I should be packing right now...
This seems to be the single thought that echoes in my head and the only words I mutter from my lips day after day these days...
But alas, I sit here on my couch and choose to write and stare at the empty cardboard boxes and piles of things that need to go in them. I leave for the Appalachian Trail in just under 3 weeks and I still have so much to do. And all the while I am trying to finish up my #1 winter goal which is to finish my winter NH 48 list. I am starting to wonder if I scheduled my start date too close to the official end of winter...perhaps I should have given myself some time to breath in between...
When I started this Blog, it was one of my intentions to post updates on what goes into preparing for a thru-hike on the Appalachian Trail. If you read my blog on somewhat of a regular basis you know I have yet to begin to discuss my AT preparations namely because writing about my weekly hikes takes up the little free time I have to write. So, I will put off packing up my apartment yet again to catch some of you up to speed. You're welcome.
Let's start with some frequent questions I get from people when they learn I am going to attempt a thru-hike:
This seems to be the single thought that echoes in my head and the only words I mutter from my lips day after day these days...
But alas, I sit here on my couch and choose to write and stare at the empty cardboard boxes and piles of things that need to go in them. I leave for the Appalachian Trail in just under 3 weeks and I still have so much to do. And all the while I am trying to finish up my #1 winter goal which is to finish my winter NH 48 list. I am starting to wonder if I scheduled my start date too close to the official end of winter...perhaps I should have given myself some time to breath in between...
When I started this Blog, it was one of my intentions to post updates on what goes into preparing for a thru-hike on the Appalachian Trail. If you read my blog on somewhat of a regular basis you know I have yet to begin to discuss my AT preparations namely because writing about my weekly hikes takes up the little free time I have to write. So, I will put off packing up my apartment yet again to catch some of you up to speed. You're welcome.
Let's start with some frequent questions I get from people when they learn I am going to attempt a thru-hike:
Who are you going with? You aren't going to go alone, are you?
Yes, I am going alone, with 2,000 other people. Seriously. There are roughly 2,000 other people who start in Georgia every year between February and May who attempt a thru-hike. I will in the midst of this huge hiker bubble and will find other people to hike with and camp with on a daily basis. If it was solidarity I was after I would start in Maine in July where only about 200 people start and attempt a thru-hike to Georgia.
Are you going to carry a gun?
No. If I felt the need to carry the gun for safety on the AT then I probably would not be hiking the AT. Pure and simple. The following is taken from the Appalachian Trail Conservancy's website in response to the question "Can I carry a gun?'
"ATC strongly discourages hikers from carrying firearms: Most experienced A.T. hikers consider them impractical and unnecessary, and encountering an armed stranger makes many people uncomfortable. To legally carry a firearm on the Trail, you must meet the permitting standards of the state and locality in which you are hiking. On national-park lands, discharging a firearm is illegal, even if you have a legal permit to carry it. Extra efforts may be required to secure weapons in towns to abide by local ordinances and private-property owners' rules. (Firearm rules vary by land ownership. The Trail crosses 14 states and more than 90 state, federal, or local agency lands, with each having its own rules and regulations; you are responsible for knowing and following those rules.) In areas of the Trail corridor where hunting is legal, hikers may see hunters carrying firearms. Hunters must abide by their own set of firearm rules, somewhat separate from firearm-carry rules but also varying by state and county."
"ATC strongly discourages hikers from carrying firearms: Most experienced A.T. hikers consider them impractical and unnecessary, and encountering an armed stranger makes many people uncomfortable. To legally carry a firearm on the Trail, you must meet the permitting standards of the state and locality in which you are hiking. On national-park lands, discharging a firearm is illegal, even if you have a legal permit to carry it. Extra efforts may be required to secure weapons in towns to abide by local ordinances and private-property owners' rules. (Firearm rules vary by land ownership. The Trail crosses 14 states and more than 90 state, federal, or local agency lands, with each having its own rules and regulations; you are responsible for knowing and following those rules.) In areas of the Trail corridor where hunting is legal, hikers may see hunters carrying firearms. Hunters must abide by their own set of firearm rules, somewhat separate from firearm-carry rules but also varying by state and county."
What about bears? Aren't you scared of them? Don't you want a gun for this reason?
Of course I am scared of them, but I am also scared when a leaf falls off a tree and lands on my shoulder unexpectedly (I startle easily). What most people don't realize is that there is a huge difference between Black Bears and Grizzly Bears. Black Bears, which are found all along the AT and various other parts of the country, are actually very timid animals. They are usually aware of our presence much before we are aware of theirs. They love our food and therefore will ravage packs and tents left unoccupied that smell like they may have food in them. I have actually never seen one while hiking before, I have only seen them on the side of the road and in or around dumpsters nosing for a snack. I wouldn't want to get between Mom and her cubs as that could definitely present a problem but otherwise I find no reason to fear them. Grizzlies on the other hand are aggressive and massive compared to their cousin the Black Bear. I would be terrified to encounter one but luckily I won't have to worry about that on the AT because they live much further west as well as north up into Canada and Alaska. And no, I still don't want to carry a gun.
How will you eat? Will you live off the land?
I will have a stove on which I will be able to boil water with and cook on. I will carry freeze-dried food, dehydrated food, and non-perishable dry goods like tortillas and nuts. I will resupply as needed, probably every 5 days or whatever is convenient depending on where I am. I don't think it would be possible to "live off the land" while on the AT. I know there are berries and wild onions but other than that I think it's slim pickins'. Remember; this is the AT not the Yukon. I am not getting dropped off by a helicopter in the middle of nowhere. I will almost always be close to a town and civilization.
What are you going to do when you finish?
I have no clue. And that is the beauty of it. One thing is for sure; I will have plenty of time to think about it.
So that's all I have for now (gotta get back to packing). There are a lot more questions that I get but these are the top ones I get by far. Feel free to comment or email me if you have a specific question (or questions) you would like answered. Don't feel silly asking! I had some weird questions before I started my research about the AT way back when. This is a learning process for everyone involved in my life. That is part of what makes this adventure so much fun :)