Thru-hike interruption

[Half Note]

So I found out yesterday that my best friend is getting married (which means I'm stuck as best man) right smack dab in the middle of my planned hike. This worries me some. I obviously don't want to miss the wedding but the idea of having the will power to get back on the trail as well as the additional funding it's going to take to fly back and forth seems very daunting.

I'm sure there have been some WBers with similar issues. How did you manage to get back to the trail if you did? How do you plan for something like this not knowing where you'll be?

Any advice is appreciated, thanks.

[BrianLe]

The wedding is (or I presume soon will be) scheduled, so if it's a can't-miss thing you make your best guess of where you're likely to be on the trail in the right time frame and book a plane ticket. When you get close to time, you hitchhike to where you can catch a bus to your airport. Reverse on the way back.

While a person cannot (and IMO should not try) to "schedule" a thru-hike, you can look at spreadsheets and the like to get a sense for where you're likely to be in general at different points in time. If it's the AT that you're hiking, you could look here for example:
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/cont...d-Schedules%29

[Live_for_hiking]

I'd share your fears with the bride, groom, friends and family and have them remind you of the importance to get back on the trail. Nothing wrong with saying,"I'll be there but I'll need your support, help and maybe a kick in the ass to make sure I get back on the trail."

The big questions in my mind are:

1. Will the bride and groom make you shave your beard?
2. How will you get fitted for a tux if you lose a ton of weight?
3. I imagine the logistics planning a bachelor party from the trail would be interesting?
4. Will new trail buddies be welcome? ... with their extra hair as well?

Inquiring minds want to know!

All joking aside, I've read books and journals where life obligations pull people away from the trail. Most return to finish their thru-hike.

[Moose2001]

All joking aside, I've read books and journals where life obligations pull people away from the trail. Most return to finish their thru-hike.

Actually, in my experience most don't! Some do come back but in most cases once you're gone, you're gone for good.

[Half Note]

Appearance won't be a problem. I'm not too concerned about that, neither is the friend. Telling his ball and chain right now...getting some blow back already. She'll just have to deal with it.

Didn't even think about the bachelor party. Cripes. I'm sure I can manage though if I plan in advance.

Thanks for the tips!

Would still like to hear about getting back and forth. Would Amtrak be the least expensive route? It just seems so difficult without knowing where I'll be.

[Cookerhiker]

Good points, but....[

QUOTE=Live_for_hiking;1284274]....4. Will new trail buddies be welcome? ... with their extra hair as well?....[/QUOTE]

[Blissful]

I know many that take a leave of absence to attend a wedding. Just start earlier, plan for the expense and get back out there at your own pace when you return (don't plan to play catch up with buddies then either, you'll meet new ones)

[Blissful]

Actually, in my experience most don't! Some do come back but in most cases once you're gone, you're gone for good.

Not at all, esp if its a planned departure. Most get back on. Those that don't likely had an unplanned one. Still I did it twice with injuries, one with family and with work...and got back on

If you have the mental will to do this hike you will make it work out.

[Spokes]

Yes, it's a conundrum...... How will you look wearing a tux in a full beard?

You'll also most likely be the only one throwing Ramen Noodles on the Bride and Groom instead of rice as they leave the chapel.

[Tipi Walter]

Nothing should come between you and backpacking except a death in the family or jail time. What's your priority?

[WIAPilot]

Nothing should come between you and backpacking except a death in the family or jail time. What's your priority?

Agreed! Send a really nice gift instead!

[WingedMonkey]

Plan your hike, let him plan his wedding. One of you probably won't make it.

[Cookerhiker]

Yes, it's a conundrum...... How will you look wearing a tux in a full beard?

Pavarotti did it

You'll also most likely be the only one throwing Ramen Noodles on the Bride and Groom instead of rice as they leave the chapel.

[flemdawg1]

Nothing should come between you and backpacking except a death in the family or jail time. What's your priority?

Agreed! Send a really nice gift instead!

Absolutely disagree. Friends, especially your BEST FRIEND, is more important than finishing your hike a week or two earlier. The trail will always be there.

[Blue Jay]

"Friends" and family who have never been sick WILL get sick during thrus. "Friends" and family who have lived together for decades WILL schedule marriges during thrus. Most wait until you've been out for a month to get maximum reswults. People will try to stop you by doing what ever it taqkes.

[jesse]

Wait till after the wedding and go SOBO?

[Derek81pci]

I'd have to say sorry, currently working on a life dream. If it matters that much to him/them, they wouldn't mind either flying you back or excusing your absence. I don't know many of my friends that would leave the trail midway through and have the will power or cash to get back on. If you must go, Greyhound will be your absolute cheapest route. Yes, it sucks, but it's cheap and you will eventually get there.

[The Old Chief]

A real "good friend" will understand your desire to stay on the Trail and the extra expenses you will incur if you leave and return to the Trail for the wedding. I assume that your planned time to hike the Trail was known to your friend before he and the bride made the date to get married. I don't think you should alter your current hike. If your friendship will be lost if you don't go and the friendship is more important, by all means go home and worry about the Trail later.

[Datto]

I did two off-trail ventures on my AT thru-hike. One was a wedding in Maine when I was in Pennsylvania (I wasn't in the wedding party, only a visitor) and the other was a round-a-bout excursion to Washington DC. On the wedding someone else made the plans and travel arrangements and I just showed up and arrived, then came back to the Trail so it was a fun time. I actually looked forward to that wedding in Maine for something interesting to do as a diversion. By the way, there's a picture of me someplace putting on my suit pants outside the motel in Maine -- I didn't even have to take the buckled up belt off to get my pants on -- they slipped right on up to my waist overtop of my hiking garb with the belt of my suit pants still buckled because I was so thin.

For the Washington, DC excursion it was a timed event so wherever I was I had to get to DC in order to arrive at a specified date and time (which I did but that was an entire series of very lucky events occurring that made it happen and to get back to the Trail from where I'd left the Trail out in the middle of the boondocks of Virginia).

I'd told my friends I'd meet them in Damascus at 7:00pm on the Friday night of Trail Days -- I was five minutes early (or was it five minutes late? I think it was five minutes early). My friends were sitting right where I'd told them I'd meet them in Damascus.

I suggest you go ahead and see if it can happen. It's amazing how much things work out well for you when you're thru-hiking the AT.


Datto

[Cookerhiker]

.... I obviously don't want to miss the wedding...

Some of you apparently missed this. The OP is not asking whether he should go or not, just advice on how to make it work.