Appalachian Beginnings

Disclaimer: Pretty pictures will start next week. The week is just lead up.

Intent (aka Character Motivation)

I enjoy adventure and change. It's a large part of why I worked as a physics teacher for 9 months: for the experience. After that exhausting and draining experience, I wanted something more relaxing and enjoyable (warning: I have non-conventional standards of both). Around October, I started seriously considering going on a long backpacking trip. Unfortunately, almost all the >1000 mile trips need to be started in March, but I'd still be working then. A couple hours of googling later, I discovered the Appalachian Trail could be hiked from North to South, and then the starting time would be in June (after my teaching stint was over)

Introduction (aka Background)

Once I'd decided to hike the AT, I now needed to figure out a bunch of stuff, like, where would I sleep? How would I eat and drink? Do I need a backpack? That led to a series of Internet searches and reading about other people's AT hikes (if you're considering your own, I recommend reading several other people's experiences (trailjournals.com has many excellent entries - I'm just writing mine here because I'm weird and already had a blog for this sort of thing). I read Wild, about a woman solo hiking the PCT, and talked with my backpacking friends about preparations.

I started a hiking group in AZ, mostly comprising of Travis, and we'd go on long day hikes (10-20 miles) up mountains with me wearing a 20-35 lb pack to prepare and have fun. I went on a couple backpacking trips of my own (see previous entry), and I convinced two friends to hike the AT with me. Unfortunately, they each eventually decoded that walking 2184 miles for no reason, quiting their jobs, and turning down grad schools wasn't for them. Silly responsibilities. However, during that time, I had started making myself excited about the trail, and wound up deciding I'd go on it on my own, even if they dropped out. So, here I am, at the Sheridan Inn near the Bangor Airport, about to start walking into the 100 mile wilderness (the northern start to the AT).

To make things more interesting, my roommate Kyle is getting married this summer, and I want to go to his wedding (don't worry: he invited me, I'm not crashing anything). The problem is he's getting married this summer, while I'm on the AT. Fortunately, this is a problem airplanes can solve (though not quite as easily as you may think - more on that later)

Inventory (aka Gear)

Solo thru hiking the AT requires a reasonable amount of gear. The important things are shelter, food, water, light, clothing, footwear, map & guide & compass, and a positive outlook. Specifically, I'm bringing:

• Hammock
• Hammock straps
• Hammock bug net
• Hammock tarp
• Sleeping pad
• Sleeping bag
• Hiking boots
• Rainbow flip flops
• Synthetic underwear
• Synthetic hiking pants
• Synthetic longsleeve hiking shirt
• Synthetic shortsleeve hiking shirt
• Synthetic gym shorts
• Synthetic glove liners
• Windbreaker/rain jacket
• Warm jacket
• Rain pants
• 2 pairs of wool socks
• 2 pairs of synthetic liners
• Knife
• Safety whistle
• Compass
• Map
• AT guidebook
• Bible
• Kindle
• Sawyer water filter
• Water purification tablets
• 2 1.5 liter Nalgene
• 1 0.5 liter plastic water bottle
• Toothbrush
• Toothpaste
• Wallet
• Phone
• Phone/kindle charger
• Pot
• Stove
• Propane
• Lighter
• Matches
• Glasses case
• Pen
• Moleskin journal
• First aid kit
• Rope
• Zip lock bags
• Headlamp
• Spare AAA batteries
• Sporknife
• Bandana
• Buff
• Toenail clippers
• 22 lbs of food
• Compression dry bag / bear bag for food
• Toilet paper

Technically, at the moment I don't have Propane or lighter fluid (because planes), and I hope to buy biodegradable soap, and a smaller toothpaste bottle tomorrow.

My possessions for a month

Total pack weight without food or water: 23 lbs
Total starting pack weight: 50 lbs

Interlude (aka Adventure!)

This morning, I set out, said my fairwells to me parents, entered LAX airport, and promptly realized my plane tickets were for next Friday. Oops. So, I updated my tickets to today, but it took enough time I missed the bus and shuttle in Bangor, so will start a day later. This isn't too bad, as it gives me time to shop and relax tomorrow, and write this tonight :). It was a rather expensive mistake to make though: double check your flights kids. There was a mild kerfuffle on my first 5 hour flight when the woman sitting next to me began swearing at the man in front of her (he leaned his seat back ~1/2 an inch), but I pretended to be / was asleep until the flight attendants moved her, so it all worked out.

Itinerary (aka Planning)

Finally, I spent a good half hour at least on the flight planning out my next month. Normally, I'd just try to make sure I had enough food for the next section and wing it most days, but since I want to go to Kyle's wedding, I need to make it to Hanover, 442.1 miles down the trail (where I can take a train to an airport) withing 32 days. This means I need to make significant time, which will be a bit of a challenge, but should be doable (I think). Regardless, the first section I'll be hiking is the 100 mile wilderness, where I'm bringing 10 days of food, but hoping to finish the hike in 6.5 days. That's why I'm carrying 22 lbs of food, where normally I won't have more than 12. This means my total pack weight right now is 50 lbs (with water and food), but that is by far the most it should weigh the whole trip. It should be closer to 40 lbs for the majority of my journey, I just don't want to find out I can't hike as fast as I think I can, and then starve. It'd be convenient if I could start on a section with a town closer than 100 miles away, but alas, it is not to be.

Anyways, I hope you enjoy reading about my AT adventures, I'll try to update this whenever I'm somewhere with electricity and internet (probably once a week or so).

Feel free to ask any questions in the comments below (or Facebook or email r text), I'll do my best to answer them as Internet and electricity allow.

Blessings,
David