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03-22-2009, 12:36
sorry the double post. meant to make this a new topic as it is now.

how many of you 45+ers are just taking a leave from your job, or are well-suited money-wise, and are leaving your house in the hands of someone else?

in order to make this dream finally come true, i'm probably going to have to quit the job (and security) that i've had for 16 years.

i also will be selling my house so i don't have to worry about mortgage payments.

probably sell a good deal of my furniture and stuff as well so i don't have to store it. i could also use the money to finance the trip as well.

the big question is, what do i do when i finish the trail (providing i finish the trail?)

well, the short answer is i plan to work somewhere for 6 months, save as much as possible, then do the pct. afterward, if i'm still alive, do the same thing for 6 months then hike the cdt.

now you might say that i am being foolish planning like this and leaving myself no net if things don't work out on the trail. and if i were a young tot i might agree. but at 51, and after dreaming about this my ENTIRE life (no kidding) if things DON'T work out on the trail, i have absolutely no idea what i will do with the rest of my life, so i'll be starting from scratch again anyway.

i almost feel like i need to corner myself into leaving no choice but to get on the trail in 2010, because i'm afraid if i don't back myself into a corner, i may never take the leap to hike the AT at all.

really really really so want to do the trail in 2010. but very afraid of losing security.

does any of this make sense? inputs welcome.

thanks

Big Dawg
03-22-2009, 12:55
I say go for it! :sun

I sometimes have the same feelings going thru my head (albeit, not as serious), but cant react b/c I'm a proud & happy daddy (as of 2 yrs ago). If I didn't have a youngin depending on me, I'd be contemplating your scenario.

mweinstone
03-22-2009, 13:54
your dream is beautiful, your plan good and your springer feaver rageing. i really dont think you can afford to not hike this very season. your sanity may require and imediate emergency hike. it can only be declaired by you. as fellow hiker, i give you leave to hike sir. gentelmen, fire your packs, hike at will.

Slo-go'en
03-22-2009, 14:16
Well, I did a similer thing when I was in my mid 30's, some 20 years ago. I got fired from my high tech, high stress job (the place went bankrupt 6 months later, so I was lucky to be let go then with 6 weeks severance pay and be able to join some friends on a trip to the Candian Rockies), sold a house I was partners in at a reasonable profit so had money in the bank and no desire to look for a new job.

So, I became a mountian bum for 5 years or so. Spent a summer wandering around Yellowstone and the surounding areas, hiked most of the AT, took on several caretaker jobs, one 9 month long stint at the RMC Gray Knob cabin (summer/fall/winter) and a couple of summer/fall caretaker jobs for the GMC. Good way to live in the woods and break even on the deal.

During the winter I would find a job as not to tap into my savings too much. But eventually, the savings started to dwindle and ended up settling down here in the White Mountians and starting a buisness. Now that I've built up my savings agian, I'm thinking of shutting down the buisness and doing some serious hiking again before I'm too old. In the mean time, I have to settle for one or two month long section hikes on the AT.

So, if you can sell your house in todays market and make money instead of loosing any, have little or no debut to get rid of, no significant other or kids to make your life complicated, it could be worth going for and taking care of your wanderlust. The longer you wait the harder it will be. Winter jobs aren't too hard to find if your not picky at what you do and maybe the job market will get better by the time you run out of money and have to settle down again.

Good Luck!

Pages
03-22-2009, 15:58
thanks all for your replies so far. very helpful and hopeful.
i thought you would maybe say i was being completely irresponsible.

you brought up a good point Slo-go'en when you said:

"if you can sell your house in todays market and make money instead of loosing any, have little or no debut to get rid of, no significant other or kids to make your life complicated, it could be worth going for and taking care of your wanderlust."

i am pretty much EXACTLY in that position. i'm only a few years into my house, so no real equity to lose yet, and selling on the present market, i would probably break about even.

my son is almost 30 with a child of his own. i'm not in a relationship at present either.

and i do not care much for my employer of 16 years either.

HEY! what the ____ am I waiting for!?!

Slo-go'en
03-22-2009, 16:16
HEY! what the ____ am I waiting for!?!

Sounds like it's time to unload all your worldy goods and reduce them to what fits into a backpack! Have fun:):banana

Dogwood
03-22-2009, 16:31
This is going to sound soooo alien and even impossible to many, but, yes, you can live without a cell phone, cable TV, a four wheeled carbon monoxide generator, and even that box that most people call a home! I applaud anyone who decides to live life on their terms rather than what someone else has decided is right for them! Now, maybe you will find out what life can be like when you are not on the merry-go-round???

Many Walks
03-22-2009, 20:04
GO HIKE!!! We quit great jobs, sold and gave away 30 yrs of really good stuff, sold our property and cars to pursue a dream and a simpler life. Your fear is to lose security, but what security is there really? Things can happen and there is no better time to enjoy life than when you decide it's the most important thing to do. Your choice is to get rid of the "stuff" and live, or to live in fear of losing the "stuff" that is in control of your life. Go live on your terms. The hike will do wonders to clear your head. Enjoy the journey and best wishes to you!

Sleepy the Arab
03-22-2009, 20:07
The more stuff you own, the more stuff owns you.

Jim Adams
03-23-2009, 16:12
I've done it that way twice. Just go for it. The only thing to leave behind is stress!

geek

NashvilleBiscuit
03-23-2009, 16:56
Somebody else posted this on whiteblaze and I copied it down. Im only 24 but I gave my 2 weeks, sold my car, and plan to head to the trail on Saturday. Anyway, I think this fits your post... "To be truly challenging, a voyage, like a life, must rest on a firm foundation of financial unrest. Otherwise you are doomed to a routine traverse, the kind known to yachtsmen, who play with their boats at sea-"cruising," it is called. Voyaging belongs to seamen, and to the wanderers of the world who cannot, or will not, fit in. If you are contemplating a voyage and you have the means, abandon the venture until your fortunes change. Only then will you know what the sea is all about.
"I’ve always wanted to sail the South Seas, but I can’t afford it." What these men can’t afford is not to go. They are enmeshed in the cancerous discipline of "security." And in the worship of security we fling our lives beneath the routine of routine - and before we know it our lives are gone.
What does a man need - really need? A few pounds of food each day, heat and shelter, six feet to lie down in - and some form of working activity that will yield a sense of accomplishment. That’s all - in the material sense. And we know it. But we are brainwashed by our economic system until we end up in a tomb beneath a pyramid of time payments, mortgages, preposterous gadgetry, playthings that divert our attention from the sheer idiocy of the charade.
The years thunder by. The dreams of youth grow dim where they lie caked in dust on the shelves of patience. Before we know it, the tomb is sealed.
Where, then, lies the answer? In choice. Which shall it be: bankruptcy of purse or bankruptcy of life?"

wcgornto
03-23-2009, 17:58
I quit my job the end of March last year. I sold my house, sold my car, gave away my furniture and most of my clothes. I have some books and outdoor gear stored at my sister´s house ... nothing else.

I spent three months in Ecuador, six weeks in Guatemala and am in the middle of four plus months in Argentina. I have learned a lot of Spanish and hiked beautiful trails, mountains and volcanoes in Central and South America.

My SOBO start date is June 15. Right now, I have no plans upon completion of the AT, but I will have plenty of time to consider future plans during my hike. I will have to work somewhere because remaining funds will be limited when I reach the end of the trail.

If given the choice to do it all over / differently, I wouldn´t change a thing. I just wish I had done it sooner.

neighbor dave
03-23-2009, 18:15
material posessions are anchors
security is a trap
set yourself free

Just Lisa
03-23-2009, 18:40
I am also planning to leave a very secure and decent paying job with good benefits and an independent lifestyle to go take care of my mother. I have no relationship, no children and I am rapidly approaching 50.....But before I do that, I decided, as a incentive for myself, I am going to hike the AT..2010 is really the only window in my foreseeable future when this will be likely to happen.. Like everyone else, I am contemplating the wisdom of this move... I rent so I don't have to worry about a mortgage, I've been saving lots of money thanks to a 2nd source of income (one of those turn your hobby into income things)....I plan to pretty much sell everything so I will have practically nothing to store...and on and on....I won't have too many bills that I will have to deal with while I am hiking. Will I regret leaving my secure life to do this? maybe....I know I am giving up a lot, but am I going to change my mind.....NO WAY!...not with the opportunity hanging out in front of me like a carrot... It's life after the trail that I am worried about.....

johnnybgood
03-23-2009, 18:55
This plan sounds great if your single and have no qualms about quitting your job and unloading your house in this financial cesspool of a economy.
I don't mean to sound sarcastic but I would have to win the lottery big time , and that ain't gonna happen 'cause I don't play , or divorce my wife and convince the judge to rule in my favor so I could sell MY house and go hiking for six months .

