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View Full Version : I sure wish I thru hiked after I graduated college



ArkVol
04-11-2005, 21:09
I guess it would have been tough to start in May going north. Its one of my biggest regrets in life though, I went straight too work after school,got married and now have two kids and one on the way. sure would have liked to have done it then.

Lone Wolf
04-11-2005, 21:12
It's just a trail. Loved ones are much more important.

hikerjohnd
04-11-2005, 21:44
I guess it would have been tough to start in May going north. Its one of my biggest regrets in life though, I went straight too work after school,got married and now have two kids and one on the way. sure would have liked to have done it then.
The trail isn't going anywhere - it will be ready for you when you are ready for it.

ArkVol
04-11-2005, 21:56
The trail isn't going anywhere - it will be ready for you when you are ready for it.
thanks guys, you are both right:)

nerdishgrrl
04-12-2005, 01:15
I guess it would have been tough to start in May going north. Its one of my biggest regrets in life though, I went straight too work after school,got married and now have two kids and one on the way. sure would have liked to have done it then.

I'm in college now. I'm only a freshman, but my plan is to hike the trail when I finish up. 2008...seems like a long time away, but with how fast my first year has flown by, i think it'll be here before I know it.

Anyway, my question is...would it be better to wait a while and go south instead?? It seems that if I was to start in May, there'd be now way to make it all the way before the park at the finish closes...opinions, anyone?

Just Jeff
04-12-2005, 07:08
Anyway, my question is...would it be better to wait a while and go south instead?? It seems that if I was to start in May, there'd be now way to make it all the way before the park at the finish closes...opinions, anyone?
You could always start NOBO in Harper's Ferry, then flop back to either HF for SOBO or to Springer to finish up NOBO. If you timed it right, you could do that section with all of the other thrus.

Or if you wanted to make sure you did most of the trail with other thrus, figure out where a chunk of them are and start NOBO a little north them. They'll be doing higher miles by then so they'll catch you when you hit your stride.

Or most SOBOs start at Big K in June, so you'd be all set for SOBO and won't have to deal with as many other folks if you'd like some more solitude.

A-Train
04-12-2005, 12:11
Nerdish Girl-

Why wait till you graduate? Take a semester off and thru-hike NOBO. I did this in the spring of sophmore yr. Better than waiting till you graduate IMO, and then you can always hike again after school (like I'm planning on).

Footslogger
04-12-2005, 12:23
I guess it would have been tough to start in May going north. Its one of my biggest regrets in life though, I went straight too work after school,got married and now have two kids and one on the way. sure would have liked to have done it then.==================================
Join the club !! Like everyone else has pretty much said ...the trail isn't going anywhere. Just keep the dream alive and you'll get your chance. I had to wait until I was 53 and the kids were grown and gone. No less of an experience or accomplishment.

'Slogger
AT 2003

MOWGLI
04-12-2005, 12:27
...and then you can always hike again after school (like I'm planning on).

A-Train, are you planning on another hike of the AT, or some other trail like the PCT? Just curious.

FFTorched
04-12-2005, 12:58
I'm graduating from college in '07, and plan to hike it in '08. That way that summer I can train and make sure I'm in top shape, and work so I can cover my bills for the time I'm away and have a decent trail budget so I don't get in a jam.

Palmer
04-12-2005, 13:17
I remember the summer after college I told a friend that I had always wanted to hike the AT. To my surprise, he said, "Let's do it". I turned him down because I was going to start graduate school in the fall. I've always regretted that decision, but in retrospect it was probably the right call. I had no idea what was involved in a thru-hike, no money whatsoever, and I doubt that we would have made it out of Georgia.

Now I'm 53 and go on weekend hikes with my children. My youngest daughter will graduate from college in five years, and she wants to thru-hike with me. I can hardly wait.:D

Sometimes it seems that things just work out for the best. By delaying my thru-hike 35 years, I get a better understanding of what's involved, more money to pay for the hike, and I get to hike with my daughter. Life is good. :clap

Glory Bound
04-12-2005, 14:23
I graduate in 19 days with my Bachelor's in Sociology from Reinhardt College, and I hit the trail in 20-

MAY 1st - YAY!!!

Then the challenge is to get back home in time to move to Minnesota to start on my Master's of Divinity at Luther Seminary!

In the mean time, I have a whole lot of planning to do- for graduation, the trail, and afterwards-

Glory Bound
NOBO '05

A-Train
04-12-2005, 15:41
A-Train, are you planning on another hike of the AT, or some other trail like the PCT? Just curious.

