sorry the double post. meant to make this a new topic as it is now.

how many of you 45+ers are just taking a leave from your job, or are well-suited money-wise, and are leaving your house in the hands of someone else?

in order to make this dream finally come true, i'm probably going to have to quit the job (and security) that i've had for 16 years.

i also will be selling my house so i don't have to worry about mortgage payments.

probably sell a good deal of my furniture and stuff as well so i don't have to store it. i could also use the money to finance the trip as well.

the big question is, what do i do when i finish the trail (providing i finish the trail?)

well, the short answer is i plan to work somewhere for 6 months, save as much as possible, then do the pct. afterward, if i'm still alive, do the same thing for 6 months then hike the cdt.

now you might say that i am being foolish planning like this and leaving myself no net if things don't work out on the trail. and if i were a young tot i might agree. but at 51, and after dreaming about this my ENTIRE life (no kidding) if things DON'T work out on the trail, i have absolutely no idea what i will do with the rest of my life, so i'll be starting from scratch again anyway.

i almost feel like i need to corner myself into leaving no choice but to get on the trail in 2010, because i'm afraid if i don't back myself into a corner, i may never take the leap to hike the AT at all.

really really really so want to do the trail in 2010. but very afraid of losing security.

does any of this make sense? inputs welcome.

thanks

I say go for it! :sun

I sometimes have the same feelings going thru my head (albeit, not as serious), but cant react b/c I'm a proud & happy daddy (as of 2 yrs ago). If I didn't have a youngin depending on me, I'd be contemplating your scenario.

your dream is beautiful, your plan good and your springer feaver rageing. i really dont think you can afford to not hike this very season. your sanity may require and imediate emergency hike. it can only be declaired by you. as fellow hiker, i give you leave to hike sir. gentelmen, fire your packs, hike at will.

Well, I did a similer thing when I was in my mid 30's, some 20 years ago. I got fired from my high tech, high stress job (the place went bankrupt 6 months later, so I was lucky to be let go then with 6 weeks severance pay and be able to join some friends on a trip to the Candian Rockies), sold a house I was partners in at a reasonable profit so had money in the bank and no desire to look for a new job.

So, I became a mountian bum for 5 years or so. Spent a summer wandering around Yellowstone and the surounding areas, hiked most of the AT, took on several caretaker jobs, one 9 month long stint at the RMC Gray Knob cabin (summer/fall/winter) and a couple of summer/fall caretaker jobs for the GMC. Good way to live in the woods and break even on the deal.

During the winter I would find a job as not to tap into my savings too much. But eventually, the savings started to dwindle and ended up settling down here in the White Mountians and starting a buisness. Now that I've built up my savings agian, I'm thinking of shutting down the buisness and doing some serious hiking again before I'm too old. In the mean time, I have to settle for one or two month long section hikes on the AT.

So, if you can sell your house in todays market and make money instead of loosing any, have little or no debut to get rid of, no significant other or kids to make your life complicated, it could be worth going for and taking care of your wanderlust. The longer you wait the harder it will be. Winter jobs aren't too hard to find if your not picky at what you do and maybe the job market will get better by the time you run out of money and have to settle down again.

Good Luck!

thanks all for your replies so far. very helpful and hopeful.
i thought you would maybe say i was being completely irresponsible.

you brought up a good point Slo-go'en when you said:

"if you can sell your house in todays market and make money instead of loosing any, have little or no debut to get rid of, no significant other or kids to make your life complicated, it could be worth going for and taking care of your wanderlust."

i am pretty much EXACTLY in that position. i'm only a few years into my house, so no real equity to lose yet, and selling on the present market, i would probably break about even.

my son is almost 30 with a child of his own. i'm not in a relationship at present either.

and i do not care much for my employer of 16 years either.

HEY! what the ____ am I waiting for!?!

HEY! what the ____ am I waiting for!?!

Sounds like it's time to unload all your worldy goods and reduce them to what fits into a backpack! Have fun:):banana

This is going to sound soooo alien and even impossible to many, but, yes, you can live without a cell phone, cable TV, a four wheeled carbon monoxide generator, and even that box that most people call a home! I applaud anyone who decides to live life on their terms rather than what someone else has decided is right for them! Now, maybe you will find out what life can be like when you are not on the merry-go-round???

GO HIKE!!! We quit great jobs, sold and gave away 30 yrs of really good stuff, sold our property and cars to pursue a dream and a simpler life. Your fear is to lose security, but what security is there really? Things can happen and there is no better time to enjoy life than when you decide it's the most important thing to do. Your choice is to get rid of the "stuff" and live, or to live in fear of losing the "stuff" that is in control of your life. Go live on your terms. The hike will do wonders to clear your head. Enjoy the journey and best wishes to you!

The more stuff you own, the more stuff owns you.

