I’m So Excited!

And nervous. And giddy. And terrified. And thrilled. And anxious. And happy. And worried. And exhilarated. And ecstatic. And antsy. And humble. And confident. And overwhelmed. And determined. And optimistic. And ready.

I start hiking this week!!! I can’t believe it is already here. I have been planning and preparing for months. It all started with a book less than a year ago. And then came discussing it with my family. And saving. And planning. And saving. And training. And saving. And preparing. And saving. And testing gear. And saving. This hike has been a long time coming.

I am so ready for this. I like my mantra for this hike. The possibilities are endless. I am looking forward to all of the experiences. I am ready to be present every day. Although I have a route and timeline planned, I know that so many variables exist for this hike, that anything can change – and probably will. I’m okay with that. I am up for the challenge. I am ready to go.

 

Getting to the start.

My husband dropped me off at our daughter’s house earlier this week. She and my grandson dropped me off at the airport. I flew to Tucson a few days ago and then took a bus to Lordsburg.

So many times on the journey to get here I had to contain my exuberance. I felt like my dog when we are getting ready to hike. He knows what is about to happen when I get my backpack ready. He starts whining and jumping all over the place and can’t contain himself. That’s me. Also, if you remember from my AT posts, I am Agnes. ‘Nuff said.

As excited and exuberant as I am, I am also nervous. I am concerned about resupply and water. I am worried about hiking too quickly out of the gate and getting an overuse injury. I know I’ve been building mileage, but still.

My pack felt pretty light when I slung it on my back after I got it from the baggage carrousel at the airport. Now that I’ve added my food and water, it is quite a bit heavier, though. So that worries me, too.  Don’t ask me how heavy it is. I don’t weigh it after I add food and water. I have what I need, so I have to carry it, no matter what it weighs.

I get the shuttle to the border in the next few days and start hiking. It is an early start with the shuttle leaving just after 6:00 a.m. Good thing I’m still on east coast time. I’ve been going to bed and getting up early every day since I landed in Tucson.

 

This hike is loading…..

And now it is a waiting game. I took a long walk along the trail this morning just to stretch my legs and get a feel for the trail. It was a beautiful walk in the desert, and I enjoyed taking my time to get some pictures and use the Seek app to identify some cacti and flowers that were new to me. I know I will have to make tracks when I start my hike so that I can get to my resupply points in quick time, so I don’t plan to dawdle like I did on the AT. Fewer pictures, more walking will be the name of the game.

From what I’ve read on several surveys, the average pace is 21 miles/day. Compared to my AT pace, this is really fast. The first weeks I will be covering >15 miles/day. Then I ramp up to >20 mile days and stay there for the duration of the hike. Cost is also a concerning factor this time because lodging is more expensive on this trail than the AT. I may need to stay longer at some places waiting for wildfires or snowpack. I’m also open to road walks or flipping to avoid some of those hazards if it is a choice between staying in a motel for more than a few days. Who knows what the trail will bring. I planned, but I am prepared to change anything or everything!

Adventure awaits and I’m here for it!