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View Full Version : ive decided to do it



kappy0405
02-21-2008, 20:26
alright, so just last fall i got the privilege of driving through the appalachian mountains. It was pretty much my first time ever leaving the midwest. Pathetic, i know. but, basically.. I was amazed. My jaw was dropped just about the whole time. anyway, thats when I first heard about the AT, and I immediately talked my girlfriend of 2+ years into doing it with me one day.

Anyway, this was the girl i was gonna marry someday, take care of her the rest of my life, have her kids, and watch grow old and wrinkle away with me, and believe it or not I wanted nothing more in life then to do just that. I was absolutely sure of it, so was she... Now, just two weeks ago, she broke up with me for apparently no reason :( whaa... so ive spent the last two weeks sulking and trying to convince myself not to jump off the sears tower, or some other building of similar height, all the while, drowning my sorrows in a bottle of jameson's every night.

yeah, I need to get away.

So ive officially decided on hiking the AT this year. Ill be starting the last week of March or the first week of Apr. I'm not planning on doing the whole thing, although, if it works out that way, i just might. Im just gonna walk, and walk, then walk some more, and keep walking until I get tired of it. I'm gonna slowly wander through the mountains, probably crying every step of the way. So with 7K in my pocket, I'm leaving everything behind.. everything. and maybe by the end, Ill have found my smile again... Who knows, maybe Ill make it to Massachussetts and move to Boston to live among my fellow irishmen.

Either way, I'm doing it...

i dont know why i posted this, but theres my story/motivation for doing this ridiculously crazy thing ;)

Jack Tarlin
02-21-2008, 20:31
Best of luck! See you out there.

Frau
02-21-2008, 20:47
Nessmuk and I will look for you between Waynesboro and Catawba, VA! I have a feeling it won't take long for you to be smiling again.

Frau

DAKS
02-21-2008, 20:51
enjoy your hike!

Appalachian Tater
02-21-2008, 21:00
Lots of people with Irish ancestry all over New England, concentrated not only in Massachusetts but also in places like New Hampshire, Rhode Island, New York, and Connecticut.

stumpy
02-21-2008, 21:10
If you start with 7K in your pocket Pm and let me know when you start. I just might be able to walk with ya!!!!!;)


All kidding aside, I can think of no better place to get out and set things straight in your world. I have often thought that if I ever attempt a thru I would do the same thing only in reverse. I would start on Kat. in June and start the long walk home (I grew up in east Tennseess). I would walk unitl I had enough and then find a way home from there (Forest Gump style). I know kinda silly, but it makes sense in my mind.:D

WILLIAM HAYES
02-21-2008, 23:19
No woman is worth it . get some peace of mind .there are plenty of others out there hit the trail and have some fun as tony soprano sa foorgetabouit
Hillbilly

vonfrick
02-21-2008, 23:26
No woman is worth it . get some peace of mind .there are plenty of others out there hit the trail and have some fun as tony soprano sa foorgetabouit
Hillbilly

and neither is any man.

Hoop
02-21-2008, 23:41
Look at this as an opportunity to explore. Be thankful your ex-gal bolted now instead of after a couple years' of marriage, and wish her the best. Although he's a fine fellow, don't let Mr. Jameson start telling you what to do.

Almost There
02-21-2008, 23:50
Anyway, this was the girl i was gonna marry someday, take care of her the rest of my life, have her kids:eek:, and watch grow old and wrinkle away with me

Wow you must have "really" loved her!!!!


Not trying to be mean, just trying to make you laugh. Walk until you are ready to go home, you've got your whole life ahead of you. I was engaged to my college sweetheart...didn't marry her, and I'm very happy about that as I've been married for almost 9 years now to my wife. Things have a way of working out. You will be fine my man!:sun

BTW, where you live in the Chicago area, I grew up in the Schaumburg area, only moved to Atlanta 5 years ago.

kappy0405
02-22-2008, 00:28
Thanks everyone for the encouragement.. I'm sure the trail will put my head back on the right direction. It had better or I dont know what I'll do from there. but yeah, I'm really psyched for this trip.

'Hooprat' - youre right, Jameson is a great fellow. infact I'd almost be willing to call him my bestfriend right about now. lol j/k

'Stumpy' - you just convinced me to put the 7K in bank acct, and just get a debit cart ;)

'Almost There' - yeah i did really love her. It was pathetic actually. lol but I guess your right, everything happens for a reason, and everything works out the way it was meant to. I just cant even picture anything else at this point :( but I'm sure all will be good eventually. And talk about a small world, I used to work at Argent Mortgage in Shaumburg, right off of Golf Rd.. I used to live right in downtown Chicago, but right now I'm living about 30 miles south of schaumburg, in Romeoville. Its a small crappy town right next to Joliet. lol

Cannibal
02-22-2008, 00:58
Love sucks-ya, ya.

