The Big Questions

There are always questions when you tell people, who have known you your whole life, that you are about to do something crazy, like walking 2000 miles.

Why?

I’m not sure of the answer. Maybe it’s as simple as that my father asked me to. Maybe it’s because it feels like something I’m drawn to do. Maybe it’s because I want to try and do something incredibly difficult. Maybe it’s because I’m just dumb enough to think that I can.

When?

We are opening a window from March 1st to early April. I really don’t want to end up a frozen Sasquatch in the Smokies. I admittedly don’t know what I’m doing, so the weather will determine our starting date. I’m not above a few days in a Holiday Inn if Smokey the Bear decides to hibernate a little longer than expected this year.

How Long?

Hopefully before Mother Katahdin shuts her doors in October, but maybe it will take 20 years. Who knows? To be honest I’m in no hurry. I want to suck every second out of this journey. The only thing I can compare it to is lying in bed in grade school dreaming of that last day of school so summer break can begin. I now drift off each night dreaming of that last day of being trapped in life’s cage and being able to take that first step of countless others, in the footsteps of Grandma Gatewood. The first step of walking to find out. What I will find out? I don’t know, but I’m as excited as a giddy schoolboy to find out.

Where Will You Poop?

Hopefully anywhere but my pants.