View Full Version : How do you feel about starting?
pattydivins
02-24-2011, 13:28
I am close to starting, I intend to hit the trail on the 27th. I feel very manic about beginning this journey. A lot of my thoughts are about how difficult the trail will be: difficulty to adjust, difficulty to accept my situation, and the like. But then in another instant, I will be extremely pumped up and excited about the opportunity to start. It is a bag of mixed emotions.
I think my biggest obstacle will be to overcome the apprehension of starting the trail. Once I get in the shuttle, I am sure I will freak out about what I am about to do, but once I take the first few steps I should be good to go.
So how do all of you feel?
johnnyblisters
02-24-2011, 13:33
I wished I picked an earlier start date, 4/6 seems like its never going to get here!
walkin' wally
02-24-2011, 13:36
I wished I picked an earlier start date, 4/6 seems like its never going to get here!
I've been waiting 15 years to do this and I thought that wouldn't get here too.
walkin' wally
02-24-2011, 13:53
I am close to starting, I intend to hit the trail on the 27th. I feel very manic about beginning this journey. A lot of my thoughts are about how difficult the trail will be: difficulty to adjust, difficulty to accept my situation, and the like. But then in another instant, I will be extremely pumped up and excited about the opportunity to start. It is a bag of mixed emotions.
I think my biggest obstacle will be to overcome the apprehension of starting the trail. Once I get in the shuttle, I am sure I will freak out about what I am about to do, but once I take the first few steps I should be good to go.
So how do all of you feel?
It's all good
How many people out there would like to do what you are going to do?
I have all kinds of energy to go do this. I am leaving for Atlanta on the 12th of March and will be on the Approach Trail the morning of the 14th. I am so anxious to get going.
For me , wanting to do the AT for so long, will cancel out any of the apprehension. One day at a time and see what you see...:sun
crazystick
02-24-2011, 13:55
I've been waiting 15 years to do this and I thought that wouldn't get here too.
Well your trail journal is one of the ones I have my eye on!
Old Hiker
02-24-2011, 14:19
370 days until the "official" start. Started planning in 1989 (?). I understand! I checked out the slideshow and video from 2010 and got even MORE worried and excited, if that's possible.
Good luck on your thru.
Turtle Feet
02-24-2011, 14:37
I am close to starting, I intend to hit the trail on the 27th. I feel very manic about beginning this journey. A lot of my thoughts are about how difficult the trail will be: difficulty to adjust, difficulty to accept my situation, and the like. But then in another instant, I will be extremely pumped up and excited about the opportunity to start. It is a bag of mixed emotions.
I think my biggest obstacle will be to overcome the apprehension of starting the trail. Once I get in the shuttle, I am sure I will freak out about what I am about to do, but once I take the first few steps I should be good to go.
So how do all of you feel?
Sounds about right!!! :sun:sun:sun
warpzilla
02-24-2011, 15:10
the waiting is the hardest part
Old Hiker
02-24-2011, 15:12
the waiting is the hardest part
Alex, I'll take Tom Petty lyrics for $300, please.
I wished I picked an earlier start date, 4/6 seems like its never going to get here!
You have a good start date.
i am stoked! packed and ready. less than 1 month to go for me now. my wife keeps asking where the plan and itinerary is for this 6 month trip. it helps to have the great support of her. but unfortunately, there is no plan or itinerary. i just plan on walking...and walking...and then when i think i have walked far enough...walk some more.
johnnyblisters
02-24-2011, 18:15
You have a good start date.
I think so as well, but I have to be able to get back to western MD by May 21st for my GF's graduation. I may push back my date a week so I can get to Roanoke in time for a bus. Sound plausible?
FritztheCat
02-24-2011, 18:27
I'm ready. Getting anxious. Not really worried (don't know if that point will come or not). I'm taking the unbound AT guide with me and bought another bound one for the wife to keep. That way when I call, I can tell her "I got through page 15 and am now about halfway through page 16." She can look in her book and follow along with me. Heh!
I have one more "shake down" hike schedule for the weekend of March 11th before I set off on April 1st for the thru. Gonna be a great time!
kinda werid for me dnt really kno how to describe the feeling but just think of it as a bunch of week long hikes it sorta helps to look at it tht way. tht is with anxiety for a 6 month hike.
