Everything's Ready- Just 6 Weeks To Go.

I can't believe it, but we finally have all of our gear bought...

My hiking poles are in the mail, and I'm going to order a simple knife and bandana from the ATC website today.  What a strange adventure it's been gathering all of our equipment!  Not as stressful as one might imagine- it was mostly fun.  And since we took our time in researching our gear, we fell in love with every bit of equipment we purchased.

I was lucky to be able to squeeze in a trip home to Ohio in between all the hustle and bustle of our final weeks here in South Carolina.  Stewart and I will be going to Ohio next week for a few days.  I can't tell you how excited I am to be able to see all my family before I leave for my six month hiking trip.  Rest assured that I'll post several wonderful family pictures as I know I'll be taking a lot during my visit. 

Aside from all that, Stewart and his dad are in the process of trying to find Stew a new vehicle.  They're searching high and low for a Jeep Wrangler, which is really exciting.  Stew's current truck is on it's last leg (wheel?) and so it will be great to have some reliable transportation for when we return from our trip and need to tow all our belongings cross-country.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the Jeep they looked at this week will be The One.

Everyone's asking us if we're getting "in shape" for our hike!  I'm assuming they mean physically, and to answer that I say "no"!  Hah!  Honestly, the first couple of weeks of our hike will be mostly to allow our bodies to adapt to our new way of life.  We definitely plan on doing 10 mile-or-under days during our first couple weeks.  We'll just get used to walking every day, setting up camp, and our new pace of life.  In fact, I would say that currently I'm doing the exact opposite of getting physically in shape:  on the advice of those who have done the trail or seen others walk the trail, I'm trying to pack on whatever weight I can in order to have some extra "fuel" to burn while I walk.  You see, hikers can burn up to 5,000-6,000 calories a day while hiking, depending on the terrain, and certainly are not able to replenish all those calories every day through food intake.  The result is hikers typically end up using/burning fat reserves (or, unfortunately, muscle).  Of course, that's a good thing for people who have a little extra fat.  Now, I'm not stick thin, but I certainly don't have too much junk-in-the-trunk... so I've been eating whatever I want whenever I want for the past couple of months, and loving it!  :)

Stewart and I have been thinking a lot about what we want to "accomplish" while on the trail.  No big goals, really, but little things we'd like to do or work on.  I suggested (after reading an online article on meditation) that we reserve 30 minutes to an hour everyday and practice silence.  Just sitting somewhere and not talking.  Not communicating.  Just observing and watching what's around us.  He seemed game to that idea.  In truth, I can't wait to get out on the trail and away from the noise bombardment I'm faced with daily.  I'm a person who enjoys my peace and quiet, and find I need it to be fully mentally healthy.  Nothing drives me crazier or gets me in a worse mood than having to listen incessantly to noises I would rather not be hearing, such as a neighbor's music, stereos blasting from passing cars, etc...  In fact, I'm going to relish in the absence of music this year.  Now, don't get me wrong, I'm certainly a music-lover, but I honestly think people (our society?) has a "music addiction" in that people always seem to be needing to be having some sort of music playing.  And most of the time, they're not even listening to it.  Not truly.  I don't want music to become a background noise for my life.  I want to select what I want to hear and appreciate it while I'm hearing it. 

Having said that, my favorite band has a new album coming out in May, and I hope that either Stew or I have an iPhone by then so that I'll be able to listen to some of it while I'm on the trail.  The band is Fleet Foxes, and it was their first album (and the EP released simultaneously) that originally inspired me to want to move to the Pacific NW.  Great stuff...

So I'll call it quits for today and return to cleaning up our little apartment in preparation for packing and moving.  We're almost done!

Places on the Trail I'm Eager to Visit (with EIGHT Weeks Remaining!!!)

Can you believe there are only eight weeks to go?  That's just four paychecks! 

Things are really speeding up around here: putting the finishing touches on our gear, packing up the house, looking around Portland for potential places to live/work for 2012.  It seems I have so much to do.  And all the while, the weeks whittle away...

Since last March, when Stew and I decided to really do this, I've been spending a lot of time just looking at pictures of the trail and learning as much as I could about the areas and towns it passed through.  I say learning "as much as I could", but that is not really correct.  You see, I don't want to know too much about the landscape and areas of the Appalachian Trail because I want it to still retain some surprise and mystery when I get on it.  But it is inevitable when reading about the Appalachian Trail to find out or become acquainted with certain areas across the 14 states it passes through.  So this week I thought I'd compile a list of some of the areas I'm most excited to get to/stay at/look upon on the AT. 

