Hobo_Hiker - Appalachian Trail Journal - 2017

Journal Entry

For quite some time I've entertained the idea of thru-hiking, among other long-trails, the A.T., but the timing never seemed to be right in my life to tackle such a lofty goal. With the temptation stronger than ever, I decided that instead of waiting for the timing to BE right, with the right amount of determination I could MAKE IT right.



I recently moved back to the Midwest after spending the last few years living in Duncannon, PA. Yes, the home of the "illustrious" Doyle Hotel! Having the A.T. in my backyard only made the desire to take-up the trail grow stronger. So, for the spring of 2017 I plan on thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail northbound from Springer Mountain, GA, to Mt. Katahdin, ME.



At the moment I'm in my pre-trip planning phase; researching and testing out gear I will eventually bring along with me, picking the brains of others who have attempted or completed thru-hikes themselves, and "planning" out my route, mail drops, etc.



I love the research aspect that goes into a trip like this! I've been running my gear list through the paces for about a year now, and have dialed it down to something I feel very comfortable with, but won't rule out any last minute tweaks.



I feel as though I've always been a strong walker/hiker with a good deal of backpacking experience under my belt, but I really wanted to test myself more mentally,emotionally, and physically than usual. So, I canceled my truck insurance and forced myself to rely entirely on my own two feet and the occasional human-powered vehicle to get me where I needed to go. I'm eight months in and feeling stronger than ever! Walking no-less-than 80 miles a week, a 30-35 mile day is very doable. When the weather warms-up and trail conditions improve, I plan on attempting 40 miles, not for bragging rights, but to prove it to myself that I can.

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