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Tuombe247
12-17-2008, 15:42
How exactly do you take off work for a full Northbound hike?:-?

Lone Wolf
12-17-2008, 15:43
save 5 grand and go

KG4FAM
12-17-2008, 15:45
Quit your job. If you do a good job and your employer appreciates you they will understand and maybe even rehire you after you finish (maybe not so much these days with the job market)

Blissful
12-17-2008, 16:02
I had a job as a writer so it was fine for me. I was between books.

Many go between jobs, before or after school, after retirement. Or take leave of absense (one got a note from a Dr like a prescription for their health to reduce cholesterol)

corialice81
12-17-2008, 16:06
I work for a school so it worked out to take spring semester off and come back to work next fall.

Tuombe247
12-17-2008, 16:13
Well, I won't be hiking the A.T. anytime soon, my girlfriend and I are planning to get married next year, and we're both in college. We'd like to do it before we have kids, and when we're out of school, Lord willing that is!

RadioFreq
12-17-2008, 16:13
How exactly do you take off work for a full Northbound hike?:-?

Work at one location for 23+ years and become indispensable (in your own mind, anyway).
Go to your boss and tell him in 3 years you want to take a leave of absence for 6 months to go hiking.
After he says okay, go tell your wife.

sheepdog
12-17-2008, 16:50
Listen to the song, there's 50 ways.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKcY_DNF8aY

catfishrivers
12-17-2008, 17:16
I'm just quitting my job. I hate it anyhow.

Red Hat
12-17-2008, 17:46
Easy, work enough years to retire, then hike whenever.

traildust
12-17-2008, 18:02
plan for a thru hike after you finish college before the job hunt. maybe section hike the trail each summer while in college.

I waited over 35 years to attempt a thru hike and after two attempts still have come up short. injury to my hiking partner.

but I have the advantage of being retired from military and government service and have all kids grown and few bills.

regardless keep hiking and keep your dreams alive.

A-Train
12-17-2008, 18:04
Easy, work enough years to retire, then hike whenever.

Good information for an 18 year old!

Red Hat
12-17-2008, 18:10
Good information for an 18 year old!

LOL I didn't read his profile before I posted. I just answered the question. At age 18, just hike, you don't have a profession yet to worry about. when you get back, worry about a job.

FritztheCat
12-17-2008, 18:18
Well, I won't be hiking the A.T. anytime soon, my girlfriend and I are planning to get married next year, and we're both in college. We'd like to do it before we have kids, and when we're out of school, Lord willing that is!

Hiking the AT would be a great six month honeymoon!

Lion King
12-17-2008, 18:27
How exactly do you take off work for a full Northbound hike?:-?


Its your time to take not theirs to give.

jobs come and go, hikes last a life time.

superman
12-17-2008, 18:37
Well, I won't be hiking the A.T. anytime soon, my girlfriend and I are planning to get married next year, and we're both in college. We'd like to do it before we have kids, and when we're out of school, Lord willing that is!

Hike the AT with her before you get married. You might learn something about each other that you should know before getting married.:D

fiddlehead
12-17-2008, 19:06
Life is priorities.
What's yours?
I've never let work interfere with my hiking.

Get a job that allows you to work in the winter.
Take spring, summer and fall off for hiking.
Hiking's cheap. Work (& handling money wisely) always paid me way more than i need.

Spirit Walker
12-17-2008, 20:54
If you are getting married in June - head out with your bride to the trail afterwards and hike as far north as you can before you have to go back to school. If you like it, you can do the same thing the following year. Better to do a two year hike than no hike. And chances are, once you graduate, you'll want to go to work to pay off loans - so a hike may not be possible then. Or alternately, you can head out west and hike one of the western trails.


As to how I did it? I worked, quit my job, hiked, then got a new job. A few years later I quit again, hiked, moved, and then got a new job. A few years later, I quit again, hiked and got a new job. It's easy - if you don't care too much about money, career or long term security.

weary
12-18-2008, 01:41
A lot of hikers are in transition. Between jobs, A spouse has died. Retirement. Deadend jobs. Between high school and college. Between school and first job. One hiker in '93 had watched a sister in law die and resolved to hike before it was too late.

Pickleodeon
12-18-2008, 10:02
post-college, pre-"real job". I graduated in May, got a job a little while later, and I'm leaving in March. I recommend getting the job asap after graduating, even if it doesn't pay too well. and save, save, save.

Jan LiteShoe
12-18-2008, 10:12
Its your time to take not theirs to give.


Whoa! Nailed it, I'd say!

Hike quick! Before you actually listen to that little voice (formerly outside, now IN your head) saying "Get back in your cubicle, young man..."

