Three Days to Go- Our Team is Ready for Launch

Living Our Dream

In just 3 days we will be stepping through the arch on the approach trail…OMG, it’s really going to happen!

As a boy, I had dreams of becoming an astronaut or an oceanographer. I wanted to explore, living my inner James T Kirk. Life had other plans for me and I ended up in a career which was much more fulfilling than I could have imagined. Now, Caboose and I are off on a journey filled with unknowns, not so unlike those “steely eyed missile men” who had the right stuff. I think even Jacques Cousteau would give me a wink and express his delight at the spirit of exploration which permeates the trail culture.

Sure, thousands of hikers have succeeded in this grand adventure already. But they didn’t hike “our” trail. The trail which is laid before us is the 2017 version. This year we will walk the same path as those who came before us. But, our adventures will be our own. We’ll fight with our own demons, and overcome challenges specific to our circumstances. And, we’ll all do it together…

Part of a Team

The gear is sorted out. The food is packed and ready to go. Our clothing choices have been made, and reconsidered a dozen times. The fickle weather year we’re having has been taken into account. Water sources have been studied for reliability. So many variables have been obsessed over.

But, most importantly, Caboose and I have a dedication to supporting each other in this quest. We are a team, and I’m damn lucky to have such an amazing teammate! We have discussed how we’ll overcome the desire to quit. We have created team rules which will force us to remain on the trail until the urge passes. You see, we’re not naive, we know there will be times in our journey when we are forced to sort through emotions and physical pain to find our inner grit.

The Bigger Picture

The team concept applies to everyone on the trail, and while the odds are we’ve never met any of you, you can be sure we’ll do what we can to help you succeed. In 3 days we get to start cementing lifelong friendships. Together, we all get to start building a team of smiling hikers who WILL stand atop the sign at Katahdin!

Let’s have each other’s back!

See you on the trail,

Engine & Caboose, GA>ME 2017