Little Bear,

I'll be fiinishing school in december, and hope to hit Campo next May for a PCT hike, though I just can't seem to altogether drop the idea of another AT hike (SOBO, or a May nobo start). Honestly the only concrete plans I have after school are to do as much hiking as possible. There's nothing else as important to me at this stage in my life, and as I've witnessed, I may as well do these things while I can, rather than waiting 30 yrs to retire

MOWGLI
04-12-2005, 15:44
Little Bear,

I'll be fiinishing school in december, and hope to hit Campo next May for a PCT hike, though I just can't seem to altogether drop the idea of another AT hike (SOBO, or a May nobo start). Honestly the only concrete plans I have after school are to do as much hiking as possible. There's nothing else as important to me at this stage in my life, and as I've witnessed, I may as well do these things while I can, rather than waiting 30 yrs to retire

That's the spirit! I love to see folks move on and try new trails. Someday I hope to do the PCT. I better lay off the Bob Bons though if I ever hope to do the PCT. I'm gettin a little large, if ya know what I mean.

Peaks
04-12-2005, 16:32
Nerdish Girl-

Why wait till you graduate? Take a semester off and thru-hike NOBO. I did this in the spring of sophmore yr. Better than waiting till you graduate IMO, and then you can always hike again after school (like I'm planning on).

That's easy for you to say now. However, if I ever did something like that while I was in college, Uncle Sam would have some very definate plans for me. I needed my college deferment thank you.

A-Train
04-12-2005, 18:22
Geez Peaks.

Not sure what I did to get you defensive. I wasn't saying otherwise. I admit I am lucky to have such opportunities and possibilities. Just giving the poster some advice and ideas that are non-traditional. A lot of folks told me it was impossible and not right to take time off from school, but they were not looking very far outside the box. Sorry if you had a problem with the way I did things.

MOWGLI
04-12-2005, 19:22
Geez Peaks.

Not sure what I did to get you defensive.

A-Train, Peaks is talking about the Draft. Back in the late 60s & early 70s, if you had enough time to hike the trqil, you were probably headed to Nam.

mattydt20
04-12-2005, 20:42
During college I had a friend that thru hiked the AT, but I never thought twice about it. Five days after graduation we embarked on a cross country bicycle tour. During the sixty days of pedaling he had me convinced.
Every adult I talk to say that they wish they bicycled across the country or thru hiked when they were younger, before they had so many responsibilities to take care of. My parents put pressure on me to start my career, but they still reluctantly agree with everyone.
I'm planning on starting my thru-hiking May next year.
Live life; don't regret missed opportunities.

c.coyle
04-12-2005, 21:20
... Every adult I talk to say that they wish they bicycled across the country or thru hiked when they were younger, before they had so many responsibilities to take care of. My parents put pressure on me to start my career, but they still reluctantly agree with everyone.
I'm planning on starting my thru-hiking May next year.
Live life; don't regret missed opportunities.

Don't wait. Do it now. Looking back 29 years, taking a year off after graduation - or even taking a year off during school - wouldn't have made any difference in the long run. Sure, the trail isn't going anywhere, but things like kids, jobs, mortgages can get in the way.

Rendezvous01
04-12-2005, 21:26
First naively thought about doing a thru-hike when I was eleven ('gee, Dad, wouldn't it be great to...!'). Thought about it during high school, but by the end of college, it was the furthest thing from my mind. (Would have been a great time to do it, too, as I graduated a semester early!) Naw, it was too important to me to try to find a job, get engaged, be 'an adult', whatever that is. Was rebitten by repeated crossing of the Trail on the way to and from vacations in Maine, plus reading books like Bill Irwin's. Set the goal of doing it to celebrate my 40th birthday, and fate conspired in many unforeseen ways to provide the opportunity. Happily did just more than half the Trail, happily returned to my tolerant and loving family. The rest of the Trail is still there, waiting for me, and we will get together again someday, maybe in bits and pieces (45 miles scheduled for my son's Spring Break next week, yippee!), maybe for another three months of bliss.

ArkVol, if you still wish to thru-hike, and no doubt you do since you started this thread, set yourself the goal. Write it down, make it happen. Learn about the Trail, gradually acquire gear, knowledge, and experience. Be prepared for a surprise opportunity to come up in your future. Trail Magic can happen a long ways away from the Trail, if you are willing to see it. Then go!

