Date: 2006-04-19
To: Prep #13-Don't Doubt Me!
Miles today: 0.0

My NEW Leki Super Makalu Ergometric poles came in the mail today....I got these suckers for a mere $83.00 on ebay....they go for $140.00 new at REI. I'm very excited. I posted the pic on my gear page.As for other stuff...my professor and I went out for a drink tonight after class. I got to talking about my hike (can't stop thinking about it). She's going to be moving to New Hampshire (where her fiancee lives) in a few months, and I told her that when I make it to the White Mountains next year, I'd be giving them a call to put me up for a few days and to feed me a TON of food. She laughed and listened to me going on, but then said, "Well....I just don't know....well, very few people finish that hike...are you going to be safe....etc. etc." She doesn't think I'll finish. I told her that every single person that has ever told me those words, I've proven wrong...and that's no crap. I don't think I'm going into this w/unrealistic expectations. I've read every single journal of those people who decided to get off the trail....I need to see what they went through. I read journals of people who are currently on...and specifically study the entries that talk about wanting to quit or doubt their decisions. I'm starting right now...pushing my body back into shape, mentally trying to prepare for adversity...and I'm going to get as many hikes and nights (hot, cold, rainy, stormy) in, using my gear and tent, in order to gain confidence w/my gear.Mainly, the reason I think I'll succeed, is because I know I'm in control of my hike. I can take a zero day if my body tells me to, I can stop short of my "planned" miles for the day if my body tells me to, and I'm confronting as many of the physically demanding aspects as I can before I even leave. I know it will take up to a month for my body to adjust, even if I prepare as much as I can now. I also know that no matter what the conditions are like, if I forge ahead at least 3-5 days...chances are the conditions will be totally different.I reflect on my days in Marine bootcamp. It was 3 months of having absolutely NO say in anything. If they told me to march 10 miles (at their pace) w/an 80lb pack on my back, carrying an M16, and wearing boots that didn't fit properly so I'd be pouring blood out of them at the half-way point due to blisters....I had to....and by the way....I actually DID do this. The key to me is knowing that I can actually listen to my body and make smart hiking decisions. As much as we would all like to fantasize that on the trail you are "away from civilization" the truth of it all is that you are rarely more than 1 day away from some small town.I will do everything I can to prepare before I get there, and when I get there, I will hopefully only have to deal with the mental challenges....and I'm pretty damned stubborn when it comes to those types of things. Anyway...if anyone who reads this has any advice/thoughts/reflections of your personal thru-hike expectations/etc., I welcome it. I want the dirty, hard truth...not the romanticized "oh..it was a perfect hiking day, I hiked 40,000 miles with no breaks, the weather was perfect, my equipment was perfect, and life was perfect." I guess I should give that post of my reasons why....that will also let everyone know where I stand on this adventure.