Date: 2014-02-22
To: Sara and Phones/Guidebooks
Miles today: 0.0

I have decided NOT to get a US SIM for my thruhike. I¢m signed up with Koodo in Canada, which is only compatible with T-Mobile. I¢ve heard that T-Mobile¢s service is sketchy along the trail and in towns. I¢m going to keep my Canadian number and add on a US bundle for a bit of data, text and phone minutes. I¢ll update my journal and videos when I get wifi in towns. I¢m happy to give out my cell phone to anyone who¢d like to meet up during my hike. Just send me a message to my email which is scifi_sara "¢@"¢ yahoo.comAs for external chargers I have a New Trent iTorch but is seems so heavy at 4.5 ounces. I¢m considering not taking a charger since I¢ll have my phone on airplane mode most the time and turned off at night. If anyone has a better (lighter) charger option please let me know!I have been figuring out my maildrops with two different AT guidebooks.The ALDHA (Appalachian Long Distance Hiking Association) publishes the ¢Appalachian Trail Thru-Hikers¢ Companion¢. This non-profit association aims to preserve, protect and promote the long distance hiking community. Individuals may join the association for a $10 and they receive a PDF copy of the Companion for free. This is a great value (the Companion costs $8 if purchased on it¢s own) and the funds are put towards a great cause.   ¢The A.T. Guide¢ is published by David Miller (AWOL). He completed a thruhike in 2003 and published a memoir of his hike. The cost to order a book plus PDF download is $20.90. Individuals have a choice of a traditional bound book or loose-leaf pages. I chose loose-leaf so I can add sections to my maildrops rather than carting around the entire book.I printed out a copy of the Companion to use in conjunction with the A.T. Guide to plan out my maildrops. Both are excellent guidebooks and the layout differences come down to personal preference. For example, I prefer the Companion¢s format of having a data chart (locations, services, mileage & elevation) at the start of each state chapter for easy reference. The A.T. Guide is more concise and compact for backpackers.I have both guides saved as PDFs on my iPhone. I¢m a iPhone n00b and had to post in the ¢CLass of 2014¢ Facebook group for help. The following are for fellow n00bs: Download the free Adobe app. Press and hold on the PDF file to download and select the option to open in Adobe. *Do not click on the PDF because it downloads to some sort of inaccessible iPhone wasteland* I downloaded Guthook¢s AT Hiker app . The Approach Trail Map is free (which I am NOT hiking) and the other sections are either $4.99 or $8.99. Not all the maps are complete and it would cost about $70 for the current offered sections. This is pricy! The Approach Trail section of the app is awesome and chock full of info with photos. The virtual trail registries are a nice touch. I¢ve sent a message asking if they plan on releasing the maps as a less expensive bundle in the future.I downloaded the new ¢A.T. Guide¢ app today. It costs $19.99 and I used an iTunes card that I won in an online contest to pay for it. The app has potential but is very basic in it¢s current state. I do not recommend paying $20 for it. Guthook¢s app is way more detailed and robust.