If you decided today I bet you're smiling tomorrow. I learned how to smile again just by deciding to go. By the time I get on the trail in a few days I'm thinking it will be a full-on grin; like this: :D

Good luck out there and have fun!

Heater
02-22-2008, 06:20
There is nothing holding you back. You are young with no attachments so you can pick up where you left off after the hike or you take it in an entirely different direction.

Plus, you have 7 Grand. http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/dance019.gif


You are king of the world. http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/happy012.gif

StarLyte
02-22-2008, 07:03
Many people hike to walk away their woes. I do it myself frequently. It works.

You'll meet MANY new friends on your hike - go for it.

Hope to see you somewhere....good luck!

oldfivetango
02-22-2008, 07:08
Trust an old guy on this-it wasn't meant to be and you will find someone
else alot nicer eventually.It is the way the world works.Better to have loved and
lost than never loved at all.(not a Tango original btw)
Oldfivetango

maxNcathy
02-22-2008, 08:53
You will smile and thank her some day. You will meet a real outdoors girl on your hike and be very happy hiking and all the rest through life. So there is a better way to look at this.Don't cherish your grievances and depress yourself with negative thoughts. Give her your blessing and healing will come as it was meant to be.
Kappy, be happy.

All is good with
Sandalwood

Pennsylvania Rose
02-22-2008, 11:45
A long walk is a great way to heal and contemplate the future - that's what Earl Shaffer did. I'm sorry your relationship didn't work out. Hopfully 10 years from now you'll look back on your time together with fondness and forgiveness. Right now you're young, free, and have funds - so enjoy your hike without regret!

Tinker
02-22-2008, 11:57
Kappy - Watch the Jameson. I've been where you are in relation to thinking about the Sears Towers. It isn't worth it. Things will improve. The AT is a great place to go to figure things out and get your head on straight.
Walking may not cure everything, but it helps a whole lot. There's a new family waiting for you at either end of the AT.
Enjoy.

Lilred
02-22-2008, 12:53
Sounds to me like you dodged a bullet. Better now than later. The hike will be good for you. Good luck and hope to see you out there.

T-Dubs
02-22-2008, 13:22
Sorry to hear of the sudden change in planning your future.
However, it may be a good thing; give you time to sort things out and decide what's important. I think you've got your priorities in line with this:

bottle of jameson's
But I would add some Stirring's ginger ale. As a matter of fact, I do almost every night.

TWS

Ps. I'm near Dayton. Pick me up on your way down to Ga. I'm ready to start as well. (-:

ScottP
02-22-2008, 14:26
Enjoy your hike! I'm also a Midwesterner called by the far away wilderness--welcome to the club! You're in great company--Aldo Leopold and John Muir included.

7k is plenty to get you through your hike--check out my article on thru-hiking that I just wrote:
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=33346

ScottP
02-22-2008, 14:28
Oh, and I would add one more thing: The AT won't be an escape to your problems. You'll have all day, every day (unless you choose to hike with someone else) just inside your own head. What's on your mind most of the time right now? Well, it'll be doubly so as you thru.

That being said, a thru-hike is a great way to live for a couple of months.

Sherpa '03
02-22-2008, 15:13
get on the net and find the song "Appalachian Rain" by John Smith...........listen to his lyrics

Blissful
02-22-2008, 15:19
Go for it. It's tough out there too as is life, it seems, but it's beautiful.

Wilson
02-22-2008, 15:23
Right now this'll sound crazy to you....but one day you'll have to think a minute to even remember that girls name.

Bet you'll never forget walking the AT.

wrongway_08
02-22-2008, 15:40
You will smile and thank her some day. You will meet a real outdoors girl on your hike and be very happy hiking and all the rest through life. So there is a better way to look at this.Don't cherish your grievances and depress yourself with negative thoughts. Give her your blessing and healing will come as it was meant to be.
Kappy, be happy.

All is good with
Sandalwood


X2. Do the hike, dont look back. Trust me, things will work out for the better for you. Do your big adventures now.

Its been 13 years that I thought "wow, this is great - she wants to do the trail with me".............. 13 YEARS! Guess what? I am doing it alone still - just 13 YEARS later!!!

Smile
02-22-2008, 15:43
Go for it, I think there are very good things ahead for you this year!
:)

Leave the 7k somewhere safe!

Roots
02-22-2008, 15:55
AHHH, to be 22 again. No tie downs, $ burning a hole in the pocket, boy that sounds good. GO FOR IT!! You never know, you might meet 'the one' on the trail. There are some that have--I know a girl that met her hubby on the trail. Good luck to you and hike your woes away. :)

hobojoe
02-22-2008, 16:11
Oh, and I would add one more thing: The AT won't be an escape to your problems. You'll have all day, every day (unless you choose to hike with someone else) just inside your own head. What's on your mind most of the time right now? Well, it'll be doubly so as you thru.

