View Full Version : Nerves of Jelly
Hey Guys and Gals,
Some close friends and myself are planning on doing a thru hike starting in May when we all graduate from college. I've been hiking and camping all my life, but I can't seem to shake this nervous feeling about starting a 2200 mile journey and finishing. I'm just curious if everyone else feels this way when they first start, or is this a sign that I really should reconsider. Just asking advice and a little guidance.
Thanks,
B
atmilkman
12-10-2011, 00:38
It's only natural. It's fear of the unknown. It's the what ifs. What if this, what if that. What if I get hurt. What if I don't finish. It's pretty common. All you can do is try.
I felt like that too and I took five years researching, test hikes, buying all the gear, etc. I think(my opinion only) that once youre physically on the trail, youll be a little less anxious; more ready to start hiking day in and day out for a long time. And it will be so much fun for you, I hope. And I have been backpacking since 1995. I have a passion for the AT. I think you do too and MOST of the members here also!
Sarcasm the elf
12-10-2011, 01:59
I haven't thru-hiked, but I get that same feeling on the first day of any hike that's over a week long. So long as you've got experience camping and backpacking and therefore know what you're getting yourself into, just take it as a sign that you've got a good grasp of what's to come and are being wisely cautious. Good luck and have fun!
Lone Wolf
12-10-2011, 04:57
Hey Guys and Gals,
Some close friends and myself are planning on doing a thru hike starting in May when we all graduate from college. I've been hiking and camping all my life, but I can't seem to shake this nervous feeling about starting a 2200 mile journey and finishing. I'm just curious if everyone else feels this way when they first start, or is this a sign that I really should reconsider. Just asking advice and a little guidance.
Thanks,
Byou're overthinkin' it. it's just walkin'
Lone Wolf
12-10-2011, 09:31
you're overthinkin' it. it's just walkin'if you really wanna feel nervous, try going to Marine Corps boot camp. walkin' the AT is just a vacation
rocketsocks
12-10-2011, 11:52
One good slogg in the rain day,and you'll be fine.If you find youself gettin' nervous,go take a walk out side....barefoot,try it works great.
My 2 cents: you may agree or disagree , but words of wisdom always are welcome...
http://www.warrendoyle.com/ATBook.html
if you really wanna feel nervous, try going to Marine Corps boot camp. walkin' the AT is just a vacation
Preach it brother....and Semper Fi from another Jarhead!
Jim Adams
12-10-2011, 18:02
...wait until the end of the first week when you think...***!
geek
you're overthinkin' it. it's just walkin'
this is ridiculous...and pertinent only after one has walked 2100 miles in one stretch. Until you do it, you cannot imagine doing it. I agree that after the fact it really isn't that big of a deal but on the front end of the hile most people are nervous.
Compare it to the Marine Corps.Most of who haven't been in the corps know several marines or ex-Marines as well as soldiers and sailor so the idea of being a Marine doesn't seem that abstract or incomprehensible.
Compare that to the average joe on the street....how many people does the guy living in Topeka or El Paso or Akron meet who ever hiked 2100 miles in one stretch? I know I had never met anybody who had until I started seeking them out. I imagine living in Damascus and working at an outfitter probably skews your perspective somewhat as you do see a few hundred people every year who do the hike but if you move away from the trail and trail towns it's a completely different story.
In summary, the typical Joe probably knows many people who served in the military, including those who served in combat situations, but has never met a thru hiker so thus a thru-hike seems more daunting than it actually will turn out to be. But the prospective thru-hiker isn't aware of this yet.
please note: I am not being disrepectful of anybody who has served in the military. Just responding to your glibness and pointing out why most if not all people thinking about the hike seem a bit intimidated by the task.also, the 80% washout rate - which is something that even the Corps doesn't have despite the difficulty involved with being a Marine.with all that being said, I thank you and all veterans for their sacfifice and service to this nation.
Lone Wolf
12-10-2011, 21:31
this is ridiculous...and pertinent only after one has walked 2100 miles in one stretch. Until you do it, you cannot imagine doing it. I agree that after the fact it really isn't that big of a deal but on the front end of the hile most people are nervous.
Compare it to the Marine Corps.Most of who haven't been in the corps know several marines or ex-Marines as well as soldiers and sailor so the idea of being a Marine doesn't seem that abstract or incomprehensible.
