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  1. #1
    Registered User
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    01-12-2006
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    Default Hey, Class of 07, how are you feelin' about now?

    Here I sit in Ontario, Canada thinking about my flight from Toronto on March 18th. Paid my $ 299. for a one-way ticket a couple days ago.
    A cyber friend from Canton, Ga has offered me my first trail magic...going to pick me up at the airport, put me up and feed me at his house then drive me to Springer (Rd 42)the next day.
    I finally have most of my gear. I hike every day about 3 miles.I really enjoy read trailjournals most days.

    How about You?

    Sandalwood

  2. #2
    Registered User
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    01-14-2007
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    Alexandria VA
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    Default

    I'm scared and nervous and completely freaked out.

    And then I'm excited, happy, joyful and jumping out of my skin, ready to go.

    Then I am blue, miss the home I haven't left yet and mourn what I will leave behind.

    Then I am full of doubt, think this is crazy and start having long conversations with myself about all the other things I could be doing rather than this...

    Then i am excited, full of the kind of confidence that only comes when you know you are walking towards something great, and happy, happy happy.

    That all takes about 20 seconds and then the cycle starts again.

    Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  3. #3
    AT 4000+, LT, FHT, ALT Blissful's Avatar
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    07-14-2005
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    Default

    That's about right, WandererKMK. I go through periods to like that. To compound it, I'm having some kind of ear infection right now and not much zing to work out with my pack walking the roads. And I told my dad about my trip yesterday - he was NOT happy at all. But I'm still plugging away making food and preparing. Just a little over a month to go.







    Hiking Blog
    AT NOBO and SOBO, LT, FHT, ALT
    Shenandoah NP Ridgerunner, Author, Speaker


  4. #4

    Default

    I'm scared and nervous and completely freaked out.

    And then I'm excited, happy, joyful and jumping out of my skin, ready to go.




    Didn't I see that post someWhere else Kim..LoL..
    z
    z

  5. #5
    Registered User
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    Default

    Blissful - My Beautiful tiny Round Irish Grandma used to say you know you are on the right path when the devil trys to lead you astray.... Every time I start to worry my gear isn't right, my training is too slow or the little daily worries try to pull me down - I think about her.

    Riverwarrior - I bet you did see it somewhere else - I am not original - but honest hopefully!

  6. #6

    Default

    I already cannot stop talking about the hike...

    The bug didnt set in this hard on my last thru attempt.

    Pink
    The clearest way into the Universe is through a forest wilderness. - John Muir

  7. #7
    Registered User hammock engineer's Avatar
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    10-27-2005
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    Default

    I am right there with everyone.

    To make things interesting my back decided to act up on me. Something that usually happens once a year or so for no real good reason. It should be fine for my thru. I just need to take it easy for a couple weeks. So much for saving up more money.

  8. #8
    Registered User Socrates's Avatar
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    01-03-2007
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    Default

    OOOOH I get it! max AND cathy! i never really looked at it and just figured it was a guy named "maxmcnathy"?? HAHA

    I can't say that I'm overexcited about starting at Springer. But then again, I'm reserved like that... Unless I'm drunk and headed to a strip club. (Which isn't often.).. HAHA I'm happy about the trip though. I've been hiking 12 miles every other day with my pack so I'm getting use to solitude and lots and lots of woods! On the down side, my mom has Alzheimer's disease and sometimes I worry just how much worse she'll be by the time I come back. She's only 62 and it's already hit her pretty hard. But I know that life must go on and that she'll be happy to hear how I'm doing along the way. Nothing better than making my parents proud. I'm leaving in late Feb so the less than a month countdown has begun!
    "The more unintelligent a man is, the less mysterious existence seems to him." ~ Schopenhauer

  9. #9

    Default

    I am sooo ready to get back out there. I bought my ticket a month ago and just waiting to give my two week notice and it's on.

    I still haven't had a chance to test my HH hammock so not sure whether it will be the hammock or the tarp tent.

    So I am impatient, nervous, excited...grrrr where are you April 10th?
    2005 "No Legs" Springer to Clingman's
    2007 SloFar/DrClaw - GA-NJ

  10. #10
    Survivor Dave's Trail Shuttles-www.atsurvivordave.com
    Join Date
    01-23-2006
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    Default Onward to Katahdin!

    Well,

    The butterflies are not getting more numerous.... they are just getting bigger. I will be leaving in about 3 weeks and hopefully not turn around until I summit. G*d willing I make it there.

    I feel after the gear purchases and returns, and returns, and purchases, I am ready to pass an outfitter like I am ready to pass a kidney stone!!!!


    Have done lots of hiking lately to get in better physical conditoning. The mental, well.... I guess there is no way to prepare except to just hike it. I think that the mental will follow. All the years of dreaming(since I was 11) and the planning and prep over the last 1 1/2 years have all come to a head and it's time to go.

    I was told by an author of one of our AT books that "The gear doesn't hike for you, It just makes you think you can". I believe this to be true. I have been told that even the finest of athletes who might scoff at hiking the AT will have difficulty with the mental stuff. Well, i'm not an athlete, not close or want to be.

    So it comes down to this.

    HOW BAD DO YOU WANT IT?

    I have learned invaluable lessons from my fellow hiking partners from the Benton MacKaye Trail and most certainly the ones I will be hiking with. All of there input whether I agreed or not has come to be absolutely important.