*Just a note: I own none of the pictures below and claim no rights to them.  They were obtained online, mostly at www.whiteblaze.net.*

1. Springer Mountain:  The Start

Well, of course I'm looking forward to this!  The summit of Springer Mountain is the start of the Appalachian Trail for those hikers walking north.  You see, many hikers (Stewart and I included) don't actually start at the "start", but instead choose to hike the approach trail on the first day up the mountain.  The approach trail will take us from Amicalola Lodge (where we will sleep the night before) up to the start of the AT.  The alternative to walking up the approach trial is to have someone drop you off on a nearby forest road on top of the mountain.  That just doesn't sound appealing to us, so we'll hike it instead.  




The AT plaque on top of Springer, and the first white blaze we'll see.

 


A couple of southbound hikers celebrate the completion of their hike
 with some champagne.  :)



2. Suches, GA: Family Tradition?
There's supposedly not much here in the way of a town, but my grandpa has been telling me that I need to camp here for a couple years.  He has camped there before, and said it was beautiful.  I wish Stew and I were going to be in this area in the summer, but hopefully the winter landscape won't disappoint.  We'll also probably get our first shower here after a couple days of hiking.  Yay!

3. Great Smokey Mountains National Park: Personal Tradition.
I've been to the Smokies something like three times in my life.  I've loved every visit.  It's always been in the winter (March), for some odd reason.  So it's something of a funny coincidence that this time will be no different.  We might even trek it into Gatlinburg just to take in the sights and smells.  And tastes.  :)  We are taking our time, you know...

4. Max Patch: Unlimited View.
After days and days of walking through forest, it will be nice come to Max Patch, a mountain with a natural bald.  Balds are bare patches on mountains where no trees grow, only grasses and shrubby plants.  No one really knows why they form, some say it was indians and early settlers who created them in order to hunt or give their animals some pasture.  Some think they just form naturally.  Photos of Max Patch are among my favorites of the trail... you have a beautiful rolling mountain top and unlimited views of the mountains around you.  I'm planning on camping here.  *For those of you who remember the news story from last summer of the young couple who got engaged on a mountain in NC and then the woman promptly getting struck by lightning- it was on Max Patch.*


I love this picture of dusk on Max Patch.



What a perfect end to a day of hiking.



Gorgeous! Of course, we'll be there in winter, so it won't look
exactly like this... but you get the point.

 5. Damascus, VA: A Beautiful Trail Town.
I stumbled upon Damascus by accident back in 2005 when I lived in North Carolina.  A friend and I drove through this beautiful down on a drizzly day and just decided to park the car and walk along a boardwalk that followed a clear mountain stream.  There were hemlocks all around, and everything was alive and green.  I've always wanted to return.  And now I am.  Damascus is also the sight of a very popular festival every year called Trail Days.  It attracts thousands of past, present, and wannabe hikers for several days.  Much merriment and hedonism abounds.  I don't know if Stew and I will be passing through at that time, so we probably won't be attending.  That's okay- I've seen pictures, and it's mostly just a bunch of hippies dancing around a bonfire while intoxicated.  :)  Besides a bonfire, there are other legitimate things that go on during Trail Days, such as a parade, and tents set up to repair gear, dish out food, and present various hiking lessons. 

Hiker parade at Trail Days.  Everyone gets out the squirt guns and water hoses.



6. Grayson Highlands: Ponies!

Who doesn't like ponies?  Wild ones? That eat out of your hand?! 



The ponies are so accustomed to people that they let hikers walk up and pet them. 



7. McAfee Knob: Scary Pictures.

In Virginia there is a beautiful lookout point where hikers traditionally take their picture.  Being afraid of heights, I am TERRIFIED of this... but figure I'll probably do it anyways.  ;)

See what I mean?  Ridiculous!

This one is cute.  I love hiking dogs.



!!! Why?!!!!



From a different perspective, it doesn't look as high.  But still....



8. Harpers Ferry: Midway.

Though not the actual midway point in terms of milage, Harpers Ferry has always been the symbolic "half-way" point for thru-hikers.  It is a town and National Historic Park, and the headquarters of the Appalachian Trail Conference is located here.  Thru-hikers stop in and have their picture taken and their name added to that year's registry.  When Stew and I get here, I'm going to become a member of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy.  A $25.00 membership fee is the least I can give back to the trail.

9. New York Skyline: Just Cool.

Believe it or not, but the trail passes very close to NYC.  So close, in fact, that on a nice clear day you can see the skyline, as is evidenced by this picture. 

A hiker looking towards the NYC skyline, which is just visible in the distance.  Makes the city
look really small, eh?

10. The White Mountains: Rugged landscape.

The White Mountains are home to some of the highest peaks on the trail, and from what I hear, the hiking gets hard again here. 

Miles and miles of trees. 

