Date: 2013-02-09
To: Work, prep and missing the mountains.....
Miles today: 0.0

So tired!!! Just finished another long week of work...73.5 hours!!! But....I'm happy about the money I am making and am so excited for my hike! One of my FB friends, Josh Calhoun, is starting next week. Tonight is his going away party...lucky dog!!! I'm jealous but I wish him the best on his journey. Me? I'm just working my ass off and doing all my prep and planning in the evening. Today I called Josh at the Hiker Hostel and secured a room for April 12th. He said they are booked Saturday April 14th...must be quite a few starting at the traditional time like me :0) So, this has me hiking the approach trail on the 13th and then beginning my thru hike from Springer on the 14th....one day earlier than I had origionally planned. Believe me, I am totally fine with that!!! :0) 62 days away!!! It sooooo couldn't come soon enough. One of my co-workers has been following my journal and recently stopped me in the office and said..."wait...let me get this straight, you are busting your ass 7 days a week working only so that you can take six months OFF and bust your ass 7 days a week????"   So funny!!!! Thanks for the laugh Heather...after working 18 days straight I needed it!    I've been watching all of the posts from Mountain Crossings @ Wlasi-yi in Neels Gap. There have been quite a few thru hikers coming through already! It's so much fun to see their pictures and think about a little over 2 months from now when I will be walking through that outfitter...the AT goes right down the middle of the store!!! So far I don't think I will have to dump or buy anything there. I'm looking pretty good with a base back weight of ~13#'s. I'm quite certain that with food, water and fuel, my pack will weigh 25#'s or less. That weight is comfortable for me. I'm re-thinking my shoe's though. The Solomans are a little too narrow in my instep. I'm going to look at some other trail runners and the one that feels comfortable immediately when I put it on wins!!! :0)   My goal this week is to put together my flexible itinerary. I'm planning on ~15 miles per day on average and taking at least 15 zero days. This totally may change but I need to get at least a rough draft of my schedule together. At 15 miles per day I will hit Damascus at the perfect time of May 17-19 for trail days! It will be great to hike into trail days as opposed to having to hitch or shuttle back down or up from another location on the trail. I went to trail days last year and really enjoyed it...it will be so much more meaningful since I will be on the trail.   But, I still have so much to do before I take off! I have to continue to work a ton, get my drop boxes together, and train!!!! God, I have been working so much that I haven't been able to get the training in that I need. Monday I am carving out at least 1.5 hours per day for training...or I will be dragging up to Springer on that first day!! Lol....I doubt that will happen since I will be walking on air the moment I hit that trail...but, I seriously do need to get my sweat on!!! :0) Monday is the 60 day til departure mark so it's a perfect time to hit it hard.    It is hard being out here in the flat lands though...I miss the mountains sooooo much!!!! Driving to work in the morning looking at the sun come up over the trees doesn't even come close to driving down Soco Hwy toward Cherokee and pulling into my work parking lot with the 7 peaks overlooking the valley!!! Such a beautiful sight and I miss it terribly :0( I truly am a mountain girl!! They are such an integral part of who I am...and I can't wait to return to them!