I've done it that way twice. Just go for it. The only thing to leave behind is stress!

geek

Somebody else posted this on whiteblaze and I copied it down. Im only 24 but I gave my 2 weeks, sold my car, and plan to head to the trail on Saturday. Anyway, I think this fits your post... "To be truly challenging, a voyage, like a life, must rest on a firm foundation of financial unrest. Otherwise you are doomed to a routine traverse, the kind known to yachtsmen, who play with their boats at sea-"cruising," it is called. Voyaging belongs to seamen, and to the wanderers of the world who cannot, or will not, fit in. If you are contemplating a voyage and you have the means, abandon the venture until your fortunes change. Only then will you know what the sea is all about.
"I’ve always wanted to sail the South Seas, but I can’t afford it." What these men can’t afford is not to go. They are enmeshed in the cancerous discipline of "security." And in the worship of security we fling our lives beneath the routine of routine - and before we know it our lives are gone.
What does a man need - really need? A few pounds of food each day, heat and shelter, six feet to lie down in - and some form of working activity that will yield a sense of accomplishment. That’s all - in the material sense. And we know it. But we are brainwashed by our economic system until we end up in a tomb beneath a pyramid of time payments, mortgages, preposterous gadgetry, playthings that divert our attention from the sheer idiocy of the charade.
The years thunder by. The dreams of youth grow dim where they lie caked in dust on the shelves of patience. Before we know it, the tomb is sealed.
Where, then, lies the answer? In choice. Which shall it be: bankruptcy of purse or bankruptcy of life?"

I quit my job the end of March last year. I sold my house, sold my car, gave away my furniture and most of my clothes. I have some books and outdoor gear stored at my sister´s house ... nothing else.

I spent three months in Ecuador, six weeks in Guatemala and am in the middle of four plus months in Argentina. I have learned a lot of Spanish and hiked beautiful trails, mountains and volcanoes in Central and South America.

My SOBO start date is June 15. Right now, I have no plans upon completion of the AT, but I will have plenty of time to consider future plans during my hike. I will have to work somewhere because remaining funds will be limited when I reach the end of the trail.

If given the choice to do it all over / differently, I wouldn´t change a thing. I just wish I had done it sooner.

material posessions are anchors
security is a trap
set yourself free

I am also planning to leave a very secure and decent paying job with good benefits and an independent lifestyle to go take care of my mother. I have no relationship, no children and I am rapidly approaching 50.....But before I do that, I decided, as a incentive for myself, I am going to hike the AT..2010 is really the only window in my foreseeable future when this will be likely to happen.. Like everyone else, I am contemplating the wisdom of this move... I rent so I don't have to worry about a mortgage, I've been saving lots of money thanks to a 2nd source of income (one of those turn your hobby into income things)....I plan to pretty much sell everything so I will have practically nothing to store...and on and on....I won't have too many bills that I will have to deal with while I am hiking. Will I regret leaving my secure life to do this? maybe....I know I am giving up a lot, but am I going to change my mind.....NO WAY!...not with the opportunity hanging out in front of me like a carrot... It's life after the trail that I am worried about.....

This plan sounds great if your single and have no qualms about quitting your job and unloading your house in this financial cesspool of a economy.
I don't mean to sound sarcastic but I would have to win the lottery big time , and that ain't gonna happen 'cause I don't play , or divorce my wife and convince the judge to rule in my favor so I could sell MY house and go hiking for six months .

Good Luck and happy trails to those who can.

go hike the p.c.t. it's amazing

I am also planning to leave a very secure and decent paying job with good benefits and an independent lifestyle to go take care of my mother. I have no relationship, no children and I am rapidly approaching 50.....But before I do that, I decided, as a incentive for myself, I am going to hike the AT..2010 is really the only window in my foreseeable future when this will be likely to happen.. Like everyone else, I am contemplating the wisdom of this move... I rent so I don't have to worry about a mortgage, I've been saving lots of money thanks to a 2nd source of income (one of those turn your hobby into income things)....I plan to pretty much sell everything so I will have practically nothing to store...and on and on....I won't have too many bills that I will have to deal with while I am hiking. Will I regret leaving my secure life to do this? maybe....I know I am giving up a lot, but am I going to change my mind.....NO WAY!...not with the opportunity hanging out in front of me like a carrot... It's life after the trail that I am worried about.....
Just Lisa, it appears you have everything in order to do the things that are important to you. With two income streams I've no doubt you can continue them when you're ready again, if that's what you choose to do. During the hike you'll have a lot of time to contemplate what the future may offer and it could be an entirely new direction based on your interests and passion. You're on a course to simplify and that in itself is extremely liberating. Have no fear of the after hike, just enjoy the opportunity to take the journey while you can. You'll be able to work through the rest later. Wish you the very best!

"To be truly challenging, a voyage, like a life, must rest on a firm foundation of financial unrest. Otherwise you are doomed to a routine traverse, the kind known to yachtsmen, who play with their boats at sea-"cruising," it is called. Voyaging belongs to seamen, and to the wanderers of the world who cannot, or will not, fit in. If you are contemplating a voyage and you have the means, abandon the venture until your fortunes change. Only then will you know what the sea is all about.
"I’ve always wanted to sail the South Seas, but I can’t afford it." What these men can’t afford is not to go. They are enmeshed in the cancerous discipline of "security." And in the worship of security we fling our lives beneath the routine of routine - and before we know it our lives are gone.
What does a man need - really need? A few pounds of food each day, heat and shelter, six feet to lie down in - and some form of working activity that will yield a sense of accomplishment. That’s all - in the material sense. And we know it. But we are brainwashed by our economic system until we end up in a tomb beneath a pyramid of time payments, mortgages, preposterous gadgetry, playthings that divert our attention from the sheer idiocy of the charade.
The years thunder by. The dreams of youth grow dim where they lie caked in dust on the shelves of patience. Before we know it, the tomb is sealed.
Where, then, lies the answer? In choice. Which shall it be: bankruptcy of purse or bankruptcy of life?"

That's Sterling Hayden's quote from his autobiography, Wanderer Highly recommended.

