Posts
Coping with the Countdown – The Frantic, Last-Minute Preparations for an Imminent Thru-Hike
The moment has finally arrived. After an entire year of preparation, two somewhat disastrous shakedowns -- and studying every book, article and blog I could find about thru-hiking -- I'm about to hit the trail. But instead of feeling confident and excited, I'm wracked with insecurities, second-guessing everything, dithering over last-minute decisions that suddenly seem monumental (and will probably fade into insignificance once I've actually begun to hike). Here's what I've been frantically up to as the Moment of Truth draws near:
Learning the Hard Way (Lessons from another not-so-successful shakedown hike)
Here in Maryland near South Mountain, we live in a little pocket of uncertain weather. Check half a dozen forecasts on any given day, and you'll get six wildly disparate results -- none of which usually come true. So when I checked the forecast for our second attempt at a shakedown hike, I was pleased to see that most of the reports concurred: the weather would be mild (in the 50's-60's), with a slight chance of a shower overnight. One outlier predicted heavy rain, 40 mph winds, and temperatures in the 30's, but I scoffed at that. Of course, I was wrong.
Not a Happy Camper (Lessons Learned from an Aborted Shakedown Hike)
We simply couldn't resist. The lure of this incredibly mild weather, combined with all the accounts we've been reading of people who have begun their thru-hikes, made us anxious to hit the trail. As a result, we decided to turn our two-night shakedown into the official start of our hike. Our plan was to go from Turner’s Gap in Maryland to the Ed Garvey shelter (11.2 miles) the first day, head down to the AT Conservancy office in Harper’s Ferry the next day to get our AT passports stamped, and then return to the same shelter that night (about 13 miles). On the third day, we’d hike the eleven miles back to our truck. After that, we'd take our time hiking through Maryland, front-loading a lot of zero days until we left in April for good. In short, it didn't go well.
In Praise of Junk Food
I’ve never been known for moderation. When something interests me, I tend to go off the deep end, flinging myself totally into the task. So it’s only natural that given my lifelong interest in nutrition and facing an upcoming AT thru-hike (a grueling, six-month long endurance event) I’d be spending my final weeks of preparation obsessing about food.
Torn between Excitement and Fear
With only a short time remaining before the start of my thru-hike, I can no longer ignore the truth. The endless months of fantasizing and dreaming have given way to the stark realization that I'm actually going to do this thing. SOON. In just a handful of weeks I'm going to be living in the woods, depending on my gear, supplies, and knowledge (or lack thereof) to survive. This hike is real. And I don't mind admitting that I'm scared.
The Shocking Moment of Truth — or a Desperate Plea for Packing Help
For the past eight months, ever since I decided to attempt an AT thru-hike, I’ve been accumulating hiking gear. Since I tend to be somewhat anal
The Sound of Cosmic Laughter
From what I’ve read, thru-hiking the Appalachian trail teaches us important lessons. There will be things we need to learn, aspects of our lives we
A Tale of Two Privies (Part 2)
My top contender for Best Privy on the A.T., Mid-Atlantic Region.
A Tale of Two Privies (Part I)
The runner-up for Best Privy on the A.T., Mid-Atlantic region.
Five Signs You’ve Descended into Thru-Hiking Madness
If anyone had told me a year ago that I’d post a picture of my bandaged foot on Facebook, I would have been aghast. The fact that I have done so now – and without even a flicker of embarrassment -- shows just how far I’ve veered into total obsession about my upcoming hike. Are you at equal risk of becoming unhinged? You might think you're still sane, but how can you really tell? Below I’ve listed some tell-tale warning signs: