">
An Unexpected Journey
Who is “The Hobbit”?
Hey there! My name is Tyler, aka “The Hobbit.” I am a 5’3, 27-year-old Land Surveyor with a passion for photography, music, and a general love of adventuring outdoors.
Tomorrow marks an epochal day for me. My two-week notice is up at work, and for the first time in my adult life I do not have a new job lined up, and I am not marred by the anxiety of financial instability. I do not hate my job, and in fact my boss and all my co-workers have been extremely supportive of my journey, but a series of events in my life coupled with the monotony of the everyday grind has made me crave an escape from the cycle of everyday stresses. On top of this, I have had a fear of taking chances to progress my future, and as a way of coping with this anxiety, I have become increasingly risk averse, and subsequently depressed.
As a way to take back control of my life and find that spark that I know still exists within me, I have spent the past year planning my thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail. This idea to tackle the AT stirred up in me after watching the film adaptation of Jon Krakauer’s ‘Into the Wild’. Whilst understandably being a tragedy, I found myself drawn to Christopher McCandless’ dromomania and felt a sense of longing to satiate my own wanderlust. This epiphany drove me down a rabbit hole of research on gear and thru-hiking, which inevitably led me to the Appalachian Trail. Now, here I am, just one week before starting my odyssey, feeling somewhat nervous and excited to tackle whatever the next 2,200 miles throws at me.
My Support System and Their Importance
It will be hard to say goodbye to family and friends, but it makes it easier knowing that I have such an amazing support system back home. At the core of my drive, they are what keeps me motivated the most to reach the top of Mt. Katahdin and I am forever grateful for everything they have done to help me prepare for this journey. To everyone reading this entry thank you for your support; writing this blog is a creative outlet that will give me an excuse to stay on the trail and allow me to express myself in a different way than I am used to.
In Conclusion
Like David ‘AWOL’ Miller said, “Our vision becomes so narrow that risk is trying a new brand of cereal, and adventure is watching a new sitcom.” So tomorrow I will work my last day, clock out, and clock into a great new unknown full of adventures and new experiences. I am a hobbit off on an unexpected journey. See you out there!
This website contains affiliate links, which means The Trek may receive a percentage of any product or service you purchase using the links in the articles or advertisements. The buyer pays the same price as they would otherwise, and your purchase helps to support The Trek's ongoing goal to serve you quality backpacking advice and information. Thanks for your support!
To learn more, please visit the About This Site page.
Comments 6
Looking forward to reading about your journey! Safe travels and always remember to check your backsight.
Thank you, and 10-4!
Hobbit, it’s going to be interesting to see, hear your trek. Have you done long distances before? Good luck and pace yourself! 🍀
This is my first long distance hike. Last time I was close to this I belive it was only 2 or 3 weeks hiking in the North Carolina mountains back in middle school. Thank you for the support, and I’ll do my best to pace myself.
In wish you well on your journey. I’m a second generation Land Surveyor and that wander lust is what wakes me each morning before my alarm goes off. My son and I walked a small portion of the AT with some friends about 12 years ago. That was some tough hiking for an old flatlander like me! Be safe and go with God. Remember to pack a hammer, stake and flagging so you can always find your way out when you get lost.
Stacy Carroll, PLS
Thank you! My dad and brother are both surveyors as well, so it’s really cool hearing from others in the field! I actually had a roll of flagging in my pack and decided not to carry it. 😂