Thanks for giving the quote a name. I don't like not knowing who said something.

Great quote, we are doing the same, quit the jobs hike the AT then PCT then sailing our 24' enginless cutter around the world. We will backpack and hike every country we visit. Trip highlight climbing to base camp Mt Everest. Our budget is less than 750 per month. Cheers. Ali

I think a thruhike is a life altering event for a lot of people. I did the same thing others have alluded to here...quit a good corporate job, sold, gave away or threw away virtually all of my stuff. I wandered the country with my pack, 3 suitcases and 4 plastic storage boxes in the trunk of my car.

When I got off the trail I tried to go back to the same type of job I had had before, but it just didn't fit anymore, so I quit after a few months...I spent the next 3 years or so moving around the country doing different kinds of work...mostly working below my ability/skill set. I did things like work nights at a convenience store, deliver pizza.

What's funny is now that I've settled down a bit and seem to have gotten on track I'm starting to itch to do it again.

all these posts are making me want to get up and leave haha

I've got a similar plan but I'm doing it after I graduate... good luck and enjoy your hikes!

Greetings from a drab cubical. This time next year, I plan to walk away from my good-paying, tedious job, and into the woods. I am terrified. But I know I can't go on sitting in this office with such overpowering trailsickness...And having just read the above thread, I'm comforted to know that many of us are in the same boat. Thanks for your original post, TV. I look forward to meeting you on the trail.

When I hike I give up sex with others. I know what my feet look like so being south of the equator on a hiker chick isn't that appealing.

Wingfoot always said re mental attitude:

"To hike the AT from end to end the AT needs to be the most important thing in your life"

Sounds to me like you are there.

Like you say "what the ___ are you waiting for?"

Somebody else posted this on whiteblaze and I copied it down. Im only 24 but I gave my 2 weeks, sold my car, and plan to head to the trail on Saturday. Anyway, I think this fits your post... "To be truly challenging, a voyage, like a life, must rest on a firm foundation of financial unrest. Otherwise you are doomed to a routine traverse, the kind known to yachtsmen, who play with their boats at sea-"cruising," it is called. Voyaging belongs to seamen, and to the wanderers of the world who cannot, or will not, fit in. If you are contemplating a voyage and you have the means, abandon the venture until your fortunes change. Only then will you know what the sea is all about.
"I’ve always wanted to sail the South Seas, but I can’t afford it." What these men can’t afford is not to go. They are enmeshed in the cancerous discipline of "security." And in the worship of security we fling our lives beneath the routine of routine - and before we know it our lives are gone.
What does a man need - really need? A few pounds of food each day, heat and shelter, six feet to lie down in - and some form of working activity that will yield a sense of accomplishment. That’s all - in the material sense. And we know it. But we are brainwashed by our economic system until we end up in a tomb beneath a pyramid of time payments, mortgages, preposterous gadgetry, playthings that divert our attention from the sheer idiocy of the charade.
The years thunder by. The dreams of youth grow dim where they lie caked in dust on the shelves of patience. Before we know it, the tomb is sealed.
Where, then, lies the answer? In choice. Which shall it be: bankruptcy of purse or bankruptcy of life?"

Does anybody see the irony of us advising someone to discard material things whem this advice is given via a COMPUTER, probably from a HOUSE that probably has a MORTGAGE and sitting outside is a CAR.....

....and DON'T ya'll say that you are communicating from a library across the street from a hostel where your pack rests! I know better..

haha, you burned him.

when my lease is up, i get the great (an not so great) opportunity of moving back in with the rents, live rent free, and take some classes. for this, i have to give up smoking really potent pot and drinking large quantities of microbrew beer. i am excited for the cessation of these activities and the sober life, finishing school,
BUT what dad doesnt know is that im going to take advantage of no rent, do lots of yard/house work, take a couple of classes, and bite my time until my brother drops me off at the james river so i can hike down to damascus and buy my homeboy lone wolf ONE beer. then ill finish school.

Not sure I'm giving up anything. I've been on the a collison course with the AT for some time now. Nearly 2 dozen countries across 5 continents, many different types and modes of adventuring over the past 10 years or so.

I moved the AT from 2008 to 2009 for what I thought would be a great new television hosting gig that would propel my career forward. Turned out to me more of the same.

You couldn't keep me off the AT at gunpoint or with a suitcase full of money at this juncture. :cool:

go for it before life passes you by

Does anybody see the irony of us advising someone to discard material things whem this advice is given via a COMPUTER, probably from a HOUSE that probably has a MORTGAGE and sitting outside is a CAR.....

....and DON'T ya'll say that you are communicating from a library across the street from a hostel where your pack rests! I know better..


You´re right. I am not in a library. In fact, I am in an internet cafe in Bariloche, Argentina just around the corner from the hostel where my pack rests, having just completed a week long hike in Nahuel Huapi National Park.

thanks all for your replies so far. very helpful and hopeful.
i thought you would maybe say i was being completely irresponsible.

you brought up a good point Slo-go'en when you said:

"if you can sell your house in todays market and make money instead of loosing any, have little or no debut to get rid of, no significant other or kids to make your life complicated, it could be worth going for and taking care of your wanderlust."

i am pretty much EXACTLY in that position. i'm only a few years into my house, so no real equity to lose yet, and selling on the present market, i would probably break about even.

my son is almost 30 with a child of his own. i'm not in a relationship at present either.

and i do not care much for my employer of 16 years either.

