head that light is adequate. A carbon-fiber Feisel with Leica ball head is about 3.5#.

Bill,

Below is a picture of my Toyo 45CF set-up on a Gitzo GT0540 tripod (1.7lbs) and Gitzo G1177M ball head (0.68lbs).

It's shown with the 150mm Rodenstock which folds-up with the camera with its protective lens cap attached at focus extension for that lens. I don't use a quick release but instead screw the camera all the way down to the circular base of the head using the cameras 1/4 inch thread and an adaptor for the ball head's thread. I find it more more stable to use the large circular base of the tripod to anchor the camera and not use a quick release plate. I then extend the legs and balance the camera using the tripods adjustable legs while observing the dual levels on the rear standard. Rarely, if ever, will I extend the center column but, as suggested above by Vaughn, often use the hook to hold ~10lbs of rocks which are usually readily available in the sack as shown. If not, then I will either grasp the center column and firmly apply pressure straight down to the ground or hook my pack up to it if there is room enough.

As long as use a cable release I have had great success using this set-up with the Toyo CF and Pentax 645N. It won't work with the Pentax 67II and I have never tried it with the Toyo AX. It's expensive but it allows me to take a 4x5 camera on hikes that otherwise I wouldn't. Just as important, though, is using cut film and a Harrison pup tent. You can easily pack 100 sheets or more of film that way.

[jloen]

I use a Nagaoka also, and don't believe that any tripod/head that light is adequate. A carbon-fiber Feisel with Leica ball head is about 3.5#.

I was afraid this thread would change to a gear thread... Well, OK then, hey I might learn something. If anyone is interested in my gear list, with weights, I will post it.

Bill, I'm sure the Feisel or a CF Gitzo Mountaineer is great.
However, I have used the Slik Sprint Mini GM (weight 1 lb 9.5 oz) for three-hour-long time exposures of stars swirling around Mt Katahdin in Maine, and it worked great with a 2 lb Contax G1 camera. No vibration in 3 hrs! 3 lbs is 33% more weight, although I think it will actually work fine without center post extension, and with the suspended weight others recommend. For long distance backpacking I don't want to pay $500+ for a much heavier tripod, even though it may be quite a bit better. If that's really necessary I would drop down to MF or 35 mm for this trip. I'm actually looking for a lighter tripod than 1 lb 9.5 oz!!! BTW there are some shockingly light ideas on www.backpackinglight.com if you search for tripod.

Has anyone been to Hoover's Rapidan Camp in Shenandoah? Does the cabin have B&W character? 1930's CCC rock/wood structures might be good too. PATC cabins are good ones, especially Corbin.

[jloen]

just for illustration:



Night time exposure of Mt Kathadin from Abol Bridge campground.
Contax G1 on a 1 lb 9 oz Slik sprint mini GM tripod.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/61474803@N06/5594148916/

[Bill_1856]

I was afraid this thread would change to a gear thread... .

I apologize.

[ethics_gradient]

And the gear left at the bottom of the Grand Canyon every year could fill an outdoor supply store! LOL!

Have a great hike! I spent 5 months or so bicycling in New Zealand with a 4x5 -- I exposed about 75 sheets...which is only about a half sheet a day...so 4 sheets a day sounds fine to me. I only used one lens, but that was my normal set-up and not just my traveling one. Two would be "safer" if one gets dropped or the shutter stops working (I took a pinhole as my "spare" lens).

I took a spare GG in a film box, since that is one of more fragile components -- and critical. A bit of rope to attach a weight (rock, etc -- or a nylon bag to put dirt/sand in) to the center of the pod might come in handy for stabilizing such a light pod in the field.

The more accessible the camera gear, the more likely one is to haul it out and use it. In other words, don't bury it in the bottom of your pack. I ran into that on the bike -- as I tended to stash various camera bits and pieces on different parts of the bike.

Vaughn

Do you have a blog/write up of this online somewhere? I'd love to read it!

[Vaughn]

Do you have a blog/write up of this online somewhere? I'd love to read it!

This was almost 25 years ago -- a time before blogs, LOL! My journal was my notes in the cycling guides I had (one for each island) where I kept track of my route and daily miles (km) -- along with my photo notes (recorded light values and exposure info), and of course the 20-print portfolio that resulted from the trip (16x20 silver gelatin prints).

There are certainly some good stories over the 6 months I was on my travels and I have bored some people with them. Perhaps I will write them up someday, illustrated with the images I took -- something for my boys to read, though they will have adventures of their own to experience before they are ready to sit down and read such a thing.

But right now I am too wrapped up in the present and the images still to make to go back and spend the time to do that. And I am ready for some more adventures myself. I would like to spend some time this Spring/summer backpacking solo in the wilderness I worked in as a wilderness ranger for ten years (1981 to 1990). I prefer to go where I would not see anyone else the entire trip.

I would like to see if I can pack my 5x7 along with me -- or perhaps just the Gowland 4x5 (2.5 lbs with the lens) that I used in New Zealand, down in the Grand Canyon and other places. But my days of 85 pound packs are over. I will have to do some research on lightening things up! I day-hike with my 8x10 camera -- that is about 60 pounds of gear, so that would have to be my max now.

Like jloen, I need to do this before I get too old (I am 58 this year). All too soon I will have to restrict myself to just taking the Rolleiflex!LOL!

[tgtaylor]

Below is a picture of my bicycle parked at a small roadside church east of Heraklion on the island of Crete. I had taken the overnight ferry from Piraeus (the port of Athens) to Heraklion. After touring Heraklion and Knosos I circled Crete clockwise staying close to or on the coast before finally taking the ferry back to the mainland at Hania where I continued to tour central Greece and the Peloponnese before to returning to Athens.

At the time my camera was a Pentak K1000 which I carried in the handle-bar bag along with 2 additional lens, my wallet, sun screen, etc. The Toyo 45CF with Gitzo GT 0540 and G1177M ball head and Harrison pup tent and a couple hundred sheets of film would be very doable on bicycle. You get the opportunity to meet a lot of the locals when traveling on bicycle: you're not the average tourists to them. Traveling with LF would allow you the added possibility of meeting some of the local photographers and developing your film (at least the B&W) during the tour. I'm sure that here and there you'll find B&W chemistry for sale and suitable trays can be found at a flee market or store for almost nothing and toss after using. Who knows, you may even run into an advanced amateur like myself that has a Jobo and the chemistry to do C-41 or E-6.

BTW, the little roadside church in the photo was open like all such roadside shrines that you run into in Greece. This particular one had an alter with lit candles and I snapped a couple of photos inside.

[jeroldharter]

jloen,

15-25 miles? Perhaps you would like to carry me along just to increase the difficulty? That is an ambitious itinerary, especially to include photography. I don't do very good photography if I am tired.

Looks like you have your methods and gear in order.

I do like the idea of the other guy's Toyo CF with 1 lens attached that can fold up in the clamshell. That would be great for backpacking.