Q: Do you ever *gasp* slow *pant* down??
A: No.
Q:Why don't the hikes start earlier so they can end in the daylight?
A:We have flashlights and we know how to use them. Also, most of us are actually trying to keep our jobs.
Q: Are you also going to the meeting?
A: No.
Q:What's that peak over there?
A:Granite Mountain
Q:Have we done that one yet?
A:Next week.
Q:Oooh cool! It's Mount Rainier!
A:Week after next.
Q: Wow! look at the pretty red colors!
A: Stop and breathe for a moment.
Q: Why don't Russ or Mark C. ever show up?
A: They have a bunch of lame no-life co-workers who schedule meetings for this time on Thursdays. Bloody inconsiderate if you ask me.
Q: Is there a rating system for bushwhacking?
A: You bet! Although my personal favorite, which no longer appears to be in there, was "It was so thick my dog had to back up to bark!"
Q: About the name..... ?
A: Well, we just started as "Thursday Night After-Workers" but that's pretty lame as far as names go, and TNAW is a lousy acronym. I'm an aerospace engineer so I thought afterburners would be a cool name. In case you don't know, the afterburner is that part of a military jet which makes lots of noise and cool flames and is good for going up very very fast. Since my hiking pace has been described as anywhere between "brisk" and "insane" I thought afterburners might be appropriate. (although TNAB doesn't score many acronym points either, not even on a tripple word score).
Q: Who's in Charge? / Who's the Leader?
A: We have a rigorous heirachy modeled on the Anarchy Principle. Matt is considered the "organizer" since he picks next week's hike. Other than that, it's everyone for themselves! Hikes are not "led", we don't go as a group, we don't wait up, we don't slow down, but we do make sure everyone gets off the mountain before leaving the trailhead.
Q: How long are most hikes? What time do you get back?
A:Most hikes are on the order of 3000-4000 ft of elevation gain, and 6-9 miles round trip. In order to keep return times reasonable we have adopted a "2 hour turn around"
policy. People are expected to hike up for no more than 2 hours, take a break and then head down. Faster people will summit, slower people will not. This generally keeps the
hike to no more than 4 hours, which, since we usually actually start hiking at 6, puts us back at the trailhead at 10, and Eastgate at 10:30 - 11 depending on how far out the
drive.
Q: How do you know when it's time to turn back?
A: There's this whistling noise and your internal organs start lighting up in a pretty red color. Or maybe that's just the usual side-affects association with hiking in
afterburner :)
Q: Is this a Mountaineers Hike? Do I need to be a member of the Mountaineers?
A: NO. We are in no way related to the Mountaineers; so you can leave that silly little foam pad at home.
Q: How does transportation work? Do I need to pay the driver if I ride in a carpool?
A: We meet at eastgate and carpool up from there. We don't have any policy on paying for gas; the usual assumption is that people will alternate driving duties and it will even out after a few hikes.
Q: Where do you keep the hike descriptions and photos?
A: The main page
Q: Where and when do you meet?
A: Meeting times and location(s)
Q: What equipment do I need to bring with me?
A: Essential: sturdy hiking boots, water and a snack for the top.
A: Highly recommended: gators, bug repellent, wind breaker, long sleeve shirt.
A: Extras: Camera, FRS radio set to Channel 5, Code 5
Q: What the heck is a GeoCache?
A: We have placed several GeoCaches on our hikes, new ones are placed randomly, search on "Thursday Night Afterburners".