Time to get ready for the trail!!!

with less than a month to go before I head to the AT…the clock is ticking!! its the first week of march and I’m getting apprehensive!! what the heck am I thinking?? why in gods green earth would I suppose that I’d have the nerve and the determination to attempt such a hair-brained stunt? thousands of would be thru hikers attempt the AT every year only to be thwarted by a multitude of woes. blisters,snow and cold,rain without end,loneliness,heat,exhaustion.this is starting to sound like something I really want to do??? I’ve been strapping on a full pack for almost 2 months now. hiking up and down west tyson,castlewood,green rock trail. I’ve been training my guts out at spinning,2 nights a week after work. hiking 4 days a week,at least 10 mi at a stretch. packing and unpacking that damned backpack. what to take?? what to leave behind. experimenting with different food,beans and rice,liptons soups,drink mixes,nuts/gorp…..the pack gets heavier, I get stronger. feet seem to be ok, no blisters….till I pulled a 20 miler . took 11 hours. I think I’ll limit myself to 15 mi or less. was a hot one that day too, one of those early march heat waves. I was drenched,green rock trail is quite the test for a tenderfoot , 20 mi death march. ran out of water , none to collect.

the plan:

  to begin hiking on or about april 1st. leave st loo on amtrak for harpers ferry VA. start hiking south until I reach springer mtn GA, around the 1st of july. return to st loo for a week of R+R before heading to baxter ME for a continuation of the trail back to harpers ferry,arriving before the first snow.