    So that's my view.

    maxNcathy, I to live in Georgia and live a mere 1 hour and 10 minutes from Amicalola and an additional 45 minutes to Forrest Service Road 42.

    I am grateful that I don't have that far to go. If you wish, please PM me here and maybe I might be able to help out with the shuttling, food, or pre-hike brew.

    Big Maguro

  11. #11
    Registered User hammock engineer's Avatar
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by eric_plano View Post
    I am sooo ready to get back out there. I bought my ticket a month ago and just waiting to give my two week notice and it's on.

    I still haven't had a chance to test my HH hammock so not sure whether it will be the hammock or the tarp tent.

    So I am impatient, nervous, excited...grrrr where are you April 10th?
    Come on take the hammock. You know you want to. The hammock is your friend.

    As long as you test it and fell comfortable at cold temps.

  12. #12
    AT 4000+, LT, FHT, ALT Blissful's Avatar
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by WandererKMK View Post
    Blissful - My Beautiful tiny Round Irish Grandma used to say you know you are on the right path when the devil trys to lead you astray.... Every time I start to worry my gear isn't right, my training is too slow or the little daily worries try to pull me down - I think about her.
    Wow - excellent. Thanks a bunch!!







    Hiking Blog
    AT NOBO and SOBO, LT, FHT, ALT
    Shenandoah NP Ridgerunner, Author, Speaker


  13. #13
    AT 4000+, LT, FHT, ALT Blissful's Avatar
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by hammock engineer View Post
    I am right there with everyone.

    To make things interesting my back decided to act up on me. Something that usually happens once a year or so for no real good reason. It should be fine for my thru. I just need to take it easy for a couple weeks. So much for saving up more money.
    Interesting, that's what is happening right now with my hubby. He can hardly walk without pain running down his right leg so consequently can't prepare either physically (and he's a big guy too). Not sure if we will seek out his pain med dr or not who has given him shots in the past for his slipped disc.







    Hiking Blog
    AT NOBO and SOBO, LT, FHT, ALT
    Shenandoah NP Ridgerunner, Author, Speaker


  14. #14
    Registered User hammock engineer's Avatar
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Blissful View Post
    Interesting, that's what is happening right now with my hubby. He can hardly walk without pain running down his right leg so consequently can't prepare either physically (and he's a big guy too). Not sure if we will seek out his pain med dr or not who has given him shots in the past for his slipped disc.
    Sorry to hear that. The pain running down the leg is a bad bad sign. Try to find a really good orthopedic doc if you can. Luckly mine is more local to my lower back. I'm pretty sure it is my muscles getting in a fight with my nerves coming out of my back.

  15. #15

    Default It hits hard!


    SPRINGER FEVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    If you think it is bad now, wait til it hits in the post-hike years!! It is killing me right now and I am not even going to Springer!!

    I am excited for all of you! I hope your hike is all it is meant to be and the GREATEST ADVENTURE YOU'VE EVER HAD!!

    See you in Hot Springs!!
    Sunny aka Sunrise ga-me 02
    Sunny aka Sunrise ga-me 02 aka Cody Zamora
    Have a bright and
    Sunny Day!

  16. #16

    Default

    Oh wow, Madelein Stowe played Cody Zamora in Bad Girls! I gotta rent that movie!

  17. #17

    Default

    Couldnt be happier to quit my retail job next month! My flights less than 2 months away on March 24th and counting down the hours until Im on the trail. Have all my gear.... im nervous, excited, ancy and amped to get on the trail! cant wait to see yall on Springer!

  18. #18
    Registered User mike!'s Avatar
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    12-10-2005
    Location
    Milford, CT
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    38
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    Default

    hah im freaking out, still gut to buy my backpack (damn you ULA AMP for making such a nice looking pack) still gotta make stuff sacks, a bivy sack, a new stove, and either make or buy a poncho tarp. i think about the AT all the time, going back and forth in my mind if ill make it. ill see a Chuck Norris movie and be extremely pumped and ready to take on anything, then at night when i look outside my window in my comfy bed with the TV on, i begin to wounder. and i think about that damn low 20% rate of success, i really dont think im stronger/luckier then 80% of the other hikers. i certainly dont have a super strong reason, more of a "i like to hike and love adventure" and "it will make for such good memories and a killer tattoo" but to be honest, i dont even know how i did the LT, i just picked up my things and did it on a whim.
    mike!

  19. #19
    Registered User Butch Cassidy's Avatar
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    Default "Feelings"

    Excited and can't wait to get out there. Not in shape but know I will be by Hot Springs. On the other side, In the back of my mind is a little dread! Because I Thru hiked in 05 (Paladin GAME 05) I still remember the pain in a new or different place every day, packing up mornings with cold hands all the way to Waynesboro. Words I learned to hate, Gap,Notch, Profile maps. The good far outweighs the bad. Like the country song, I could've missed the pain but then I would've missed the Dance. Butch
    A toast to the ones that don't fit in.

  20. #20

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Sly View Post
    Oh wow, Madelein Stowe played Cody Zamora in Bad Girls! I gotta rent that movie!
    Can't put anything by you, can we?? And, I even showed restraint in typing...Yeah--rent the movie. It wasn't exactly a box office smash but it did have a good theme and I really related to CZ--hence the Trailname! Bad Girls reign!

    Back to our regularly scheduled thread....


    Sunny aka Sunrise aka Cody Zamora
    Sunny aka Sunrise ga-me 02 aka Cody Zamora
    Have a bright and
    Sunny Day!

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