| PREPARATIONS |
| "Be prepared - then let go of expectations." Joan Marler |
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| I figure this is my one and only chance to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail, so I've done everything I could think of to make the hike a success. I did lots of reading, both books and online. The internet has been an invaluable resource for me. Besides visiting websites pertaining to backpacking, I subscribed to BackpackingLight, an online mailing list. List members discuss trips, techniques, and gear. The gear comparisons were especially helpful in choosing lightweight, affordable gear. Speaking of gear, I had to buy or make everything for this trip. I didn't own a single piece of backpacking equipment because I'd never been backpacking before I started planning this hike. I estimate that I've spent about $1000 on gear, clothing, and guide books over the past couple of years. (For the chronically bored: my gear list.) Money was another issue to tackle. Besides the gear, there was food to prepare ahead of time. I can't begin to estimate how much I've spent on that. The hike itself will cost between $2000 and $3000. That covers things like postage, laundry, groceries, and the occasional restaurant meal and motel room along the way. There will still be bills to pay at home while I'm gone. On top of that, I've quit my job to free up the six months it will take to complete the hike. Lest anyone think I'm Ms. Moneybags, let me clarify how I've made this possible. Anyone who knows me knows that I haven't had a very exciting life for quite some time. I don't shop or see movies or eat out. I don't even drive my car unless I absolutely have to. Any money I didn't need for bare minimum living expenses and for college went into savings. I'm sure many people thought I was a dull stick-in-the-mud, but hey - they're still working and I'm out living my dream adventure. The other thing I needed in preparation for this hike was experience. As I mentioned, I'd never been backpacking before. My first foray, in 1999, was a solo one-nighter on the AT in Virginia. Talk about intimidated! During the drive down, parking the car, getting the gear out - right up until I had the pack on my back - I was looking for excuses, trying to talk myself out of doing it. But I did it, and it was awesome. Somehow I think I picked the most beautiful spot in the country for my introduction to backpacking, and just knowing that I was on the AT was a rush. In July 2000 I did another solo trip, this time for two nights in Arkansas. I did not enjoy that trip. It was extremely hot and humid, I was crawling with ticks, and it wasn't even very pretty. My last shake-down hike was Labor Day 2000, when my sister and I took part in Hands Across the Trail. We hiked a section of the Appalachian Trail in southwest Virginia, spending three nights on the trail. Yes, it rained every day, but at least one of us loved it. And I think the other one would have to admit to some fond memories, too.. I haven't had much opportunity to prepare physically. I use rubbing alcohol on my feet every day to toughen them up. I gained ten pounds this winter so I would be starting with a reserve of body fat (the holidays were great fun with no restrictions on my food intake, but I am not comfortable with this extra weight). I wear a weighted book-bag most of the day at work. In the evening, I put on my backpack and climb the stairs. I will have two weeks of day-hiking with a full pack in a local park before I leave. Other than that, I will just start my hike out slow and easy and condition as I go. My last act of preparation: I will get my hair cut very short. So with 2 1/2 weeks until step-off, here I sit in my "hike room." It is full of gear, supply boxes, guide books, maps, calendars, lists, and lists of lists. The years of preparation are winding down. I've spent countless hours planning meals, dehydrating foods, and packaging foods. I've slept on my deck in the middle of winter to test my sleeping gear. I've gone through the guide books mile by mile to estimate where I might be each day. I've constructed my tentative itinerary three different times. And once I get out on the Trail, every bit of this planning is subject to change. I'll have to accept what the Trail presents to me and be adaptable. |
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