Newbie with a question

[patman25]

No wife, no kids, no real responsibilities. I'm just quitting my job and going for it!! My employer is excited for me and told me that my work ethics are great and he would be more than happy to hire me back when I'm done.
12/21/12 will be here soon, so why would I put it off any later
15 more days till I'm on Springer!!!!

Yeah, my boss is basically the same way, he didn't directly offer to hire me back, but hinted that it was an option. Everyone at my work is very supportive of what I'm doing, it helps a lot when people really believe in you and what you can accomplish.

[Odd Man Out]

I've got my eye on 2021 for a multi-month (maybe thru) hike on the AT, the year my wife and I will (hopefully) retire. I'm not going to give up a job I like right now to thru-hike. I'm not going to leave my wife back home working and doing all the household chores right now while I thru-hike. So for the next nine years, like the last six, I'll use vacation time for a couple weeks of backpacking each year in beautiful places around the country, including the AT. Then in retirement at the age of 62 maybe I'll take on a thru-hike.

Me too exactly! We could start the "Class of 2021" thread :-)

[Datto]

What activity can you do where those who have done it would not have given the time up to have gone and done anything else?


Datto

[Datto]

What activity can you do where those who have done it would not have given the time up to have gone and done anything else?

By the way, today is the twelfth anniversary of me starting north from Springer Mountain, Georgia for 195 of the best days of my life.


Datto

[ChinMusic]

Semi-retired in 2013. All kids grown and out of college. Time to play.

[Firefighter503]

I'm 26, and quit my job last year to thru hike. I really disliked the fire department that I was working for, and decided that I would forever be unhappy there, and had plenty of money saved up to pay my bills and support a thru hike. I didn't finish due to a family emergency, and am now working in the middle east making 3 times the money I was prior to my hike. The plan is to spend a couple of years out here and thru hike the AT in 2014. While I am on this side of the world, I am taking advantage of it by doing some hiking in Europe, etc.

[turtle fast]

Try you and your wife selling everything you got almost, your car and house. Then couple that with resigning from your high paying management positions at two respective corporations and having your family think that you are crazy. That is me and my wife... We had no kids at the time and our ability to obtain employment was not seen as being a problem in the future so we said what is more important....working to "Keep up with the Joneses" or life life for yourself....we chose the later and was better for it.

[FarmRookie 2015]

Retiring 2-2015. I'll be starting my thru shortly after that at 62.

[plurpimpin]

Graduating from college in May, start my SOBO June 1st. Already turned down several job offers so that I can thru hike. I've been saving the last few years and now I'm going through the process of selling everything I own to help fund my thru and post hike endeavors.

[Del Q]

Section hiking would be my guidance...............I always tell people that the "Romance of hiking the AT disappears on like day 2"...............as we take on responsibilities like kid or kids, spouses, jobs, companies to run, parents to take care of, whatever.............disapperaing for 4-6 months can create a load on others.............