Date: 2016-01-28
To: Blazing the Trail
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

Since we left Michigan, we have done all of our hiking out west. I really didn't know much about the AT. I read Bill Bryson's book A Walk in the Woods many years ago. Since we started to consider an AT hike and then actually committed to the hike, I have been doing a ton of reading. One of the things that I have learned from reading various journals and books is that the AT is extremely well marked. The actual trail is marked with white rectangular 2" x 6" blazes, which are painted on the trees, rocks and mountain pathways. I have read and some have suggested that the trail is so well marked, one need not carry maps. WOW!!! Are they pulling my leg? Here is a picture of an official AT white blaze. This is totally different from what we are used to and what we have encountered on some of our other hikes. The PCT is very well marked but I would never consider going without a map; especially through the snow covered Sierra. Last year on the GDT we had several miles of bushwacking and a few long cross country stretches. Map and compass were essential.We will carry maps on the AT. No matter how well marked the AT is, I am sure that I will manage to get us off trail at some point as I mindlessly zone out on a climb and miss a white blaze at a turnoff. Side trails or spur trails are marked by blue blazes. And this leads to some jargon which is unique to the AT.White Blazer: A hiker who is attempting to hike past each white blaze. A puristBlue Blazer: A hiker who hikes a section of blue blazed trail as an alternate to the white blazed ATYellow Blazer: A hiker who skips a section of trail by hitch hiking ie. following the yellow line (blaze) of the highway Finally, here's one I didn't know about. Aqua Blazer: a hiker who canoes a 50-60 stretch of river through Shenandoah Nat'l Park.Here are a few other terms used by long distance hikers:Zero Day: Zero miles hiked. A town day or rest dayNero: A short mileage day. Usually heading in to or out of a town resupplyBeero: Zero miles hiked due to a hangoverSlackpacking: This would be somewhat analagous to day hiking on a long distance hike. The hiker carries what is needed to hike that day's mileage while having their pack transported up the trail.Flip Flop: A hiker starts in one direction; reaches a certain point and then skips ahead and hikes back to the point where they skipped ahead. ie. Springer Mt to Harper's Ferry. Skip to Katahdin, then hike back to Harper's Ferry. Or some variant thereof. The ATC is encouraging hikers to consider a flip flop hike this year to help lighten the trail load as record number of hikers attempting a thruhike are expected.HYOH: Hike your own hike. The freedom to choose one's own pace or style of hiking.Which brings us to our hike. Our goal is to hike a continuous footpath from Springer Mt to Katahdin along the AT. We are not purists. If we decide to take a blue blazed trail to a spring, we may choose not to retrace our steps backwards to where we left the 'official' AT, if the blue blaze connects up the trail with the AT. We like the idea of being able to define our hike. HYOH. For us a corollary of HYOH is MYOB. Mind your own business. We try not to be judgmental in regards to other hikers and how they choose to hike. We refrain from giving unsolicited advice. There is definitely more than one way to do a long distance hike and our way is not the only way or right way.We look forward to meeting our fellow hikers on the AT this year whether they are thruhikers, section hikers or day hikers. It should be a blast. Looking forward to a walk in the woods.Will