HEY! what the ____ am I waiting for!?!

Go for it. If things do not work out you can always move in with your son. He owes you 18+ years of shelter.

Why wait to live your dreams

Quit my government job in DC, sold house, had grandmother take care of kids (her's) gave mine some money to get by and headed out. Harper's to Mt Greylock. But as so often happens, the trail kicked back and forced us off when the wife got a knee injury and she wasn't cool with me hiking alone. Same thing happened the next year just 14 miles from NOC.

Bottom line - no guarantees in this deal but no guarantees in life. Now we sit on a small fruit and vegetable farm with a small country store living life a little easier but making little money. Still we can get up each day and dig in the dirt or take a hike like we will this weekend on the Sheltowee Trace, nearby, and enjoy life.

But the truth is, if we could sell it all tomorrow or part of it, we both would be back to hiking in a moment. IN the blood until we get it done which we will sooner or later.
traildust

Well I am quite a bit younger, but I have pretty much the same plan, I live in Ga Im going north to maine next march and I figure since I live in Ga I might as well walk back when I get there. I have no kids no wife no mortage, I just have a really good job but material possesions are crap so im going for it. and when Im done with that im think I will go for the CDT and then the PCT and then what ever happens next!!

Does anybody see the irony of us advising someone to discard material things whem this advice is given via a COMPUTER, probably from a HOUSE that probably has a MORTGAGE and sitting outside is a CAR.....

....and DON'T ya'll say that you are communicating from a library across the street from a hostel where your pack rests! I know better..

Wrong, Mortgage Breath, are we supposed to mail it to them. Many of us are sitting behind prison bars of our own minds telling other people to escape. The fact that we escape then are recaptured over and over is slightly ironic, however enjoying the escape of others is not.

I "gave up" everything back in the 70's and moved to a log cabin in northern Minnesota when that was a chic thing to do. That's when I fell in love with the woods. Stayed several years but then moved back to Chi-town and took on all the usual consumer-based accoutrements of civilization. Gave it all up again in the 80's and moved onto a sailboat in Miami. I sold everything I owned except for one duffel bag of clothes. Getting rid of all my material possessions was an epiphany. I felt like a 1,000 pounds (of responsibility) was taken off my back. Eventually made it back to civilization, bought a condo and a Cadillac but said no to cable. Give it all up again to go hike the AT? In a heartbeat! I'll be at Springer in Feb. 2010.

My life is an example of "The more stuff you own, the more stuff owns you".
Sounds like you are in a perfect situaton and at the right age to go for it
Security is a state of mind
During this latest recession I would bet plenty of folks would like to be in your position
Head for the hills and enjoy

If all goes well with my finances, I'll be quitting my job. I've sold nearly everything I own, and have moved in with a roommate. Assuming the car loan, school loans, and credit cards get paid off in time, I'll be making an attempt to do a NOBO thru sometime in April 2010.

Its Nice 2 Know There R People Like U Out There. Not Scared 2 Break The Chains That Hold Us All Down. The Quotes On This Site Have Inspired Me To Have Hope. I Am Slowly Starting 2 Realize That No One Is Truely Happy, Except The People That Drop Everything And Shoot For The Stars. I Love Free Spirits.......

<clip>I Am Slowly Starting 2 Realize That No One Is Truely Happy, Except The People That Drop Everything And Shoot For The Stars. I Love Free Spirits.......

hmmm....

What I am NOT giving up to do a thru-hike:
* committment to filling my role as father / provider. My wife and I decided to have children, a decision I have NEVER regretted. I now have 2 in college, and one who is 13. They all need me in one way or another
* a decent job that allows me to fill the role above....
* a hope that one day, maybe when my youngest finishes high school, he and I can do a LONG section and finish what we haven't done as section hikers at that point....

I don't mean to put a damper on the thread - it's great that some are in the position that they can take off for 4 - 6 months and do a hike. Do I dream of taking off and leaving all responsibility, hike back into shape, and enjoy being a "free spirit?" Sure, but that's not my idea of "shooting for the stars," nor is it the example I want to set for my sons. I also know that my wife would lose complete respect for me if I did so at this point in our lives....

All the more reason for those who are young or are in a life transition where they can "take a hike" to do so as the opportunity arises!

hmmm....

What I am NOT giving up to do a thru-hike:
* committment to filling my role as father / provider. My wife and I decided to have children, a decision I have NEVER regretted. I now have 2 in college, and one who is 13. They all need me in one way or another
* a decent job that allows me to fill the role above....
* a hope that one day, maybe when my youngest finishes high school, he and I can do a LONG section and finish what we haven't done as section hikers at that point....

Everyone's life situation comes about because of the choices they have made. You made the conscious choice to have a wife and children, and even said so. I made the conscious choice NOT to have a wife or children. For better or worse, our beds are made, we have to lie in them regardless. Nobody forced you into marriage and children.



I don't mean to put a damper on the thread - it's great that some are in the position that they can take off for 4 - 6 months and do a hike. Do I dream of taking off and leaving all responsibility, hike back into shape, and enjoy being a "free spirit?" Sure, but that's not my idea of "shooting for the stars," nor is it the example I want to set for my sons. I also know that my wife would lose complete respect for me if I did so at this point in our lives....


Yes, but you are putting a damper on the thread. It's great that you want to be a good father, but don't rain on my parade, just because of the life choices you've made. I've been planning a thru-hike since I was 18, saving while in college, and living in ratholes to save money, even during my professional career.

