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Konbrio
11-03-2011, 19:04
heyo!

I'm new here, so I'll get right to the point. Some friends and I have been planning a thru-hike for almost 2 years now, only to find out today that they are both bailing on me. This has been a dream for me for some time now and I feel as if it's shattering around me. Anyone know any good groups of thru-hikers who plan on going on this adventure in the 2012 season? Or even point me in the right direction? Any help is appreciated. Thanks!

CrumbSnatcher
11-03-2011, 19:08
you don't need a group, its best to start alone and make some friends along the way. whos to say you wouldn't get sick of hiking with your friends from home? if they change thier mind make sure you have your own gear,so you can break away if needed. so many people starting thru's everyday in the peak of the season, then you can pick & choose who to hang with! don't worry about being alone, you won't be :-) unless you choose to camp alone

mountain squid
11-03-2011, 19:26
http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/smiley-signs087.gifto WB.

As CrumbSnatcher mentioned, there'll be plenty of hikers out there. You may want to sign up on the Registry (http://www.whiteblaze.net/index.php?page=2012thruhikers) though. Then send some Private Messages to those starting when you plan to.

Good Luck and Have Fun!!

See you on the trail,
mt squid

how to hike
(http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?73587-how-to-hike)observations (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?14493-observations-from-fs42-(advice-for-first-week-on-trail))

modiyooch
11-03-2011, 20:52
That happened to me in 1980. I went anyway. It was great.

The Cleaner
11-03-2011, 22:11
heyo!

I'm new here, so I'll get right to the point. Some friends and I have been planning a thru-hike for almost 2 years now, only to find out today that they are both bailing on me. This has been a dream for me for some time now and I feel as if it's shattering around me. Anyone know any good groups of thru-hikers who plan on going on this adventure in the 2012 season? Or even point me in the right direction? Any help is appreciated. Thanks! Just show up at Springer and look at all the other hikers.Only 20-30% will make it all the way.Choose wisely....

mkyd123
11-03-2011, 23:15
Been planning my hike for some time now, never had a desire to do it with someone else. Figure I'll meet people along the way. Stay the course, don't bail because they did.

CrumbSnatcher
11-03-2011, 23:42
Been planning my hike for some time now, never had a desire to do it with someone else. Figure I'll meet people along the way. Stay the course, don't bail because they did.welcome to WB :-)

SassyWindsor
11-03-2011, 23:45
The only thing worse is having a friend bail on you and they are the ones that suppose to be sending you your mail drops. Hard to find dependable help.

mkyd123
11-03-2011, 23:53
thanks :o been stalking this site for the past year. I've been learning alot.

dandandan
11-04-2011, 10:56
You'll get some good advice here on WB. Seriously, if it's really become that much of a dream why would you let something thats actually so insignificant get in your way? There are multitudes of people out there in spring. There are worse fates than starting alone. Enjoy it!

welcome to WB

10-K
11-04-2011, 10:58
IMO they did you a huge favor.

hikerboy57
11-04-2011, 11:02
never let friends or family talk you out of following your dream. I would hate to die, never knowing "what if?"
Besides, its highly unlikely you'll be hiking alone,unless you want to be. you'll probably find the company of like minded people with a similar pace, probably more enjoyable than having to wait for/keep up with your freinds.go hike.

Serial 07
11-04-2011, 11:48
DO NOT GIVE UP ON YOUR DREAM!!!!!!! you may find that it will be a lot easier to maintain life on the trail only having to deal with your wants and desires...dude, you are 23 years old, you will find an abundance of people out there your age who like much the same things you do and will travel at your speed...think about it...those that are out there, you probably have a bunch of things in common, things like: a sense of adventure...things that run deeper than where your from or what freakin' race or gender you are...the trail next year will be full of great people and tons of new friends...i swear to god, if you give up on your dream, i'll be mad at you! plus, and this is an added bonus, you will be able to meet my awesome weimaraner that will be out there...he's the best!

strollingalong
11-04-2011, 13:04
don't let a bunch of flakers ruin your plans.

Most people think of the romance of these ideas and don't think about the reality of such situations. People often tell me "oh I wish I could do all the things you do and the countries you've lived in".... fact is they don't really want to do those things otherwise they would!

you'll regret it for the rest of your life if you don't. Make those slackers regret their decisions for the rest of their lives! ha

you'll meet great friends on the trail.

slims
11-04-2011, 21:12
A suitable quote from Thoreau - "The man who goes alone can start today; but he who travels with another must wait till that other is ready."

I couldn't tell you about good groups of thru-hikers since I'll be going alone but I can point you in the right direction. If you're heading northbound then head to Springer Mountain sometime in March or April and start walking.