You won't get alot of support outside this (or similar) communites for a long wander.

Life rarely "gives" you a thru-hike, even when relatively unencumbered. You have to want it bad enough to make it happen.

Blue Jay
12-18-2008, 10:54
How exactly do you take off work for a full Northbound hike?:-?

Actually the question is why trade the priceless minutes of your life for the soon to be (+/- a year) worthless money? As I type this they are printing money as fast as possible due to the fact that China cannot and will not loan us any more. Each dollar that they print drops the value of every single dollar you have. Trading your life for money now is completely insane. Spending your money on a long distance hike is by far the most intelligent investment. I know they want you to remain enslaved, but now is the time to live, if there ever was one.:eek:

Jim Adams
12-18-2008, 19:31
There will always be jobs.
Hike, bike, canoe, adventure travel EVERY chance you get. Your life will forever be better for the experiences of the outdoors.

geek

Nearly Normal
12-19-2008, 02:51
How exactly do you take off work for a full Northbound hike?:-?

Depends on how old you are and the responsibilities you have. At 18 it might be easier than 52 with college kids. I want to try but have too many irons in the fire to just bust loose and go yet. I'll be one of the old people when I try, if I live that long. Sometimes I still feel 18, sometimes like a old man. At 18 I'd say **** it and tramp away but that's hindsite. I'll make do with blue blazing and section hiking for now.

Red Hat
12-19-2008, 11:27
Sometimes I still feel 18, sometimes like a old man.
When I started out in Maine I felt like I was 18. On top of Katahdin, I knew I could do anything. However, on the way down, I realized how old I am when my knees began to shake uncontrollably. By day 10, I was a wreck.

Now I know that I am not a teenager, even though I feel like it at times.

Lilred
12-19-2008, 12:08
I had a job as a writer so it was fine for me. I was between books.

Many go between jobs, before or after school, after retirement. Or take leave of absense (one got a note from a Dr like a prescription for their health to reduce cholesterol)

I didn't get the prescription Blissful. My doctor said he would write one for me if I ever get the chance to thru-hike. I first need to come up with the money, which will never happen unless a rich relative dies or I win the lottery.

HikerRanky
12-19-2008, 12:24
I first need to come up with the money, which will never happen unless a rich relative dies or I win the lottery.

Perhaps we here in White House and Middle TN need to come up with a fundraiser event for the LilRed AT Thru-Hike....

Randy

Doc
12-19-2008, 15:38
I think I see a way to finance my future hikes. I will provide a doctor's note to hikers in exchange for things like a WM down bag, a ULA pack, etc. I probably can justify my total lack of ethical behavior by convincing myself that anyone who wants to do a thruhike is crazy and thus should be allowed to leave work for 6 months to restore some amount of mental health. Just think of all the neat new gear that I can obtain, all in the name of helping my fellow hikers. It just doesn't get any better than that.

Lilred
12-20-2008, 11:21
Perhaps we here in White House and Middle TN need to come up with a fundraiser event for the LilRed AT Thru-Hike....

Randy

LOL I'll take all donations. But then I'll get slammed for not financing my own hike.

Randy, if you want the doc's name, pm me. He's here in White House.

GeneralLee10
12-24-2008, 23:30
I think I see a way to finance my future hikes. I will provide a doctor's note to hikers in exchange for things like a WM down bag, a ULA pack, etc. I probably can justify my total lack of ethical behavior by convincing myself that anyone who wants to do a thruhike is crazy and thus should be allowed to leave work for 6 months to restore some amount of mental health. Just think of all the neat new gear that I can obtain, all in the name of helping my fellow hikers. It just doesn't get any better than that.

This sounds good! would be well worth it to me as I feel like going crazy now. Work sucks plus when you dislike it and just work for Ins. and a pay check so I can ride in a new truck just so I can get to work. Why? so the tight wad corporate company can fat-n there CEO and Presidents bank accounts with nice bonuses. While we the employees are the ones that make the money and get nothing in return but a job.

Captain
12-25-2008, 00:12
I think I see a way to finance my future hikes. I will provide a doctor's note to hikers in exchange for things like a WM down bag, a ULA pack, etc. I probably can justify my total lack of ethical behavior by convincing myself that anyone who wants to do a thruhike is crazy and thus should be allowed to leave work for 6 months to restore some amount of mental health. Just think of all the neat new gear that I can obtain, all in the name of helping my fellow hikers. It just doesn't get any better than that.

