| HOW DOES ONE ACCOMPLISH A THRU-HIKE? |
| One step at a time. Sounds simple, doesn't it? Actually, years of planning went into this. I read everything I could get my hands on, and I spent hours researching the Trail online. I read hikers' journals, Trail history, planning guides, and detailed Trail descriptions. I studied everyone's experiences and viewpoints, then picked out what I thought would work for me. There is no single right way to hike the Trail. Some hike fast, some slow. Some take time to see all the sights, some just want to cover the miles. Some insist on passing every white blaze, some skip sections. What matters is that each fulfills his or her own purpose for being out there. One of the thru-hikers' favorite refrains is "Hike your own hike." (That is second only, I believe, to "No pain, no rain, no Maine.") The personal guidelines I've set for my hike include finishing before the weather gets too nasty and before the money runs out. I don't want to go too slow, but I want to take the time to see the things and meet the people I've read so much about. I want to pass each white blaze, but I won't risk life and limb to do it. And I want to have fun. Most people begin their thru-hikes in Georgia and walk north with spring. Those who start in Maine must wait until June, and then they run into winter weather before they finish in the south (just because it's the south doesn't mean it's warm in the mountains!). They also have to contend with the rugged northeastern mountains early in their hike. I chose to start in Georgia because I want to walk with spring and because I want to get into trail shape before I tackle the White Mountains of New Hampshire. I will carry a tent, although it is possible to hike the entire Appalachian Trail without one. There are shelters along the Trail, spaced about a day's hike apart. Having my own tent will provide some privacy (many times the shelters can be packed full) and will allow more flexibility in choosing a home for the night. Of course, I can't carry six months' worth of food with me. At least once a week, the Trail passes close to, and sometimes directly through, a town. During town visits, I will pick up supply boxes that have been mailed to me at the post office and also buy some fresh foods at a local store. I'll be able to clean up, do laundry, and get a good, solid restaurant meal before hitting the Trail again. On the Trail, I will be eating mostly dehydrated meals. I've found that Hamburger Helper works well with some dried meat and vegetables tossed in. One of my favorite cold lunches is a bean burrito. In the morning I add water to dehydrated refried beans and salsa; by lunchtime it is ready to spread on a tortilla with some string cheese. There are many different types of backpacking stoves. Most require some type of gas in a canister, pumping to create pressure, and constant fiddling to keep them clean and working correctly. Not only that, they are noisy because they burn under pressure. I will be using a stove that I made out of pop cans. It burns denatured alcohol and has no moving parts so the fiddle factor is quite low. And since the alcohol is not under pressure, it is absolutely silent. While we would all like to think that the water from woodland streams is pure, that is not always the case. It may contain giardia or other tiny organisms that could make us sick. Unfortunately, we can't tell if the water is safe or not just by looking, so we must either filter it, boil it, or treat it with chemicals. I will be using a water bottle with a built-in filter. In case the filter clogs, I will also carry an iodine water treatment. A very important part of an Appalachian Trail hike is the support of family and friends. This adventure would certainly not be possible without the help of my "support crew." My sister, Barb, and her daughter Emily will drive me to Georgia and see me off. Barb will also mail my supply boxes to me, transcribe my trip reports, and maintain this website. My parents, Thurman and Lois, are supplying film and worrying about me. My daughter Traci will hold down the fort, making sure the bills get paid and the cats get fed. I have friends who will help keep up the yard work and friends who will meet me along the way to help keep my spirits up. My church family will be praying for me. And my family will pick me up in Maine to bring me home. |
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| I have learned this at least by my experiment: that if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours. -- Henry David Thoreau |