I think so as well, but I have to be able to get back to western MD by May 21st for my GF's graduation. I may push back my date a week so I can get to Roanoke in time for a bus. Sound plausible?
thts probly pushing it to get from start to roanoke in tht time id say but when u get here from the trail to roanoke isnt tht far. so shouldnt be hard to get to the bus station. i make tht drive alot.
johnnyblisters
02-24-2011, 18:44
thts probly pushing it to get from start to roanoke in tht time id say but when u get here from the trail to roanoke isnt tht far. so shouldnt be hard to get to the bus station. i make tht drive alot.
That's what I was thinking. I could give myself an extra week by leaving 3/30 and my average would be around 14 mpd.
bulldog49
02-24-2011, 18:45
the waiting is the hardest part
My favorite Tom Petty song. :D
Speakeasy TN
02-26-2011, 11:03
That's what I was thinking. I could give myself an extra week by leaving 3/30 and my average would be around 14 mpd.
WHEW! That's still a tough way to go in the Georgia mountains.
Been packing up my house to put everything in storage and begin the period of my life known as almosthomeless.
I was up until 4:30 last night officially freaking the **** out.
Turtle Feet
02-26-2011, 17:06
Been packing up my house to put everything in storage and begin the period of my life known as almosthomeless.
I was up until 4:30 last night officially freaking the **** out.
Do you get a little short of breath when you start thinking about actually setting foot on the trail? It's almost hard to believe for me!
I just (I mean, like 20 mins ago) sold a Chevy cargo van that I've been wanting to get rid of. I'm thrilled, one less thing to think about while I'm out there...
Can you say "Van Gough"?.... hehe :banana
myotheralt
02-28-2011, 05:25
It's all good
How many people out there would like to do what you are going to do?
I have all kinds of energy to go do this. I am leaving for Atlanta on the 12th of March and will be on the Approach Trail the morning of the 14th. I am so anxious to get going.
For me , wanting to do the AT for so long, will cancel out any of the apprehension. One day at a time and see what you see...:sun
Everyone I talked to (that actually understands) is jealous and envious of my going on my hike.
I am scared. Yeah, I survived Marine Corps boot camp. I went to Iraq (nothing happened there), big deal. Those were my job, my assignment. I was told to do something, so I did it. The trail is me. I am not doing it for my school, or my parents, or any of them.
This is the biggest thing I will have ever done, and I dont even know what I am supposed to do. I have never done anything reasonably like this before. I dont even know if I am going to have fun. http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/images/smilies/confused.gif
I start in under two weeks. I'm still stressing about gear and about getting my life in order before I go (but it helps a lot with that that my wife is staying home taking care of things). But I hit a turning point last night. My wife borrowed my primaloft pullover thing while we were out in the desert yesterday (an easy group photography tour, no real hiking. But cold, for a couple of Californians). She liked the thing so much she demanded one of her own. So we went over to rei.com and found her one.
And I couldn't find anything I needed for myself to add to the order. So I guess I'm finally done adding crap, now I just have to remove anything I can.
FritztheCat
02-28-2011, 15:00
I'm in the "fine tuning" stage. Looking at gear, rethinking this, adding that, disposing of those. That sort of thing. Wondering if I have all I need or if I have too much.
The trail will let me know, of course, but it is rather exhilarating thinking about it all.
Sickmont
02-28-2011, 15:08
I swear, the more i think about the trail, the greater my urge to move BACK to north Georgia gets.
Can't say I'm all that excited.
Not sure what day I will start. I'm looking for a warm stretch and will get down to Springer somehow at that time. I'll have rain gear, my hiking stuff, water, some food and a shelter and adjust what I need from there. No plan for MPD, resupply, or how to stay in touch with anyone. If I like it for at least a day every so often, I'll continue.
Good luck to all, hope to chat with you along the way!
Everyone feeling such anxiety about the trail needs to take it easy. Trust me when I say thousands of people just like you go on the trail every year and everything always seems to work out.
1. Should something go wrong on the trail you'll be surprised at the number of helping hands that come your way. My pack broke on the approach trail last year and two people stopped and helped me fix it. Thats just how it is on the trail.
2. There is a lot of fun to be had on the trail. I once spent a rain storm at a shelter filled with some very funny people. It was a great time.
3. All the worrying in the world and feeling anxiety isn't going to change a thing. The trail is what it is and it's not going to change.
4. Look forward to meeting good people, making friends, having great experiences and the time of your life. Why do you think people go to such great lengths to hike the AT?