I am 32 years old now, and I'm not about to let anybody ruin this for me. I've put myself in a position to thru-hike the AT, busting my @$$, and saving every dime I've made. It's not something that's just fallen into my lap!

I consider section hiking an investment in the wellbeing of my soul. I get so much more out of it than the $$ (and the far more precious time) than I could ever spend on it. The reward is mostly in the people I've met.
I plan on a thruhike after I retire, though my knees might not be up to it by then.

<clip>I am 32 years old now, and I'm not about to let anybody ruin this for me. I've put myself in a position to thru-hike the AT, busting my @$$, and saving every dime I've made. It's not something that's just fallen into my lap!

No arguments from me....I think you read into my post things that I did not intend nor post.....

My post was in response to the implication that only those who "drop everything" are truly happy. I am truly happy living the life that I have chosen. The implication that those like me who are choosing to live a life responsible for others are not "truly happy" was something that I had to respond to. I am happy being responsible to and for the decisions I have made. I could make a long argument about why I think this type of attitude is directly responsible for many of the societal issues we have now, but this would be a major thread hijack and result only in a lot of argument, so I choose not to.

I also was supportive of those like you, who have made choices to enable them to do a long hike. You are being resonsible to and for the decisions you have made, and apparently have worked hard to make your dream happen. Congrats! I'm not sure why such a harsh response.....no attempt here to "ruin your hike."

Sat down with my son last night to plan our next section....has to be a short hike this summer because of other committments. Mooney Gap to Wesser - 38 miles to the Nantahala, then a day of rafting!

My son and I will be thru-hiking in '11.
What I'm temporarliy giving up:
a lucrative birth practice which I will have to rebuild when we get back
the comforts of home (MY bed, regular showers, bubble baths)
sex
my husband's cooking

What I'm not giving up:
my dream of thru hiking the AT (been fantisizing and dreaming of this for over 35 years; planning, prepping, training and saving for the last year)
the experience of a lifetime, shared with my son
finishing my sons' homeschool education
my marriage (25 years next April)
our home (mortgage will be paid off no later than June 2012)

As you can see, I think and plan carefully for my dreams to come true. We have arranged our lives to make this happen. I'm telling my moms who are having their babies now that if they want me at their next birth, do not get pregnant in the last half of '10.

Yes, you can have your cake and eat it too.

I believe dreams keep us alive.

2016 - Bicycling Ireland with my husband, if he quits smoking. If not, I will steal my girlfriend from her husband and take her and possibly her oldest daughter.

2021 - Hiking Greece

2026 - Seriously considering rafting the Nile.

2031 - If I can't find anything else that burns a desire into my soul, I'll laugh and drink too much, tell outrageous stories and outlive my doctor. Also planning to seriously corrupt my grandchildren.
Dee
healthymom

I think a thruhike is a life altering event for a lot of people. I did the same thing others have alluded to here...quit a good corporate job, sold, gave away or threw away virtually all of my stuff. I wandered the country with my pack, 3 suitcases and 4 plastic storage boxes in the trunk of my car.

When I got off the trail I tried to go back to the same type of job I had had before, but it just didn't fit anymore, so I quit after a few months...I spent the next 3 years or so moving around the country doing different kinds of work...mostly working below my ability/skill set. I did things like work nights at a convenience store, deliver pizza.

What's funny is now that I've settled down a bit and seem to have gotten on track I'm starting to itch to do it again.

Not giving up a damn thing! No kids, no bills and retiring from the the military on my terms after 20 years this coming February. Been smart enough to save and invest over the last 17 years and at age 39 I will collect a military pension check (E-7 rate) each month for the rest of my life. Definitely looking forward to many hiking adventures and meeting some of the wonderful folks on trail that I've conversed with here on W.B.! :D

sorry the double post. meant to make this a new topic as it is now.

how many of you 45+ers are just taking a leave from your job, or are well-suited money-wise, and are leaving your house in the hands of someone else?

in order to make this dream finally come true, i'm probably going to have to quit the job (and security) that i've had for 16 years.

i also will be selling my house so i don't have to worry about mortgage payments.

probably sell a good deal of my furniture and stuff as well so i don't have to store it. i could also use the money to finance the trip as well.

the big question is, what do i do when i finish the trail (providing i finish the trail?)

well, the short answer is i plan to work somewhere for 6 months, save as much as possible, then do the pct. afterward, if i'm still alive, do the same thing for 6 months then hike the cdt.

now you might say that i am being foolish planning like this and leaving myself no net if things don't work out on the trail. and if i were a young tot i might agree. but at 51, and after dreaming about this my ENTIRE life (no kidding) if things DON'T work out on the trail, i have absolutely no idea what i will do with the rest of my life, so i'll be starting from scratch again anyway.

i almost feel like i need to corner myself into leaving no choice but to get on the trail in 2010, because i'm afraid if i don't back myself into a corner, i may never take the leap to hike the AT at all.

really really really so want to do the trail in 2010. but very afraid of losing security.

does any of this make sense? inputs welcome.

thanks

Should've posted under this thread...
Not giving up a damn thing! No kids, no bills and retiring from the the military on my terms after 20 years this coming February. Been smart enough to save and invest over the last 17 years and at age 39 I will collect a military pension check (E-7 rate) each month for the rest of my life. Definitely looking forward to many hiking adventures and meeting some of the wonderful folks on trail that I've conversed with here on W.B.! :D

sorry the double post. meant to make this a new topic as it is now.

