Farewell Parties

[Blissful]

I'd be curious to know who had send-off parties for the AT and what happened, etc. I just got back from a GREAT one - my hubby invited all my friends and people from church to come eat Chinese at a restaurant. We then had a big cake with AT on it and our names Blissful and Paul Bunyan. Then got some cards, farewell wishes, and a bag of dark chocolate and a roll of travel toilet paper. What a great time.

[hammock engineer]

I'm probibly going to get my friends together for a trip to the bar. They all think that I am not going to make it (I thought they knew me better than that). One of them is going to start a pool where each person guesses the milage and why I have to drop out.

That's fine with me, as I am allowed to put money on I finish. I told one of them that he cannot choose I will fall victom to a masked man with a metal bat at the base of Big K.

All of their joking aside. It is going to be a good send off.

[Frolicking Dinosaurs]

::: blinks backtears of joy for the class of 2007 :::

[VictoriaM]

My in-laws took me out to a great Turkish restaurant last night. Hubby's uncle and his wife came along as well (they live next door the the in-laws, and we're all very close.

I might be going out with Birdlegs on Friday, too. I hope so, even though I'm due to fly out early the next morning.

[Topcat]

When i finally get to try my thru hike, i plan on disappearning like a thief in the night...I hate goodbyes. I will just send everyone a link to my trailjournal. Only 5 more years to go.

[WhoAh]

Had a good send-off get together Friday night at the local pub with friends and co-workers from my last job (Publix). Lots of Jack Daniels... it was a bit of an effort to get moving Saturday morning....

[Michele]

A few friends at work have taken me out to lunch on various days, but I think my closest friends are still in denial that I'm leaving! Wednesday is my LAST day at work! YIPPY YIPPY YIPPY

[mike!]

my friend is taking me on a cruise woot woot, cant get a better send off party then that! it's going to be quite the change in realities though from ultra-luxury to ultra-grubby. who knows i might get confused and continue to wear my speedo's hiking. yes.. "confused" is what ill say, between you and me, i just look damn good in em
mike!

[Frolicking Dinosaurs]

::: female dino looks up Mike!'s start date - plans trip to Springer :::

[Lone Wolf]

I'd be curious to know who had send-off parties for the AT and what happened

what happens is a lot of people end up quitting, and early on just after the big party and the local newspaper article about the hike. best to just tell a few people. if you make it have a party.

[chicote]

We just had a party from my in-laws. Basically all the close family friends. It was fun. We requested no gifts or money and most everyone respected that. It was a nice show and tell about our gear and hikes. It was really cool to see how many people are supportive of our decision to leave work and go on this long hike.

I'm getting tired of L. Wolfs less than optimistic comments. Start a new thread if you want but don't fly off topic just to be a jerk.

Okay, back on topic. Who else?

[Lone Wolf]

I'm getting tired of L. Wolfs less than optimistic comments. Start a new thread if you want but don't fly off topic just to be a jerk.

Okay, back on topic. Who else?

it is on topic. most don't make it. truth and reality.

[saimyoji]

it is on topic. most don't make it. truth and reality.

There ought to be signs in outfitters that say "Thru-hikers: Most don't make it. Stop now while you still can."

Oops drift......

....I hate farewell parties. I like the just take off, maybe send a postcard from the trail idea. But then, I've never been one to make a spectacle of myself.

[hammock engineer]

I think I agree with L Wolf on this one. Playing the odds, just 20% will finish. That means 20% of those parties will be for people who will finish and 80% for people who do not. That also means that 80% of the newspaper articles will be a lot of talk for people that are no going to finish the trail.

For me, the hike is a personal thing. I talk about it to my friends and family, mainly because I am excited and like to talk about it. After that I usually do not say much about it. I think a better newspaper article would be, these people finished the trail and make it more about the trek than the people.

Having said that I am going to keep an online journal. I enjoyed reading other people's journals and want to share mine. My family also wants to keep up on my hike.

In the end, to each your own.

[chicote]

it is on topic. most don't make it. truth and reality.

Whatever dude

[Lone Wolf]

Whatever dude

Roll your eyes all you want. Obviously you've never been at Neel Gap when a potential thru-hiker is on the phone crying making arrangements to go home after 5 days of hiking, realizing it's nothing like they expected even after planning for a year, reading journals, etc. That's why it's better to go off quietly and see what happens. I have known many who forced themselves to stay on the trail, hating it, because of people and newspapers back home expect them to finish.

[chicote]

Can we move this part of the thread to a new thread? I roll my eyes at deviation of the thread. Not at the statistics or why people quit or anything else. A lot of us know the percentages. If someone chooses to go on then that is their business crying or not. If people are afraid of failure and returning and having to let everyone that they didn't make it — that is a whole new topic. As per the topic of this thread for people who "had" send off parties. Not if it's for people who "are going to have" send off parties, where your comments would make more sense.

[STEVEM]

what happens is a lot of people end up quitting, and early on just after the big party and the local newspaper article about the hike. best to just tell a few people. if you make it have a party.

LW, I agree totally. Why make a total fool out of yourself. If I were to ever make an attempt, other than immediate family, no one would know.

[rafe]

Roll your eyes all you want. Obviously you've never been at Neel Gap when a potential thru-hiker is on the phone crying making arrangements to go home after 5 days of hiking, realizing it's nothing like they expected even after planning for a year, reading journals, etc. That's why it's better to go off quietly and see what happens. I have known many who forced themselves to stay on the trail, hating it, because of people and newspapers back home expect them to finish.

I had my party... told a bunch of friends... and quit a couple of weeks after Damascus. Let 'em have their parties, Wolf. There's no harm there. The folks I feel bad for are the ones who force themselves to stay on the trail, in spite of being miserable, because of some promise they made, in ignorance. And I don't mean ignorance in a malicious way -- it's just that nobody can know what it's going to be like... until they get on the trail and do it. There's a lot of romantic BS that surrounds thru-hiking. Folks get all emotionally invested in it... without any idea of what they're investing in.

[saimyoji]

Can we move this part of the thread to a new thread? I roll my eyes at deviation of the thread.

During a verbal conversation do you try to control what is said as much? Chill out a little.