Why I’m hiking the AT in 2025

Seeing the start date (later this month!) on my calendar made me take another look at my “why’s”.

Everyone starts (and finishes) the trail at their own place, their own time, and for their own combination of reasons. Knowing why I’m choosing to do this crazy thing, and why I’m choosing to do it at this particular time, will help me keep going when the inevitable hard days or even weeks come.  Books like Appalachian Trials and Pushing North emphasized this to me when I read them in 2023 (some of my notes from then are below). So… here goes…

Why do I want to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail?

First- to embrace and feed the spark of joy and anticipation that I felt when the idea first popped into my head a few years ago. That spark hasn’t dimmed; it has become a burning ember that throws off more heat, more joy, the closer my start date gets.

Second-  to rebuild my self-confidence, and see what I’m capable of at this (hopefully) halfway point in my life.

Third-  to be more deeply connected with the natural world and its rhythms, and be able to more fully appreciate God’s creation.  I want to immerse myself in it – wandering and wondering, watching sunrises and sunsets and wild creatures, feeling the cold or heat or rain on my skin, smelling the flowers as they bloom, hearing the myriad of different bird songs, and knowing that I, too, am a part of this amazing natural world.

Lastly- I want to show others as well as myself that it’s never too late. Never too late to do or learn something new, to change your circumstances or your mindset, or to go on an adventure. 

Why do I want to do this hike NOW?

I’ll be hiking the AT in 2025 simply because I have the time, the opportunity and the motivation to do so. 

I have these 3 things – time, opportunity, and motivation – because of significant changes in my life over the last few years. I don’t own a home or even a car. I am not tethered to the responsibility of managing a farm anymore. I have “retired” from an amazing, rewarding 28 years of educating my kids at home. My kids are now grown and have lives of their own, and although I will be getting off trail a few times this year for some greatly anticipated and joyous events ( yep, grandkids!) I don’t need to be *here* all the time. 

I don’t know how I’ll feel about long distance hiking once I’ve completed this journey.

I hope to make it all 2,200 or so miles. I may never try such a thing again ( although… the Colorado trail seems interesting… and there’s the Summit to Sea… oh and I think there’s a trail in Scotland I read about one time…). I hope, though, that I will keep noticing “sparks” and going on adventures of all kinds. 

I’m glad I can share this one with you!