how many of you 45+ers are just taking a leave from your job, or are well-suited money-wise, and are leaving your house in the hands of someone else?

in order to make this dream finally come true, i'm probably going to have to quit the job (and security) that i've had for 16 years.

i also will be selling my house so i don't have to worry about mortgage payments.

probably sell a good deal of my furniture and stuff as well so i don't have to store it. i could also use the money to finance the trip as well.

the big question is, what do i do when i finish the trail (providing i finish the trail?)

well, the short answer is i plan to work somewhere for 6 months, save as much as possible, then do the pct. afterward, if i'm still alive, do the same thing for 6 months then hike the cdt.

now you might say that i am being foolish planning like this and leaving myself no net if things don't work out on the trail. and if i were a young tot i might agree. but at 51, and after dreaming about this my ENTIRE life (no kidding) if things DON'T work out on the trail, i have absolutely no idea what i will do with the rest of my life, so i'll be starting from scratch again anyway.

i almost feel like i need to corner myself into leaving no choice but to get on the trail in 2010, because i'm afraid if i don't back myself into a corner, i may never take the leap to hike the AT at all.

really really really so want to do the trail in 2010. but very afraid of losing security.

does any of this make sense? inputs welcome.

thanks

Whatever you decide to do, I wish you only the best of luck! :) If I laid off the Captain's and coke I probably could've have knocked this out in one thread vs. three its taken! My bad! :confused:

No arguments from me....I think you read into my post things that I did not intend nor post.....

My post was in response to the implication that only those who "drop everything" are truly happy. I am truly happy living the life that I have chosen. The implication that those like me who are choosing to live a life responsible for others are not "truly happy" was something that I had to respond to. I am happy being responsible to and for the decisions I have made.

... and that's great Steve, but it's not in spirit of the original post. In fact, I'm not sure where you got the idea that there was an implication that ONLY those who are free spirits are "truly happy." Dropping everything works for some, obviously it doesn't work for you.


I also was supportive of those like you, who have made choices to enable them to do a long hike. You are being resonsible to and for the decisions you have made, and apparently have worked hard to make your dream happen. Congrats! I'm not sure why such a harsh response.....no attempt here to "ruin your hike."

... and I was supportive of the fact, you choose to be a responsible father. Not all of us are so lucky to have a family. Maybe you didn't mean to come off as: "hey look at me, I'm the responsible one" but that's sure how I took it. If that's not what you were after, then I apologize.


Sat down with my son last night to plan our next section....has to be a short hike this summer because of other committments. Mooney Gap to Wesser - 38 miles to the Nantahala, then a day of rafting!

Happy hiking.

<clip>I Am Slowly Starting 2 Realize That No One Is Truely Happy, Except The People That Drop Everything And Shoot For The Stars. I Love Free Spirits.......

<clip>In fact, I'm not sure where you got the idea that there was an implication that ONLY those who are free spirits are "truly happy." Dropping everything works for some, obviously it doesn't work for you. <clip>

Posting this clip for the third time: I was responding to the above quote: "No One Is Truely Happy, Except The People That Drop Everything And Shoot For The Stars." I strongly disagree with this statement and the philosophy it represents. Anything else you read into my post was not intended nor stated!

I have to back SteveJ here. He's much like I am, although I've never met him, cognizant of his reponsibilities that he chose. I would take off today to hike, my pack is loaded and in my office as we speak. But I too have two children in college, one that just graduated with a Master's degree, a great wife and a house that's almost paid for. I look at my pack every day and dream of that day when I can say I'm gone.

But you must understand that family comes before what is a truly selfish act, to take off and hike, leaving your loved ones (and 4 rescue dogs) behind, leaving them with no real security blanket. For those of you who can, I applaud your efforts and enthusiasm to sell it all and go. But for some of us, who chose to take the family path and endure the responsibility that it entails, please don't condemn our choices. I think that each situation is in itself totally unique, and up to that person to make the right choice.

I put some thought into it, and I don't think I'm really giving up anything. I've lived with nothing before and I am looking forward to living with nothing again. Well, aside from whats on my back that is. I think the only thing aside from women I'll be missing, is surfing..... No ocean for months?! Ahh the sacrifices we must make......see y'all March 2010!

<clip>I think the only thing aside from women I'll be missing, is surfing..... No ocean for months?! Ahh the sacrifices we must make......see y'all March 2010!

Now, that's sacrifice! :D

A maple blonde, hard bodied, screaming, squeeling...





Fender Stratocaster...bow-cha-bow-bow

"now you might say that i am being foolish planning like this and leaving myself no net if things don't work out on the trail. and if i were a young tot i might agree. but at 51, and after dreaming about this my ENTIRE life (no kidding) if things DON'T work out on the trail, i have absolutely no idea what i will do with the rest of my life, so i'll be starting from scratch again anyway."


When I'm 51, I hope this is exactly what I'm doing.

"it's not how old I am, it's how young I feel"
Minor Threat

A maple blonde, hard bodied, screaming, squeeling...

What, you mean you can't get that on the trail ??? Ain't you never heard of 'Pink Blazing' ??


HAIRNT !

I'm and ER Nurse... spent 4 years in the Navy as a medic and then 7+ years as "tech" working in the ER... spent years going to school, moving around etc..