Good Luck and happy trails to those who can.

neighbor dave
03-23-2009, 18:57
go hike the p.c.t. it's amazing

Many Walks
03-23-2009, 19:23
I am also planning to leave a very secure and decent paying job with good benefits and an independent lifestyle to go take care of my mother. I have no relationship, no children and I am rapidly approaching 50.....But before I do that, I decided, as a incentive for myself, I am going to hike the AT..2010 is really the only window in my foreseeable future when this will be likely to happen.. Like everyone else, I am contemplating the wisdom of this move... I rent so I don't have to worry about a mortgage, I've been saving lots of money thanks to a 2nd source of income (one of those turn your hobby into income things)....I plan to pretty much sell everything so I will have practically nothing to store...and on and on....I won't have too many bills that I will have to deal with while I am hiking. Will I regret leaving my secure life to do this? maybe....I know I am giving up a lot, but am I going to change my mind.....NO WAY!...not with the opportunity hanging out in front of me like a carrot... It's life after the trail that I am worried about.....
Just Lisa, it appears you have everything in order to do the things that are important to you. With two income streams I've no doubt you can continue them when you're ready again, if that's what you choose to do. During the hike you'll have a lot of time to contemplate what the future may offer and it could be an entirely new direction based on your interests and passion. You're on a course to simplify and that in itself is extremely liberating. Have no fear of the after hike, just enjoy the opportunity to take the journey while you can. You'll be able to work through the rest later. Wish you the very best!

mister krabs
03-24-2009, 08:16
"To be truly challenging, a voyage, like a life, must rest on a firm foundation of financial unrest. Otherwise you are doomed to a routine traverse, the kind known to yachtsmen, who play with their boats at sea-"cruising," it is called. Voyaging belongs to seamen, and to the wanderers of the world who cannot, or will not, fit in. If you are contemplating a voyage and you have the means, abandon the venture until your fortunes change. Only then will you know what the sea is all about.
"I’ve always wanted to sail the South Seas, but I can’t afford it." What these men can’t afford is not to go. They are enmeshed in the cancerous discipline of "security." And in the worship of security we fling our lives beneath the routine of routine - and before we know it our lives are gone.
What does a man need - really need? A few pounds of food each day, heat and shelter, six feet to lie down in - and some form of working activity that will yield a sense of accomplishment. That’s all - in the material sense. And we know it. But we are brainwashed by our economic system until we end up in a tomb beneath a pyramid of time payments, mortgages, preposterous gadgetry, playthings that divert our attention from the sheer idiocy of the charade.
The years thunder by. The dreams of youth grow dim where they lie caked in dust on the shelves of patience. Before we know it, the tomb is sealed.
Where, then, lies the answer? In choice. Which shall it be: bankruptcy of purse or bankruptcy of life?"

That's Sterling Hayden's quote from his autobiography, Wanderer Highly recommended.

NashvilleBiscuit
03-24-2009, 10:39
Thanks for giving the quote a name. I don't like not knowing who said something.

Jolly Lama
04-13-2009, 14:32
Great quote, we are doing the same, quit the jobs hike the AT then PCT then sailing our 24' enginless cutter around the world. We will backpack and hike every country we visit. Trip highlight climbing to base camp Mt Everest. Our budget is less than 750 per month. Cheers. Ali

Bronk
04-14-2009, 02:53
I think a thruhike is a life altering event for a lot of people. I did the same thing others have alluded to here...quit a good corporate job, sold, gave away or threw away virtually all of my stuff. I wandered the country with my pack, 3 suitcases and 4 plastic storage boxes in the trunk of my car.

When I got off the trail I tried to go back to the same type of job I had had before, but it just didn't fit anymore, so I quit after a few months...I spent the next 3 years or so moving around the country doing different kinds of work...mostly working below my ability/skill set. I did things like work nights at a convenience store, deliver pizza.

What's funny is now that I've settled down a bit and seem to have gotten on track I'm starting to itch to do it again.

Corrigan
04-14-2009, 22:56
all these posts are making me want to get up and leave haha

Alli
04-15-2009, 14:37
I've got a similar plan but I'm doing it after I graduate... good luck and enjoy your hikes!

Sheneequa
04-21-2009, 16:10
Greetings from a drab cubical. This time next year, I plan to walk away from my good-paying, tedious job, and into the woods. I am terrified. But I know I can't go on sitting in this office with such overpowering trailsickness...And having just read the above thread, I'm comforted to know that many of us are in the same boat. Thanks for your original post, TV. I look forward to meeting you on the trail.

Worldwide
04-21-2009, 17:03
When I hike I give up sex with others. I know what my feet look like so being south of the equator on a hiker chick isn't that appealing.

Doctari
04-21-2009, 18:19
Wingfoot always said re mental attitude:

"To hike the AT from end to end the AT needs to be the most important thing in your life"

Sounds to me like you are there.

Like you say "what the ___ are you waiting for?"

OutdoorsMan
04-21-2009, 23:17
Somebody else posted this on whiteblaze and I copied it down. Im only 24 but I gave my 2 weeks, sold my car, and plan to head to the trail on Saturday. Anyway, I think this fits your post... "To be truly challenging, a voyage, like a life, must rest on a firm foundation of financial unrest. Otherwise you are doomed to a routine traverse, the kind known to yachtsmen, who play with their boats at sea-"cruising," it is called. Voyaging belongs to seamen, and to the wanderers of the world who cannot, or will not, fit in. If you are contemplating a voyage and you have the means, abandon the venture until your fortunes change. Only then will you know what the sea is all about.
"I’ve always wanted to sail the South Seas, but I can’t afford it." What these men can’t afford is not to go. They are enmeshed in the cancerous discipline of "security." And in the worship of security we fling our lives beneath the routine of routine - and before we know it our lives are gone.
What does a man need - really need? A few pounds of food each day, heat and shelter, six feet to lie down in - and some form of working activity that will yield a sense of accomplishment. That’s all - in the material sense. And we know it. But we are brainwashed by our economic system until we end up in a tomb beneath a pyramid of time payments, mortgages, preposterous gadgetry, playthings that divert our attention from the sheer idiocy of the charade.
The years thunder by. The dreams of youth grow dim where they lie caked in dust on the shelves of patience. Before we know it, the tomb is sealed.
Where, then, lies the answer? In choice. Which shall it be: bankruptcy of purse or bankruptcy of life?"

Does anybody see the irony of us advising someone to discard material things whem this advice is given via a COMPUTER, probably from a HOUSE that probably has a MORTGAGE and sitting outside is a CAR.....

....and DON'T ya'll say that you are communicating from a library across the street from a hostel where your pack rests! I know better..

Nicksaari
04-21-2009, 23:41
haha, you burned him.

when my lease is up, i get the great (an not so great) opportunity of moving back in with the rents, live rent free, and take some classes. for this, i have to give up smoking really potent pot and drinking large quantities of microbrew beer. i am excited for the cessation of these activities and the sober life, finishing school,
BUT what dad doesnt know is that im going to take advantage of no rent, do lots of yard/house work, take a couple of classes, and bite my time until my brother drops me off at the james river so i can hike down to damascus and buy my homeboy lone wolf ONE beer. then ill finish school.

EverydayJourneyman
04-22-2009, 15:23
Not sure I'm giving up anything. I've been on the a collison course with the AT for some time now. Nearly 2 dozen countries across 5 continents, many different types and modes of adventuring over the past 10 years or so.

I moved the AT from 2008 to 2009 for what I thought would be a great new television hosting gig that would propel my career forward. Turned out to me more of the same.

You couldn't keep me off the AT at gunpoint or with a suitcase full of money at this juncture. :cool:

WILLIAM HAYES
04-22-2009, 17:21
go for it before life passes you by

wcgornto
04-22-2009, 17:41
Does anybody see the irony of us advising someone to discard material things whem this advice is given via a COMPUTER, probably from a HOUSE that probably has a MORTGAGE and sitting outside is a CAR.....

....and DON'T ya'll say that you are communicating from a library across the street from a hostel where your pack rests! I know better..


You´re right. I am not in a library. In fact, I am in an internet cafe in Bariloche, Argentina just around the corner from the hostel where my pack rests, having just completed a week long hike in Nahuel Huapi National Park.

Pootz
04-22-2009, 17:47
thanks all for your replies so far. very helpful and hopeful.
i thought you would maybe say i was being completely irresponsible.

you brought up a good point Slo-go'en when you said:

"if you can sell your house in todays market and make money instead of loosing any, have little or no debut to get rid of, no significant other or kids to make your life complicated, it could be worth going for and taking care of your wanderlust."

i am pretty much EXACTLY in that position. i'm only a few years into my house, so no real equity to lose yet, and selling on the present market, i would probably break about even.

my son is almost 30 with a child of his own. i'm not in a relationship at present either.

and i do not care much for my employer of 16 years either.

HEY! what the ____ am I waiting for!?!

Go for it. If things do not work out you can always move in with your son. He owes you 18+ years of shelter.

Why wait to live your dreams

traildust
04-22-2009, 18:30
Quit my government job in DC, sold house, had grandmother take care of kids (her's) gave mine some money to get by and headed out. Harper's to Mt Greylock. But as so often happens, the trail kicked back and forced us off when the wife got a knee injury and she wasn't cool with me hiking alone. Same thing happened the next year just 14 miles from NOC.

Bottom line - no guarantees in this deal but no guarantees in life. Now we sit on a small fruit and vegetable farm with a small country store living life a little easier but making little money. Still we can get up each day and dig in the dirt or take a hike like we will this weekend on the Sheltowee Trace, nearby, and enjoy life.

