The time has come to begin my blog for thru-hiking the
Appalachian Trail. I have mixed feelings
about the blog. I am very excited to be
embarking on an adventurous journey for numerous reasons (which I will share
later) and I am a bit leery of recording my thoughts in public. First of all, there are so many blogs already
in existence about people’s journeys on the trail- does the world really need
another? Secondly, it means I have to
commit to writing about the process on a regular basis, which I was not very
successful at doing while in the Peace Corps.
Lastly, I want my writings to be true and accurate to my experience
while knowing that future employers, past students, and others probably should
not know everything. Hopefully I’ll find
the right balance between honesty and self-censorship.
When did I decide to hike the trail? Probably two years ago. I was in the Peace Corps and had discussed
the idea with a few of the other trainees in my group. I think I shared my idea over lunch,
suggesting that I would like to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail someday. Much to my surprise others shared the same
sentiment! We talked about the
possibilities of going together, as a group of RPCVs, after completing our
service.
While living on my small island my mother asked what I would
like for Christmas. Among other things,
I asked for “Appalachian Trials” and “Appalachian Trail: Thru-Hiker’s
Companion.” She was surprised by my
request. After all, I was currently a
Peace Corps Volunteer, how many adventures was I planning to have? She also mentioned that hiking the AT had
been a dream for one of my grandfathers.
I think it was ordering the books that solidified the idea in my head.
Reading “Appalachian Trials” by Zach Davis was amusing. Most of the advice for surviving the trail
psychologically was the same advice I had been given for becoming a PCV. I was currently living a psychologically
straining life. If I made it through
Peace Corps I was pretty sure I could mentally handle hiking the AT. I passed the book along to fellow PCVs who
were interested. By January 2014 three
of us had committed to hiking the trail.
Zach Davis recommends making three lists in regards to the
trail:
- I am thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail because…
- When I successfully thru-hike the Appalachian Trail I
will…
- If I give up on the Appalachian Trail I will…
These were similar questions I asked myself before joining
Peace Corps. The second two have answers
that are very similar to my Peace Corps answers. Here are my thoughts for the first question.
I am thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail because…
- I will be able to spend an extended amount of time
outdoors experiencing and living in nature
- I value living life at a slower pace and being
self-sufficient
- It will allow me to travel though parts of America that I
have never seen before
- Now is a good time in my life make the hike
- I enjoy challenging myself
- I want to raise money and awareness for a great
organization in Maine
