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orions_knight
10-13-2011, 11:34
well ive been dreaming/planning my Apr 2012 NOBO thru for a good couple years. Im getting out of the military FINALLY!!!!!!! and this is my decompression hiatus so to speak. lol so anyway, ive been readin, planning, figuring, shopping, etc etc for so long and ive told my whole family and all my friends about my plans.....but now its almost 2012 and im starting to second guess whether i want to or if i can even make it. guess i need to get excited about it again.....it comes and goes, but i dont want to be the guy who talked something up for 2 yrs and then bailed!! what u guys think? is it normal to want to back out before starting something like this?? thanks!

Lyle
10-13-2011, 11:49
Second thoughts aren't a killer, but a thru-hike is a big commitment. I can't say that I questioned my decision to do a long-distance hike before I started it, but I sure did within the first few days. I had the good fortune at the time to think it through, and decide that I would give the hike two weeks. If I still felt like quitting after that, I would spend my supper traveling around the country, doing shorter hikes at interesting locations. Well before the two weeks were up, I was having the time of my life, and the year I spent hiking was the best year of my life.

Did I ever think of quitting again? Of course. Lots of what you are doing will cause you to be sore, ill, miserable. I always follow the same routine. I refuse to make a decision while I'm miserable. I always give myself several days to make a decision to quit early. I did not quite on my distance hike, and I have only cut one section hike short in the past 30+ years relying on this technique.

Tell yourself that you will only continue if you are enjoying yourself, that is the goal hopefully. But also do yourself a favor and don't make a hasty decision to end what has long been a dream. You have spent years anticipating and planning this, it's not fair to not give it a try, or to end it on a whim.

Best wishes.

Good Luck and HAVE FUN!!!!

Lyle
10-13-2011, 11:50
Opps, supper = summer in the above post.

Storm
10-13-2011, 12:03
What Lyle said sounds like pretty good advice to me. I have also been planning for a couple years. Have gone on a few shorter hikes to check out gear and see how I do hiking in the mountains. Longest has been 6 days and I was ready to go home after that. That caused me to start rethinking this whole thru hike deal. I've decided to go ahead with the thru hike. I am going to try my dangness to make it the first 200 miles, if at that time I'm still not enjoying it I will make the decision. I expect to be tired, sore, wet, cold and hungry so I don't think that will get me to quit. On the six day hike I was alone for the entire hike and I think that bothered me more than anything else. Hopefully on the AT there will be lots of folks to interact with so that shouldn't become a problem. I'm leaving around March 20th so you will probably be passing me. Say Hi as you go by.

Feral Nature
10-13-2011, 12:52
I haunt a long hair forum with women and some men who are growing their hair out long. There is what is called "the two week rule". If someone decides to up and chop off their hair, forum members remind the person to not do anything impulsive unless they have thought about it for two weeks and still want to do it.

I would think that a hiker could have a one week rule or whatever. And not end the hike until they thought about it and still want to do it in a week (or whatever time frame determined beforehand). The idea being not to be too impulsive if the hiker is having a bad day or two.

orions_knight
10-13-2011, 13:28
all good thoughts guys. thanks alot. Storm - if i remember the name (not good with em), ill def give a holler. i have a pretty strong will, but i like to know that voice telling me to quit isnt an actual rational thought. what it really is is fear most likely, of the unknown. anxiety of a huge journey. cant wait!!!! lol

bus
10-13-2011, 13:32
You know you want to hike, or you wouldnt be here :)

You can always hike, and if you feel it isnt right or that you can't do the long haul you can exit early. But, I think for you it is a mental thing right now. You made it through basic, so, you have already proven to be a person who follows through.

Take your time, see the sights, and,do it!

orions_knight
10-13-2011, 13:45
^and a deployment....for any military ppl - if we can do that, we can do anything pretty much. lol
so guess i got what i came for, refreshing viewpoints and a better outlook. thanks guys!

hikerboy57
10-13-2011, 20:23
dont quit before you start.although I cant find a way yet to take off 5-6 months for a complete thru, my boss is giving me 3 months , and Im planning to section from springer to DWG. Ive never been out more than 3 weeks, so Im not yet sure how Ill feel after even one month. by the same token, my boss already knows he may get a call from me at DWG to tell him now that ive started, I have to finish, so we'll see.
For me its normal to feel some trepidation as it is a huge commitment of time and effort("its just walking"-Lone Wolf).
But dont quit before you start. you can always bail out anywhere along the trail , so just keep putting off that decision until you summit K.

English Stu
10-14-2011, 10:18
Natural to have some anxiety. I find it is better not to get into too much planning detail especially on the AT where resupply is easier than on some hikes. Best just to get out there. Set a few minor goals to help you i.e 200 miles, a particular town after that and so on.That way if you pass the minor goals you will have achieved something and will not have failed.
As said before on here; on the hike, bit like the two week rule mentioned earlier, if you feel like bailing do another 100 miles if still not happy do another 100 mile, by that time you will be well on your way.