See you are totally validated...so ...validate my absence from work?

lingo
12-29-2008, 03:24
I fall into the out of work category. I was laid off about 15 months ago and have bounce around part time job to part time job. I have given up on finding any full time work (land surveying) for a while. I don't have any significant bills. Don't know if I will ever have the chance to do it again. NOBO '09

Captain
12-29-2008, 04:28
hmm just trying to think what i said that was off topic enough to get deleted from above,cant recall.... i only thought i had ONE post here, and thats the one directly above it that wasnt deleted ,shock comes from it not being deleted...but the fact why cant i remember posting another right after it...hmm

Captain
12-29-2008, 04:31
here is a question how do you handle it when you own your own business, seems like its an easy answer just "close up shop" but there just has to be things to get in the way of just doing that..other than lack of income then cuase that is only to be expected

Red Hat
12-29-2008, 14:18
A friend of mine, Phoenix, owned his own real estate business and hiked in 05. He trusted folks to run his business and I guess they did okay since it was still there when he got back. But now he wants to hike again, but says he can't justify the time off when he needs to be thinking about retiring. So there are pros and cons in owning your own business too.

DavidNH
12-29-2008, 15:12
Its your time to take not theirs to give.

jobs come and go, hikes last a life time.

quick aside: interesting how such a simple question led to so many deleted posts!

This is an important thread and the question is very appropriate!

Lion King deserves FIVE gold starts for his post answering this question!!!


It is your time to take, not theirs to give!!!

Is discovering the Appalachians your dream? then do it. An employer only owns you if you let them.

I will say, most of the thru hikers are either just out of college (ie they have not yet started working) or they are retired (ie they are done working and don't need an income). Nonetheless, some quit their jobs in order to do the trip. If you are in the "working" stage of life you would need to quit your job as no one will give you 5-6 months of consecutive paid vacation and even such long leave of absences are rare. Of course, getting another job after quitting your current job and doing the thru hike..that is another matter!r

Another option is to breakup the trip into two three month chunks (Southern half this year northern next year).

DavidNH

kanga
12-29-2008, 15:21
I didn't get the prescription Blissful. My doctor said he would write one for me if I ever get the chance to thru-hike. I first need to come up with the money, which will never happen unless a rich relative dies or I win the lottery.

seriously, i need the number for your doc. seriously.

kanga
12-29-2008, 15:26
How exactly do you take off work for a full Northbound hike?:-?

at your age? just go. i quit my time-sucking job when i was 20, took a break from college, sold my car (that i loved) to pay for it. the only regret that ever came from that was not finishing and that was beyond my mortal control.
i did have support back home - my parents let me crash when i came home to give me time to find a job, tho some of the money from the car i had to help.
i will tell you this, at 30, with a "career" job and a family, it's damn near impossible for me to take off for more than a week at a time and it kills me, it seems like. go now, with few responsibilites (i'm assuming) and do it!! the next chance you get may be retirement.

Red Hat
12-29-2008, 16:14
at your age? just go... the next chance you get may be retirement. and retirement could mean taking care of a spouse, elderly parents.... there's never a good time... now is always the best time

88BlueGT
12-30-2008, 16:16
^^ Exactally. I have been wanting to thru-hike for a few years now (I'm 21). I have been going back and forth debating on whether to thru or not but I have decided to. I'm young and have the opportunity to do it NOW and I don't know if I'll ever be given the chances again. If you are not as lucky as me and have alot of responsibilities right now (career, kids, mortgage, car payments, etc.) you're just going to have to make some sacrafices, its the only way one will ever be able to go on such a journey.

No Belay
12-30-2008, 22:50
Well, I won't be hiking the A.T. anytime soon, my girlfriend and I are planning to get married next year, and we're both in college. We'd like to do it before we have kids, and when we're out of school, Lord willing that is!

Brother you're only 19. My suggestion would be postpone the wedding for a year, go hike the AT together, and if you still love each other after 2200 miles, then get hitched. That way you've hiked the AT before you've had kids, her Dad has another year to save for the wedding, and if you made it 2200 miles and still love each other, you REALLY love one another.

TaTonka

Jan LiteShoe
12-30-2008, 23:13
Brother you're only 19. My suggestion would be postpone the wedding for a year, go hike the AT together, and if you still love each other after 2200 miles, then get hitched. That way you've hiked the AT before you've had kids, her Dad has another year to save for the wedding, and if you made it 2200 miles and still love each other, you REALLY love one another.

TaTonka

That's brilliant advice.
And likely to go unheeded.
:)

88BlueGT
12-31-2008, 03:52
^^^ I'll second that!!!

Plodderman
01-08-2009, 14:17
Save a few thousand and be prepared for the first chance to get fired.