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OrionTheRanger
02-17-2007, 19:56
How did you find the time off your job to do a thru-hike? DId you quit? I doubt you got a 6 month vacation. I'm 14, so I don't have one myself(unless you count school), but I want to know how you got all that time.

I plan to be un the U.S. Air Force when i grow up, so I don't want to quit that. What do you think of going after college, or perhaps evern after high school, then depending on which I went with, start college or then join the U.S.A.F.?

Phlashlite
02-17-2007, 19:59
My husband and I are selling all our "material" things and hiking our dream. We will decide what to do later. Promise Keeper

Frolicking Dinosaurs
02-17-2007, 20:00
I would suggest doing it between high school and college. An extra year of growing up and having completed a dream will help you do better in college and in life IMO.

Footslogger
02-17-2007, 20:11
I made up my mind in mid 2002 that I was going to hike the trail in 2003. I waited until January 2003 to tell my boss. His mouth droped open and his words were something like " ...you're not serious, right ?" I told him I was as serious as a heart attack and asked for an extended leave of absense. The best he would do was the equivalent of "MLA" (90 day maternity leave). Told him that wouldn't cut it and I respectfullly resigned.

Ironically, as I was walking out of his office he asked that I call him when I get back from the hike ...to which I responded ...YEAH, RIGHT !!

Worked another 30 days out of courtesy to the company and then packed my bags. Have never looked back.

'Slogger

Rebel, with a Cause!
02-17-2007, 20:19
My suggestion is after High School. My son, Captain Chaos did his AT hike the year after graduating from High School. He worked for about 9 months saving every penny he made. He is now in Georgia getting on with his life and is glad he took the time to do what he did.

As for me, I look for every avenue I can to continue hiking. This year, well we shall see :)

firemountain
02-17-2007, 20:35
I run the service department at a bicycle shop in New England. Very busy spring and summer, and much slower in the fall and winter. I was able to get six months off! I also make decisions in my life to not become tied down by things. No mortage, car, bills, dog, etc.

Jester2000
02-17-2007, 22:14
My suggestion is after High School. My son, Captain Chaos did his AT hike the year after graduating from High School. . .

You're Chaos' dad? The Captain rocks! Tell him Jester and the whole Billville crew say "hi!"

I would say right after high school wouldn't be a bad idea. 'Course, if you wanted to northbound you'd probably want to wait 'til the following spring. There used to be a time when colleges expected students to go to college immediately out of high school, but fortunately this is starting to change.

As for me, I quit my job. Then they took me back when I got home. The mob's like that, though.

hillsidedigger
02-17-2007, 22:23
Well, I have not done a thru-hike and likely will not

but, being self-employed with no employees, I commonly take off many weeks at a time for gardening, trips and shorter long hikes.

Blue Wolf
02-17-2007, 23:46
was just fired from my job hmmm? sounds like a good time to go..........ugh but damn i failed to save any money!

superman
02-18-2007, 00:01
It is not a small matter to put your foot on the AT to thru hike. Some folks have more to change in their lives than others. I had wanted to hike the AT in 1968 when I got out of the army. I wound up waiting until 2000 when I was retired and my sons were on their own. Most first time people hike the AT after finishing something or other, I think.

mnof1000v
02-18-2007, 00:20
I was approved for a leave of absence. That said, I quit upon returning from the trail. My time away made me realize how much I hated it there.

jettjames
02-18-2007, 00:29
i work freelance but took a full time gig last year as an experiment, a failed one. i can not stand a cubicle and i gained so much weight sitting there. I was laid off in Jan, a happy lay off and spent 4 weeks lookign for a new gig that I don't really want anyway. so I decided to just scrap the job search and spend the savings on a hastily planned dream. I leave apx march 10. after the walk, well, i don't know, we'll see what i want to do.

pt

freefall
02-18-2007, 01:00
I decided in 2004 that I would hike the trail. In 2005, living in Erwin, TN, I decided to go back to school and then moved to Colorado. I figured I'd work and go to college till March of `06 then go hike. Well I was having 2nd thoughts when lo and behold, my company announced it was moving most of it's operations to China and would be laying most of us off. I was destined to hike at that time. So, I took a semester off and did just that.

AbleJack, a fellow hiker I met last year said it best I think. "For someone to hike the trail, it either all comes together or it all falls apart". He was actually speaking of WHY someone hikes the Trail, but I think it equally applies to HOW someone can hike the Trail.

If it's important enough to you, you will find the means, the way and the time.

Marta
02-18-2007, 08:48
There are a couple of young people who should be starting NOBO in the next few days who graduated from high school in '06. They worked all last year to save money. I hiked with them for a couple of weeks last summer when they did an extended prep hike. Smart kids. Very smart.

Marta/Five-Leaf

Buckles
02-18-2007, 13:06
Henry David Thoreau said, "There is no more fatal blunderer than he who consumes the greater part of his life getting a living."

Unfortunately, it occurs more often than not. For me, it was 20+ years in corporate business. I saved my money rather than squander it on unnecessary material possessions, then I recently left my job to go hike the trail this year.

Good luck to you!

K0OPG
02-18-2007, 16:22
bust your butt in highschool and get enough credits to graduate in Dec of your senior yr and then take off in march for the trail and you will be done before college starts. or take your time hiking and start college in January of the next year.

freefall
02-19-2007, 03:20
Henry David Thoreau said, "There is no more fatal blunderer than he who consumes the greater part of his life getting a living."



That's my TJ sig line!

buckowens
02-19-2007, 09:07
IMO, I would also recommend you do it in between high school and college. You will normally get money for graduation, and you could maybe get this a little early. Just as the Frolicking Dino said, you will be better armed and prepared for college, and life as a result. Most times after college something has changed as you are looking for a job, married, father, etc...

