T-Minus 1 Day: Pre-Hike Panic

Hey world! As we speak, this NJ native is flying the opposite direction of those pesky Canadian geese. I will, however, be turning around to follow those geese (much more slowly) when I land at a little park called Amicalola Falls. In other words, this jersey girl is attempting to join the class of 2023 AT thru-hikers! Let’s see how this goes…

Luckily, at this early point in the trip, I have yet to develop the famed ‘hiker-stench’ and was able to hitch a ride with my father, who’s headed south on business. Man alive, seeing the sites from afar on I-81S is a bit nerve wracking! (Dad pointing to the scenery saying ‘wow that’s a big hill, you ready to climb that?’ doesn’t work wonders on my ego either… so I mentally question for the umpteenth time what I can shed from my pack.) As this crazy hiking dream becomes more real by the minute, my mind swings like a pendulum through emotions. On one end, life flashes before my eyes while on the other end, giddy excitement fuels visions of what’s to come.

Fun fact – this is not my first rodeo regarding self-propelled cross-country trips, albeit my first on foot. I’ll be celebrating the 10-yr anniversary of cycling from Baltimore to Seattle while on the trail!

Over the next few months, I invite you to follow along on this adventure as I shift gears in learning both to slow down and to enjoy dancing in the rain (which I hear happens a lot, the rain, I mean). This blog will serve to memorialize my early blunders, spread the joy of leaving no trace, build camaraderie with fellow hikers, and sing high praises of our saints the trail angels!

Cheers!

E

P.S. Please enjoy this photo from my bike trip Sheer joy in reaching the beach (followed by a sudden bafflement that Seattle was actually further inland).