I'm giving up a job I'm not totally fond of and that entails a high level of stress and life or death decisions, leaving my dog in the able hands of someone in my family. I'm taking on 2 roomies in the house I own to help pay for expenses and the trip. I don't care about the TV, the cell, the security. Tired of working 12 hour nights at two hospitals to "make it". Fortunate that there will always be a job for me somewhere when I leave the trail... Question will be do I still want to do that job.

The timing cant be more perfect... I'm single, 35, female and this may be the last bit of "drop it all" freedom I may have. I suspect that sometime in the future there may be a life of kids and a relationship but for now the trail calls.

I am not giving up anything yet, but hope someday to be able to give up whatever it takes to complete a thru hike.
In the meantime, we just recently built our dream home log cabin in Unionville, NY just off the trail at Quarry road.
For all of you out there hiking the trail - my goal is to be in a position next year to host some bonfire nights and provide a hearty meal to any thru-hiker that wants one. Feel free to look us up when you are in this area.
I bought this property pretty much because it borders the trail. If I win the lottery I will be building the coolest free hostel, cooking the best food and meeting the best people that pass by.... right after I complete my thru hike!

I am not giving up anything yet, but hope someday to be able to give up whatever it takes to complete a thru hike.
In the meantime, we just recently built our dream home log cabin in Unionville, NY just off the trail at Quarry road.
For all of you out there hiking the trail - my goal is to be in a position next year to host some bonfire nights and provide a hearty meal to any thru-hiker that wants one. Feel free to look us up when you are in this area.
I bought this property pretty much because it borders the trail. If I win the lottery I will be building the coolest free hostel, cooking the best food and meeting the best people that pass by.... right after I complete my thru hike!

Welcome, Sleegun! :welcome Congrats on your new home! A cabin in the mountains sounds pretty good right now in the dry, hot south!

Well seeing as I'm 23, unemployed and single the only thing I will be giving up is my car. Selling it to fund my thru. All this talk of resposnibility is making me want a beer or 6.

Sex & Backpacking toys......

Sex & Backpacking toys......

What size batteries do those take?

This is some of the most inspirational advice/information that I could ever hope to find right now. I am a college student that can't find a satisfying major and a person who is sick of material things and society's "plan" (go to college, get a job that you'll never actually enjoy, and settling for being simply content - not happy) owning my life.

I now know for sure that there are a large amount of people out there who think kinda like me, which is reassuring to say the least. I just wanted to thank everyone for their input and be sure that not one word is going unread.

March '10 thru-hike, here I come..

If you're able to, I recommend applying to grad school. After hiking, you'll find it much easier to live off a TA salary. But the best thing is, you'll have a "job" to come back to after you hike. The negative is that you'll have a deadline for finishing, but if you're comfortable enough about getting accepted, then you can quit your job early to ensure you'll have enough time to finish. And on your resume, it will say "worked at XYZ till 2010" then "Grad school 2010- ?" and there's no large gap. Re-entry into the job market after graduation is much simpler, albeit delayed by a couple of years (not a problem especially if you want to take more time off and hike more in the summer or a fall semester.)
Depending on your house it might not sell but you may be able to rent it out and still cover the mortgage. Consider getting roommates on your return if grad school won't make the payments. Your stuff can go in storage and you can probably find a friend willing to buy your car and sell it back to you 6 months later for the same price.

My lease will be up by the time I leave and I had no intention of renewing it anyway. I'll probably have to quite my job and my brother wants to by my car from me. Not giving up anything really, because I want to remove myself from them.

*quit : )

my accounting job and watching the red sox.

Working in a box, living and sleeping in a box, and going from point A to point B in a box with an engine and wheels :)

Aggravation, asphalt, and strip malls.

I am 46 right now. In 2 1/2 years I will be that much older. I am giving up alot of free time to save up a huge chunk of money so that in the spring of 2012 I can finally do what I've dreamed of doing since I did my first AT thruhike.

To realize this dream I know there is much I am sacrificing. But every time I find myself outside and just "being", it makes the 1093 days til I take that first trail step that much easier to bear.

I the time draws nearer and I am certain that my plans will bear fruit, I will post here to let everyone know what I'll be doing and where I'll be going.

Just turned 52 and have a great high stress job with the leading Aerospace firm in the world. Good position, pay, benefits, time away, etc. Have enough leave time I could walk the trail if I could get them to let me take it all at once.

Most wouldn't understand why someone would give up 32 yrs on the job to put on boots and eat out of a bag everyday, sleep under the stars and walk in the rain and snow. It's not a concept you can often get others to understand, much less support. It's something I do yearn more and more to do before I get to where I can't .

The quiet solitude of the trees and the trail, and folks you meet on the trail w/o agenda's is a stark contrast to the hussle and tussle of corporate life. It took me a whole two days to totally disconnect from work a few weeks back when I went to Glacier and Yellowstone for 10 days....I havent' been able to connect back yet in two weeks...I would much rather be out walking somewhere, rather than listening to folks whine and gripe about how bad life treats them, and how far they have to walk from the parking lot each day, or listen to them gripe about who they have to sit next to....these folks don't have a clue how good you feel after walking 13-15 miles non stop just to find a place to sleep at night, learning to live off the land with just what you have in your back pack, and getting to see some really absolutely cool stuff like a momma bear and two cubs scurrying across the highway and run up a tree; or coming up on a bull moose while taking a quick bath in a river; or walking across a glacier only to find a hidden lake that was pretty much still frozen solid on July 4; or seeing the sun rise in the Grand Canyon in the pitch black still of the night

My dad always encouraged me to "walk with the trees" when I had the chance. My dad was a smart guy, even though he wasn't rich by monetary standards, he knew the value of walking with the trees every chance he got.

