A Different Approach to Preparing

It has been awhile since I clocked in. I have been doing some traveling with trips to Shenandoah for a weekend, Tucson to visit my father, and Connecticut to visit my cousins. It has been a busy November to say the least, but with all these little trips I find that time is flying by. It is daunting realizing that March is three months away. That being said, I am more excited than ever. With cold air and snow flurries moving in, I know that hiking season is right around the corner.

I have been spending my time preparing myself a different way than I have before. I used to spend hours online reading forums from all types of people. Eventually, this opinion-based material lost its luster to me. I have slowly found myself filtering out what people say about what types of shoes I should wear, or whether or not I should carry iodine tablets over a filtration device just so I can shave .05 ounces in my pack. A person’s kit is unique to them, and there is no wrong way to hike. Just because ProHiker300 on White Blaze says if you carry this pack over that pack you won’t make it, doesn’t necessarily mean it’s true. Obviously there are do’s and don’ts that will help you achieve your final goal, but overall there are no rules to follow when it comes to what to carry.

What Am I Doing Now?

I have been taking a different approach to preparing for the Appalachian Trail. I have been mentally preparing by practicing meditation and clearing my head. It has been key when I get flustered with schoolwork and also good practice for when I’m actually hiking. Another way I have been preparing is spending as much time with friends and family. I will be gone for a significant amount of time, so I am trying to get as much time with the people I love the most. As my sister would say, “You are being so dramatic,” but I know in a few months time when it’s cold and I’ve been wet for ten days in a row that I will miss my family the most. As time ticks until March I will continue to surround myself with elements I believe I need to make it to Katahdin.

Here are some pictures of what I’ve been doing in November.

On top of Mount Kimball in Tucson.

Shenandoah.

Until next time, happy hiking!