Stupid Crap I’m Going to Miss While Hiking the AT

There’s a lot of very real and reasonable things that I will miss during the time I attempt my thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail: my friends and family, the ability to reach them at any time, indoor plumbing and a job with health insurance, to name a few. There’s also a lot of dumb crap that I’ll be missing that most thru-hikers wouldn’t bat an eye at. This post is dedicated to that dumb crap.

The next season of Game of Thrones

Seven episodes of heart-stopping, jaw-dropping and tear inducing wonder. It will be a long time after the season ends before I’ll be a position to binge watch and I’m 100% certain something will be spoiled for me before them, largely because of the bad karma I’ve earned myself by frequently dropping book spoilers to my friends by accident.

Giants baseball

Now that the even year schtick is dead, the Giants could win the World Series any given season. I have no idea what the 2017 Giants might throw up, especially since the Giants somehow managed to be the best and worst team in baseball at various points in the 2016 season.

Vegetables

There’s a tiny part of my heart (and a larger part of my stomach) that’s excited that for six months I get to gorge on the junk I usually limit for myself, but I really do enjoy a good brussel sprout now and then. I’m having a hard time picturing myself living exclusively off vegetables of the dehydrated variety.

The last Kingkiller Chronicles book

I’ve waited anxiously for the last book in this trilogy for a REALLY long time now, and some (possibly optimistic) fans are throwing around a summer 2017 release date. The second book was roughly the size of the first three Harry Potter books combined, and if it comes out in August in hardcover and weighs six pounds I’m going to be SO. FREAKING. PISSED.

Running

I know that after a day of hiking 20 miles with a 30 pound pack, I won’t be jumping at any excess exercise. But running has been a part of my routine for so long now that it feels strange to me that it will be taking a backseat for awhile.

Maybe you read this and thought, “wow, if this is the kind of crap she’s dwelling on, she’s probably not going to make it very far.” That’s fair point and I also frequently had that thought while compiling this list. To compensate for this, I wrote a follow up list of stupid crap I expect to be excited about while hiking the AT that most thru-hikers probably won’t bat an eye at. Watch for that if you’d like the opportunity to cast further aspersions on my priorities.

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Comments 3

  • April : Nov 28th

    I love you Becky!!! I am so proud of you! :)))

    Reply
  • Leah : Nov 28th

    I LOVE THIS! I am hiking in March, I have already planned to watch GOT on my zeroes. You could try to get your book on audible and listen while you hike, or if you have a kindle or nook read it that way. I love to run and eat vegetables. It will be worth it! We got this girl!

    Reply
  • Olivia : Dec 1st

    Pack out vegetables. Its not the craziest thing in the world. They might be a bit heavier, yeah but your body is also more able to function (ie deal with weight) when you eat actual nutrients. I packed out fresh vegetables almost always and lived to tell the 2,000 mile tale. You will, though encounter frequent looks of envy.

    Reply

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