But the truth is, if we could sell it all tomorrow or part of it, we both would be back to hiking in a moment. IN the blood until we get it done which we will sooner or later.
traildust

Tatertot
04-22-2009, 18:35
Well I am quite a bit younger, but I have pretty much the same plan, I live in Ga Im going north to maine next march and I figure since I live in Ga I might as well walk back when I get there. I have no kids no wife no mortage, I just have a really good job but material possesions are crap so im going for it. and when Im done with that im think I will go for the CDT and then the PCT and then what ever happens next!!

Blue Jay
04-22-2009, 21:10
Does anybody see the irony of us advising someone to discard material things whem this advice is given via a COMPUTER, probably from a HOUSE that probably has a MORTGAGE and sitting outside is a CAR.....

....and DON'T ya'll say that you are communicating from a library across the street from a hostel where your pack rests! I know better..

Wrong, Mortgage Breath, are we supposed to mail it to them. Many of us are sitting behind prison bars of our own minds telling other people to escape. The fact that we escape then are recaptured over and over is slightly ironic, however enjoying the escape of others is not.

Croft
05-01-2009, 01:35
I "gave up" everything back in the 70's and moved to a log cabin in northern Minnesota when that was a chic thing to do. That's when I fell in love with the woods. Stayed several years but then moved back to Chi-town and took on all the usual consumer-based accoutrements of civilization. Gave it all up again in the 80's and moved onto a sailboat in Miami. I sold everything I owned except for one duffel bag of clothes. Getting rid of all my material possessions was an epiphany. I felt like a 1,000 pounds (of responsibility) was taken off my back. Eventually made it back to civilization, bought a condo and a Cadillac but said no to cable. Give it all up again to go hike the AT? In a heartbeat! I'll be at Springer in Feb. 2010.

Bad Co
05-15-2009, 21:19
My life is an example of "The more stuff you own, the more stuff owns you".
Sounds like you are in a perfect situaton and at the right age to go for it
Security is a state of mind
During this latest recession I would bet plenty of folks would like to be in your position
Head for the hills and enjoy

nero
05-18-2009, 12:15
If all goes well with my finances, I'll be quitting my job. I've sold nearly everything I own, and have moved in with a roommate. Assuming the car loan, school loans, and credit cards get paid off in time, I'll be making an attempt to do a NOBO thru sometime in April 2010.

PUNKINPUSS11
05-18-2009, 12:32
Its Nice 2 Know There R People Like U Out There. Not Scared 2 Break The Chains That Hold Us All Down. The Quotes On This Site Have Inspired Me To Have Hope. I Am Slowly Starting 2 Realize That No One Is Truely Happy, Except The People That Drop Everything And Shoot For The Stars. I Love Free Spirits.......

SteveJ
05-18-2009, 13:21
<clip>I Am Slowly Starting 2 Realize That No One Is Truely Happy, Except The People That Drop Everything And Shoot For The Stars. I Love Free Spirits.......

hmmm....

What I am NOT giving up to do a thru-hike:
* committment to filling my role as father / provider. My wife and I decided to have children, a decision I have NEVER regretted. I now have 2 in college, and one who is 13. They all need me in one way or another
* a decent job that allows me to fill the role above....
* a hope that one day, maybe when my youngest finishes high school, he and I can do a LONG section and finish what we haven't done as section hikers at that point....

I don't mean to put a damper on the thread - it's great that some are in the position that they can take off for 4 - 6 months and do a hike. Do I dream of taking off and leaving all responsibility, hike back into shape, and enjoy being a "free spirit?" Sure, but that's not my idea of "shooting for the stars," nor is it the example I want to set for my sons. I also know that my wife would lose complete respect for me if I did so at this point in our lives....

All the more reason for those who are young or are in a life transition where they can "take a hike" to do so as the opportunity arises!

nero
05-19-2009, 08:59
hmmm....

What I am NOT giving up to do a thru-hike:
* committment to filling my role as father / provider. My wife and I decided to have children, a decision I have NEVER regretted. I now have 2 in college, and one who is 13. They all need me in one way or another
* a decent job that allows me to fill the role above....
* a hope that one day, maybe when my youngest finishes high school, he and I can do a LONG section and finish what we haven't done as section hikers at that point....

Everyone's life situation comes about because of the choices they have made. You made the conscious choice to have a wife and children, and even said so. I made the conscious choice NOT to have a wife or children. For better or worse, our beds are made, we have to lie in them regardless. Nobody forced you into marriage and children.




I don't mean to put a damper on the thread - it's great that some are in the position that they can take off for 4 - 6 months and do a hike. Do I dream of taking off and leaving all responsibility, hike back into shape, and enjoy being a "free spirit?" Sure, but that's not my idea of "shooting for the stars," nor is it the example I want to set for my sons. I also know that my wife would lose complete respect for me if I did so at this point in our lives....


Yes, but you are putting a damper on the thread. It's great that you want to be a good father, but don't rain on my parade, just because of the life choices you've made. I've been planning a thru-hike since I was 18, saving while in college, and living in ratholes to save money, even during my professional career.

I am 32 years old now, and I'm not about to let anybody ruin this for me. I've put myself in a position to thru-hike the AT, busting my @$$, and saving every dime I've made. It's not something that's just fallen into my lap!

Tinker
05-19-2009, 09:39
I consider section hiking an investment in the wellbeing of my soul. I get so much more out of it than the $$ (and the far more precious time) than I could ever spend on it. The reward is mostly in the people I've met.
I plan on a thruhike after I retire, though my knees might not be up to it by then.

SteveJ
05-19-2009, 10:06
<clip>I am 32 years old now, and I'm not about to let anybody ruin this for me. I've put myself in a position to thru-hike the AT, busting my @$$, and saving every dime I've made. It's not something that's just fallen into my lap!

No arguments from me....I think you read into my post things that I did not intend nor post.....

My post was in response to the implication that only those who "drop everything" are truly happy. I am truly happy living the life that I have chosen. The implication that those like me who are choosing to live a life responsible for others are not "truly happy" was something that I had to respond to. I am happy being responsible to and for the decisions I have made. I could make a long argument about why I think this type of attitude is directly responsible for many of the societal issues we have now, but this would be a major thread hijack and result only in a lot of argument, so I choose not to.

I also was supportive of those like you, who have made choices to enable them to do a long hike. You are being resonsible to and for the decisions you have made, and apparently have worked hard to make your dream happen. Congrats! I'm not sure why such a harsh response.....no attempt here to "ruin your hike."

Sat down with my son last night to plan our next section....has to be a short hike this summer because of other committments. Mooney Gap to Wesser - 38 miles to the Nantahala, then a day of rafting!

healthymom
05-19-2009, 10:38
My son and I will be thru-hiking in '11.
What I'm temporarliy giving up:
a lucrative birth practice which I will have to rebuild when we get back
the comforts of home (MY bed, regular showers, bubble baths)
sex
my husband's cooking

What I'm not giving up:
my dream of thru hiking the AT (been fantisizing and dreaming of this for over 35 years; planning, prepping, training and saving for the last year)
the experience of a lifetime, shared with my son
finishing my sons' homeschool education
my marriage (25 years next April)
our home (mortgage will be paid off no later than June 2012)

As you can see, I think and plan carefully for my dreams to come true. We have arranged our lives to make this happen. I'm telling my moms who are having their babies now that if they want me at their next birth, do not get pregnant in the last half of '10.

Yes, you can have your cake and eat it too.

I believe dreams keep us alive.

2016 - Bicycling Ireland with my husband, if he quits smoking. If not, I will steal my girlfriend from her husband and take her and possibly her oldest daughter.

2021 - Hiking Greece

2026 - Seriously considering rafting the Nile.

2031 - If I can't find anything else that burns a desire into my soul, I'll laugh and drink too much, tell outrageous stories and outlive my doctor. Also planning to seriously corrupt my grandchildren.
Dee
healthymom

World-Wide
05-19-2009, 10:46
I think a thruhike is a life altering event for a lot of people. I did the same thing others have alluded to here...quit a good corporate job, sold, gave away or threw away virtually all of my stuff. I wandered the country with my pack, 3 suitcases and 4 plastic storage boxes in the trunk of my car.

When I got off the trail I tried to go back to the same type of job I had had before, but it just didn't fit anymore, so I quit after a few months...I spent the next 3 years or so moving around the country doing different kinds of work...mostly working below my ability/skill set. I did things like work nights at a convenience store, deliver pizza.

What's funny is now that I've settled down a bit and seem to have gotten on track I'm starting to itch to do it again.