P.S. Congrats on the pending arrival--you may have just helped create a perfect hiking partner!

A-Train
04-12-2005, 22:44
That's easy for you to say now. However, if I ever did something like that while I was in college, Uncle Sam would have some very definate plans for me. I needed my college deferment thank you.

my apologies Peaks-

I misread and misunderstood your post. My fault

LIhikers
04-13-2005, 07:21
When I was younger I didn't even know there was such a thing as the AT. Now that I do I've got a plan for getting the AT done as a section hiker. I have about 15 years until I retire. By that time my wife and I plan to have the AT north of Harper's Ferry done. Then at retirement we'll start in GA and walk north. Once we get to Harper's Ferry we'll be able claim the 2000 miler goal. :banana And if things are going well we'll just keep walking north to ME.


This year we hope to get the 65 northern miles of PA and the state of CT done

alanthealan
04-13-2005, 10:34
Sure wish I was blessed with a family.

Mags
04-13-2005, 11:14
That's easy for you to say now. However, if I ever did something like that while I was in college, Uncle Sam would have some very definate plans for me. I needed my college deferment thank you.


Luckily it is not 30 yrs ago then. :)

Why the sour grapes about what happened to you? I am glad others have chances to do what they want. We have to use what is dealt with us in life.

I worked full time in college, (and almost full time in high school). "Spring Break" meant overtime. Shoud I belly-ache about the college kids who went to Ft. Whatever courtesy of their parents?

Naah...the work ethic I gained from my parents (independence, taking care of ones self, being able to dig in when the going is bumpy) works wonderfully for a thru-hike. (It also means I can intemidate the yuppies in Boulder when I switch to my blue-collar RI accent. ;) )

Sure your experience helped you, too.

Personally, I think it is cool A-train was able to skip a semster, go hiking and may be doing the same again soon. A-Train, if you need some PCT advice give me a holler!

Brock
04-13-2005, 11:22
This post makes me glad that I am doing the AT now that I have been out of college for a couple of years (not counting partial grad school work) and have earned enought money to take some time away from a job to hike.

Half the people I talk to think I am crazy, the other half are jealous of me hiking the AT and wish they could come along.

Mags
04-13-2005, 11:23
Every adult I talk to say that they wish they bicycled across the country or thru hiked when they were younger, before they had so many responsibilities to take care of. My parents put pressure on me to start my career, but they still reluctantly agree with everyone. I'm planning on starting my thru-hiking May next year.
Live life; don't regret missed opportunities.


I encountered that sentiment on my journeys as well.

My Dad is a pragmatic guy to say the least. He and mom married young (21 and 20 years old), had me by the time he was 23 and has been working the same place for thirty years.

He loves his sons. Has no regrets about how we turned out (well...maybe me when I plan another hike. ;)). As I get older, Dad and I have a relationship that continues to grow.

When I visited him back in January, we had a very heartfelt talk about our lives. He talked about the dreams he did not fulfill and said he wishes he did something before the career, the marriage, home and children. He did not regret what happened, just thinks I made the right choice for me and to pay attention to his experiences.

The flip side of all this is that Dad is about to retire next year at 55 yrs old. Fairly young, healthy and now looking forward to do some things he was not able to do at my age. He looks forward to retirement. After raising three boys and putting a roof over our head he deserves it to say the least!

Peaks
04-13-2005, 16:48
Luckily it is not 30 yrs ago then. :)

Why the sour grapes about what happened to you? I am glad others have chances to do what they want. We have to use what is dealt with us in life.



Well, I didn't mean it as sour grapes. It was just an observation about how times have changed. Now, my advice is that if you have the desire to hike the AT or some other goal, then my all means, do it now if you have the opportunity and don't put it off. Life is too short to have regrets.

C-Stepper
04-14-2005, 08:08
I also wish I had done things different "back then"...but, you know, I still think I'd have "Springer fever" this time of year, whether I had hiked the trail back then or not, you know? No regrets, really, but I have the long-range plans for hiking the AT set into motion. Seems a little early to change my signature to GA--->ME 2009!!! For now, I'm reasonably happy to begin my section hiking.

I plan to encourage both my kids (now in their young teens) to have a little responsible fun, however each of them may interpret it, before getting saddled down with the responsiblities. I was immature at that age and got saddled with 2 young kids, no job skills, and divorce papers at the age of 22...again, no regrets, but looking forward to some "me" time after the youngest graduates, if some luck will allow for it!:dance