Top Ten Things I am Excited About for My Thru-hike

 

10. Drawing and writing more than I have in the past few years.

Once upon a time I wrote and drew all the time, and then somehow life took over and I stopped doing both. I know, never heard that one before. BUT, here I am! Writing. And drawing. I don’t particularly consider myself a writer or an artist, so thank you for bearing with me!

 

9. All nature, all the time.

OK, it’s the obvious one, but hear me out– As a bonafide Brooklynite, I currently have to commute over an hour to nature. An hour! It’s gotten so bad that at this point, you can pretty much say the name of a trail head in NY or NJ, and chances are I’ve been there, know what public transport will get you there, and when it leaves in the morning.

 

8. I will eat everything.

 

I know that most of the time, I’ll be eating the standard ramen-tortilla-peanut-butter hiker fare, BUT let me tell you, on days when I’m hiking to town, it’ll always be a burger hike. Also, I already have a weirdly sizable appetite for a non-thru-hiker, so come half-gallon challenge? Bring it. I’ll hike with a belly full of cream any day.

 

7. Critters.

Yeah, I know people say the trail is like Groundhog Day, except instead of groundhogs nature will be serving up squirrels, mice, and deer. But the forest is full of amazing (and frankly ridiculous looking) critters, and I can’t wait to gawk at all of them. Maybe I’ll even see a bear! Or a moose! or a glawackus!

6. Have I met Baltimore Jack? Nope, but maybe now I will.

This really goes for any of the legendary trail folk, including Bob Peoples, Miss Janet…. the list goes on. But regardless, I hope I’ll at least run into the man. The mystery. Baltimore Jack.

 

5. Meeting Pox and Puss!

I wouldn’t say I’m a rabid fan per-se, (and you won’t find me clinging to the leg of an unfortunate thru-hiker anytime soon) but it’d be pretty awesome to hang out with Pox and Puss at Trail Days. Pox said he’s saving me a dance at the 2015 Thru-hiker Prom, and damn if I’m not a sucker for men who can dance. Which is to say I will step on his feet. A lot.

 

4. Hiker Superpowers.

There are certain superpowers I’ve heard that thru-hikers acquire over time. Aside from growing buff trail legs, I’m looking forward to being able to smell a day hiker from a mile away, and gain some serious hiker stank. As someone who hails from the metropolitan haven of New York City, getting people to keep their distance is pretty righteous.

 

3. Getting a sweat-certified trail name.

I go by Frozen Mac right now, derived from an unfortunate Mac and Cheese freezing incident, but I’m really looking forward to getting named out on the AT. Who knows, maybe I’ll be doing some naming of my own – I’m already inordinately proud of the fact that I named three of my friends (shout out to My Way, Wikipedia, and Sticky Fingers!) But, you know, if you don’t feel up to the task, I’ll probably have to go with something super original. Like maybe Strider.

 

2.  Meeting other hikers and making new friends.

Hikers are a really fun group of people, and I’m looking forward to making new friends. I’m a shy one, though, so go easy on me, ok?

 

1. Maybe, just maybe, making it all the way to Katahdin.

I made this list because I have a tendency to get sentimental and super serious about things.  All jokes aside, I’ve been in a mode of ecstacy-panic-joy since I committed to hiking, and am trying real hard to keep it real, i.e. together. I’m at that wonderful stage of planning where I agonize over my tent choice at 2am on a Wednesday.

At the end of the day, though, I’m really humbled and excited to have this opportunity, and am gonna use everything I have in me to get to Maine. See you out there Class of 2015!