Date: 2004-11-13
To: Initial Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Hello there!At this time, I'm living in Portland, Oregon and have approximately 122 days until I begin my AT thru-hike.I've been wanting to hike the AT for quite some time and the day is nearing closer. I've recently finished college and am relatively debt free and can see no better time to go on a long distance hike.To date, I've got most of my gear together, I've made plans to put my belongings in storage in January, evacuate my apartment of six years, and will move in with my Aunt Mona for the month of February and part of March. She and my cousin, Mason, will be taking care of my cats, Maggie and Skipper, while I'm gone. My father will be taking care of my tortoise, Mango. My mom will be mailing me my food drops.Around March 10th, I'll be headed to Olympia, WA to visit with my Mom for a few days and, if all goes as planned, I'll be flying from Seattle to Atlanta on March 15th, 2005 and will make my way to Springer Mountain to begin what I believe will be the time of my life.I'm quite excited by the prospect of hiking and camping for approximately five months. I entertain the idea of completing the Triple Crown someday, though I'll have to see how the AT treats me.It's interesting to see how my family's perceptions have changed. When I first mentioned it to my Mom, she told me "You're not going to do that!" and laughed; I believe she thought I was joking. As I went into detail about my plans, I suppose she began to believe me. She even bought me some of my latest gear (Patagonia Capilene garments). Other family members just smile when I tell them about my plans and say that it sounds like fun. My Dad likes to ask "How many days until you leave?"Things that I predict I'll miss the most: Playing "Uno" with my dad. We've currently got a game going in which we're playing to 1 million points. We're about a 10th of the way through and have been playing since August of 2003. I've tried to talk him into visiting me while I'm on the trail, though I haven't gotten a straight answer. I know it's a long way from the West Coast to see the AT.My cats, Maggie and Skipper. I've had them since they were kittens and they're both about 6 years old now.Chatting with my Mom on the phone. While I'll still be able to call from towns, it won't be the same as when I call after getting home from work, while sitting around my apartment in my boxers.And I'll probably miss the convenience of having all my belongings scattered around my apartment, the convenience of my laptop, my entertainment system, and so on. I know that I'll see sights that aren't easily accessible and I'm sure that it'll be more than an even exchange.Why am I planning on hiking the AT?First and foremost, it sounds like quite a bit of fun, and second, I don't really want to settle into a career right now, even though I've just finished college. My paternal grandmother has always told me to travel while I was young, before I was married, before I had children, and before I had a house. She has told me, time and again, that your possessions come to own you. Well, I'm not too attached to many of my possessions. The only real thing holding me back is my cats, though I know they'll be in good hands.Last, but not least, my hike is dedicated to my Uncle Patrick, who was diagnosed with adult onset MS a few years ago. When I first began discussing hiking the AT, he told me that if he was in better shape, that it was something he'd like to do.So, to put some meaning to my hike, besides for my own personal learning, I've been in touch with the Oregon Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMMS) to set up a MS Walk donation page for those wishing to sponsor my hike. While I don't personally benefit from donations to the NMMS, there are approximately 250 million people worldwide who would benefit from the research that any donation would help to fund.