That being said, a thru-hike is a great way to live for a couple of months.
SHUT UP scott P. (sorry)

Ok, I was realy hit hard by your post. First let me say how exstatic I am for you and I know your making the right choice. I too have recently had an immense heartbreak. My now Ex-girlfriend, Many folks on WB probably know who I'm talking about, decided that after 4 years of hiking the AT and 6 years of living together she wanted to explore other things. I was lied to and stolen from, and this a girl who I thought was my soul mate. The pain will disapear, probably after you see your first "trail bunny". My breakup was about 6 months ago, and take it from me life is way to short to sulk over this for too long. Make peace with yourself and hit the trail with an open mind and open heart.
I'll be starting my first real thru hike this year (seems I was able to save enough money without her) about april 8th. I am picking up some friends and I could give you a ride from atlanta to amicalola if you want. If you need anything at all until then E-mail me PM me or what ever. I know how hard those first few weeks (months for me) can be. I was lucky enough to have some amazing friends to take me in and help me find myself.
My life has never been better since then, I am free and it feels good.
We all love you out here on the trail, you will see that soon. You couldn't have made a better decision.

wrongway_08
02-22-2008, 16:13
HoboJoe... well said!

kappy0405
02-22-2008, 16:26
thanks everyone.. :) im smiling now

thanks hobojoe for the inspiration, see ya along the way!

really looking forward to this guys! and yeah, I figured 7k would be way more then enough. whatever i have left when i finish should be enough to get me started somewhere else. thanks again everyone..

kappy0405
02-23-2008, 01:04
its official, I set my start date to April 6th. Its the day after my birthday, so I figure there couldnt be a more appropriate time to start over with life. I cant wait!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

hobojoe
02-25-2008, 12:09
I'll be 3 days behind ya.....
Townies lock up your daughters Hobo Joe is in town!!

Almost There
02-25-2008, 12:41
I had the pleasure of hiking with Hobo and his ex two years back, so I can vouch that she seemed a good gal, sorry you got the run around the way you did man...seems like you've come through it.:sun

Kappy, hit the trail with the attitude that you're gonna immerse yourself in all the aspects of it, you'll be too busy with new experiences to think about her, and who knows maybe you'll even find yourself some "Trail Tail"!:eek::D

vonfrick
02-25-2008, 14:03
some "Trail Tail"!:eek::D

um...ew

warraghiyagey
02-25-2008, 14:12
um...ew
Agreed.

Almost There
02-25-2008, 14:30
Aw, get over it, you know there are trail hook-ups all the time, I can name numerous couples I have met that hooked up for the first time on the trail....I can even think of a few who hooked up with numerous hikers on their way up the trail.


C'mon..."Trail Tail" That's funny, I don't care who ya' are!:D


PS: I can say whatever I want here, because my wife doesn't read WB!:bananaNana, nana, nana!!!

hobojoe
02-25-2008, 16:03
Trail bunnies have trail tail,
but tent hoppers make shiny coppers!!!

Dirty Harry
02-25-2008, 22:57
Hey Kappy Chi-town represent! Are you in the city or burbs. Im in Barrington/Fox river grove. If you catch up mabe i will see you on the trail, I will be on the trail on the 16th of march. Not many midwesterners, you should feel proud.

Almost There
02-26-2008, 00:02
Hey Harry nice to see another hiker from the Chicago area, grew up in Elk Grove/Schaumburg, aunt and uncle live in S. Barrington, cousins went to Barrington High School.

Sly
02-26-2008, 00:25
Have a great time out there Kappy. Save a little money for the PCT next year. To me it sounds like a multi-hike break up!

nightshaded
02-26-2008, 11:55
there may be room in the cleveland mobile...headed for springer march 30th

nightshaded
02-26-2008, 11:57
Sorry to hear of the sudden change in planning your
Ps. I'm near Dayton. Pick me up on your way down to Ga. I'm ready to start as well. (-:


sorry...t dubs: you may be able to hitch a ride with us

Powder River
02-26-2008, 18:25
Congrats on your decision, and good luck. I'm starting Apr 1 so maybe I'll see you out there.

quasarr
02-27-2008, 18:32
kappy, I've been dumped myself and was very down. and what did I do? I got a summer job halfway across the country, working in the outdoors. It was great! Just getting away is a big step. Especially away from technology. With no phone, you won't be tempted to give your ex a call. You won't be tempted to IM a friend and ask for updates on what your ex is doing.

I think the trail will be a good place for your broken heart to heal. New faces, new places, lots to worry about that does not include your sorrows about your ex.

Chin up!! :sun