Poll - What do thru hikers do for a living?

[BoyJame]

Just Curious

If you are a thru hiker (or have thru hiked in the past), what is (was) your occupation and how were you able to take off for 6 months?

Any thru hikers with families? How does your family support (or not support) your thru hike?

Thanks!

[Lone Wolf]

I worked at a ski area for 10 years. Got laid off every Feb. and started back every Oct. Now I live off Exxon/Mobil stock. I hope they drill in Alaska soon.

[greentick]

...Now I live off Exxon/Mobil stock. I hope they drill in Alaska soon.

<POP!>

What was that? A can of worms? Range flags up!

[mrc237]

still another trillion barrells to exploit

[Frolicking Dinosaurs]

::: chases L. Wolf around the site with cane - and will catch him due to his high heels :::

We are retired so we could take off for six months and still have income. We can't leave for six months due elderly parents and other family obligations so we are section hiking.

[general]

"take this job and shove it. i ain't a workin' here no more."

[Bravo]

Quitting job for '07 thru.

[hammock engineer]

finished grad school for the 07 thru. I may not want to enter the real world. Hmmm, that idea keeps sounding better and better.

[FHThiker]

Well, I'm a Director-level position in a contact center overseeing 3 departments. I've already told my employer that in 2008 I'm leaving for 6 months for the AT and if they have my job when I come back, that's great, if not, I'll find something else. I've been with them for nearly 6 years and they are saying they'll hold my job for me...but we'll see (I can't really see them doing that). I figure I can always find another job, but the chance to hike the AT in your 30s having a family only comes once in a lifetime.

As far as family, my wife has said she supports it 100% as long as we can afford it (and I've been putting $$$ back for over a year now just for my 2008 thru-hike). She's agreed to meet me in a few town stops along the way

[Disney]

Right after college I got a job refinancing home loans during the boom. I made quite alot of money in a very short time. Well, quite alot for a single guy without expensive tastes. When the rates went up I piddled around for a litle while, then went hiking. I'm not a thru hiker though, more like long term short distance.

[Michele]

I'm just making the time to take off 6 months. My job(s), I've chosen for the purpose of saving $ for my hike. Before I got them, I had been taking some additional grad-level courses and trying to decide if I wanted to pursue a Ph.D. Survey Says? *ding* Hell NOOOOOOO!! Let's go hike the AT instead and then see what happens after that!!

[hikerjohnd]

Currently a professor and Oral Historian. Took time off to hike during Grad school, got my school to finance hike and wrote my thesis on the topic.

[hopefulhiker]

I workwith rental property and had the support of my wife and family.. waited till my youngest was about to graduate from high school to go on thru hike.. Went when I was 49 years old.. Had someone manage the property while I was gone.. In the past I have worked as an electronic technician, managed a Radio Shack, and have been a teacher. made most money in buying,selling, and renting houses in the recent appreciating market.

[Footslogger]

When I left the world to hike in 2003 I was a senior software analyst. 10 hours a day staring at a computer screen and dealing with unhappy customers. Good money but I was miserable.

When I got home after my thru I vegged for about 2 months and then decided to dust off my original credentials in paramedicine/medical imaging. I now work at an orthopedic/sports med clinic doing all the MRI's.

Not making the money I did in the IT industry but the work is MUCH more satisfying and rewarding.

'Slogger

[the goat]

i can't imagine any job that i wouldn't walk away from in a heartbeat for a thru-hike.
i'm currently making more dough than i ever thought i would at this age, but i'm ditching it all next spring for the pct.
....just as i did for the a.t., it doesn't matter what you're doing for work, as long as you have the frame of mind to walk from it, but then again not everyone does.
a thru is truely priceless.

p.s. no family yet.

[fiddlehead]

I have worked for myself since 1976. Doing many different things. I take off when i want. Life is Priorities. what's yours? work? i don't think so.
Hiking is the least expensive thing you'll probably ever do. No rent, food is cheap, no bills, no pretroleum products necessary (not much anyway) ,
Presently i sell long underwear. But i've done: finsish carpentry, roofing, cement work, selling jewelry, musician, selling backpacking equip.

[nicodemus]

Two monthes is all I can scrape from work. Cardiovascular technologist, and since everyone has job openings here, I can leave and still have my job waiting

[mrc237]

Fresh Air Inspector

[Smile]

Wilderness Trail Tamper.



(I liked that one mrc 237)

[MacGyver2005]

I'm a Mechanical Engineer for the DoD/Navy. I graduated college, went for a walk, then came back to work full-time.

Regards,
-MacGyver
GA-->ME