Date: 2005-11-22
To: Home in NH
Miles today: 0.0

Sorry for a slow few entries, but you need at least 3 to get this thing going!Here's some exerpts from my personal journal that I wrote in over the summer recounting how our AT dreams came to be..."July 5, 2005...It was very difficult deciding what to do post-graduation. I hated the G-word. People would talk about how Springlike the weather was getting, and I'd cringe. It only meant graduation was getting closer. Early on in the semester things were wide open. I was upset that I hadn't done BU's 5-year master's program, wasn't sure if I should go straight back to school, find a real job, and toyed with the idea of hiking. I don't think anyone took it seriously. But grad school would be too soon. It's not time for a real job, either. I kept trying out the hiking idea...specifically asked Dad if he'd think I was a bum. He said a bum would beg money off their parents for the trip, so I was all set. I guess my mind was set on the AT sometime in March, and I was fully prepared to go alone, actually prefered to hike alone.All right, now I have to get into our living situation: 4 guys, 3 girls living in Allston. I didn't know Lindsay that well from Woods Hole, didn't have the expectation of becoming good friends, was happy with good housemates. We really only had our sailing trips in common when I moved back and I really appreciate her effort trying to make friends with me. I know I can be standoffish and introverted around new groups of people. We slowly warmed up to each other, had 2 classes together, grumped about the messy guys, knitted, Scrabbled, Dr. Mario'd... But I think what ultimately brought us together was the AT. She mentioned that she might like to do it with me. But I was 1) pretty set on doing it alone, and 2)not expecting anyone to want to do it/skeptical of her. I've never known anyone who has wanted to do these things with me- I'm a bit of a free spirit with my own wacky agenda. What are the chances that someone would have the same goal at the same time? I told her "sure," not really taking it seriously. HAH- that's the last time I will ever doubt Lindsay! She had never really hiked before, knew nothing about and owned no gear. But she was at a similar stage as me- done wtih school, no serious guy, not ready for grad school... I think it's a bit of an escape for both of us. So she picked my brain about gear and hiking. I think it's been a research project for her. I knew she was serious when she started BUYING gear. Lindsay? Spending money? I have serious gear envy now!At any rate, I think that the AT forced us to become friends. When we were sick of classes together, sick of living together, we had gear and hiking to talk about! I must have annoyed her so much at times, and I think she only stuck with me because I was her only hiking resource and she felt she couldn't do the trip without me.Our pilot hike was a big turning point. We drove up to NH, spent Night #1 at Ethan Pond with hordes of Boy Scouts, Night #2 at Guyot Shelter, Night #3 in my tent in the Pemi, then hiked out. She really needed to get into the field and stop studying how to hike! It went so much better than I imagined, despite 3 ft of snow, a cold cold rain, and no visibility. I swear the Bondcliffs are beautiful! She was in good spirits, didn't complain, and honestly seemed comfortable. She's a very particular, smart, grounded, determined perrson in general and it carries over to her hiking. We were miserable at Guyot- I couldn't move, and she was cooking her long underwear and socks to dry them out! I may be more excited about this than anything I've ever done, including heading off to college. It's MY adventure. It's longer than my time in Costa Rica, I don't have to work like in Oregon or Alaska, it's not as unknown as moving to BU, and I don't have to stay put in one spot like for AMC. And I have a good friend to share it with, unlike anything I've ever done. What a challenge- I can't wait! And while I have a zillion apprehensions about the trip, it has give me a focus and a source of excitement. The past few months would have been much scarier without the AT to look forward to."