11. Mahoosuc Notch: The Hardest Mile on the AT.

In western Maine is a series of rocks and boulders through which the AT passes.  It's roughly a mile, and it generally takes up the better part of a day (if you make it through at all).  One mile in a day?  It's not for those who are claustrophobic.  Which I am.  :)  But for some reason I can't wait to test myself.

Look at the white blaze (arrow) showing hikers the way. 
How cute.  Generally, you have to hike this area with
your pack off and push it in front of you or drag it
behind.

A sweaty hiker... just dutifully following those blazes wherever they may lead.



12. The 100-Mile Wilderness: The Middle of Nowhere.
The name alone is enticing.  The stories of being in it are either exciting or scary.  Excitement + fear = adventure!  If you wander off the trail here and get lost, you're more than likely going to die alone.  But at least it will be beautiful.

13: Katahdin: The End.

Haha.... this is probably THE one place I'd be happiest to see.  Not because it means my hike is over, but because it means I went as far as I could go.  I saw it all.  Katahdin is claimed to be the hardest climb on the entire trail... and I think that is a fitting end to a 2,200-mile hike.

A couple of hikers take Katahdin's Knife Edge down after summiting.  Yikers.

Hikers taking the Knife Edge up.  This won't be how Stew
and I climb Katahdin, but we might try it on the way
down.  :)

What a beautiful final mountain.



Nine Weeks: The Finishing Touches

I woke up this morning to about four inches of snow on the ground.  This gave Stewart and I the perfect opportunity to test out some of our gear.  Sloshing through the snow and slush, I found that indeed my boots keep my feet toasty and dry!  Our clothes repelled moisture and dried quickly... we were quite warm in below freezing temperatures.

My packcover came in the mail this morning, as well.  I'm awaiting the arrival of some small dry bags (to store my phone, journal, and other important items in) and a set of three AT preparation books that I bought online last night from the official store of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy.  They're here if you'd like to take a look.  Really, the only gear I have left to purchase is a sports bra, food bag, knife, headlamp, and some insoles for my boots.  I can't believe everything else is purchased.

I did something very exciting today: I reserved a room at the Amicalola State Park lodge, which is located near the start of the Appalachian Trail.  We'll stay there the night before we begin our hike.  Our friends Windsor and Casey will tag along and stay at the lodge as well, waking up to breakfast with us and see us off on our long voyage.  Stewart and I are grateful for their company and it will bring us much comfort to have friends waving us goodbye as we trek up the trail leading up Springer Mountain and to the official southern terminus of the AT.  Having the reservations made today has sealed it in my brain: this thing is really happening! 

Last night I sat down and went through our Appalachian Trail guidebook, jotting down a tentative itinerary of the milage we'll do and shelters we'll stay at for the state of Georgia.  I figure that will give us some structure as we head out.  Sometime before we get to North Carolina, I'll sit down and do the same for that state.  State by state, we'll move along, setting reasonable goals and hopefully keeping a realistic scale of what we're doing and where we're going.  I don't want to be so focused on reaching Maine that I forget I'm in Virginia, or North Carolina, or wherever.  I never want to forget that the reason I'm doing this is NOT to reach the end (though that will hopefully be the final result) but to enjoy hiking a beautiful part of our country on my own terms, at my own speed.

So, I really feel as if I've tied up a lot of loose ends this week, as far as making the reservation, ordering most of the rest of my gear (the final items are going to be bought at a store here in town), and getting a feel for our Georgia timeline.  One important thing still needs to be done, however, and that is I need to send in our tent poles to get repaired, as the company representative told me it could take up to a month to fix.  We plan on mailing them out next Friday.  I know this is cutting it close... but it's better late than never, I guess.

First Post

Well hello at last!

This is my first entry to the blog, so I think I will start by giving the account of my own introduction to the AT. I had heard of the trail here and there in my younger years, but it wasn't until a very pretty lady, who I happened to be having a beer with at the time, brought it up that I really began to take an interest. Tara told me much about the trail and its connection to her family, and that one day she WOULD hike the AT. As I did some research and reading of my own, I realized how much of an amazing adventure this would be. I thought to myself "yeah, it would be cool to try and do this one day!" Hard to believe I am writing this now a little over 2 months from starting. I am extremely excited! Hate to keep my first entry so short but I must go now. I just want to echo Tara by saying Thank You! to everyone for your support and encouraging words. We really feel like everyone we care about is behind us on this adventure. More to come soon!

Ten Weeks Remaining: How Has The Trail Already Changed Me?

I'd like to start off today's entry by saying that two very important things have happened since I last posted:

Firstly, I turned in my letter of resignation at work.  Yep, it's official.  Luckily for me, my supervisors were very supportive of my hike, although they regretted seeing me go.  My official last day is March 5th, which is a Saturday.  This leaves me with about a week off to gather up any loose ends and put the finishing touches on our hiking plans before we set off on the trail on March 14th.  There are only 10 weeks between me and the trail.  Wow.  My life is going to be changing very drastically very shortly...



