">
My favorite delusion!
Welcome to my AT blog
This is my first AT blog for TheTrek, or as I am calling it, ‘My favorite delusion’. I say delusional because TBH undertaking this adventure is really a leap of faith into the unknown, facing new challenges, places, people, dangers, old fears, with no guarantee of success. I’ve been thinking about and planning a thru-hike for years. Am I deluding myself that at 64ish I’m still capable enough as a hiker to make it? Dunno. But I don’t believe we thru-hike for assurances. If it turns into an epic fail LOL then maybe the ‘Misadventures of Steve’ is a better fit. Hopefully, it’s entertaining! So welcome!
Okay, so who am I?
Yeah, I’ve been asking myself that very same question. The short answer is; I’m Steve Monaco from New Jersey (USA), an aspiring Appalachian Trail 2021 NOBO thru-hiker. WooHoo! Since my retirement from the IT world, I have been reinventing myself thru travel, writing, painting, adventures in parenting, trying not to die, and more recently long walks. Time to hit the reset button, and aspire to live in a way that is worth living. March 2020 was an AT NOGO. So April 2021 (and Mt Katahdin) here I come!
My current (hopefully not delusional) plan?
I’ll be starting NOBO from Amicalola Falls State Park. But um let’s call that Plan B, as Plan A was that ill-fated 2020 NOGO. Yeah okay, so Covid19 got in the way. Even now there’s a possible Plan C (flip flop), and Plan D (Section NJ/NY awaiting ATC clearance), and even top-secret Plan E (okay okay there’s no secret Plan E…I was bluffing). My thru-hike is already teaching me these things – flexibility, patience, ATC adherence, how bad some of the freeze-dried meals taste, and that I’m part of a larger supportive thru-hiker community.
In subsequent posts for The Trek I’ll gear nerd out for you a bit, and also share my reasons for hiking, physical preps, and updates on my thru-hike plan/preps/and my favorite delusion.
So folks thanks, and please follow along with me at https://thetrek.co/author/steve-monaco as I undertake this epic, at least semi-delusional (mis)adventure. I’m also at IG @stevemonaco2 for additional photos.
Sorry in advance for all the typos…
-Steve
–
This website contains affiliate links, which means The Trek may receive a percentage of any product or service you purchase using the links in the articles or advertisements. The buyer pays the same price as they would otherwise, and your purchase helps to support The Trek's ongoing goal to serve you quality backpacking advice and information. Thanks for your support!
To learn more, please visit the About This Site page.
Comments 4
Steve,
Sounds good, young man. I’m looking forward to Plan C, celebrating my 72nd birthday on the AT NOBO in 2022.
Blessings,
Steve 2 / pearwood, another old geek
I look forward to following your adventures on your walk to Katahdin via Trek.
Met a guy on trail before the apocalypse he was doin the trail to celebrate his 75 birthday so get on trail and have a blast
Steve, Good luck with your hike! I did a NOBO AT thru-hike when I retired. Life changing! I strongly recommend it to anyone who can hobble! I’m planning a 20th thru-hike anniversary hike next year. I will follow your hike with great interest and a bit of jealousy. Enjoy every minute, even the hard parts!