Date: 2015-04-11
To: 7 days till Amicalola
Miles today: 0.0

Only 6 more days to go before I hop a plane to Georgia. I've spent these last few weeks finishing a few projects, tying up loose ends, doing a few more gear tests, and saying my goodbyes to my friends and family. Trail training finally reached a pinnacle on the last weekend of March when my friend Shawn and I ran both of our first half marathon in Pflugerville, near Austin TX. We both ran under our goal of 2 hours- Shawn killed it at 1:55:00 and I squeaked by at 1:59:55. While in Austin, I was able to see some old friends and make some new ones. The conversation that was had was refreshing to my soul. Then from Austin, I drove North to Denton for a few days. Everyone I saw and spoke to that weekend were excited for the long walk I'm about to take. I'm encouraged by the support and excitement of those I've told or have otherwise learned of my hike. My parents gave me a tag to wear around my neck during my hike. It has the inscription "The greatest adventure is what lies ahead", which is a quote taken from the hobbit. It also has my initials, the year and "A.T." on the other side in case I fall and hit my head and forget who I am or what I'm doing in the woods. Just joking. In all seriousness though, I know that hiking the Appalachian trail end to end will be the most challenging thing I've ever done, and it will be a great adventure. I certainly couldn't do it without all the support and encouragement I've received and I'll be reminded of you all when the trail gets difficult. I feel prepared to start my hike. This being the first time I've ever done a long distance hike, I know that there's going to be a learning curve. But knowing that is part of being prepared. A few months ago, I was fortunate enough to meet up with Chase, a former AT thru hiker. We talked about the trail over beers and I was able to unload a lot of my questions on him. Since then, he's been my trail Sensei (which is appropriately the trail name he received during his thru hike). Having someone with experience look at my gear, make suggestions, and answer every question I have from the knowledge base of first hand experience has been invaluable and is a good part of the reason I feel ready. One thing that Chase said that has resonated in my head is that for him, there's life before thru hiking the AT and life after. The experiences that have divided my life are those that have made the deepest impression. They have been the parts of my life where I've taken a risk and allowed myself to be vulnerable. The greater the risk of failing, the greater the reward of succeeding. Lastly, a few notes about gear and food- I've got my menu for the first 39 miles (4 days) planned and purchased. I'll post a picture once I get it all sorted. Figuring out food organization in my pack and also how many calories my body will actually need will be something I'll have to learn while I'm out there. For now, I'm taking what others have told me and I'll adapt once I'm in the thick of it. Gear- I bought the last few items I'll be needing. A 17 oz. insulated mug, a tripod for my camera, and a bottle of permethrin so as to do a preliminary clothing treatment against ticks and mosquitoes. My dad and I loaded up our packs and hiked up and down an 8 story parking garage in downtown Midland last weekend. I had been on the fence about the pack I bought for the trail (65L GoLite Quest). When I was in Austin, I tried on a few packs out of curiosity and I tried one that I really loved. It was comfortable and had a suspension that hugged my body but is also designed to ventilate well. Of course, all packs feel comfortable without any weight in them so trail will tell. I bit the bullet and bought it. It's the Osprey Atmos AG 65L from REI. I don't have much to fear because REI has a great return policy so if I'm unhappy with the pack, I can easily remedy that. When I get on the trail, my entries will become much more concise and have a greater photo to word ratio. Thanks for following me on my journey and supporting me in the many ways that you have. -Andrew (for now)¢Deep in the forest a call was sounding, and as often as he heard this call, mysteriously thrilling and luring, he felt compelled to turn his back upon the fire and the beaten earth around it, and to plunge into the forest, and on and on, he knew not where or why; nor did he wonder where or why, the call sounding imperiously, deep in the forest.¢ -Jack London