5. There will be difficult times hiking the AT but aren't there also in every day life off the trail?
Hiking the AT is special. That's why we do it.
Mismatch
02-28-2011, 16:58
I am a senior in High School starting a SOBO thru in mid june and I am just ready to finish school, get to Maine and start walking.
Seeing the NOBO's start their walk doesn't help any:) it just makes me wish I was out there with them.
blackbird04217
02-28-2011, 17:08
I swear, the more i think about the trail, the greater my urge to move BACK to north Georgia gets.
Ha! The more I think about the trail, the more I want to get back on it... I think I've recently been having some serious life changes going on due to my thru-hike and reading some trail journals of those who are starting their hike.
May you all have a great time, and know the worst day on the trial, is by far better than the best day at work.
Snake Farm
02-28-2011, 17:22
Everyone I talked to (that actually understands) is jealous and envious of my going on my hike.
I am scared. Yeah, I survived Marine Corps boot camp. I went to Iraq (nothing happened there), big deal. Those were my job, my assignment. I was told to do something, so I did it. The trail is me. I am not doing it for my school, or my parents, or any of them.
This is the biggest thing I will have ever done, and I dont even know what I am supposed to do. I have never done anything reasonably like this before. I dont even know if I am going to have fun. http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/images/smilies/confused.gif
Thank you very much for your service in the Marines, myotheralt!
As for me, im ready to roll. Every time I glance at my pack the urge gets stronger. I have about 90% of my pack ready. Weighs about 20lbs before food and water. My fever is really itchin'!
Firefighter503
03-01-2011, 17:20
I am just starting to feel a bit anxious to start. I am jealous of everyone that has already started this year, even though I will be on the trail in 12 days. I hate being left behind. haha.
Hot Sauce 2011
03-01-2011, 18:02
I start on the approach trail on March 10; this past Sunday was my last day of work and that's when everything hit: I have to pack and move out of my house! No more shakedowns, less time for Whiteblaze, I need to get busy...yet here I am. I'm crazy excited and feel just incredibly optimistic about enjoying and completing my thru hike. Some posts here on the forum have really contributed to me being able to relax and say " it's just walking". I can't wait.
Now, I have gotta get cracking on this house.
Speakeasy TN
03-01-2011, 18:53
I'm so hyped that I've swithched the departure date from 3-20 to 3-17 to dodge the weekend starting crowd and the dayhikers filling the first shelters.
I think so as well, but I have to be able to get back to western MD by May 21st for my GF's graduation. I may push back my date a week so I can get to Roanoke in time for a bus. Sound plausible?
You'll have no trouble finding a ride north after Trail Days (May 17-18). You're all good, man. If all else fails, you could get a bus from Damascus. You don't need to make it to Roanoke.
I can't wait to hit the trail. After all of the planning and stressing I'm only 14 days from liftoff! I leave on the 9th to visit my brother in Houston and from there I'm heading to Florida to spend a couple of days with my mother. I will arrive in Amicalola Falls on the 14th for a good nights rest and will be under the archway the morning of the 15th. I will be easy to find. I will be the slow slow guy struggling his way along the trail up to Springer. My house has started to feel like a cage :)
I hope to meet lots of you on the trail. Happy hiking everyone.
Every spring for the past 30 years I have wanted to take the thru hike. My first visits were section hikes the longest being springer to damascus. My wife out of desperation told me this week to go ahead and do it if I wanted, so maybe next year I will hit the trail again. to all of you leaving this week or next good luck and have fun.
You'll have no trouble finding a ride north after Trail Days (May 17-18). You're all good, man. If all else fails, you could get a bus from Damascus. You don't need to make it to Roanoke.
When did Damascus get a bus station?
Everyone feeling such anxiety about the trail needs to take it easy. Trust me when I say thousands of people just like you go on the trail every year and everything always seems to work out.
It's not the trail. I'm in my element with the walking part. It's all the bull**** before that that's got me freaked.
art gypsy
03-03-2011, 13:25
I'll second that. I moved my start date to next Wednesday because I still need to finish my taxes. I am psyched about getting back on the trail, but the preparation has been driving me crazy...6 more days!
on_the_GOEZ
03-03-2011, 13:39
right around 100 days before we leave for Maine. Im finishing up my gear (just bought a Montbell jacket yesterday!!!); really only have two big things left.
I have midterms next week - hardest part thus far is staying focused on what I still have to do (the second half of the semester). It is sooo close though! Im absolutely thrilled!