Mod's note: This is as much to most folks here as it is to Traceur.

I'm kind of torn on this one. I suspect we won't see the OP back on TLB. This is, IMO, the generally best behaved site for backpacking on the 'net (with the possible exception of the -IMO- overly-moderated Practical Backpacking). So I fear he may lose out on the opportunity to earn some very good information on backpacking. His posts consist of a couple of MYOG questions, including how to make one's own sleeping bag, and the four in this thread. I'm sure he could use more good info, but will likely wander to other sites where this process will probably repeat itself.

On the other hand, a new backpacker comes here, asking newbie questions, then when asked about qualifications, gives many. It sounds like a young man who has been belittled on other sites, who is now feeling defensive and offering information to alleviate the "look at the newbie" posts he got elsewhere. Even if the posts here weren't aimed to belittle, I suspect he took them this way, based on past experience.

I don't think the OP was trolling. I work with young folks every day whose exuberance for life exceeds their abilities. When they fail, we think, "Well of course". When they succeed, we marvel, but that's sort of how Powell made it down the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon, when he should have died.

As for a newbie hiking 133 miles, potential AT thru-hikers show up (in surprisingly large numbers) to hike the full AT solo with NO previous backpacking experience. And a goodly number of them make it all the way to Katahdin. With my now-fiancee, we took one overnighter in 2005 before I took her out for a 60-mile, 6-day hike of the North-South Trail at Land Between the Lakes. She loved it. My biggest concern is the apparent lack of a solid trail in the corridor mentioned. Even with an experience partner, a mix of off-trail or road-walks can kill a hiker's enthusiasm quickly. This would be my biggest concern.

But what is the worst that can happen? OK, he could die of hypothermia or dehydration or get hit by a car during a road-walk. But the same can be said for going to the grocery store. We can die in a flaming car wreck. What is LIKELY to happen? The trip may not go well and the two end it early. Or perhaps Traceur will love it and want to do more in spite of roadwalks. Hard to say. It sounds like he is quite fit at least.

But, let's face it. No matter how fast or slow we hike, no matter how far we go, no matter how much we carry (or how little), it's just walking.............

I understand why our long-time members express doubt. The long hike for a new hiker sounds a bit odd. But then, so does wandering around in the woods or mountains or desert or snow when we've got a comfortable home and bed we could be in.

Like I said, I'm torn. Some of Traceur's comment raise lots of red flags. Traceur may seem overly sensitive to us, but it also sounds like he's been beaten up on other sites. I hope he'll come back so he can see what a great community we really have here.