Getting Off

[Del Q]

I tell people that the "romantic" notion disappears on like day two, or sooner based on weather or a few big ups on the same day.............novelty wears off. Thru hikers have all of my respect.

[4shot]

I mostly remember wanting it to be done and over with. I figure that must be what so many talk abou as deciding it's not fun anymore and time to go home. But if I had done that I know I would still be regretting it. One of my goals when I started was to complete a thru-hike, and I am incredibly glad that I was able to do that.

I too wonder what brought this thread back to life. I also remember being physically and mentally wore out in NE, especially the last 300 miles. I cracked a tooth in Mass. and was in so much pain I thought I would quit. Of course, my wife supported that and also told me over the phone I'd probably regret quitting later on. The more I thought about it, I realized she was right so I pushed on. Got my tooth fixed in Dalton. Like you, it would have bothered me to quit - it would have nagged at me as unfinished business. Climbing K and touching the sign brought closure to a wonderful and difficult journey.

I plan to do a 3 -500 mile hike this summer. It is interesting how my perception of that mileage has changed after doing a thru-hike. i want to experience the trail now as a section hiker.

[Doc Mike]

you get it. see ya on the trail

Originally Posted by ZEKE #2 When it comes to my heart, I have to keep telling myself that a thru-hike does not define me, 700 miles was a great accomplishment, and it will be even better when I start off where I got off or attempt another thru. I hope that I can be at peace with this soon.

But for now, thanks for the banter, at least I'm smiling!


Quitters always have an excuse and in their mind it is justified.
According to some on here no excuse is a good one and to others any excuse is a good one.
Oh I wasn't happy, or it wasn't fun, I lost interest, something became more important. If you say your going to do something then do it. Otherwise if after saying you were going to through hike and then didn't just admit that you pussed out. Your word needs to mean something.

another example...Marriage..say your vows till death do us part and then stop after "its not fun anymore".

Some will say its not the same. If you don't keep your word in all things than you are a liar. period.

thats my .02

[WingedMonkey]

It is a wonderful feeling, and I'm not sure I would have felt the same exuberance at starting out on a long and arduous adventure if I didn't have the firm goal of completing a thru-hike. Well, I'm rambling on a cold and snowy winter day, so I'll stop now.

It's in the 70's here in South Florida and I'm half crazy wishing I was testing the cold at my second family's home a half mile down the trail from the Cookie Lady on the trail in the Berkshire hills. A Thru-Hike is neer the end of hiking.

[WingedMonkey]

It's in the 70's here in South Florida and I'm half crazy wishing I was testing the cold at my second family's home a half mile down the trail from the Cookie Lady on the trail in the Berkshire hills. A Thru-Hike is neer the end of hiking.

A Thru-Hike is never the end of hiking

[RockDoc]

I hiked 1000 miles and then I thought it might be more fun to do something else for a while.
I was right.

[Pony]

Quitters always have an excuse and in their mind it is justified.
According to some on here no excuse is a good one and to others any excuse is a good one.
Oh I wasn't happy, or it wasn't fun, I lost interest, something became more important. If you say your going to do something then do it. Otherwise if after saying you were going to through hike and then didn't just admit that you pussed out. Your word needs to mean something.

another example...Marriage..say your vows till death do us part and then stop after "its not fun anymore".

Some will say its not the same. If you don't keep your word in all things than you are a liar. period.

thats my .02

I pussed out in Damascus in 2008. I hiked from Damascus to Katahdin in 2010, and never pussed out except when it came to fording the Kennebec. What makes the difference? Does continuing to do something that is unenjoyable make you not a pussy, or just stupid?

[Blissful]

I pussed out in Damascus in 2008. I hiked from Damascus to Katahdin in 2010, and never pussed out except when it came to fording the Kennebec. What makes the difference? Does continuing to do something that is unenjoyable make you not a pussy, or just stupid?

Why did you ford the Kennebec anyway? Curious with the canoe available (?) You all were looking good on Mt Washington

Place I lost it - Mahoosuc Notch, alone in the rain with a stocked backpack SOBO. A nightmare. Took me two days to get over it (kept hiking though)

Anyway, why thru? Section hiking is great!

[4shot]

I was right.

Of course you were..not necessary to say this. Whatever people do, they always rationalize it as being right. That's true whether you finish or quit or don't even start, "you" were right in your decision. people are never wrong...if you don't believe me, just ask them.

[Pony]

[QUOTE=Blissful;1246549]Why did you ford the Kennebec anyway? Curious with the canoe available (?) You all were looking good on Mt Washington

QUOTE]

No, I didn't ford the Kennebec, I pussed out. Really I had no intention of it, I was 16 miles into a 22 mile day, and the water was at least chest deep. Hillbilly Dave was a welcome sight. And yes we all made it without pussing out.

[lemon b]

Hiking isn't a contest. Those who can go top to bottom I have nothing but respect and alittle envy toward. Everyone is different in what they can do in life. I think stopping usually has to do with the no more fun factor because of the weather, lack of money factor. Just keep on hiking.... and please always come back when in that mood.

[TOMP]

I tell people that the "romantic" notion disappears on like day two, or sooner based on weather or a few big ups on the same day.............novelty wears off. Thru hikers have all of my respect.

Probably true but those people were never in love with hiking anyway.

I see alot of posts that seem to attack both people that didnt finish as well as those that did. Doesnt seem like the right attitude. No one ever said you had to finish so if you dont who cares.