Me, with the 1976 Wagoneer that was my dream car.



Secondly, I finally sold my car!  I loved that Wagoneer, but the new owner is knowledgeable about fixing cars and has the time/money to do so.  In short, he'll give that old car everything I could not but wished I could.  So, it worked out perfectly for all parties involved.  This also means that Stew and I have some extra money to use for the trail... something we're very excited about.  It will make our experience that much more enjoyable to not have to worry (too much) about penny-pinching along the way.  Also, it wouldn't hurt to have some money left over to use for our move to Portland. 

A lot of people who hike the AT, whether they finish or not, feel like the trail has changed them in some ways.  Maybe they met someone along the way who became a friend or spouse.  Maybe they look differently at the environment, having spent six months living in the woods.  Or perhaps they now take better care of themselves physically, mentally, emotionally.  But I hear that more often than not- the trail changes you.  Now, I think I stated earlier that I'm not going for that reason.  I'm very happy in my life.  But the strangest thing has already happened to me and I have yet to set a foot on the trail: I can pinpoint the ways in which the Appalachian Trail, or (more accurately) preparing for the Appalachian Trail, has changed me a little! 

The thing that comes to mind first is: I now know what it means to save.  And, from that, I think I finally -for the first time in my life- understand the value of my money and have control over it.  To think, I've spent all these years as an adult, all this time working at various jobs, and am now only figuring this out.  I guess I'm glad it happened now.  You see, I have made major purchases before.  I bought my first car in 2004, but all I had to do was take out a loan.  Same with my trip to Mexico in 2002.  I took out a loan for that, too.  So I'm all well and good when it comes to taking out a loan for something expensive, and eventually paying that loan back.  But as for saving money for something expensive?  Actual money?  I had never done that.  And so last March, when Stewart and I decided that we were FOR REAL going to do this hike, I finally began saving.  I was tired of loans, tired of debt, and so I decided that it was going to stop.  I would save money for the hike, while paying off my existing debt, and I would live a life that accrued no more.  Debt drags you down and debt keeps you there.  And more than anything I didn't want to be held down in life anymore.  The Appalachian Trail hike was for me the initiation into the new life where I had control and freedom.  I decided that in the future, after the hike, I would not have to work two jobs ever again to pay off my credit cards, because I would not use my credit cards.  For the first time in my life, I realized how unnecessary shopping was.  Ha!  I didn't need a thing, not a single thing.  I think most of us could say that as well.  So how absurd it is that we keep buying. I found going to shops or stores or the mall and just LOOKING was actually possible, and just as "rewarding".  I realized that the $2.50 I used to spend everyday on a coffee at work was a luxury, and something that I couldn't actually afford.  And that word, "afford", finally became clear to me.  Did I have $2.50 to spend on a coffee?  Yes.  But that didn't mean I could afford it, based on the bills I was trying to pay back and the money I was saving to hike the trail. 

So from that, I began living a more minimal lifestyle.  In preparing for a hike, you see that all you really need to sustain you in life is shelter, clothing, and something to heat your food (if that).  So mentally, I began to see that those things were all I really needed in life.  I was never an anti-consumerist, and I wouldn't say that I really am now, but I do think I've removed myself from a "consuming" lifestyle.  And so I would say that's the second way I've been changed by preparing for the Appalachian Trail.  I am very interested in extending this minimalist lifestyle even further.   I think I could probably get rid of half my clothing (even though I've already done that this year).  I found this blog on minimalism and really enjoyed reading it. 



Showing off our (empty) packs.  No, I will

 NOT be hiking in a skirt, nor will Stew

be hiking with a drink in hand (though we may

want to...).



Finally, and I'll keep this one short since I sort of rambled on up there a little, I find myself enjoying the "simple" things because I know that I will soon not have them anymore.  By simple things I mean a bed, shower, microwave, etc.  I haven't taken a shower in the last few months without being thankful for it being there, or without putting myself in a hiker's frame of mind. How happy I'll be to have a shower just once a week in a few months! 

I will end this post by giving a hearty "Thank You!" to everyone who has commented or emailed about the blog and given us support for our upcoming hike.  Knowing that you all are keeping up with us online and are interested in our hike really provides motivation for me to keep writing.  And I'm sure that it will be an endless supply of motivation for us to keep HIKING once we finally get out there!  Whether you know it or not, you are already helping us just by letting us know that you care and or interested in what we're doing. 

Oh, and just let me add that Stewart will eventually be posting on here!  Expect his first entry to come sometime this weekend.  And, believe me, I'm as interested to hear what he has to say as the rest of you.  ;)

Goodbye for now.