LDog
11-04-2011, 21:33
It's often said that folks who start the trail together, don't usually finish together. Think of the dozens of decision points every day that you'd have to negotiate. When to wake up? Hike first, or breakfast first? What kind of pace? Stop to take pictures of wildflowers, or motor on? Breaks, lunches, How many miles today, when to stop for the day, stealth camp or shelter? Dinner on the trail, or once you make camp? Stop every 4 days in town, or pack more food and hike further? Spend the night in a trail town, or resupply and get back on the trail? Motel or hostel? Frustrations breeds resentments, and one morning you're packed and heading up the trail before your partner is out of their bag. Married couples that are used to making compromises all the time have a hard time of it.

What 10K said, you've been set free. Enjoy it. Hike your own hike. You'll make lots of friends along the way. We'll see you out there.

Tinker
11-04-2011, 22:33
You will only find out who you truly are when you are truly alone. Go solo.

Ok, enough philosophy - You won't have to worry about being alone on the AT during a thruhike (especially a NOBO, unless you start before March or after the end of April).

So, the amended answer is, start solo. :)

Bat321
11-04-2011, 22:47
You will meet people EVERY day on the trail. Some will become life long friends. As 10-K so perfectly said "they did you a huge favor" by bailing. See you on the trail.

Harpua
11-04-2011, 23:27
yeah! for good companionship check out Springer mountain this spring (i think its in georgia), then continue north! youll find good folk to walk and talk with. see you out there. dont quit when your friends bail,

Harpua
11-04-2011, 23:33
yeah! for good companionship check out Springer mountain this spring (i think its in georgia), then continue north! youll find good folk to walk and talk with. see you out there. dont quit when your friends bail,  

DapperD
11-04-2011, 23:37
heyo!

I'm new here, so I'll get right to the point. Some friends and I have been planning a thru-hike for almost 2 years now, only to find out today that they are both bailing on me. This has been a dream for me for some time now and I feel as if it's shattering around me. Anyone know any good groups of thru-hikers who plan on going on this adventure in the 2012 season? Or even point me in the right direction? Any help is appreciated. Thanks!Something like this happening can be a letdown, but I really feel that when one thinks about it, it isn't very easy being able to find other's who are willing to undertake a 5 to 6 month thru-hike. Usually, it winds up being something that you yourself have as a dream to complete, and unless you are really lucky and can find friends or family who share that same dream, that same drive to undertake the hike, that same dedication of will and effort, it always seems that for one reason or another, of which there are so many, people a lot of times will tend to wind up backing out of such a huge undertaking. The bottom line is, as other's have said, this may be a blessing in disguise. Actually committing to thru-hike a long trail, such as the AT, is what is going to seperate the truly serious from the not-so-serious. Plan to go anyway. Start out from Springer Mountain heading Northbound sometime around the end of March, beginning of April. There will be many people around, and many hikers just starting out. You will most likely fall in with other's who are just starting their thru-hikes, other's who are dedicated as you are and who are planning to complete their hikes. These are the people you want to be around. There are other's here on Whiteblaze who are looking for hiking partners, or who are looking to communicate with other's about their pending hikes next year. You can also attempt to correspond with them. Maybe you can find one or two others whom you can meet with to begin your hike down at Springer Mountain. I think one of the hardest parts about going solo would probably be just getting down there and beginning the hike. Once one would start hiking, they would most likely be sorry they ever were worried about having to start the hike solo in the first place.

Marta
11-05-2011, 08:48
They did you a favor by bailing before the start, instead of giving up a day or seven into the journey. Good luck on your hike!

Del Q
11-05-2011, 08:57
I think that this is fine news, agree 110% on the "romantic" notion comment, I tell people that the romance ends about day 2, after a few BIG UP's, maybe some rain, this is hard work, tough conditions, you have to like/love it.

Better to find out now than on the trail after days, week, 1st X miles when you don't have your trail legs yet. They can join you for some sections if they like, PRESS ON, you will meet a ton of cool people, hike your own hike, have a blast, if it stops being fun consider a change.

I am a section hiker, have hiked with my son once and some friends for a few days...........I like it better alone. Like doing what I want, when, with whomever or nobody, stop where and when I want to for breaks, lunch, camping, snacks, etc, etc.

GO!

Old Hiker
11-06-2011, 21:58
Better they bailed now instead of part way up when they would be nagging you to quit as well.

You'll be fine - we're going to be the best (last) thru-class. Remember - the world ends in 2012, so now's the time!

LDog
11-06-2011, 22:44
we're going to be the best (last) thru-class. Remember - the world ends in 2012, so now's the time!

Usually, Sobos don't have the same time constraint to finish as Nobos ... This changes that!