And hiking a selfish endeavor? Depends on the person hiking. If all hiking is to you is a walk in the woods then yeah I guess its selfish. But to me its much more, its kinda like an education because I always leave the trail with knowledge I didnt have before. In a way educating yourself is a selfish endeavor too. But its only selfish if you never do anything with the knowledge you have obtained. Many people leave the trail inspired and go on to do great things that they never would have otherwise.

I am thru-hiking this year so who knows what I will get out of the experience. But hiking has always been my muse and inspiration of deep thoughts and has completely enriched my life.

[ajwatson]

I'm glad I found this thread. Its been fun reading for the past 30 minutes or so. As for me, I stopped in Damascus last summer because it wasn't fun, it was boring etc. Does anyone NOT have to deal with these issues at some point?
I regret coming off the trail, but I'm still thankful I tried. I changed a lot in those 3 weeks, and the trail will still be there when I am ready to try again.

[GolfHiker]

Great thread. So many good points, perspectives, thoughts, philosophies, responses, etc. I wonder about the age/maturity of those responding, and if you noticed, most of us are "um....", mature. I believe that alone gives you a totally different perspective on long distance hiking. So much in your life has shaped your values, your desires, your willingness to handle challenges. I just wanted to share my .02/cents on this.

[Capt Nat]

I'm gearing up/preparing for the class of 2013 thru. Two catagories of reasons I don't get to complete are things beyond my control and things I can control. I can only work on the things I can. I can't control sickness, injury, death in the family (a real possibility), or serious family/personal emergency. Some things are more important than hiking. I am happy with every day I have and will be happy with whatever time I have on the trail. I really do want to do the whole distance though. Whatever happens, I'm grateful for the Appalachian Trail and I like listening to the hikers who have done it. You guys rock!

[Sevsa]

In 1998 I had to get off in GSP because my then wife got very sick. By the time she was well again it was too late to continue and I have never had the opportunity to try again since then. However I am retiring in 2014 and will be on the AT again that spring attempting a thru but this time with company, my present wife. Second time is a charm.

[stranger]

Everyone needs to calm the fu#k down here, this was a thread asking why those who decided to leave the trail did in fact do so. This wasn't a thread about what it takes to thru-hike or how manly your are. Get a grip people, this ain't some fu#king question about your trail mentality, but a question to why some people decide the AT isn't for them after some time.

Such pathetic children on here, it makes me sick.

Sigh....this is why I don't drink anymore, apologies...

However, I do think we are all out there for different reasons, and for some perhaps the most important thing is to finish, for others it's clearly not the case. For me, long-distance hiking is a process, an experience, it's not fixed and it does change as time goes on, because I change as time goes on.

I might try a third attempt in 2013, I would have to change a number of things from my previous hikes. It would have to be fast in order for me to keep interest, and I would have to find ways to keep motivated after the 500 mile mark, my thresholds of the past. I know I CAN walk the AT, that's not a question in my mind...but that's also not what's relevant.

The question is...Do I WANT to thru-hike the AT, and I don't know the answer to that question right now. As the saying goes...'Everyone wants to be an author but very few people want to write a book'.

[4shot]

The question is...Do I WANT to thru-hike the AT, and I don't know the answer to that question right now. As the saying goes...'Everyone wants to be an author but very few people want to write a book'.

or, as another saying goes, the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. The only reward there really is in walking the thing, aside from meeting some wonderful people along the way, is the knowledge that you gain control of yourself...you refuse to give in to the impulse to quit. and if you never feel the urge to quit, then it's just a 5-6 month vacation as they say.you are truly talking about a win-win scenario here.

[pdcolelli42]

This has become very interesting. How can you say this is a vacation? A vacation from what? All it really is is a journey in a particular point in my life. It's more of a transition in my life than a vacation. I quit my job to do this, I'm not planning on going back afterwards. I plan for my life to be completely different after this. When I'm done hiking the AT I hope to buy a car (just sold mine) and travel across the country to the west. I want to see what the west has to offer. Once I get there I will either look for a job again and start saving money for my next big adventure or volunteer somewhere in exchange for shelter and food. My point is, this hike has it's place in the grand scheme of things in my life and it's no vacation, more of a transition into a new way of life. I'm not going to be a slave to the traditional ways of holding down a job for the rest of my life all just to retire, I'm going to live my life the way I want starting now.

Next point, I fail to really see how attempting/completing a thru hike would cause me to be selfish. Consider this, I have no wife, no kids, few people I'd call friends, sure I have parents and a sister but to be perfectly honest I'm growing tired of being around them. It seems like they constantly judge what I do, question my choices, and don't even understand what I do or even the way I think. I at least try to think of it from their perspective. I understand that they may think it's a bad idea that I quit college which was nearly 3 years ago, I understand they may think it's crazy to spend 5 months of my life in their minds wasted on the trail, I understand they don't see life the way I do pertaining to the holding down a job thing. They just don't understand the way I have chosen to live and it seems like they don't even pause in their lives to consider my thoughts as to why I chose to be this way. To me that's selfish, me doing what I want with my life may be a little selfish but at least I think more deeply on the matter than them. I've sold nearly all my possessions, my TV, my car, my bed, all the gear I won't need, basically everything that I wont be carrying on my back during this hike (minus some things like my tools and a few clothes that I'll use later in life). I'm starting to get so caught up on all this I can't even complete this thought. Maybe it is selfish in that I'm not doing it for anyone but myself, but then again who else could it possibly be for?

Oh well, I don't know what else to say now but I'm sure someone will have something to say about this.

[pdcolelli42]

Oh I remembered one other thing I'd like to add to my above post. How bout those who have not thru hiked don't comment on those who have, and those who have thru hiked don't comment on those who have not because neither of you will be able to truly understand the others point of view.