Are any of you south-easterners interested in forming a backpacking light group? The main objective would be to meet new people and organize trips (or post your trip announcements so that others can join you). Personally, going ultralight and therefore doing more miles per day has definitely left me with fewer people to backpack with. I was thinking of using facebook or yahoo groups to help organize, but am open to any other ideas.

Thoughts?

Search for your options on meetup.com as there are likely quite a few already around.

Yes, I'm interested. I would love to hike with some fellow easteners that don't roll their eyes at me when I show up without a pack towering over my head!

I would also be interested in this. Haven't found too many folks who are interested in backpacking the way I like to. I often either go solo or slow down a lot to make a trip happen.

Joeseph and Stephen -

What medium do you think we should use to help facilitate this? Facebook? Yahoo Groups? Meetup? Other?

I would love to hear from everyone that wants to be a part of this. I want this to be OUR group and everyone to have ownership.

" Facebook? Yahoo Groups? Meetup? Other?"

FWIW, Meetup will cost you around $150 per year (but you can charge a membership fee to offset this if you wish). It's got a lot of good options that you certainly wouldn't find on Facebook, but whether it's worth it or not depends on what you want to get out of it.

Best of luck. If I lived further south I'd join in a second!

Count me in....Face Book is easy....would be fun to share some local favorite hikes.

I'm in N. FL but I do have interest! I am a bit of an outcast....I refuse to get on facebook!!!!

Brad, Count me in, let me know if you need any help.

Jamie

Seems to be the way to go to me. Most people (sorry Todd) have an account already and it's free.

I started a facebook group if anyone wants to join up. We will see how it goes and decide if that meets our needs or if we need something more. Please give any suggestions or feedback that you may have.

Facebook BPL Group

Thanks for starting this group!One click on your link and its done!

This is a great idea on your part. I wish I was in the Southeast instead of Texas. May need to start a Texas thread.........

Thanks Bradford. Just joined up. Can't wait to share my future plans. Likely a Standing Indian trip in the near future.

" Most people (sorry Todd) have an account "

No problem! I know I'm in the minority here! My wife gives me he*&!! I may have to get on facebook.

I didn't sign on for a solid six months and have recently been on a lot in order to keep up with family. I am often not into keeping up with technology. I just got text messaging this week!

Brad, the SBLG sounds like a great idea.

I am slowly getting on the tech. wagon. Got my first computer and digital camera last year. Got an ipod and texting on my cell phone this year.

Count me in.

Todd- you're not the only one that doesn't use FB, I don't either, but I'm interesting in a ULBP group in the SE

add me to the list of folks who doesn't use Facebook. I am trying to go UL but it is slow going. Not sure I can keep up with the way Brad hikes.

"I may have to get on facebook."

Resist the urge!

""I may have to get on facebook."

"Resist the urge!"

Yeah. Post on "Ugly Mugs" instead.

Great call Bradford on starting this FB group.

Fairly new to the SE and actively backpacking weekends, be great to meet others down this way who know the lay of the land.

Jim

Count me in. I go out at least once a month throughout the entire year.

First off, thanks for signing up everyone. I have a question though, do you have the option to post events (trips) or do I have to do that? I want to make sure that everyone can post trips, pics, etc? Does it give you that option? It's on the left side under the picture on my screen.

For the non-facebook users, if there is enough interest, we could always start a meetup group. Meetup has some good features but it isn't free and I hate for anyone to have to pay anything to be a part of the group. Another option would be Yahoo Groups.

Since a meetup group does cost money you could have everyone pay a fee to join it. By doing this it becomes a private meetup group.

A Yahoo group would also work and might even be the best way to go esp for folks (like myself) who haven't given into the pressure to join Facebook

I'd love to get involved but I'm not a facebooker...my wife is and I could use her acct. if needed.

I don't have many hiking partners...especially who carry less than 50lbs...so I'd love to get together with some like-minded folks in the area...and there are so many nice spots around here within just a short drive. Firescald Knob, Max Patch, Linville Gorge, Big South Fork, Roan, Mt. Rogers, etc. Good stuff.

I am going to go ahead and join up as well. I am new to backpacking and UL so I may have to pick and choose when I can meet up with you guys. I might not be light/experienced enough for some of your longer hikes, but regardless, good to know there are some fellow SE backpackers.

Count me in as well.

OK, I need some help with Facebook so I can communicate w/you guys easily.

I actually joined Facebook awhile back, and upon the deluge of unwanted posts from "friends of friends" I quit. I didn't know (but my wife has since informed me) I could have set up filters,etc to only get posts from my specified friends. :)

So I'm gonna sign up again, but this time under a fake name so I can only stay in contact w/you guys, and not offend all the people who I "reject" as online friends. I'm not anti-social, I just wanna limit my computer time - they already have my email and phone#, so if they need me they can certainly reach me.

Do I need to do anything special when I set up this fake name so that you guys know me, or will it not matter once I go to the SEBPLG site and sign up?

Thanks!
Todd

Edited by funnymoney on 12/28/2009 12:40:27 MST.

I am by no means a facebook expert so some people might be able to tell you more, my only suggestion is to use "Todd" as your first name so at least we can get that part right. I have hiked with a guy from another forum a few times who went by "backpacker bryan" online, but neither his first or last names was Bryan but people assumed Bryan was his name anyways.

Edited by Mocs123 on 12/28/2009 15:05:10 MST.

Just saw your first hike, wow, I am inspired. That one trip is equivalent to like my last 4 trips in mileage. Hopefully, when I get some lighter gear and more experience I will be joining you.

I'm in. Thanks for setting this up!

No problem, thanks for signing up. Hopefully we will get some better backpacking weather here before too long.