Date: 2015-06-23
To: What I fear....
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

The title to this post is "what I fear" and I am not sure its the best title... because its not about fears as much as it is about concerns regarding the hurdles that I will have to overcome in order to pull off a successful thru hike in 2016. So I listed my current fears/concerns in this entry. I left off the fear of journey ending injury because that is... well obvious. So the six areas of fears/concerns (not in any particular ranked order) are:Sleeping pains: I have spent some nights in some uncomfortable places and tents have been involved in a fair share of those. But those uncomfortable nights in tents and other unsavory places are rare events in the new millennium. And when they did occur, it has never for an extended periods of time and usually there was some sort of "liquid cushion" involved.   I currently plan to start my journey with an REI Flash air mattress. I am not 100% sold on this beast and I recently looked at some wider and thicker (and heavier) specimen. I will wait until I get closer to the journey before I decide if the extra weight is doable. If so, I will upgrade and call it my "luxury item". Back pains: Friends have always said I have not backbone...which is a complete fallacy because it hurts, often. This is why I am taking this game of ounces so serious, but all what I am reading about 25 pound fully loaded backpacks...no way can I pull that off. Of course at 230 pounds I should be able to lug a few extra pounds, but not first without strengthening my core. Strengthening my core....just saying that makes me want to lie down on the couch "for a while".Blisters/Feet Issues: In April this year I walked a lot while turkey hunting and in Central Texas and to show for my two day jaunt I brought home a turkey and one major blister. If blisters were classified on a 1 - 10 scale (why not every thing else is?) this one might have garnished a 9.   Granted, I was wearing cheapo sox, but still one more day afield may have been ugly. The book "Taking Care of Your Feet" is on my "to read" list this summer. And hey, I already have my REI sox ready to go.Hunger: This might be the biggee. I recently started researching some of the deluxe meals to enjoy on the trail and... well tacos, chips and salsa did not make the short list. I can handle eating marginal stuff, but can I get enough? In my years of experience, anything crummy is made crummier by the feeling of hunger.Idle Time: All my life its been one activity on to the next without slacking time. Sure I waste time, but not just slacking off. I don't want to be a robot on the trail and never "screw off", but at the same time playing solitaire at a shelter for three days while I wait for something to heel or feel better scares me. Can I hump a book?Cold: And this one almost did not make it the fears list. I have now invested in enough quality hiking gear that I feel confident that I won't be taking out by being too cold or too wet or any combo of such. Not to mention, I have been out in the elements a lot hunting. Recently. I think it comes down to starting with enough stuff to stay warm at night in April and May. So that's it right now. I will be interesting to see how these fears and concerns change between now and April and even more exciting to look back and see what which ones were the real issues and which ones were not. I am sure there are some I am missing so the list may change as I continue my preparations.