My father and I will be driving down to GA on Sunday, and he will be dropping me off at the head of the approach trail Monday morning. Barring any major medical issues, acts of God, or world-ending events, this is my final starting date. I'm starting to get frustrated and annoyed with all of these delays. It's getting to the point where cabin fever is worse than being chilly.
To make this post a little more interesting than me complaining about waiting, I thought I'd cover a few questions that people keep asking me about the hike.
Q: How long is the hike?
A: This year, the trail is 2189.2 miles long. It passes through 14 states, has a total elevation change of 464,464 feet (Mt. Everest x 16) and takes an average of 5 months to complete.
Q: Are you really going alone?
A: Sort of. I am technically solo hiking the trail, which means that I'm not bringing a partner. However, there are plenty of people starting starting within a few days of me, and we will more than likely cross paths every few days along the way
Q: Why are you doing this? Are you a crazy person?
A: Probably! Also, you may be new here- check out my first blog post to read more about the "why."
Q: Have you read "A Walk in the Woods?
A: Yes. Wonderful book. Bryson is some kind of wordsmith!
*If you enjoyed AWITW, consider checking out "The Lost Continent," by Bill Bryson, at your local library. Also, remember to thank your librarians for the work they do!
Q: Did you see "Wild?"
A: Great movie. I highly recommend it for anyone over the age of 16ish.
Q: What about bears? Bears are big and scary.
A: There's a saying along the trail- Bears are basically big raccoons. As a general rule, they're more scared of you.
Along the east coast, the only bear you really stand a chance of encountering is the American Black Bear. While these guys are certainly large enough to totally mess up your face, they don't seem to realize it. As long as they aren't after your food, they are very unlikely to even show themselves to you. The biggest exception here is when cubs are present- If you come between a momma bear and her cub, your day stands a significant chance of becoming much worse.
That's rare, though. I'll be following basic bear safety- Hang food in a tree far away, make a little noise while hiking, watch out for cubs.
Q: How do you... y'know, "make a deposit" in the woods?
A: Many shelters along the trail have simply privies nearby for all your toilet-related needs. If one of those isn't readily available, there is a standard Leave No Trace procedure for pooping in the woods.
- Find a suitable spot 200 ft. away from shelters, trails, or water sources. Bonus points if there's a view.
- Dig a 6x6 in. hole.
- Do your thing.
- Dispose of any toilet paper, leaves, pinecones, branches, small mammals, or other cleaning materials in the hole before refilling the hole with the original dirt.
- If you are with a group, consider placing a pair of crossed sticks on the spot as a warning. Treasure hunters, always remember that in the woods, an X doesn't always mark golden doubloons!
Q: How will you keep in touch with the world?
A: I will have my phone. I'll charge it when I'm at a resupply point every few days, and I also have a small solar battery that is (theoretically) supposed to arrive at my house tomorrow.
Q: How many people actually read your online journal?
A: As of 3:22 PM, on Feb 27, I have 540 pageviews (not counting my own) from something like 14 different countries. In addition, I'm being featured every week on a weekly hiker update over at /r/AppalachianTrail.
Q: How many people actually read your online journal?
A: As of 3:22 PM, on Feb 27, I have 540 pageviews (not counting my own) from something like 14 different countries. In addition, I'm being featured every week on a weekly hiker update over at /r/AppalachianTrail.
Q: How will you get home from Maine?
A: Good question!
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