Date: 2011-03-06
To: The Last Week at Home
Miles today: 0.0

Today is March 6th, and I leave from Spinger this coming Friday the 11th. I have packed and unpacked my gear in my room numerous times within the past few weeks as I'm finding my time before the trail rather boring because I do not know what to do until I leave. If it wasn't for having Laura around, I would have gone insane by now in the time before my hike. Everything I do and think about revolves around the AT. I've been going to bed early (relative to my 1-3am bedtime in the previous months) and try to be up and moving around before 9am at the latest. I used to sleep till noon or later since I've been out of school, and since I got back from Maine that has changed. Laura gets up at 5:30 every morning, and I think that helped a lot in training to be up early and moving around just like I will be on the trail.I have nothing but food to buy this week before I head to Georgia. Much of this week will be spent saying bye to people before I head out on my hike. My mind is definitely in the right state and I know this as I watched it go from pouring rain to a white out of snow in a little less than a hour and I asked myself "am I ready to hike through this and make the best of it?" My answer to myself was "absolutely!" I try to make the best of bad situations, and I think having that mind set will help me on the trail for the better.I've spent many nights planning the first section of my hike to Hot Springs where I will get picked up by my mom and spend a few days off the trail in Asheville. I think by that time and after about a month on the trail, it will be good for my body as well as mind to have a weekend in Asheville. The best part about this is the fact I'm only saying "see you next month" to my mom as well as Laura instead of "see you in the fall." Of course, plans can change in seconds while on the trail. If I feel a zero day is needed, I won't hesitate to take it by any means. As the days pass, I realize how lucky I am to have no time limit on this hike. I have talked with many people who have had to get off the trail because they started out hiking too many miles from the start, didn't take any zero days, and pushed their bodies to the point they had to end their hike. I'll look at everyday as a hike with a new destination. I'll not be thinking I have so many miles till Katahdin, I'll be thinking I want to see as much as I can today, hike to my destination for the day, and create a new goal from tomorrow. I think that looking at it this way will help a lot. Thank you to everyone who has supported me in the preparation of this hike; be it physically, mentally, or financially. Having all of you behind me, makes it a lot easier for me to realize this is the right thing to be doing at this time.The next time I write in my journal will be on Friday night at the Lodge which is in Amicacola Falls State park. This is the night before I start out on my thru hike. After I start out on my hike, I'll be writing in a small journal that I'll be carrying with me. When I get the chance, I'll then update my journal on this site day by day. So if it's not updated everyday, look for it within a few days time and I'll make sure to post what I've written in my journal that I'll be taking with me.Thanks to everyone who has signed my guest book and has wished me luck and given support. I really appreciate it!Until next time,-Chris