OrionTheRanger
02-19-2007, 11:57
bust your butt in highschool and get enough credits to graduate in Dec of your senior yr

I have never heard of that being done before. So your saying if I get my 21 credits before december in my senior year I will graduate then?

Ronin
02-19-2007, 12:05
I agree with everyone here. I resigned from my sales job to hike (was hating the job by that point anyway). As it turns out, I was offered a better position in the company to return to after my hike - IF I want it at that point! :rolleyes:

IMO, the best time to take off is when you have the least responsibilities in life. Just after high school, sounds like a good time, but after graduating college might be just as good.

Cheers!

The Weasel
02-19-2007, 15:56
Henry David Thoreau said, "There is no more fatal blunderer than he who consumes the greater part of his life getting a living."

Unfortunately, it occurs more often than not. ***

Yes, including to Thoreau, who spent most of his life writing, and living off of the proceeds of it.

The Weasel

Bravo
02-19-2007, 15:57
Tired of my job. I got all my debts paid off. I'm ready to start working for myself. I'm not ready to wait another 5+ years to thru. So I said, "I'm outta here April 1. Nough said.

Knees
02-19-2007, 17:17
When I went thru, most of the younger folk seemed to be just out of college not high school. There are advantages to having longer to save money, being at least 21, etc. The trail will be there, so in the end it comes down to when you're ready to hike it.

As for me:

In late '04 I decided that '05 was my year to hike the AT. A few weeks later, I took a short term position that was supposed to end before my hike.

It didn't.

So in '05, I gave a 1mo notice. Five months of hiking later, I got a call the day after I finished asking if I was available yet.

smokymtnsteve
02-19-2007, 19:41
Yes, including to Thoreau, who spent most of his life writing, and living off of the proceeds of it.

The Weasel

and who inhaled generous amounts of graphite probably contributing to pneumonia

walkin' wally
02-19-2007, 19:59
I'm retiring the end of Dec. 2009. I hope to be on the Approach Trail Monday morning March 15, 2010. Kiss my wife goodbye. That's it. Rain or shine. :sun

I hope to meet some of the 2010 hikers there. Maybe even Attroll. :-?

I don't know if I will work after my hike. I want to see what the trail brings. I think I should have tried the hike after high school like a previous poster said.

fonsie
02-19-2007, 20:09
Well I told my boss get someone in at the job for 2 months out of the year or I was going to quite for 6 months. She dos'nt seem to like that proposal so I am quiteing about mid May and going to Damascus. Then I will start at Harpers Ferry head to Maine then flip flop the other way. Alot of people that retire from the military are out there living up there dreams and getting paid. Take a year off school and military go do the trail. For the next 22 years do some section hikes and when you get out you will be in your early 40's wich is yung these days and go for every trail out there. I F@#* up and should of done that. Im now 31 and sold the house and got rid of the wife and sold everything. I am now just waiting to get out of this work thing so I can do the trail. After that I will decide to do whatever, maybe I will go for the triple crown.

Grandma Dixie
02-19-2007, 22:36
What I did was Graduate 1/2 year early (in january) so I can do my hike, that way,you dont need to skip a year before college. Talk to your guidance counciler about this, or feel free to PM me if you have any questions, but it might be hard for me to respond, as I'm leaving for my hike in about 32 hours

Appalachian Tater
02-20-2007, 01:10
I think you would enjoy a thru-hike more in your early twenties than in your late teens. But there's no reason why you can't do it twice.

Doctari
02-20-2007, 12:02
It would take a miracle for me to do a thru in the next 5 – 8 years. BUT, I did talk to my boss & asked: “Hypothetically, If I wanted to do a AT thru hike, could I have a 6 month leave of absence?” He responded without hesitation “Sure!” He did say I might not have my shift when I got back, but I would have a job.

Now a little background: I have known my boss for 14 years. And he has heard my hiking stories for most of that time. Phil is now a friend of mine, but if I screw up, he will fire me “In a heartbeat!” so his answer was as my boss, not as my friend. YMMV, but even so, you will never know till you ask. Your boss (when you get one) may just surprise you.

As Phil always says: “I was looking for a job when I got this one” (BTW; his boss, the owner of the company said “Have a nice hike, see you when you get back!”)


Doctari.

frequency
02-20-2007, 14:35
I got laid off in 2004 and should have used a good severance to thru...the CO had other ideas when I floated the idea. I told her a month ago that if I ever get laid off again - that I would thru before I jumped into the meat grinder again. Still trying to find the paradigm that lets me get out there earlier... My advice - do it before you go into the USAF (I think CoopDog would agree with me, better to go into the USMC) - do it before you graduate from College. Life interrupts while we plan our thruhikes... if it was me - i would plan for directly after highschool or directly before senior year at college. No better education could be found.

Jaybird
02-20-2007, 15:14
How did you find the time off your job to do a thru-hike? DId you quit? I doubt you got a 6 month vacation. I'm 14, so I don't have one myself(unless you count school), but I want to know how you got all that time.....................blah,blah,blah,.......... ...........?




I CAN'T get 6 months off....thats why i am a SECTION-HIKER!:D


My experience has been that Most hikers are just starting College, Just finished College, just retired, or just Divorced or some other life-changes situation...


Good luck with your future hike!

Kembo
02-20-2007, 21:48
It was not a too different time when I got my draft notice. I joined the Air Force with a six month delayed enlistment. What better way to enjoy your six month delayed enlistment than to walk the Appalachian trail? I entered basic training in better shape than I left. Good luck Orion.
Jeff