Compare that to the average joe on the street....how many people does the guy living in Topeka or El Paso or Akron meet who ever hiked 2100 miles in one stretch? I know I had never met anybody who had until I started seeking them out. I imagine living in Damascus and working at an outfitter probably skews your perspective somewhat as you do see a few hundred people every year who do the hike but if you move away from the trail and trail towns it's a completely different story.
In summary, the typical Joe probably knows many people who served in the military, including those who served in combat situations, but has never met a thru hiker so thus a thru-hike seems more daunting than it actually will turn out to be. But the prospective thru-hiker isn't aware of this yet.
please note: I am not being disrepectful of anybody who has served in the military. Just responding to your glibness and pointing out why most if not all people thinking about the hike seem a bit intimidated by the task.also, the 80% washout rate - which is something that even the Corps doesn't have despite the difficulty involved with being a Marine.with all that being said, I thank you and all veterans for their sacfifice and service to this nation.huh? walkin the AT takes time, noney and desire. it ain't a big deal
One good slogg in the rain day,and you'll be fine.If you find youself gettin' nervous,go take a walk out side....barefoot,try it works great.This is exactly what I was thinking. There is going to be anxiety for anyone attempting to do a hike of this magnitude, especially if they have never been out hiking for long periods of time. This is normal. But like Rocketsocks says, once you get out there in the elements, it will pretty much be sink or swim and the reality of the situation will sober up your anxious mind real fast:D If anything, I would think having to travel long distances to get to the Terminus to begin one's hike would wind up being the most distressing:-?. That and being able to find and purchase sufficient and decent food once the trip begins;). Just make sure you have adequate gear, including a portable shelter of some type, and enough money so as to want for nothing once you begin hiking until you finish.
Procras108r
12-11-2011, 00:01
Take a pill Francis....the comment made by Lone Wolf was more of one to put CBass at ease. Of course one should prepare themselves for such a challenge. One that I think Lone Wolf has done several times. His comment was more to stop overworrying about the hike. Relax a little. Be prepared, but moreover enjoy yourself! In fact, something you should also consider.
Blissful
12-11-2011, 00:11
I can see the reason for some nerves. You're starting pretty late. May, you'll have to crank out the miles to get to ME before the snows. Not much fun in that. It will get really hot and humid fast. I'd wait 'til June and do a SOBO and take your time. Hope you all take your own gear and not rely on each other as the main motivating factor as friends have a tendency to drop out.
Stats 2012
12-11-2011, 00:23
I am attempting a thru this March, and despite two years of thinking, constant prep and I often find myself asking, "What the hell do I think I am am doing?!"
Lone Wolf
12-11-2011, 00:24
Take a pill Francis....the comment made by Lone Wolf was more of one to put CBass at ease. Of course one should prepare themselves for such a challenge. One that I think Lone Wolf has done several times. His comment was more to stop overworrying about the hike. Relax a little. Be prepared, but moreover enjoy yourself! In fact, something you should also consider.you are wise
Stats 2012
12-11-2011, 00:45
Sorry. Accidentally hit the Post button. I was saying:I am attempting a thru this March, and despite two years of planning, hiking and prepping, I often find myself asking, "What the hell do I think I am am doing?!" I counter the nervous jitters by thinking back on my and my wife's plan to have children. We knew parenthood was going to be a long, rough road but we knew it would bring with it immeasurable joy, too. If there were a WhiteBlaze-like forum for would-be parents, no one would ever have kids. If would-be parents were told every little thing that could possibly go wrong, or that would be painful and gross regarding child rearing, no one would have kids. And yet, the species repopulates itself because we take things one day at a time. In small doses, nearly everything is doable. No one walks 2,181 miles all at once!I assume my nervousness means I am more likely to finish my hike because I appreciate the magnitude of the undertaking. I just can't allow myself to dwell on the entirety of the trek. And for goodness sake, don't look at the elevation profile of the entire Trail all at once!
Thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail is a fantastic adventure and it's natural to get some butterflies before you arrive at the Trail.
But what activity can you do or what challenge can you take on other than a thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail that will have you thinking about it for the rest of your life? Heck, I still think about my thru-hike every day -- something will come about that will cause me to think about my AT thru-hike every day. I really had a blast on my AT thru-hike -- one of the most pleasant, challenging, sometimes frustrating, memorable experiences I've ever had. I can't imagine having spent the time doing anything else other than having thru-hiked the AT when I did.
