Date: 2016-04-02
From: TN 32/NC 284 Northern Boundary of GSMNP

To: Harpers Ferry on 4/17
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: moderate rain

I got home about a week ago after making a decision to stop my thru hike after finishing up to the northern side of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Now, after some reflection, I've decided to restart in a couple of weeks from Harpers Ferry as a flip flop. This was one option I had considered before I started but opted for the traditional Springer start.Here are a few lessons learned that I might have better considered during my first month:1. If you feel bored or miss your family, address those issues. Have a friend or family member come visit. Use Skype or FaceTime. Take a trip home if necessary.2. Food is very important and most of us eat crap for our thru hikes. When conditions are challenging, poor quality food is not a relief but just another thing that gets under your skin. For me, raisins, dried figs, and prunes were a big relief from eating a protein bar each hour. Despite constant eating, I lost 12 pounds in one month - finding food you enjoy in vital.3. A kindle or a well stocked MP3 player might not be a luxury item but perhaps one of the keys to your success. When life is basically hiking, eating, and sleeping day after day, a bit of pleasant diversion might be what gets you through those 2189.1 miles. Remember that this is likely a once in a lifetime event. Going entirely spartan might be your ticket to an early exit.4. Make decisions when you are well rested, never at the end of the day, or in a hasty manner.5. Take time to enjoy the beauty of the Appalachians. Enjoy the trail towns. If you have time, take time. Day after day of looking down at the trail all day does not make for fun. 6. Leave early in the morning and stop for a half hour lunch and consider a short cat nap at lunch. 7. Take breaks especially when there is a view.8 Use sock liners and properly fitting shoes. I got shoes that were 1 full size too big and used Injinji sock liners. I never even had a hot spot (knock on wood).9. Find thru hikers that you can relate to. Constant discussion of the AT, gear, and what food you really really really miss gets boring very quickly (although the part about missing decent food seems impossible to not discuss).10. Pack light, really light, really really really light. I am doing a very aggressive shake down of my stuff. I have to say that restarting in April is a lot different than a Springer start in Feb.Finally, realize what an impact a thru hike has on you. For the first 5 days that I was at home, every night I would wake up, and, during those first few minutes of being disoriented, I would think I was in a shelter and or wonder how long my hike for the day would be.   Then, I 'd notice a ceiling fan or a lamp and realize I was not on the AT. Despite being happy to be home, I always had a very sad realization that I was not in my tent or in a shelter. I also have not slept nearly as well in my bed as I did in my tent regardless of the conditions - rain, snow, cold and windy, loud owls right over my tent, or hearing several people around me snoring. The bottomline is that those sounds and conditions were part of the content for my thru hike. I am thrilled to be going back. See you on the trail.WazoThe pic is from my last day hiking at the northern end of the GSMNP.