Not giving up a damn thing! No kids, no bills and retiring from the the military on my terms after 20 years this coming February. Been smart enough to save and invest over the last 17 years and at age 39 I will collect a military pension check (E-7 rate) each month for the rest of my life. Definitely looking forward to many hiking adventures and meeting some of the wonderful folks on trail that I've conversed with here on W.B.! :D

World-Wide
05-19-2009, 10:57
sorry the double post. meant to make this a new topic as it is now.

how many of you 45+ers are just taking a leave from your job, or are well-suited money-wise, and are leaving your house in the hands of someone else?

in order to make this dream finally come true, i'm probably going to have to quit the job (and security) that i've had for 16 years.

i also will be selling my house so i don't have to worry about mortgage payments.

probably sell a good deal of my furniture and stuff as well so i don't have to store it. i could also use the money to finance the trip as well.

the big question is, what do i do when i finish the trail (providing i finish the trail?)

well, the short answer is i plan to work somewhere for 6 months, save as much as possible, then do the pct. afterward, if i'm still alive, do the same thing for 6 months then hike the cdt.

now you might say that i am being foolish planning like this and leaving myself no net if things don't work out on the trail. and if i were a young tot i might agree. but at 51, and after dreaming about this my ENTIRE life (no kidding) if things DON'T work out on the trail, i have absolutely no idea what i will do with the rest of my life, so i'll be starting from scratch again anyway.

i almost feel like i need to corner myself into leaving no choice but to get on the trail in 2010, because i'm afraid if i don't back myself into a corner, i may never take the leap to hike the AT at all.

really really really so want to do the trail in 2010. but very afraid of losing security.

does any of this make sense? inputs welcome.

thanks

Should've posted under this thread...
Not giving up a damn thing! No kids, no bills and retiring from the the military on my terms after 20 years this coming February. Been smart enough to save and invest over the last 17 years and at age 39 I will collect a military pension check (E-7 rate) each month for the rest of my life. Definitely looking forward to many hiking adventures and meeting some of the wonderful folks on trail that I've conversed with here on W.B.! :D

World-Wide
05-19-2009, 11:00
sorry the double post. meant to make this a new topic as it is now.

how many of you 45+ers are just taking a leave from your job, or are well-suited money-wise, and are leaving your house in the hands of someone else?

in order to make this dream finally come true, i'm probably going to have to quit the job (and security) that i've had for 16 years.

i also will be selling my house so i don't have to worry about mortgage payments.

probably sell a good deal of my furniture and stuff as well so i don't have to store it. i could also use the money to finance the trip as well.

the big question is, what do i do when i finish the trail (providing i finish the trail?)

well, the short answer is i plan to work somewhere for 6 months, save as much as possible, then do the pct. afterward, if i'm still alive, do the same thing for 6 months then hike the cdt.

now you might say that i am being foolish planning like this and leaving myself no net if things don't work out on the trail. and if i were a young tot i might agree. but at 51, and after dreaming about this my ENTIRE life (no kidding) if things DON'T work out on the trail, i have absolutely no idea what i will do with the rest of my life, so i'll be starting from scratch again anyway.

i almost feel like i need to corner myself into leaving no choice but to get on the trail in 2010, because i'm afraid if i don't back myself into a corner, i may never take the leap to hike the AT at all.

really really really so want to do the trail in 2010. but very afraid of losing security.

does any of this make sense? inputs welcome.

thanks

Whatever you decide to do, I wish you only the best of luck! :) If I laid off the Captain's and coke I probably could've have knocked this out in one thread vs. three its taken! My bad! :confused:

nero
05-19-2009, 11:11
No arguments from me....I think you read into my post things that I did not intend nor post.....

My post was in response to the implication that only those who "drop everything" are truly happy. I am truly happy living the life that I have chosen. The implication that those like me who are choosing to live a life responsible for others are not "truly happy" was something that I had to respond to. I am happy being responsible to and for the decisions I have made.

... and that's great Steve, but it's not in spirit of the original post. In fact, I'm not sure where you got the idea that there was an implication that ONLY those who are free spirits are "truly happy." Dropping everything works for some, obviously it doesn't work for you.



I also was supportive of those like you, who have made choices to enable them to do a long hike. You are being resonsible to and for the decisions you have made, and apparently have worked hard to make your dream happen. Congrats! I'm not sure why such a harsh response.....no attempt here to "ruin your hike."

... and I was supportive of the fact, you choose to be a responsible father. Not all of us are so lucky to have a family. Maybe you didn't mean to come off as: "hey look at me, I'm the responsible one" but that's sure how I took it. If that's not what you were after, then I apologize.



Sat down with my son last night to plan our next section....has to be a short hike this summer because of other committments. Mooney Gap to Wesser - 38 miles to the Nantahala, then a day of rafting!

Happy hiking.

SteveJ
05-19-2009, 11:38
<clip>I Am Slowly Starting 2 Realize That No One Is Truely Happy, Except The People That Drop Everything And Shoot For The Stars. I Love Free Spirits.......


<clip>In fact, I'm not sure where you got the idea that there was an implication that ONLY those who are free spirits are "truly happy." Dropping everything works for some, obviously it doesn't work for you. <clip>

Posting this clip for the third time: I was responding to the above quote: "No One Is Truely Happy, Except The People That Drop Everything And Shoot For The Stars." I strongly disagree with this statement and the philosophy it represents. Anything else you read into my post was not intended nor stated!

leeki pole
05-19-2009, 12:34
I have to back SteveJ here. He's much like I am, although I've never met him, cognizant of his reponsibilities that he chose. I would take off today to hike, my pack is loaded and in my office as we speak. But I too have two children in college, one that just graduated with a Master's degree, a great wife and a house that's almost paid for. I look at my pack every day and dream of that day when I can say I'm gone.

But you must understand that family comes before what is a truly selfish act, to take off and hike, leaving your loved ones (and 4 rescue dogs) behind, leaving them with no real security blanket. For those of you who can, I applaud your efforts and enthusiasm to sell it all and go. But for some of us, who chose to take the family path and endure the responsibility that it entails, please don't condemn our choices. I think that each situation is in itself totally unique, and up to that person to make the right choice.

Corrigan
05-20-2009, 12:14
I put some thought into it, and I don't think I'm really giving up anything. I've lived with nothing before and I am looking forward to living with nothing again. Well, aside from whats on my back that is. I think the only thing aside from women I'll be missing, is surfing..... No ocean for months?! Ahh the sacrifices we must make......see y'all March 2010!

SteveJ
05-20-2009, 13:04
<clip>I think the only thing aside from women I'll be missing, is surfing..... No ocean for months?! Ahh the sacrifices we must make......see y'all March 2010!

Now, that's sacrifice! :D

Brian (aka Skippy)
06-25-2009, 13:29
A maple blonde, hard bodied, screaming, squeeling...





Fender Stratocaster...bow-cha-bow-bow

JustinNorris
06-28-2009, 22:53
"now you might say that i am being foolish planning like this and leaving myself no net if things don't work out on the trail. and if i were a young tot i might agree. but at 51, and after dreaming about this my ENTIRE life (no kidding) if things DON'T work out on the trail, i have absolutely no idea what i will do with the rest of my life, so i'll be starting from scratch again anyway."


When I'm 51, I hope this is exactly what I'm doing.

"it's not how old I am, it's how young I feel"
Minor Threat

RAT
06-29-2009, 02:50
A maple blonde, hard bodied, screaming, squeeling...

What, you mean you can't get that on the trail ??? Ain't you never heard of 'Pink Blazing' ??


HAIRNT !

frmrnyker
07-15-2009, 16:40
I'm and ER Nurse... spent 4 years in the Navy as a medic and then 7+ years as "tech" working in the ER... spent years going to school, moving around etc..

I'm giving up a job I'm not totally fond of and that entails a high level of stress and life or death decisions, leaving my dog in the able hands of someone in my family. I'm taking on 2 roomies in the house I own to help pay for expenses and the trip. I don't care about the TV, the cell, the security. Tired of working 12 hour nights at two hospitals to "make it". Fortunate that there will always be a job for me somewhere when I leave the trail... Question will be do I still want to do that job.

The timing cant be more perfect... I'm single, 35, female and this may be the last bit of "drop it all" freedom I may have. I suspect that sometime in the future there may be a life of kids and a relationship but for now the trail calls.

sleegunn
07-15-2009, 18:08
I am not giving up anything yet, but hope someday to be able to give up whatever it takes to complete a thru hike.
In the meantime, we just recently built our dream home log cabin in Unionville, NY just off the trail at Quarry road.
For all of you out there hiking the trail - my goal is to be in a position next year to host some bonfire nights and provide a hearty meal to any thru-hiker that wants one. Feel free to look us up when you are in this area.
I bought this property pretty much because it borders the trail. If I win the lottery I will be building the coolest free hostel, cooking the best food and meeting the best people that pass by.... right after I complete my thru hike!

SteveJ
07-15-2009, 18:11
I am not giving up anything yet, but hope someday to be able to give up whatever it takes to complete a thru hike.
In the meantime, we just recently built our dream home log cabin in Unionville, NY just off the trail at Quarry road.
For all of you out there hiking the trail - my goal is to be in a position next year to host some bonfire nights and provide a hearty meal to any thru-hiker that wants one. Feel free to look us up when you are in this area.
I bought this property pretty much because it borders the trail. If I win the lottery I will be building the coolest free hostel, cooking the best food and meeting the best people that pass by.... right after I complete my thru hike!

Welcome, Sleegun! :welcome Congrats on your new home! A cabin in the mountains sounds pretty good right now in the dry, hot south!