Take the walk when you have the chance.

In hindsight, I probably should have hiked right out of college. But I had no money... none. I was on my last $100 before I finally found a job. Because I was in the fortunate position of not being in debt and living rather frugally, I have been able to save up a healthy amount to thru-hike in 2010.

I'd rather enjoy a thru-hike experience now than in 10-20 years from now while I have my good health, nothing really tying me back, and no immediate family obligations. I'd like to tackle this hike before I have a family to take care of, a mortgage to pay, etc. I am giving up a good amount, but it's such a no-brainer to me.

Everything, selling all the "stuff", quitting the job, and hoping to have enough to carry me through - either way, its at the top of my bucket list and im going.:banana

-my family
-my business
- comfort, food, the Felice Brothers!

But I hope to be redeemed much greater than I can imagine.

I am hiking for hungry people and hope to raise money by getting sponsors and other hikers to hike for us. We are working with Feeding America, The Harry Chapin Foundation and the Safe Haven Project.

Please contact me if you are interested in hiking for hunger !

This is one of the best threads I've seen on these boards! My wife and I have recently to "give it all up" and just do it. We're doing the Trail in 2012. The house is already on the market and we're ready, mentally, now. We have no major comitment and both hate our corporate jobs and will be quiting with big smiles on our faces! We'll probally sell a lot of our other stuff including one of the cars. So what are we giving up? Really, nothing. We only see it as gaining our freedom. What will we do when we get back? I guess only time will tell.
I hope everyone here is able to follow their dreams and hike the Trail or do whatever it is you are set on doing! :banana

I'm giving up the feeling of being suffocated by a boring, conventional life while wanderlust overwhelms me.

im kinda in the same boat i get out of the marines just got divorced have a paid off car and no plans to do anything but hike, wereever my feet take me. i have no plans to an end either

I say go for it. As has been pointed out, we don't always take our own advice. Security and "the norm" are very powerful chains that most of us succumb to. Right now, I've been struggling to break free again. I did it when I was much younger, but in the years since I have bought a home, been vested in a retirement plan, put down roots so to speak. That in no way means that I made a conscious decision to get myself in this situation. In fact, when I bought the house, I recognized that this was where I was heading, but I told myself "it's just as easy to sign the papers to sell the house as it is to sign them to buy it". This is true, but the general economy is now a larger factor than I anticipated back then.

Still, I am seriously considering dumping everything. I've told myself in my internal arguments, "Wait until you retire, it will be easier then". This may be true, but who can guarantee that I will still be physically able to hike then?

Today is my birthday, I am 56 now. Not old, but getting there. My sister passed away unexpectedly this past January - the day after her 61st birthday, and only 2 years after she retired. There are NO guarantees that our lives will follow the plan we make for them!

It was pointed out earlier in this thread that most of us giving this type of advice were doing so from our computers, sitting in our house, with a car in the driveway. Fair enough, and most likely true. Just because we aren't doing the things we espouse, doesn't necessarily mean we don't know what we should be doing, and encouraging anyone who is tempted to follow his/her dreams to do so. Many people who smoke, know they shouldn't. Are they wrong to try to tell that to their kids?

Go for it!! Be a model for others to follow.

i would be leaving my girlfriend, who gets upset when i leave for a week. my job, i am a registered nurse. my apartment, car (payment 552 a month), nice furniture, TV, a whole baseball season...........would also be giving up countless hours spen sitting in front of TV, the hour or so i spend in my expensive SUV on the ROAD driving to work, and apartment that feels more like a jail cell..........so the only thing really is the fear or missing my girlfriend so much i couldnt stand it

i would be leaving my girlfriend, who gets upset when i leave for a week. my job, i am a registered nurse. my apartment, car (payment 552 a month), nice furniture, TV, a whole baseball season...........would also be giving up countless hours spen sitting in front of TV, the hour or so i spend in my expensive SUV on the ROAD driving to work, and apartment that feels more like a jail cell..........so the only thing really is the fear or missing my girlfriend so much i couldnt stand it

The Red Sox. Working shows in a ****ty theatre. Working in a kitchen full of mexicans. Drinkin obscene amounts of lager on wednesdays. Good mountain biking weather. Hopefully if the sox are in the series, ill be home by then!

I'm not middle age, but I will be giving up my niece's high school graduation, my dad's college graduation and possibly my sister's wedding if I don't make it back in time.

Not to mention the obvious little stuff like family, friends, and my dog who would love to go with me!

I'm giving up a good paying job I've had for 12 years. Besides that I can't think of much I'll be giving up. Seems to me I'll be gaining a whole lot more than I'll be losing. I feel about 8,000,000% more alive on the trail than when I'm not.

I don't own much of anything besides some books, clothes and a bunch of backpacking stuff. I'll throw everything into one of those little storage units, pay 'em 6 months up front and call it a day.

I don't know what I'm gonna do after the hike. Hopefully have enough sense to move somewhere closer to the mountains!

I'm not 45+, but when I started my thru hike this year I had a car, a job at Dell, a 3 bedroom rental to myself, and a house full of items. Today I own enough things to fit inside a single tupperware storage bin, and a guitar... I haven't been home in almost nine months.