Date: 2010-02-16
To: Obstacles & AT friends
Miles today: 0.0

The picture is actually from a hike I did last summer but sums up what planning for this AT hike feels to me. I'm clearing obstacles left and right in order to find more obstacles in my path. I don't think any amount of planning for this thing is ever going to yield that day when you feel like you have planned for everything. In a way, planning is futile. But hey, that's what makes it an adventure, right!So I'm rethinking my boots. I have a pair of heavy leather Lowa's that i have been hiking in for nearly five years now. They are still in great shape but the leather isn't as sturdy as it used to be and my feet move a bit in the boots. This is fine for 10 mile days in fair weather, but 15+ days in soggy boots makes me fear blisters. Anyone who hikes alot knows that a blister is as crippling as a turned ankle. During my winter months of hiking in wet and snowy conditions i wear my hardcore mountaineering boots (Asolo). I love them! They keep my feet dry, warm and blister free. But hiking in them for hundreds of miles with a heavy pack seems like it would be very tiresome. Even though my Lowas are heavy too, i figured they would provide some warmth and protection for the first part of the trail and then i'd switch to my merrell chameleons once the weather started to turn nice again. (maybe two months into the trail.)   I'm really torn. The only way I can think to test them would be to boot up, dunk my feet into my bathtube so they are totally soaked and then hike 10 miles with a pack on and see how cold or blister ridden my feet become. hmmmmm, what to do? I think I'm going to make a trip down to REI tomorrow to try on some boots and get a feel for what I might be able to replace them with.The next obstacle is the tent situation. David and I were planning on bringing our solo tents and were all set for that. But in the last few weeks we started talking about getting a two-man tent to share. He is a big fan of tarptents and i am a big fan of staying dry and warm. lol. We both own two-man tents that would work fine but they both weigh five pounds. The tarptent that David is looking at only weighs 2 1/2 pounds. it doesn't seem like much, but both David and I know that 2 1/2 pounds while you are hiking high mileage day in and day out is a very huge deal. I'm just afraid of the way tarptents collect condensation on the inside as well as being very breezy inside. i can just imagine a catastrophe hitting after weeks of downpours and near freezing nights on trail.   I also don't want to spend the money when we already have two other tents that would work. hmmmmm, what to do? Well, is other news i have met alot of future and past AT hikers in the last few days. It is strange to meet so many this far from the eastcoast. One works at the Jimmy Johns right next store to the Starbucks that I currently work at. His name is Mike and he will be starting the trail with his fiance Laura just 3 days before David and I. Mike always comes in to my Starbucks for coffee before work and we ended up discovering that we both came up with the hairbrained idea of hiking over 2100 miles for fun. Go fig! So David and I met up with Mike and Laura for a drink on Vday and talked about our plans and ideas about our trip. Mike and Laura are leaving out of Seattle this coming weekend to road trip back to the East coast to spend time with family and get married! They will then start the trail on March 27th. They are really fun people and I really hope that David and I can catch up with them.My second AT hiker encounter happened at a party I attended last weekend. It was the usual crowd of climbers, mountaineers and all around adventurers at the party. It was like social candyland for me since I love to talk about adventuring, gear, outdoors and general dream pursuing. I was talking to one guy who works for OR here in Seattle in hopes of figuring out a way to get a job there when I return next fall. I mentioned that I was hiking the AT and he pointed at a couple that worked for OR on the other side of the party and said "you should talk to Sarah and Matt." Upon further conversation with Sarah and Matt I discovered that they were Uff-da and Sven, 2007 thru hikers! Holy crap! What are the chances of this happening!?! They told me so much about the trail and wished me so much luck. i may even get some goodies along the trail from some past thruhikers. They are now engaged and talking about getting married at Katahdin Springs Campground in sept. How cool is that!?! Sarah and Matt, if you are reading this, it was so great to meet you both and i hope to hear from you both as I embark on my journey. Well, that's about it on the trailfront. Cheers!-Beth