JonnyWalker
07-15-2009, 19:33
Well seeing as I'm 23, unemployed and single the only thing I will be giving up is my car. Selling it to fund my thru. All this talk of resposnibility is making me want a beer or 6.

Wise Old Owl
07-15-2009, 19:35
Sex & Backpacking toys......

kythruhiker
07-15-2009, 21:41
Sex & Backpacking toys......

What size batteries do those take?

tionesta72
07-15-2009, 21:53
This is some of the most inspirational advice/information that I could ever hope to find right now. I am a college student that can't find a satisfying major and a person who is sick of material things and society's "plan" (go to college, get a job that you'll never actually enjoy, and settling for being simply content - not happy) owning my life.

I now know for sure that there are a large amount of people out there who think kinda like me, which is reassuring to say the least. I just wanted to thank everyone for their input and be sure that not one word is going unread.

March '10 thru-hike, here I come..

Bati
07-15-2009, 22:01
If you're able to, I recommend applying to grad school. After hiking, you'll find it much easier to live off a TA salary. But the best thing is, you'll have a "job" to come back to after you hike. The negative is that you'll have a deadline for finishing, but if you're comfortable enough about getting accepted, then you can quit your job early to ensure you'll have enough time to finish. And on your resume, it will say "worked at XYZ till 2010" then "Grad school 2010- ?" and there's no large gap. Re-entry into the job market after graduation is much simpler, albeit delayed by a couple of years (not a problem especially if you want to take more time off and hike more in the summer or a fall semester.)
Depending on your house it might not sell but you may be able to rent it out and still cover the mortgage. Consider getting roommates on your return if grad school won't make the payments. Your stuff can go in storage and you can probably find a friend willing to buy your car and sell it back to you 6 months later for the same price.

JessieRvnsmk
07-20-2009, 09:16
My lease will be up by the time I leave and I had no intention of renewing it anyway. I'll probably have to quite my job and my brother wants to by my car from me. Not giving up anything really, because I want to remove myself from them.

JessieRvnsmk
07-20-2009, 09:17
*quit : )

PhastEnough
07-20-2009, 13:23
my accounting job and watching the red sox.

alphawolfe
07-22-2009, 19:00
Working in a box, living and sleeping in a box, and going from point A to point B in a box with an engine and wheels :)

Dogwood
07-22-2009, 22:38
Aggravation, asphalt, and strip malls.

Different Socks
07-22-2009, 23:45
I am 46 right now. In 2 1/2 years I will be that much older. I am giving up alot of free time to save up a huge chunk of money so that in the spring of 2012 I can finally do what I've dreamed of doing since I did my first AT thruhike.

To realize this dream I know there is much I am sacrificing. But every time I find myself outside and just "being", it makes the 1093 days til I take that first trail step that much easier to bear.

I the time draws nearer and I am certain that my plans will bear fruit, I will post here to let everyone know what I'll be doing and where I'll be going.

BitBucket
07-22-2009, 23:49
Just turned 52 and have a great high stress job with the leading Aerospace firm in the world. Good position, pay, benefits, time away, etc. Have enough leave time I could walk the trail if I could get them to let me take it all at once.

Most wouldn't understand why someone would give up 32 yrs on the job to put on boots and eat out of a bag everyday, sleep under the stars and walk in the rain and snow. It's not a concept you can often get others to understand, much less support. It's something I do yearn more and more to do before I get to where I can't .

The quiet solitude of the trees and the trail, and folks you meet on the trail w/o agenda's is a stark contrast to the hussle and tussle of corporate life. It took me a whole two days to totally disconnect from work a few weeks back when I went to Glacier and Yellowstone for 10 days....I havent' been able to connect back yet in two weeks...I would much rather be out walking somewhere, rather than listening to folks whine and gripe about how bad life treats them, and how far they have to walk from the parking lot each day, or listen to them gripe about who they have to sit next to....these folks don't have a clue how good you feel after walking 13-15 miles non stop just to find a place to sleep at night, learning to live off the land with just what you have in your back pack, and getting to see some really absolutely cool stuff like a momma bear and two cubs scurrying across the highway and run up a tree; or coming up on a bull moose while taking a quick bath in a river; or walking across a glacier only to find a hidden lake that was pretty much still frozen solid on July 4; or seeing the sun rise in the Grand Canyon in the pitch black still of the night

My dad always encouraged me to "walk with the trees" when I had the chance. My dad was a smart guy, even though he wasn't rich by monetary standards, he knew the value of walking with the trees every chance he got.

Take the walk when you have the chance.

Bidwell
07-24-2009, 17:11
In hindsight, I probably should have hiked right out of college. But I had no money... none. I was on my last $100 before I finally found a job. Because I was in the fortunate position of not being in debt and living rather frugally, I have been able to save up a healthy amount to thru-hike in 2010.

I'd rather enjoy a thru-hike experience now than in 10-20 years from now while I have my good health, nothing really tying me back, and no immediate family obligations. I'd like to tackle this hike before I have a family to take care of, a mortgage to pay, etc. I am giving up a good amount, but it's such a no-brainer to me.

BlindMoose
08-01-2009, 23:08
Everything, selling all the "stuff", quitting the job, and hoping to have enough to carry me through - either way, its at the top of my bucket list and im going.:banana

takethisbread
08-11-2009, 09:50
-my family
-my business
- comfort, food, the Felice Brothers!

But I hope to be redeemed much greater than I can imagine.

I am hiking for hungry people and hope to raise money by getting sponsors and other hikers to hike for us. We are working with Feeding America, The Harry Chapin Foundation and the Safe Haven Project.

Please contact me if you are interested in hiking for hunger !

MLandry7
08-11-2009, 16:05
This is one of the best threads I've seen on these boards! My wife and I have recently to "give it all up" and just do it. We're doing the Trail in 2012. The house is already on the market and we're ready, mentally, now. We have no major comitment and both hate our corporate jobs and will be quiting with big smiles on our faces! We'll probally sell a lot of our other stuff including one of the cars. So what are we giving up? Really, nothing. We only see it as gaining our freedom. What will we do when we get back? I guess only time will tell.
I hope everyone here is able to follow their dreams and hike the Trail or do whatever it is you are set on doing! :banana

johnniewalker
08-23-2009, 11:11
I'm giving up the feeling of being suffocated by a boring, conventional life while wanderlust overwhelms me.

bluffhead
08-24-2009, 08:22
im kinda in the same boat i get out of the marines just got divorced have a paid off car and no plans to do anything but hike, wereever my feet take me. i have no plans to an end either

Lyle
08-24-2009, 09:08
I say go for it. As has been pointed out, we don't always take our own advice. Security and "the norm" are very powerful chains that most of us succumb to. Right now, I've been struggling to break free again. I did it when I was much younger, but in the years since I have bought a home, been vested in a retirement plan, put down roots so to speak. That in no way means that I made a conscious decision to get myself in this situation. In fact, when I bought the house, I recognized that this was where I was heading, but I told myself "it's just as easy to sign the papers to sell the house as it is to sign them to buy it". This is true, but the general economy is now a larger factor than I anticipated back then.

Still, I am seriously considering dumping everything. I've told myself in my internal arguments, "Wait until you retire, it will be easier then". This may be true, but who can guarantee that I will still be physically able to hike then?

Today is my birthday, I am 56 now. Not old, but getting there. My sister passed away unexpectedly this past January - the day after her 61st birthday, and only 2 years after she retired. There are NO guarantees that our lives will follow the plan we make for them!

It was pointed out earlier in this thread that most of us giving this type of advice were doing so from our computers, sitting in our house, with a car in the driveway. Fair enough, and most likely true. Just because we aren't doing the things we espouse, doesn't necessarily mean we don't know what we should be doing, and encouraging anyone who is tempted to follow his/her dreams to do so. Many people who smoke, know they shouldn't. Are they wrong to try to tell that to their kids?

Go for it!! Be a model for others to follow.

jbrecon2
08-25-2009, 02:55
i would be leaving my girlfriend, who gets upset when i leave for a week. my job, i am a registered nurse. my apartment, car (payment 552 a month), nice furniture, TV, a whole baseball season...........would also be giving up countless hours spen sitting in front of TV, the hour or so i spend in my expensive SUV on the ROAD driving to work, and apartment that feels more like a jail cell..........so the only thing really is the fear or missing my girlfriend so much i couldnt stand it

jbrecon2
08-25-2009, 02:56
i would be leaving my girlfriend, who gets upset when i leave for a week. my job, i am a registered nurse. my apartment, car (payment 552 a month), nice furniture, TV, a whole baseball season...........would also be giving up countless hours spen sitting in front of TV, the hour or so i spend in my expensive SUV on the ROAD driving to work, and apartment that feels more like a jail cell..........so the only thing really is the fear or missing my girlfriend so much i couldnt stand it

Grden
09-05-2009, 02:55
The Red Sox. Working shows in a ****ty theatre. Working in a kitchen full of mexicans. Drinkin obscene amounts of lager on wednesdays. Good mountain biking weather. Hopefully if the sox are in the series, ill be home by then!

sarahgirl
09-24-2009, 17:06
I'm not middle age, but I will be giving up my niece's high school graduation, my dad's college graduation and possibly my sister's wedding if I don't make it back in time.

