If I knew Then....

[Jack Tarlin]

A few days ago, I started a thread called "Three Things" where I asked folks to come up with the first three things they'd tell a prospective thru-hiker about their upcoming trip.

The responses so far have been great.

Along those lines, if there was ONE thing about the Trail or about thru-hiking that you wished you'd known about BEFOREHAND, what is it? In other words, what's the one thing you wish you hadn't discovered by accident?

[fiddlehead]

Make it a SOBO

[Mouse]

If I'd known how do-able Katahdin was I would not have spent so much of my thruhike worrying myself into a frazzle about it.

[Tin Man]

what's the one thing you wish you hadn't discovered by accident?

That's easy. Whiteblaze!

[mrc237]

Trail Magic.

[Lone Wolf]

A few days ago, I started a thread called "Three Things" where I asked folks to come up with the first three things they'd tell a prospective thru-hiker about their upcoming trip.

The responses so far have been great.

Along those lines, if there was ONE thing about the Trail or about thru-hiking that you wished you'd known about BEFOREHAND, what is it? In other words, what's the one thing you wish you hadn't discovered by accident?

I wish I knew that most hostels were cramped, dirty and smelly and not a good place to get rest.

[Smile]

I wish I knew that most hostels were cramped, dirty and smelly and not a good place to get rest.

L. Wolf said it for me....also how murphy's law applied on rainy nights, when you just want to sleep - choose the shelter, are exhausted and the obnoxious snoring king is right next to you.

[Amigi'sLastStand]

The hangover from a nite out in a bar is childs play compared to a hangover after walking 15 miles, getting drunk with friends and then trying to wake up and hike again. ( there shoulda been a thread on this..... )

But as far as the AT goes, I am used to hiking in Fl over the last 10 years and we hike in softer soled boots or trailrunners. The one thing I learned on the AT is that the rocks suck on your feet. So again, the one thing I wish I knew was the importance of harder soled shoes.

Hope your presentation goes off like a hitch, Jack. Some good advice on the other thread so far.

[Time To Fly 97]

Take time on your thru-hike to:

Go off the AT - take a side trip for fun
Stealth camp alone
Budget for huge steak dinners in town
Enjoy hot springs and hot tubs wherever possible
Hike in heavy rain or snow
Hike out early - catch a sunrise
Sleep in till noon
Take a cold swim at every opportunity
Keep a journal
Sleep in firetowers if you can
Take time to notice the people giving you trail magic
Don't leave town without something to share
Take more pictures of people

Happy hiking!

TTF

[hopefulhiker]

I would have taken massive amounts of ibuprophren sooner in my hike. I didn't start taking it till Hot Springs.... Either that or gotten into good shape before the hike....

[Grampie]

There are so many good folks who are connected to the trail.

[Footslogger]

This was a hard one for me, since there are quite a few things I learned the hard way on the trail. But if I had to pick one that sticks in my head it would be "Stretching".

I knew stretching was a good thing prior to my hike but I underestimated it's importance in terms of maintaining muscle health and avoiding muscle injury.

It's an easy thing to forget but a valuable thing to incorporate into your daily routine. I noticed a big difference in how my body felt on a daily basis when I REMEMBERED to stretch both in the morning before I began and at night before I dosed myself with Motrin and slipped off to sleep.

'Slogger

[Appalachian Tater]

I wish I had known that I would have to climb up and down a lot of mountains, some of them high, steep, rocky, and wet.

[Wonder]

I wish I'd know how my hike would affect my life after I got back home. It stays with you.

[Peaks]

Or put another way, the one piece of advice that I was most grateful for was keeping my cold weather gear with me until after Mt. Rodgers.

[rickb]

That there are better ways to get fat into your mid-day meal than with sardines.

[Sly]

Non-snorers don't make good shelter mates!

[Disney]

Bring Earplugs.

[Sly]

Bring Earplugs.

Tell the other guys/gals.

[WalkinHome]

Didn't start eating Ben and Jerry's until Glencliff!!! What a waste.