As some of you know I was recently bitten by the AT bug and have shared this idea with my wife who also thinks it would be a wonderful adventure and is interested in it too. So we’ve been bouncing thoughts around for several weeks and think next spring may be a good time in our lives to do this.
Physically: We’re both in great health to be in our mid-late-forties. We’re both runners, in the last two years she has ran several half marathons and one full, while I’ve ran several half’s, 5ks and 8ks. This winter her plans are to run 3 full marathons and I’ll do 3 half’s. We are both cyclist, two years ago we cycled the Natchez Trace from Nashville, Tn to Tupelo Ms, 185 miles, in three days. We are making plans to go back this fall to cycle the whole Trace, 440 miles, in 7 days or less. We both cycle and run several times each week, which I know isn’t walking everyday for days on end but physically I think we are up to doing the AT.
On the Home Front: Our only child is out of school and moved out a few years ago, no strings there. We decided some time ago that we were ready to down size in house so ours has been on the market since just before the first of the year, and by the way, before we became interested in the AT. So when we sale we’re talking about just renting something until we leave for the AT, that way we don’t have a mortgage payment or homeowners insurance while we’re gone. Once the house sales not much of a problem here.
Financially: We have a small student loan we’re still paying and the house, but hopefully not much longer. The cars are a little old but paid for and we stopped using credit cards years ago, grandma always said “plastic was the work of the devil”, it took me a few years to understand that but like others I learned the hard way. Saving? We’ve got 6 months of income, not expenses but income, in savings with plans to have at least 10 months put back by next spring, not counting the sale of our house.
So I don’t see money being too big of an issue.
Employment: My wife works for the government and is checking into a six month leave which hopeful will workout, if not her profession is in high demand even during these hard times. So even if she has to quit her ability to find a job after our time on the AT it shouldn’t be that hard, though it may not be with the government. I on the other hand work in the private sector started at an entry level, have worked my way up through the ranks and now supervise twelve to fourteen others while working under one of the owners. In a few months I will mark the 25th anniversary of my employment with this company, for the last 10 years I’ve been working in the same cube farm and honestly I am burnt out and ready for a change. What will I do after the AT? I really don’t know what I want to do when I grow up but I’m sure that I don’t want to keep working here. So the employment thing is a little shaky but AT or not I don’t see me being with this company much after the first of the year anyway.
Hiking/Camping Experience: Well, as it’s been said “we’ve roasted a few Marshmallows a time or two”. Really we’ve done some camping, though all of it has been car camping or wall tents but we are outdoor people and enjoy being outside. We like adventure and travel, even cycling or running, the same old path is oh so boring. We enjoy seeing what’s over the next hill. So yes we’ve got a learning curve to go through but this wont be the first time that one of us said “hey, let’s go do this” and a short time later we’re there doing it. If all fails it won’t be the first mistake we’ve made but as we said the other night if we only make it a month on the AT, we made it a month!
So that’s some random thoughts and the crossroads we are at in our lives. And while this may be a kin to one drunk asking another if he should keep drinking, what is there to hold us back? What issues have we not addressed?