Not to mention the obvious little stuff like family, friends, and my dog who would love to go with me!

coheterojo
09-26-2009, 13:33
I'm giving up a good paying job I've had for 12 years. Besides that I can't think of much I'll be giving up. Seems to me I'll be gaining a whole lot more than I'll be losing. I feel about 8,000,000% more alive on the trail than when I'm not.

I don't own much of anything besides some books, clothes and a bunch of backpacking stuff. I'll throw everything into one of those little storage units, pay 'em 6 months up front and call it a day.

I don't know what I'm gonna do after the hike. Hopefully have enough sense to move somewhere closer to the mountains!

bobbyw
10-10-2009, 21:38
I'm not 45+, but when I started my thru hike this year I had a car, a job at Dell, a 3 bedroom rental to myself, and a house full of items. Today I own enough things to fit inside a single tupperware storage bin, and a guitar... I haven't been home in almost nine months.

drifters quest
11-27-2009, 20:12
Well, I don't have much to start with, but I am selling a horse and any possesion I can find worth something that I can give up.. Although you could say i'm quitting my job here, I know they would always welcome me back at the ranch. I am holding off school for a year, although one of my classes involved a week long raft trip on the green river, I figure you can always take a week off,but it will be hard to find 5-6 months later in life.

oldhoss
11-30-2009, 09:48
I have two sons who are both expecting a baby 2 to 3 weeks after I leave. I will not see either of these grandsons until they are 6 months old.

GeneralLee10
11-30-2009, 11:51
Time with the Wife and my Beautiful daughter.

llano
11-30-2009, 12:46
I will miss celebrating my 28th wedding anniversary with my husband, as well as miss my younger son's 18th birthday and my older son's 22nd birthday.

ShelterLeopard
11-30-2009, 13:03
I'm not giving up much. I'm between high school and college (this is my second year off), and when I come home, I'll be applying, and maybe traveling a bit.

Giving up mental stress for, well, physical stress. And I know that thru hiking takes a great amount of mental strength, and can be mentally, the hardest thing to do. But that is a different mental stress. Simpler.

Jeff
11-30-2009, 13:05
I have two sons who are both expecting a baby 2 to 3 weeks after I leave. I will not see either of these grandsons until they are 6 months old.

Leaving a month later is a great tradeoff!!! And, the trail is alot more fun when you are not shivering.

ShelterLeopard
11-30-2009, 13:10
I actually have an extaordinarily good time to go. I go before college, and when I finish, I am going to my family's summer place in Michigan, so I can transition to non hiking before transitioning to home. I can still be active and be outside tons in Michigan, I'll have no committments until I return home, to Jersey. (Where I can, of course, also be outside) I think it would be more difficult to come straight home, somehow.

Omega Man
01-07-2010, 17:08
The one thing besides my wife and pets, that I will miss the most while thru-hiking the AT is Baseball season... San Francisco Giants baseball to be exact.

Kashmir
01-09-2010, 19:00
Not a whole lot,, I'm taking a semester off from College and then I'll be back to graduate in the Fall. I see this as just a kind of break in the experience.. Some people I know have studied abroad a semester.. I see this as something similar (minus the credits_)

Pages
01-10-2010, 13:30
i remember reading "into the wild" maybe 10 years ago or so, and thinking that chris maccandless was an adventurous, optimistic, calculating young man. I thought that he actually had the courage to do something that though i always wanted to, i was always afriad to confront and do.

Now, several years later, after recently seeing the film, i found myself wondering if he was just an ignorant, immature youngster who suffered miserably from his inexperience and mistakes.

the GIST of this post was to compare my sanity, or insanity as the case may be to others of a SIMILAR ilk; ie still a few years away from retirement and older age security, but cutting the strings early anyway because of the dream and call of the trail.

for those who responded from similar perspectives, thank you.

Mrs Baggins
01-10-2010, 20:47
Words of warning from two people who did all of that - - sold the house, the furniture, most of the household goods, one of two cars, took 7 months leave of absence (hubby tried to resign but his company granted the LOA instead - thank God in the end). Your hike will end - whether it's in a matter of days , weeks, months or at Katahdin. You are going to need another home ($$$), furniture ($$$), maybe another vehicle ($$$) and you better have a job prospect to pay for it. It's all well and good to be idealistic and think you can just throw all of that away for a thru-hike and "come what may" at the end of it. Sure thing, if you're 20. Not at 40+. It all sounds so good, doesn't it? "I sold my house!" "I sold off everything!" Right. See what it's going to cost you to get it all back. You think you'll be happy with a bare minimum life of some kind if you can just get to Katahdin. Not at your age. That's for the 20 somethings, maybe some of the less ambitious 30 somethings that think-they-can-feed-the-wife-and-kids-granola-in-a-log-cabin-forever crowd. Go for it. Get over the idealism. You should have rented the house out, stored your stuff, and then gone. You'll still scoff and say "No, really, I won't need it! I can get by! I'm Mr Natural and don't need "the man" after I've hiked 2000 miles!" Uh huh. We've been there, done that, and we now know what we should have done.

jombo22
01-10-2010, 22:36
i would be leaving ... car (payment 552 a month)

Man, you ought to lose that expensive car anyways :rolleyes:


Words of warning from two people who did all of that - - sold the house, the furniture, most of the household goods, one of two cars, took 7 months leave of absence (hubby tried to resign but his company granted the LOA instead - thank God in the end). Your hike will end - whether it's in a matter of days , weeks, months or at Katahdin. You are going to need another home ($$$), furniture ($$$), maybe another vehicle ($$$) and you better have a job prospect to pay for it. It's all well and good to be idealistic and think you can just throw all of that away for a thru-hike and "come what may" at the end of it. Sure thing, if you're 20. Not at 40+. It all sounds so good, doesn't it? "I sold my house!" "I sold off everything!" Right. See what it's going to cost you to get it all back. You think you'll be happy with a bare minimum life of some kind if you can just get to Katahdin. Not at your age. That's for the 20 somethings, maybe some of the less ambitious 30 somethings that think-they-can-feed-the-wife-and-kids-granola-in-a-log-cabin-forever crowd. Go for it. Get over the idealism. You should have rented the house out, stored your stuff, and then gone. You'll still scoff and say "No, really, I won't need it! I can get by! I'm Mr Natural and don't need "the man" after I've hiked 2000 miles!" Uh huh. We've been there, done that, and we now know what we should have done.

I'm glad that you posted this. I always have similar thoughts when people talk about "throwing it all away". Why not wait until you get back to sell the house and all your stuff? If you've been living at least somewhat frugally, you should be able to keep up on your mortgage, etc for 6 months without going into debt. Especially if you were working at a "good" job for X number of years.

You may find that you don't want or need that stuff when you get back, or you may find that you really do like a high standard of living.

I don't think it has as much to do with age as you claim. I think it has more to do with the choices you make and the kind of life you want. There are a number of posters in this thread who enjoy their responsibilities to their families, and enjoy providing a high standard of living for them. If you are providing for a family who demand a certain standard of living, you really can't just take off like that. On the other hand, I personally know some folks in their 50's who don't mind eating granola in log cabins :p That's an exaggeration, I don't know anybody who lives in a log cabin, but there are people who lead happy lives on monthly incomes not much more than double what jbrecon pays for his car each month... Personally, I would not be comfortable living that meagerly, but it can be done and people do it.


Apparently you and your husband are not that kind of person. Nothing wrong with that, I'm not really that kind of person either. I think your advice is good. If you aren't 100% sure that you want to take the plunge into simpler living, it might be better to rent out the house and store the stuff rather than getting rid of it all.

Cuffs
01-10-2010, 22:37
[QUOTE=Mrs Baggins;948799]Your hike will end - whether it's in a matter of days , weeks, months or at Katahdin. You are going to need another home ($$$), furniture ($$$), maybe another vehicle ($$$) and you better have a job prospect to pay for it. It's all well and good to be idealistic and think you can just throw all of that away for a thru-hike and "come what may" at the end of it. Sure thing, if you're 20. Not at 40+. It all sounds so good, doesn't it? "I sold my house!" "I sold off everything!" Right. See what it's going to cost you to get it all back. You think you'll be happy with a bare minimum life of some kind if you can just get to Katahdin. Not at your age. That's for the 20 somethings, maybe some of the less ambitious 30 somethings that think-they-can-feed-the-wife-and-kids-granola-in-a-log-cabin-forever crowd. Go for it. Get over the idealism. You should have rented the house out, stored your stuff, and then gone. You'll still scoff and say "No, really, I won't need it! I can get by! I'm Mr Natural and don't need "the man" after I've hiked 2000 miles!" Uh huh. We've been there, done that, and we now know what we should have done.[/QUOTE

I'm glad you know what works for everyone and that your prescribed plan of action is the only one needed and will work for everyone. Since you know such deep info, can you dig me up the powerball numbers for next week? The ones that will work for me...please?

jrwiesz
01-11-2010, 04:58
I'm glad you know what works for everyone and that your prescribed plan of action is the only one needed and will work for everyone. Since you know such deep info, can you dig me up the powerball numbers for next week? The ones that will work for me...please?

