A Very Anticipated and Highly Expected Journey

Hello world!

Wow. Okay, cool this is actually happening. I guess I should tell you people who I am yeah? Yeah.

My name is Erica and I am very happy to say I will be hiking the AT NOBO in 2017! This is something I have been planning for a few years now, so to be less than a year away from my departure date is crazy to think about.

About me

I am 22 years old from New Hampshire, where I grew up hiking the Whites with my mom and brothers. As soon as my youngest brother could carry a pack (he was about 6 so I was 8ish) we were hiking anytime the weather would allow. As kids we had a love/hate relationship with hiking. It has definitely evolved to be all love for me since then. Hiking challenges me in numerous ways, such as physically and mentally pushing my body past its comfort zone to see what I can do. I have been an athlete for close to 11 years now, so I’m used to this. The other thing is, being in the woods alone makes me nervous. Don’t get me wrong, I love being out there, but in the past I have always had a buddy. Hiking the AT will help me to get more comfortable with this, knowing I can rely on myself for anything.

But alas, I still have one semester of school and a TON of hours to put in at work before I get there. I am about to enter my last semester of college, after which I will have a bachelor’s degree in health science. Once that’s done, I work my little butt off to save up the money to pay for this crazy adventure, and hopefully start walking in Georgia on April 5th. Hopefully? What am I talking about. I WILL start walking in Georgia on April 5th!

They were nice and let me walk at graduation early so I wouldn’t have to miss it while on the trail. Me and my family!

Stay tuned for a post explaining why I’m crazy enough to do this!