Date: 2011-01-01
To: The abbreviated non-hiker's guide to the A.T.
Miles today: 0.0

For any non-hiking savvy folks out there, her is a post to educate you on the Appalachian Trail and my desire to hike it.So...What is it? The Appalachian Trail (A.T.) is a national scenic foot path. Starting at its southern terminus in Georgia and ending at its northern terminus in Maine, the A.T. stretches for roughly 2174 miles along the eastern United States. It passes through 14 states, eight national forests, and six national parks. Virginia, my home state, holds the largest section of the trail while our westerly neighbor holds the least. Other popular long distance thru-hiking trails in the United States include the Pacific Crest Trail, the Long Trail, the Florida Trail and the Continental Divide Trail.Well, what is a thru-hike? To attempt a thru-hike is to attempt to hike an entire trail, from one terminus to the other, in a single hiking season. The hiking season for a North bound (NOBO) thru-hike of the A.T. begins in February. Roughly 1,800-2,000 people attempt to thru-hike the A.T. each year. Approximately 1 in 4 of those attempting to thru-hike will complete the A.T. So the odds are against me for this hike, however I am working hard to prepare myself in every way possible including physical training that started 5 months prior to my start date. On average it takes from 4-6 months to complete a thru-hike, depending on how fast you hike and how many zero days you take. I am aiming for 5-5 1/2 months at the most.Where will I sleep? Cuddled up next to a bear, probably acting big spoon. Not really. The A.T. houses over 250 shelters free for hikers to sleep in. However, shelters are notorious for being infested with mice (and snoring hikers). I have experienced the mice issue first hand but it doesn't bother me too much. I find them to be quite cute and entertaining to watch, but who knows how I will feel after they chew up my gear or wake me up in the middle of the night. I will also be carrying a one person tent with me for nights I want to sleep on my own or decide to stealth camp. For nights that I find myself in a town I will sleep in a Hostel or in another form of cheap lodging. Hopefully nothing too dirty.That brings me to my next point. What will I eat and how will I resupply? I know what you are thinking, "you mean you wont just forage off the land eating berries and trees and small fuzzy critters that you catch with your bare hands?" The short answer is no. The longer answer is no because roughly 2-3 million people hike some part of the trail every year and if each of those people foraged and picked and took from the wildlife along the trail the A.T. would not be nearly as pretty or wild as it is. Also it is against Leave No Trace ethics. Instead I will resupply like I do on a normal week, at a grocery store and restaurants. Towns occur frequently along the trail so there is never really a need to carry more than a few days worth of food. I can also have packages called "mail drops" sent to me along the way with needed supplies, though I am choosing not to rely on them. As for water, I will be carrying a pump water filter to refill my bottle from streams along the trail.I do not know exactly how much it will cost me to thru-hike, that depends a lot on how much money I spend in town. I have read that it can cost between $2,500-5,000 or roughly $1.25 - $2.50 per a mile. Hopefully my total will be on the lower end of that range but I am not afraid to splurge on some food every now and then to satisfy my hiker appetite.What about going to the bathroom and hygiene? Many (most?) shelters have privies or latrines nearby. When I'm not by a shelter I will just have to pick a friendly tree and do my best to follow Leave No Trace ethics. As for showering, a rainstorm or a stream and a bandana will wash away some sweat and dirt until I can take a shower in town. Yes, I will go days with out shower, sometimes 4 days or more. Shampoo and soap is heavy and a luxury most do not carry in large quantities. Instead you learn to embrace the BO of yourself and fellow thru-hikers alike. I will carry a toothbrush and brush my teeth daily, though I have been known to use a twig when my toothbrush decides to misplace itself.Well that covers a few topics on thru-hiking. Any other questions?