I'd like some of that action also. Is the payout over $100 million yet?:D

Mrs Baggins
01-11-2010, 08:48
Man, you ought to lose that expensive car anyways :rolleyes:



I'm glad that you posted this. I always have similar thoughts when people talk about "throwing it all away". Why not wait until you get back to sell the house and all your stuff? If you've been living at least somewhat frugally, you should be able to keep up on your mortgage, etc for 6 months without going into debt. Especially if you were working at a "good" job for X number of years.

You may find that you don't want or need that stuff when you get back, or you may find that you really do like a high standard of living.

I don't think it has as much to do with age as you claim. I think it has more to do with the choices you make and the kind of life you want. There are a number of posters in this thread who enjoy their responsibilities to their families, and enjoy providing a high standard of living for them. If you are providing for a family who demand a certain standard of living, you really can't just take off like that. On the other hand, I personally know some folks in their 50's who don't mind eating granola in log cabins :p That's an exaggeration, I don't know anybody who lives in a log cabin, but there are people who lead happy lives on monthly incomes not much more than double what jbrecon pays for his car each month... Personally, I would not be comfortable living that meagerly, but it can be done and people do it.


Apparently you and your husband are not that kind of person. Nothing wrong with that, I'm not really that kind of person either. I think your advice is good. If you aren't 100% sure that you want to take the plunge into simpler living, it might be better to rent out the house and store the stuff rather than getting rid of it all.

When we got rid of practically everything we danced with joy and told everyone how "free" we felt, how unburdened, who needs all of that crap, we sure don't!" We also absolutely believed we'd be gone for months and there was no doubt in our minds we'd do the entire hike in that time. No doubt. 8 days later it was over. That's the reality no one wants to hear. Everyone wants to hear "You'll do it! Go for it! Worry about it all later!" Before we set off from the Hiker Hostel we met two men there who had lasted exactly 2 days and were going home. They, too, had planned and waited and dreamed for years and were sure they'd do it. We could have turned the house over to a property manager to rent out for one year so that we didn't have to deal with the renters or the money aspect. It would have been a simple thing to find an apartment to rent until the lease was up on our house and then we would have moved right back in. We could have spent $3100 to store everything for 6 months instead of $1800 to store what was left and then $7000 to replace all our basic furniture items that we had sold off. We could have kept both vehicles instead of having to get yet another car loan to replace the one we sold. Our biggest piece of good fortune was that we did sell our house just before, and I mean literally WEEKS before, the housing market crashed. We had the money to start over. But still, looking back, we would not have done it the way we did. We had no home to come back to, made a rash, pressured decision to settle somewhere else, and then my husband got called back to his job - - in their Canada office, and I was left in a town I grew to hate because we had hurriedly bought a home there, we spent far too much money on that monumental mistake, and in the end after nearly 3 years we've come right back to where we started from in terms of location and life style. We were very very lucky. This time we bought a house that we can keep if we want to lock it up and go away for months. We had friends who took their two young daughters to Singapore (job) for a year and they didn't sell everything. They came back to a home they loved and settled right back in.

Have a Plan B. That is not some way of insuring defeat. That's common sense. Once you're in your 40's and up, chances are outstanding that you aren't going to have your mom's sofa to crash on til you get your life together. Your grown kids aren't going to fancy having you living with them either. And while friends may offer up a bed they'll soon grow tired of you as well. They probably just got their own kids out of the house. They don't need you hanging around now. I'm not mean. I'm brutally honest.

Pages
01-11-2010, 13:21
good advice, mrs baggins. this is just the type of REAL WORLD EXPERIENCE i was looking for when i originally started this post.

it IS great to be idealistic at 20 or 30, but at 50+, bouncing back is not nearly as easy and a miserable return after the hike could be completely defeating and something i WILL avoid.

I WILL follow my dream, but will have "bailout plan insurance" just in case the dream turns into a nightmare.

i know that my health may decline in several years, and the trail will not be what it is now - but then it has already changed tremendously from the 70's anyway, but waiting closer to retirement, i think, is a much better calculated risk.

for all those who can do it differently, stop reading this post and get out on the trail already!

tv

Grimelowe
01-15-2010, 14:43
My story:

I am planning my 2011 GA>ME thru-hike.

I'm 34 now. I will be 36 when I start on April 16th 2011. I have wanted to hike the AT since I was in H.S. Until now, I've suppressed these dreams with the realities of my life.

I was 20 when I found out I would become a father. I dropped out of college and got a job. Shortly after our son was born, my wife and I married. I've worked for the same good company for 14 years. I am happily married to an awesome woman who inspires me even though she doesn't always understand me. (She doesn't camp, much less backpack) I now have a beautiful daughter two years younger than my son.

I also have all the trappings of suburban existence (A decently large house with a swimming pool, two large dogs, and a couple of 4 door cars, and lots of 'stuff' and 'things'. I'm sending my son to a very expensive private school.) that seem to cost money.

But...

I won't give up any of it.

I am not willing to give up my suburban family life style until my kids are out of the house... My wife might never be willing to give it up.

I have been paying off my bills, and saving smartly. I have gotten approval for a 3 month unpaid LOA from work. I'll use my LOA, 2011 vacation (27 days), carry-over 2010 vacation (10 days) to stretch for a 147 days (April 16th to Sept 11th) of walking holiday. 2011 will be the first year since I was a young poor H.S. graduate, that I can make this dream a reality without neglecting my family.

I believe attempting a thru-hike is absolutely a selfish act for a 'family man.'

My children are old enough now that my absence from the home for 5 months will not be an extra burden on my wife. Since my wife is a teacher, she'll take the kids on a few short vacations between June and late August to meet-up at towns along the trail. (She figures this is a healthier mid-life crisis than the alternatives... I see this as a sabbatical instead on a mid-life crisis, but she is humoring my dreams either way)

I feel very fortunate and blessed. I think there is a different story/reason for each person who hikes.

Just H.Y.O.H. and enjoy the journey.

-Grimey
We shall not cease from exploration, and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time. -T.S. Elliot

Tuney
01-19-2010, 17:24
This is a very thought provoking thread. It's caused me to do some serious soul searching in the last several days. Like some of the other folks who have posted here, I'm satisfied with the way I've lived my life. But I've still got this itch to hike the trail. In fact it's about the only thing on my bucket list left to do. Rather than put all my ruminations here, you can read about them in in my trail journal if you're interested. http://trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=296422

JohnsonDigital
01-19-2010, 23:07
Recently I've made a decision to get out and do something with my life. I'm not sure why, but I feel like something's missing, like I haven't "done" anything. I've dreamed of hiking the AT for years and I belive in my heart I'm in need of an adventure. I need to experience life, the way it's meant to be experience. I recently landed a job with CenturyLink as a work at home technician for their DSL customers. It's a cake job and not too much stress, but On April 2, 2010 I will be giving it all up. I'm leaving myself no safety net, no backup plan for the "What if I fails questions?". I plan acquire all my gear and start out solo in an attempt to find myself. Once I finish the AT, I don't know where I'll go, but I have 5 months to think about it. I'm starting my planning and I there's no going back in my mind. I'm going to do this. Just curious is there anyone else that feels they're doing this to find themselves?

Grampie
01-20-2010, 18:10
Boy..do I have a list. No special order though.
Clean cloths..
Daily shower
Indoor plumbing
Morning paper
Large selection of food
A soft bed
Electricity
My wife
My kids
My grandkids
My fishing boat
My swimming pool
My friends
home cooked meals
television
news
If I think a little more,I could add some more.
The thing is that to have a sucessfull thru-hike you have to learn quickly that you have to give up quite a few creature comforts to do a thru.:sun

Tuney
01-20-2010, 18:24
Boy..do I have a list. ...
The thing is that to have a sucessfull thru-hike you have to learn quickly that you have to give up quite a few creature comforts to do a thru.:sun

I've got all those things too but in my heart of hearts, the only ones I'll really miss are the wife and the grandkids.

Nean
01-20-2010, 18:32
I'm giving up nothing and gaining everything...:)

seabrookhiker
01-22-2010, 10:47
My first thought was I was giving up nothing. When I get back from the trail, I'll resume my job, go back to sleeping in my bed, keep living in my house. But reading others' answers I realize I'll be giving up my dog, my husband, and my horse for several months, and that's gonna be hard.

Tuney
01-22-2010, 12:21
...I'll be giving up my dog, my husband, and my horse for several months, and that's gonna be hard.

In that order?:D

pollywog
01-29-2010, 14:53
This is especially for TV who started this thread. Lots of good thoughts. Good to figure out options..which is why I think you first wrote. For me: 55, I was able to retire from a university position a few months ago with enough years in to get health insurance. My retirement is half my previous income and I'm making that work. I retired because I just knew it was time for this adventure. I've got someone who will be housesitting and someone else who wanted my garden plot. Will sell my car with 240,000 miles or junk it. I'd say: search your heart and you'll know. You'll know it's time to go OR it's time to keep searching. I'll start with the intent to go all 2000+ miles but also know that going with the flow might change that.

geomaniac
01-29-2010, 23:58
You guys have no idea how encouraging all of these post are to me. I too am planning on doing just what TV described. I was asked by family members "what are you going to do when you finish?" I said I guess I will find out when the time comes. I am planning on starting my Hike in 2011. Good luck to you TV maybe our paths will cross on day.

tennesseered
01-30-2010, 12:07
the only thing im gonna really miss is my dog and the 2010 world cup soccer. oh well.