If you're wanting to take action to get over the butterflies, take your full backpack out and hike with it overnight on a regular basis (like, every two weeks or less). That's what I did to get over the willies before I started my AT thru-hike. And go for the hike regardless of the weather (assuming your not in the refrigerator of northern Minnesota).
Also, keep in mind that the real challenge for most is the mental challenge of an AT thru-hike. So, the more you hike, usually the more fun that hiking becomes and the less the metal challenge seems when you're actually on your AT thru-hike.
Datto
Sorry. Accidentally hit the Post button. I was saying:I am attempting a thru this March, and despite two years of planning, hiking and prepping, I often find myself asking, "What the hell do I think I am am doing?!" I counter the nervous jitters by thinking back on my and my wife's plan to have children. We knew parenthood was going to be a long, rough road but we knew it would bring with it immeasurable joy, too. If there were a WhiteBlaze-like forum for would-be parents, no one would ever have kids. If would-be parents were told every little thing that could possibly go wrong, or that would be painful and gross regarding child rearing, no one would have kids. And yet, the species repopulates itself because we take things one day at a time. In small doses, nearly everything is doable. No one walks 2,181 miles all at once!And that is how it is smart to approach it. Take it one day at a time. You already know that there will be good days, and that there will be some not so good. You may have nasty cold wet weather one day, and the next day have warm dry weather with exorbitant sunshine. Some days the terrain will be miserable, with long steep rocky climbs, and other days the terrain will be mild with say gentle rollling hills or plenty of flat ground to make good progress. It all comes down to being able to learn to deal with the adversity that will most assuredly present itself. If you can do that in a calm and logical way, then you will continue to make progress. And as long as you remain healthy and injury free, and are able to remain happy and positive then you will most likely continue to press on and ultimately be successful.
RossSFCA
12-12-2011, 02:51
I posted a similar question recently, because I was not sure if I was psyching myself up or psyching myself out. I start hiking THREE MONTHS FROM TODAY.
This will be my first extended thru-hike, although I spent three weeks on the John Muir Trail this summer.
I encourage you to train, both physically and mentally. Read up (skip Bill Bryson's book... he is very negative. Check out "AWOL on the Appalachian Trail" (a forty-something husband/father) and "Becoming Odyssa" (a young woman just out of college) so you get a sense of the experiences of other first-time hikers. And be prepared physically so you know what your body can handle. Make sure you have decent gear and that your shoes/boots are broken in.
But being nervous about a six-month hike is natural. I look forward to meeting you along the AT.
Ross / DirtyGirl
Avalanche1
12-12-2011, 11:41
It's usual to have some apprehension before starting a thru-hike. The more backpacking experience you get before the thru-hike the less the nervousness.
Incidentally, never judge a man until you have walked a mile in his boots. Then you will be a mile from him--and you will have his boots. (Groucho Marks)
Hey Guys and Gals,
Some close friends and myself are planning on doing a thru hike starting in May when we all graduate from college. I've been hiking and camping all my life, but I can't seem to shake this nervous feeling about starting a 2200 mile journey and finishing. I'm just curious if everyone else feels this way when they first start, or is this a sign that I really should reconsider. Just asking advice and a little guidance.
Thanks,
B
I can see the reason for some nerves. You're starting pretty late. May, you'll have to crank out the miles to get to ME before the snows. Not much fun in that. It will get really hot and humid fast. I'd wait 'til June and do a SOBO and take your time. Hope you all take your own gear and not rely on each other as the main motivating factor as friends have a tendency to drop out.Maybe he does plan to go SOBO and you are just assuming he is heading Northbound and starting pretty late in May:-?. And even if he is going Northbound starting in May. He is still young. If he is in shape, he could easily make Mt. Katahdin before mid October:rolleyes:.
WILLIAM HAYES
12-12-2011, 21:25
it is just eager anticipation about the challenge ahead it is natural go do it and enjoy it
you will find that a lot of the stuff you think you need you dont reaily need my rule of thumb with a few exceptions is if you dont put your hands on at least once during the day you dont need it
hillbilly
WILLIAM HAYES
12-12-2011, 21:27
it is just eager anticipation about the challenge ahead it is natural go do it and enjoy it<BR>you will find that a lot of the stuff you think you need you dont reaily need my rule of thumb with a few exceptions is if you dont put your hands on at least once during the day you dont need it <BR>hillbilly
WILLIAM HAYES
12-12-2011, 21:28
the wolf is right it is really about walking
Old Hiker
12-12-2011, 21:42
if you really wanna feel nervous, try going to Marine Corps boot camp. walkin' the AT is just a vacation
And if you really, REALLY wanna feel nervous, try telling a Marine that being in the Air Force WAS being in the military.
