Date: 2010-01-17
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

I'd like to take a moment and discuss a few concerns, some of my own, and some of others regarding my hike. Daily people have been asking me more and more about the trip and so I'll go ahead and start with the most common concerns raised by students at the University of Delaware."What happens if you get eaten by a bear?"Alright, well, what happens, if you ask loaded questions? If anyone gets eaten by a bear, they're dead. I'll leave it at that and not attempt to further explain what may or may not await after death. I believe when people ask me this, what they really mean is "Aren't you worried about bears?" My answer to that, is no, I'm not worried about bears. Bears are not concerned with you. They may however be concerned with getting to your food, so that needs to be dealt with (and by that I mean if in doubt hang your food). Bears also tend to get protective when you get between a mother and its' cub. The key word there is protective, not aggressive and flesh craving. Bears are also scared of people. I have dealt with and encountered bears on multiple occasions both alone and with groups and I can certainly say I am not worried about bears. Not to say that I am under the false pretense that one could not do me a lot of harm if such a situation occurred, but I am confident that such a situation will not occur as long as I use proper judgement and precaution."Are you going to carry a gun with you?"Of course I don't intend to carry of a gun! I have no gun license. I have never fired anything other than a bb gun. I'm not particularly fond of guns. And I don't see the point in carry a lethal piece of metal with me up and down mountains for six months. Let's be honest, if anyone is carrying a gun, it has made it's way to the bottom of your pack, the I-haven't-touched-this-stuff section of ones pack, and if a situation arose in which one would need it, it wouldn't be easily accessible anyways. If I'm going to be "eaten by a bear" I would much prefer it happen while I am not digging through my pack trying to get to the gun that has been sitting on the very bottom of it.There is also an often asked question concerning women on the trail. I don't even know how to approach that one. I would like to know if this is a normal concern, or if it has something to do with the college mentality and environment I currently am in. I personally think it's a college issue. Seems that's always on peoples' minds here. I tend to answer this question by asking them "if I was looking for women would it be logical for me to spend six months in the woods?" At which point, they tend to look at me like I must be crazier than they originally thought.All jokes aside I do have a few concerns of my own, however.First and foremost is my weight. I'm short, five feet four inches, but more importantly I never have weighed much. For the past five years I have consistently weighed a very low 105 lbs. I am entirely healthy, active, and fit. However, I am a small guy. Hiking burns an incredible amount of calories, and any calories to be consumed must be carried up and over mountains, and then prepared after long days of hiking. It's for these reasons that most hikers tend to lose weight while on the trail. At 105 lbs, if I were to lose weight, it would end my hike.So, I have been doing my best to put on weight in the past few months. I haven't hit a scale for the past few weeks, but I was and assume I am still about 115 (10 lbs heavier than I have ever weighed). That will give me a bit of a buffer zone if I do start losing weight. I intend to continue to eat like it's my job up until my hike (at which point eating tons will becomes not just precautionary, but necessary). I have been using a protein/weight gainer as well lately, and intend to mail drop myself bags of that at each of my mail drops as well.My second concern is weather. Early March can and will be cold. Sure, I begin in the south, but when you add elevation to the mix that's negated. Snow will likely be encountered. The amount of heat generated while hiking is incredible, so I am not so worried about the days. Evenings however, is when the cold can be an issue. Of course I will be bringing proper attire as well as my 20 degree sleeping bag, but being cold is never fun, nevertheless. If it ever gets too cold (or too snowy), I always have the option to take a zero day as well.My final concern, and this is one is admittedly slightly irrational, is snakes. Snakes creep me out. No, I don't worry about snakes on a daily basis while I hike or anything to that extent, but the idea that one could be curled up waiting to fall under foot does concern me. The chances that this were to ever happen, are very slim, but I figure it's best to be honest and let it all out.One and a half months left until my trip begins. Not that I'm counting.