1 List, 2 Lists, 3 Lists, For?

 

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  Taken with my new GoPro. Christmas rules so hard.

  It’s been far too long since I’ve written a post on this site, but now that school is over and my hike is set to start in just under 2 months, I figure now is a good time to catch up.  What better way to get back in the groove of writing than with some thrilling lists?

  Here it goes..

  I’m thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail because…

• I’ve wanted to for the last 3 (almost 4) years
• I love being in the woods
• I love the thrill of the unpredictable
• I want to get away from society
• I’m done with modern conveniences. Large cities, fast paces, superficial ideology, and just 21st century bullshit means nothing to me. I want to experience something of substance.

• I am fiercely in love with the environment, and fear that one day the Appalachian Trail that we know and love will be very different, so why not see it before it’s too late?
• Ecology is kickass (I’m looking at you Professor Klein  😀  )
• I lost myself a few years ago due to some pretty unhealthy life decisions, followed by some tragedy, and the decision to thru-hike gave me something to work towards
• My independence means everything to me
• I want to experience something so damn epic.
• I want my little sister to have an awesome role model and grow up knowing that girls can, and should, do whatever their heart desires, even if it means living in the woods. I want her to know that it’s perfectly okay (and damn cool) to go against society’s idea of how a woman should be. I want her to chase her dreams, no matter what.

When I successfully thru-hike the Appalachian Trail I will…

• Probably cry
• Have an immense amount of pride
• Have a beer (or two…)
• Start planning the next adventure (I already have one in mind)
• Go back to school
• Continue being active
• Figure out a darn good way to show all the videos/pictures I documented during my thru hike
• Pursue a job in the environmental science/ecology field
• Continue a life of awesomness!

If I give up on the Appalachian Trail I will…

• Be really disappointed in myself
• Not believe in my ability to accomplish other goals
• Feel embarrassed telling those I know about my failure
• Be pissed at myself and regret not finishing the trail
• Be upset that I took a semester off from school and worked my ass off to save the money all for nothing
• Always long for that sense of accomplishment and adventure
• Lack self-esteem
• Have to go back to the monotony of work and school sooner than planned

 

This trail means the world to me. I live along the AT and have spent a lot of time hiking it. For years I have longed for an adventure, a BIG adventure. I’ve longed for a “HOLY SHIT” kind of moment. Knowing that in just shy of 2 months, that “HOLY SHIT” moment is going to happen, makes my heart swell with complete and utter excitement.

With this, I think it’s important to let everyone reading this know that the idea also causes a ton of other feelings. It’s a holy shit moment, for sure. The idea of saying goodbye to my friends and family, and leaving at the end of February with my boyfriend, driving south, and then hiking my way North… a whole 2185 MILES?!?!?

My boyfriend recently gave me a massive map of the Appalachian Trail for Christmas. I took some time to look at it, to really see it for what it is, and it all sank in at that moment. I am so small compared to this ancient mountain range, and I’m going to walk the trail that stretches 2200 miles of it. It sure is crazy. Feeling this mix of emotions is good though. I consider it all part of the adventure.

Two months.