Hiking the Good Hike

     Our start date is drawing near. It will be here before we know it. We have only 35 days to finish our preparation for a 2186 mile hike. We are very close to finalizing our gear selection and we're working on taking care of things on the home front. Some of you may think it's crazy that we haven't finished planning, the rest of you likely know me.
     We tossed around the idea of a thru-hike for several months. During this time we read many books, blogs, trail journals, and whiteblaze threads. Some time following a backpacking trip at Grayson Highlands in Virginia, we decided this was something we both really wanted to do and began to seriously pursue this opportunity. We began sharing our plans with our families, friends, employers, and basically anyone who would listen. We began (and continue) researching, acquiring, and testing gear. We read more books, more blogs, and more whiteblaze threads.
     Many people ask how we are preparing physically for this trip. While thru-hiking is a very physically demanding task, the consensus is not a lot can be done to truly prepare your body. We have worked to maintain decent physical conditioning mostly through running, cycling, etc. Most of our physical preparation, however, will happen on the trail. Many people begin with big miles and quickly develop fatigue and overuse injuries that cause them to have to take time off or abandon the trail completely. We hope to avoid this by beginning with shorter mileage and allowing our bodies to slowly work up to our average mileage goal of 15ish miles per day.
     Perhaps the most important preparation for a thru-hike is mental and emotional. Zach Davis, a 2011 thru-hiker, authors a book arguing that the emotional and psychological challenges are what drive people off the trail. Appalachian Trials was an amazing resource for us. We both have read it and I plan to read it one more time before our departure. I highly recommend this book to any potential thru-hikers.
    Are we ready? I think a thru-hike is one of those things we're not going to feel completely prepared for even once we begin. We're getting more excited, anxious, and nervous by the day. We've done our homework, but the trail will undoubtedly throw unexpected challenges at us on a daily basis. We'll figure it out as we go.


Chris

     Welcome family, friends, acquaintances, or anyone who may have accidentally stumbled upon our blog. We have created this blog in an attempt to allow those who are interested to follow us as we thru-hike the Appalachian Trail. If you have spent much time with Cassandra or I in the last several months, you are likely somewhat familiar with the adventure we are planning. Otherwise, you may have some questions.
     What is the Appalachian Trail? Simply put, the Appalachian Trail is a 2100+ mile hiking trail through fourteen states in the Appalachian region of the eastern United States. The Appalachian Trail (or AT as it is commonly referred), extends from Springer Mountain in Georgia to Mt. Katahdin in Maine and is the granddaddy of long distance hiking trails. The trail is visited by thousands each year in the form of day hikers, section hikers, thru-hikers, and tourists. For more information than I care to type visit www.appalachiantrail.org or the AT wikipedia page.
     Why thru-hike the Appalachian Trail? I could answer this question with what I think would be a better question: Why not? Alright, I suppose there could be several reasonable excuses. Maybe it's a job you can't leave, health issues, or financial problems. Maybe you just don't like hiking, camping, or carrying a thirty pound backpack containing your food, shelter, clothing, and anything else you may or may not need multiple miles everyday for six months. Luckily for us, none of these apply. I have loved hiking as long as I can remember and have been a big fan of backpacking since my first trip in Shawnee State Forest. I'm not sure when or how I first learned of the AT, but I have been dreaming of a thru-hike ever since. For us, the time is right and we may never have this opportunity again.
     What will you do for food? This is one of our most asked questions. Unfortunately, we won't be living off the land foraging for food. We will be shopping in towns as we pass and usually carrying only a four to five day supply of food. The AT passes through or nearby towns every few days so resupply won't be a huge issue. In some areas we may benefit from mail drops for resupply, but this is something we are still looking into. We will mostly eat light weight foods requiring no cooking or that can be cooked with only hot water. Calorically dense (junk) foods will be a large part of our diet as we will be requiring many more calories than usual. We will eat "real food" in towns or as we have the opportunity.
     Where will you sleep? Most nights we will sleep in our tent, however the trail offers some other sleeping options. There are more than 250 shelters on the AT. These shelters are usually open, three-sided structures built near a water source. Shelters tend to be overcrowded in the peak of hiking season, thus tenting will be necessary. There are also many hotels and hostels thru-hikers utilize as they pass through trail towns.
     How long will it take? According the the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, a thru-hike takes between five and seven months with the average being just under six months. We're guessing it will take us around six months but that will depend on several factors. Our plan is not to finish our thru-hike as quickly as possible but rather to finish and to enjoy the experience. If it were about how quickly we can get to Katahdin we certainly wouldn't be walking.
     I hope this answers some questions you may have, though I'm sure there are many more. Our projected start date is March 4th and we hope to have the opportunity to update this blog every few days while on the trail. We hope you will choose to follow along with us on our journey.

Chris