Pages
01-31-2010, 11:59
thanks pollywog!

whistle dixie
02-01-2010, 11:55
i've been down and out since the recsent death of both of my parents. being the young wild guy i am. the other family members have seen it best to handle my parents estate. since this i have slowly watch any dream my parents had for their things was quickly put on the back burner so that the remaining family could fight for all the money and belongings.
thru all this madness and grief i have come to relize that my aunts and uncles are stuck in the greed issue instead of giving praise to the two people who gave up alot just to keep the farm and as soon as they leave this life all these greedy people chose to sell it. and split the profit.
well i took my share and paid the funeral bill. thru the fitt throwing and mixed emotions i managed to get myself a divorce. this thru hike is not about what i'm leaving behind but what isn't where i'm at anymore. i feel like everything i've put faith and effort in has failed in the bitter end of things.
i plan on honering any faith i have of my mommas advice on living and taking that faith to maine. maybe by then life will mean something again.
the people on this forom lets me know that there is people in this world who actually care about the little things in life that make you feel life isn't all about property and control.
i wish everyone a safe trip and happiness.

rest in peace; wendy and tim pearson.

your loving son will never forget the memories of adventure you have spoiled him into loving so much. thanks for the good start on life.

Chief White Brow
02-18-2010, 19:00
Retired from the Coast Guard in 96. Retiring from teach now. Giving up my wife, she will stay home! Other that that, very little. This will be by second try at it.

Trailbender
02-18-2010, 19:55
Taking a yearlong break from college, I was getting burned out anyways.

walkin_in_2010
02-22-2010, 16:37
Your post title asked, "What am I giving up."

Well... I'm quitting my job, giving up my apartment, selling a lot of my possessions, placing my dog (who is like my child) into a foster situation for six months, selling my car, cashing out my retirement plan .... so I guess I'm with you ... I'm "giving up" security. BUT....

I would ask you .... what are you GAINING? For me, I'm gaining a sense of pride in myself for making a dream into a reality. I'm gaining a strength that I will carry for the rest of my life ... I'm gaining respect from others, but most of all from myself ... for taking a risk to LIVE my life and not simply survive it. Of all of the "things" that I will be giving up ... none of them can give me what pursuing my goal of thru hiking the AT can.

To be honest, I see it more as a trade than a loss ... I'm trading a life of "security" (which I find quite boring) for a life of challenging adventure, new experiences and hopefully lots of new friends. That's a trade I'd make everyday.

Grampie
02-22-2010, 16:55
Your post title asked, "What am I giving up."

Well... I'm quitting my job, giving up my apartment, selling a lot of my possessions, placing my dog (who is like my child) into a foster situation for six months, selling my car, cashing out my retirement plan .... so I guess I'm with you ... I'm "giving up" security. BUT....

I would ask you .... what are you GAINING? For me, I'm gaining a sense of pride in myself for making a dream into a reality. I'm gaining a strength that I will carry for the rest of my life ... I'm gaining respect from others, but most of all from myself ... for taking a risk to LIVE my life and not simply survive it. Of all of the "things" that I will be giving up ... none of them can give me what pursuing my goal of thru hiking the AT can.

To be honest, I see it more as a trade than a loss ... I'm trading a life of "security" (which I find quite boring) for a life of challenging adventure, new experiences and hopefully lots of new friends. That's a trade I'd make everyday.

Well said brother..Happy trails to you.

walkin_in_2010
02-22-2010, 17:48
Hey Grampie-N->2001,

Glad you liked my post. Small correction ... I'm a "Sister" ... not a "Brother." :-)

All trails are happy, if we can remember that it's the journey, not the destination, that's important.

Cheers.

K2
02-24-2010, 03:07
I'm fostering my dog, who I'll greatly miss.
I'm giving up ICE too.
~Sigh~ ~K2~

Jeff
02-24-2010, 14:59
So many of the things you give up to hike....you will appreciate more upon your return.

Bear Mountain
03-09-2010, 22:54
Sir, I would like to address your inquiry from the heart and personal experience. In the spring of 2005 I came to terms with similar thoughts. After months of internal litigation it was decided I would sell all that I own and move into a tear-drop camper towed by a Jeep. Selling those personal affects was liberating. Often I found myself wondering why they were purchased to begin with. This began as a six month experiment and at the end of six months I pondered my success. If I could do it for six months why not twelve? Twelve later became eighteen and nearly five years later I'm still living under the same conditions as when it all began. It has been an extraordinary experience in life. During this years thru-hike I will contemplate selling the Jeep, camper and all of its contents and set out foot for God knows how long. Throughout the time I have lived on the road I've picked up jobs here and there and have truly understood the saying, "We don't own stuff, stuff own us" no matter the quantity. So I'm rooting for ya! ~BEAR

achangeincourse
03-09-2010, 23:04
"your sanity may require and imediate emergency hike. it can only be declaired by you. as fellow hiker, i give you leave to hike sir. gentelmen, fire your packs, hike at will".


that has got to be one of the greatest quotes i've ever heard

DapperD
03-10-2010, 01:53
This truly has been an excellent and inspiring thread. In reading all the different responses it is very clear as other's have said that we do take a risk (especially when we become older) by continuing to put-off and postpone our dream to thru-hike the trail. As there are no guarantees in life, by putting our dreams continuousley on the back burner, we risk never being able to obtain them. Now I completely understand that some people, who due to their current responsibilities in raising families, etc...are in a position of having to postpone or delay their thru-hike dreams and aspirations(which is currentley my own situation), but it definately is true that life is a mysterious thing in that it doesn't wait for anyone, and life is fast. If at all possible, we all need to realize that if we really want to do a thru-hike of the AT, we need to set a time and date and have a plan and make it happen. Otherwise, we may find ourselves too old, injured, broke, or simply unable to fulfill the dream that we all have desired to complete for such a long period of time.

Tuney
03-10-2010, 17:40
I agree 100% with Dapper Dan

MyName1sMud
03-12-2010, 18:20
material posessions are anchors
security is a trap
set yourself free

Words to live by.

vonfrick
03-12-2010, 18:24
i give up nothing, i embrace

Pages
04-06-2011, 10:31
i originated this post just about two years ago, and have yet to hike the trail.
two more years have passed while fears of an unknown and insecure future if i "leave everything behind to hike" have paralyzed me and kept me from trying to achieve a life-long dream. last year i was 52 and i watched as the class of 2010 set out. this year, at 53, i'm watching as the class of 2011 set out.

i have resigned myself that i WILL BE DAMNED IF I AM GOING TO BE WATCHING AGAIN IN 2012. I will not be watching. I will be hiking.

thanks everyone for all their replies and thoughts in this thread. it has provided much inspiration.

Fog Horn
04-06-2011, 13:35
Unless life kicks me in the shins and steals my lunch money, then runs away laughing, I'll be out there in 2012 too. I used to say I "might" hike the trail next year, but each time I said that it wasn't what was going to happen. Now I only say when I hike next year, or I will hike next year. Each time a storm passes I stop and think, next year I'll be out in this. That changed my whole outlook on the trail. It went from something that I might do next year, to something that I was going to do. I don't know if that helps at all, but convince yourself that its not a maybe, and it wont be a maybe.

88BlueGT
04-07-2011, 15:44
Unless life kicks me in the shins and steals my lunch money, then runs away laughing, I'll be out there in 2012 too. I used to say I "might" hike the trail next year, but each time I said that it wasn't what was going to happen. Now I only say when I hike next year, or I will hike next year. Each time a storm passes I stop and think, next year I'll be out in this. That changed my whole outlook on the trail. It went from something that I might do next year, to something that I was going to do. I don't know if that helps at all, but convince yourself that its not a maybe, and it wont be a maybe.

Good point. What I find to really help motivate (besides great threads like this one) is to TELL PEOPLE your goals. Tell your parents you are thru-hiking, tell your wife, teacher, grandfather, friends, your mailman, whoever. What this does is kind of lock you into the situation, if you've been telling people for 6 months that your hiking 2,000 miles up the East Coast you better do it or else you'll look awfully foolish! (been there, done that!) And if you don't do it (like me), you'll just feel ashamed and a awkward when people say 'hey shouldn't you be hiking right now?'. All that does for me though is add drive to set out next year though.

RevLee
04-11-2011, 08:11
Good point. What I find to really help motivate (besides great threads like this one) is to TELL PEOPLE your goals. Tell your parents you are thru-hiking, tell your wife, teacher, grandfather, friends, your mailman, whoever. What this does is kind of lock you into the situation, if you've been telling people for 6 months that your hiking 2,000 miles up the East Coast you better do it or else you'll look awfully foolish! (been there, done that!) And if you don't do it (like me), you'll just feel ashamed and a awkward when people say 'hey shouldn't you be hiking right now?'. All that does for me though is add drive to set out next year though.

I really felt committed once I put it on my license plate.