Preperations

So, where was I with the whole Appalachian Trail thing? I believe I had discussed an intention to blog about past experiences (very anti-blog) and I tried to answer some basic questions. Probably scared some people with mention of nude hiking day, but I didn't participate and I promise you won't hear another thing about it.

But before we start actually walking, we have to prepare for the hike.

Physically, I wasn't very well prepared to hike. This worried me, because as my time on the much vaunted BHS track team had taught me, being conditioned is important when one wants to avoid injuries.

I had planned on using the time between graduation from Virginia Tech, in May, and the start of my hike on July 1st to do some physical preparation, to get acclimated to walking long distances with heavy loads. I did a little of this. I would load up my backpack with 4 litres of water and some bricks and take a long stroll around the neighborhood. But, I must admit that I spent most of the time before the hike hanging out with my girlfriend (eventually wife) playing checkers, making cookies, playing records, engaging in other wholesome premarital activities. We spend hours by the pool, and many evenings in some Blacksburg's finest eateries and drinkeries. As a result, I ended up starting the trail in the worst shape of my life (save maybe today).

If I wasn't prepared physically, I was certainly prepared mentally. I walked through the trail on paper, pouring over maps and guidebooks, figuring out where I wanted to resupply and getting an overall strategy put together. My goal, I decided, was to focus on getting through the difficult first 500 miles, which would put me in Hanover, NH, and past the intimidating mountains in Maine and New Hampshire. I would take it slow, hoping that I would make up time later. Overall, I hoped to be home by Christmas.

I also bought a TON of stuff. I decided that most of the backpacking gear I had wasn't well suited to long trips, so I ended up pretty much buying much of what I needed. A lot of my purchases were good; my backpack turned out to be excellent, my clothes made it the entire trip, my trekking poles were a god send (though they broke in Vermont...duct tape made them last until Blacksburg, VA). But I also had a lot of stuff I didn't need or that turned out to be not the smartest choice. I got a GPS (useless), a whisperlite (super reliable, but too heavy) a Cat's meow sleeping bag (too heavy, not warm enough) AND a first aid kit capable of small field surgery (overkill).

So, physically and materially over equipped, but mentally ready, I flew up to Maine with my mom and my future wife, snapped some photos, hiked up to the to of Mount Kathadin (couldn't see a damn thing...except I think I saw Macbeth's witches moving through the fog), made it to the bottom, and I was on my way.