Date: 2010-01-07
To: I know where I'm goin'
Miles today: 0.0

Quigley on being lost: ¢I don't know where we're goin', but there's no sense bein' late.¢-        Quigley Down UnderWell, I guess I do know where I¢m goin¢. I¢m going to Maine. I¢ll be getting there by following white blazes. I don¢t have any particular time that I need to finish, but, still¢¦ there¢s no sense in bein¢ late. So I¢m starting this thing by flying down to Atlanta 3 weeks from today. Yikes!And, no, I¢m not absolutely sure I want to start this early. But by my figuring, it¢ll be best if I do.I had originally been planning to start in early March. I thought it would be a good time to begin. I would have Spring with me as a companion along the Trail. There would be plenty of good company. I would probably miss the worst of the cold temperatures. The days would be longer.But then I started to do the math. I¢d read that the average hike takes 5 to 7 months. But I¢m a slow hiker. No, really. I¢m a slow hiker. It literally took me 6 hours to make it the one mile of Mahousic Notch, considered by many to be the toughest one mile of the Trail. And that was with my guys playing packmule for me. If I start in March, I might not make it up to Maine until October or November ¢ too late in the season. I¢d rather not flip-flop (skip ahead to finish the northernmost section and fill in the remainder later in the year). So I need to start earlier.So, then I thought maybe the middle of February. That might give me enough time. But that might put me in the Smokies over spring break. I understand that the shelters can get rather crowded then, what with young, spry types out for rambles. And, while I can¢t remember the source, I¢d gotten the impression that there is more precipitation in March than February, on average.Besides, I hope to have a hiking buddy or two meet me in March. If I¢m in the Smokies then, they would have to get permits, or I would have to jump ahead somewhere, and I didn¢t want to have to worry about the logistics. So, I thought maybe early February would give me enough time. I would plan to take my time, hauling out if bad weather threatened. I¢m a sissy hiker which makes me cautious. Some say too cautious. But I figured this plan has its advantages. I understand that the weather down South can vary quite a bit. Glorious days mixed in with difficult days. With any luck the bad weather would be timed to come just when I need a zero or two to allow my blisters to heal, and the aches in my knees to lessen. Then when both the weather and feet have improved, I could get back out there and take advantage of what could be great hiking weather.That sounded pretty good, but then I realized that if I left a just a few days earlier, I might make it to Hiawassee by Superbowl Sunday. I decided that the few days wouldn¢t matter and that I had to decide on *some* date or other. And feet up, watching the game after hiking 60-some miles sounded like a nice break. With no further data to guide me, I made my reservations.I know that leaving that early could have me seeing significant snowfall and low temps. Frozen boots and water bottles. Treacherous, icy trail. Long, long, cold nights. But on the other hand, it might have me missing the worst of the heat and humidity later on in the year. Not to mention the poison ivy, snakes, and mosquitoes. I should be in better condition to take advantage of the longer days when they come.I know that some people who leave that early also leave the trail. But then, so do many who leave later.Plus, there¢s another reason for leaving early. I¢ve been trying to keep it secret, but I am assured that the news will get out. So I guess I will reveal it here, before the tabloids ¢ uh, trail registers ¢ do.But more on that another time. In the meanwhile, if anyone out there with more experience or better knowledge wants to weigh in with better reasoning, just go to my guestbook (on the left) and leave your thoughts.Otherwise, I¢ll be gettin¢ a move on, because there¢s no sense bein¢ late.