Date: 2005-02-10
To: 30 days and counting
Miles today: 0.0

This time next month will be the eve of leaving from Ohio to go to Georgia. Then on the 12th we will be starting on the approach trail to Springer if all goes ok. I had to make an appointment with my Dr. for my yearly exam on the am of the 11th, and would consider not going except I need my prescription for my HRT. I can try to get in on 1 of 2 days if there is a cancellation but I have to call and check to see if there is one when those days roll around. We have been looking daily for updates that are made by everyone starting the AT this year. As the time draws closer I get a bit anxious about what we are about to undertake. And especially when Mike leaves the trail after the first 4 weeks and I am alone, I am anxious about being able to do this. Everyone has asked, ¢Won¢t you be afraid out there by yourself?¢ And I bravely said that I wouldn¢t be because of the trail community spirit and the way it watches out for others. But after a month on the trail with Mike I should be able to master the evening chores of getting water, cooking the evening meal, and setting up the tent and then packing up the next morning. I¢ll be slow in doing it--just like I¢ll be slow on the trail. I received a package from REI yesterday. My side pockets I ordered for the pack are so neat that Mike wants a pair of them now, too. So I ordered them today. I bought some more camp soap, a couple of web straps in case we need to strap something to our pack, and a roomy waist pack to carry items that I will use frequently. Mike had bought a pair of camp shoes earlier and I also decided to buy a pair. They are Crocs and I have been wearing them around the house today and they feel pretty good. They will be great for fording streams and for wearing in towns as well as around camp. I am still packaging up meals and am probably about half way done. After the meals are bagged comes the task of putting them in boxes and labeling the boxes with the mail drop addresses. I then need to make a list of items that will go into each box and put a copy with each box and keep a copy with me so that if I do not need something that is in the box I can make a call to Wendy (or Mike, since he will be managing the mail drops after he leaves the trail in April until he gets back on in July). I feel like I have no idea what I am doing. It just seems like a lot of guess work. Our son, Michael, will be taking us down to Georgia and then coming back at the end of the 4 weeks to pick up Mike. Michael had said that he would walk with me for 2 weeks and I hope he does, but I¢m afraid he will find himself too busy to do that. He is looking for a job, but in the meantime since graduating from OU has been working at buying properties and renting them out and at the same time trying to fix one or two up to sell for a profit. So he is not certain about what the immediate future holds for him. His degree is in communications technology.As the time for departure draws to a close I can sense the excitement in everyone¢s journal entries. Those out for the first time doing this kind of hike (like ourselves), I¢m sure, are getting a bit anxious about it as I am. I envy the ones returning for another thru-hike or another attempt because they know so much more. I have tried to learn from them but when it comes to what each person NEEDS it seems to be so individual. I hope I do not get a few days in and realize I don¢t need half of the stuff I have or that I need things I left behind. But I guess that is to be expected. Good luck to all and I¢ll be checking on all the journals to see how everyone else is doing. We can¢t wait to get out there!!