As Crazy Cora said, " Don’t worry. On a new job, it’s quite common for things to not go well at first." This probably is applicable to a new hike as well.
SassyWindsor
12-13-2011, 01:14
if you really wanna feel nervous, try going to Marine Corps boot camp. walkin' the AT is just a vacation
Leaving boot camp heading for a hostile region of the world to enter combat, that also makes one a little nervous.
stranger
12-13-2011, 18:24
Hey Guys and Gals,
Some close friends and myself are planning on doing a thru hike starting in May when we all graduate from college. I've been hiking and camping all my life, but I can't seem to shake this nervous feeling about starting a 2200 mile journey and finishing. I'm just curious if everyone else feels this way when they first start, or is this a sign that I really should reconsider. Just asking advice and a little guidance.
Thanks,
B
I get so nervous at times I have thrown up haha, and you will hard pressed to find someone who has made more major changes in their life than me...practice at this helps but only a little. Doing anything BIG is nerve wrecking, anxiety will usually follow. Look it's just the AT, start at Springer and hike to Neels Gap, that's 30 miles - worried about that? Then when you get to Neels Gap hike another 36 miles up to Hiawassee - again not worth worrying about. Then get to Franklin and bam = you've walked 100 miles, which means you can walk 500, and if you can walk 500 you can do walk 2000. Small, bit size chunks. Hiking is nearly 100% mental, the biggest problem CBass will have with the AT is CBass, so take it easy and just start walking. The important thing is to make a decision and get out there, everything will change once out there. Don't worry about not completing the trail, focus on getting out of Georgia first : ) You will be fine!
Sailor (The other one)
12-14-2011, 09:16
I get nervous thinking I may never get to do the thru-hilke I'm planning.
There will come a day out there on the trail when you realize that hiking the trail is just life now. It's your lifestyle. It's no big deal. There may also come a day when you finish the hike and have to relearn how to live in polite society again. Cherish every bit of nervousness and culture shock you experience!
Jim Adams
12-14-2011, 18:36
if you really wanna feel nervous, try going to Marine Corps boot camp.
...it's just push ups.:)
geek
mirabela
12-14-2011, 19:38
Pretty normal, I'd say, to be apprehensive about it. It's a big leap into a different life, even if you're a very experienced backpacker.
That said, moment-by-moment and day-by-day there's usually not anything too complicated or awful about it, so if you just keep your perspective on the here and now it'll all be fine.
It's like ... pretty much anything, actually. If you think too much about what's ahead, and all the uncertainties there, it can get frightening. I can worry a lot about the next six months, and all I'll be doing is what I've been doing for years. When I stay down in the details of the day, it all seems to work out OK. Thru-hiking was like that too -- at least it was for me.
...it's just push ups.:)
geek
lol. anything is easy really after you or someone else has done it. The light bulb....what's the big deal about that? Consider the 4 minute mile..was considered impossible at one time until somebody did it. Now we think the 3 minute mile is impossible.
Normal and healthy. Go, an opportunity of a lifetime.
Meh Army boot camp ain't much better.
Thanks guys. Probably just over thinking it. We're gonna head up Springer when it warms up and hike to Blood Mountain or however far we get in a week. Appreciate the help.
fireneck
01-04-2012, 04:34
Oh man... I really have some nerves made of jelly!
Hey Guys and Gals,
Some close friends and myself are planning on doing a thru hike starting in May when we all graduate from college. I've been hiking and camping all my life, but I can't seem to shake this nervous feeling about starting a 2200 mile journey and finishing. I'm just curious if everyone else feels this way when they first start, or is this a sign that I really should reconsider. Just asking advice and a little guidance.
Thanks,
B
As Larry the Cable Guy would probably say, "Slow and steady will get 'er done!"
If it's your personal goal to finish the hike, bear in mind that the most likely cause of failing to do so may be the friends you start out with.
AND - no one worth knowing is going to fault you if you don't finish the whole AT in one shot. Some people walk for a couple of weeks and get bored with the routine or sick of the bad weather, overcrowded shelters, etc. Things can happen back at home to call you back.
"One day at a time" is a good motto for ALL of us.
Relax and enjoy the ride. :)
You better be nervous and excited. If you aren't why bother going?
Andy
liked Brysons book, the only AT book I've ever read actually