Date: 2013-03-01
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Miles today: 0.0

So this is my official first entry. I am getting pretty nervous about the whole thing to be honest with you. I am going to periodically make entries in this journal, I make no promises how frequent or how many I will make. It will likely be whenever I can find internet access and some time away from the trudging along.Little backstory about myself. I am from a little bit of everywhere, but have spent the majority of my existence in Virginia. The Appalachian Trail has always been in my backyard and I have ventured on it several times. Some extended trips, a few day trips, but to be honest not a hardcore hiker or someone that lives and breathes hiking.I am not sure when and where the Appalachian Trail (which for now on I will refer to as the AT), became such a deep draw and interest. It has been nearly a decade or longer that I have been talking about wanting to hike this trail in its entirety from Georgia to Maine. I have visited this thought in my head enough times that if it were a record I would have warn grooves into this track. Each time I have had a transitional period in my adult life I have simple thought to myself, DO IT! Each time something else came up, life reared it's ugly head, continued on and the thought was filed in the cabinet. Not the round cabinet though! Each time I moved on, my family secretly high fived each other that I wasn't going to venture forward on this silly endeavor.Well, life happens, people grow tired of things and one another. Relationships, job opportunities and situations grow, deterioate, multiply, subtract and simply sometimes end. For the first time in my life, a relationship, job and living situation have dissolved at exactly the same time. This is figuratively speaking the lightest my back will likely ever be. I have spent the last month or so, consolidating loans, minimizing expenses, shutting off cell phone to avoid extra coast, stuffed all of my belongings into a 5x10 storage unit, found a temporary home for my dog, got someone to take on my car and payments, sold personal possessions. Luckily my last girlfriend and I did a week long hike last year and I have nearly all of the gear that is necessary save for a few items, which I will be picking up this week.I am operating on a very tight budget for food and daily supplies. I wish when the stars where aligning for this epic journey of mine they might have thrown in winning the lottery. Maybe in another life.I have done a lot of research, have read a bunch of journals and perused the forums. At both this site and whiteblaze.net. Other then planning for the first week or so of possible shelters and places to sleep. I have not mapped out my journey completely. I know about mail drops, bounce drops, de-hyderating and hyderating food, all of the many, many opinions that everyone that has done it before or is planning it now.I want to get out there and let the trail take me on a journey. I want to see the beautiful sunrises and sunsets along the way, meet the interesting and quirky people. I feel like though we all have a common interest, the trail will be full of all sorts of makes, models and types of people. I want to get so soaked to the bone that my wrinkles have wrinkles and my clothes can be wrung out with the mix of sweat and rain. I want to wake up to the sounds of creeks, birds, swaying of trees and creaking of my bones. I want to feel the burn in my thighs, calves, back and body; yet perserve and push on past all of the misery to find peace and serenity. Isn't that really what we are all searching for anyway?I am not sure if I will make it all of the way. I would like to think I can and will. But only time will tell. Any and all support and encouragement is welcome and appreciated.Griffin Johnson - March 1st,2013