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View Full Version : Anybody have to/had to attend a wedding during their Thru-hike?



Zippy Morocco
06-26-2012, 19:52
I have been planning to leave Springer late February 2013. I started planning this in 2010. This week I found out that there are two wedding I have to attend. One is April 4 (my brother) in Atlanta and one is May 4 (My wife's closest cousin) in Texas. My options are to leave for a couple days two times, Start after the first and leave for the second or switch to a Southbound starting after both. I am really happy for the people who are getting married and for the opportunity to see all the family but am sad that my hike is being rearranged. Anyone out there have or have had a similar situation?

wornoutboots
06-26-2012, 19:55
I have read many many journals where people get off the trail for weddings, family vacations & other reasons for a week or 2. Just make it part of your adventure & when your a few weeks out start working on the logistics as to how to get from point A to point B.

Del Q
06-26-2012, 20:01
First thought, you will be a Rock Star, straight off the trail to the blessed event, don't shower, wear your pack into the gig, pull a chair up to the buffet table....open bar, take it from there.

Pitch your tent, tarp or hammock on premesis after midnight, all good.

max patch
06-26-2012, 20:09
I wouldn't get off the trail for any wedding, but thats just me. I can understand your brothers. But your wifes cousin? Really?

Zippy Morocco
06-26-2012, 20:27
I certainly leaning toward just taking a couple days twice and showing up like a "Rock Star". I would be happy to skip my wife's cousin's wedding except my wife is hiking too and she wont miss it. They are close. Guess I could carry on slowly and hope she catches me eventually. She is a very strong hiker/runner.

I wouldn't leave Montana for any of my cousins weddings much less the AT but I also don't really dont really know my cousins well. My brother's wedding is going to be easy to get to and fun. He's just about my favorite person ever. Just rent a car wherever and drive back to GA, attend a wedding, play a couple songs, stand around in a tux, shake a hands, hugs, eat some Chicken and a Waffle and zip back. Texas though... that's going to be tough.

Lone Wolf
06-26-2012, 20:34
got off in CT. back in 86. i was best man

Lone Wolf
06-26-2012, 20:36
I wouldn't get off the trail for any wedding, but thats just me. I can understand your brothers. But your wifes cousin? Really?
i got off for my cousin and his then future wife. they're still married

rocketsocks
06-26-2012, 20:46
I have been planning to leave Springer late February 2013. I started planning this in 2010. This week I found out that there are two wedding I have to attend. One is April 4 (my brother) in Atlanta and one is May 4 (My wife's closest cousin) in Texas. My options are to leave for a couple days two times, Start after the first and leave for the second or switch to a Southbound starting after both. I am really happy for the people who are getting married and for the opportunity to see all the family but am sad that my hike is being rearranged. Anyone out there have or have had a similar situation?Many have,not an un common story,in fact there is another older thread about this very subject.Not a big deal,do what ya gotta do.


First thought, you will be a Rock Star, straight off the trail to the blessed event, don't shower, wear your pack into the gig, pull a chair up to the buffet table....open bar, take it from there.

Pitch your tent, tarp or hammock on premesis after midnight, all good.I think there is enough interest and wedding goers that the fabric manufacturers should make a merlino wool shirt.....with a tux pattern,I'll bet that'd sell.

max patch
06-26-2012, 20:52
I would be happy to skip my wife's cousin's wedding except my wife is hiking too and she wont miss it. They are close. Guess I could carry on slowly and hope she catches me eventually. She is a very strong hiker/runner.



That explains that. Sometimes ya gotta do what ya gotta do.

Mountain Maiden
06-26-2012, 22:34
Two funerals, a wedding and a broken arm--still made it to Katahdin. Part of the adventure.

StubbleJumper
06-27-2012, 09:28
I certainly leaning toward just taking a couple days twice and showing up like a "Rock Star". I would be happy to skip my wife's cousin's wedding except my wife is hiking too and she wont miss it. They are close. Guess I could carry on slowly and hope she catches me eventually. She is a very strong hiker/runner.

I wouldn't leave Montana for any of my cousins weddings much less the AT but I also don't really dont really know my cousins well. My brother's wedding is going to be easy to get to and fun. He's just about my favorite person ever. Just rent a car wherever and drive back to GA, attend a wedding, play a couple songs, stand around in a tux, shake a hands, hugs, eat some Chicken and a Waffle and zip back. Texas though... that's going to be tough.


One thing that you might want to consider is that you and your wife will lose some weight before the wedding. For a guy, it's not a big deal because you'll probably just rent a tuxedo and they often come with waistbands that you can "cinch up." For your wife it's more of a challenge because she'll probably buy a dress before you leave, but by the wedding date her hips could be smaller and her boobs will also likely be smaller. Not sure how a woman can plan that one out.

rocketsocks
06-27-2012, 11:00
One thing that you might want to consider is that you and your wife will lose some weight before the wedding. For a guy, it's not a big deal because you'll probably just rent a tuxedo and they often come with waistbands that you can "cinch up." For your wife it's more of a challenge because she'll probably buy a dress before you leave, but by the wedding date her hips could be smaller and her boobs will also likely be smaller. Not sure how a woman can plan that one out.Great point,maybe a sun dress,or go the other direction,Spandex,or a pant suit with belt.That really was a good question,wondering what the women will say??

ATMountainTime
06-27-2012, 11:12
Is it an open bar or not? :)

Bati
06-27-2012, 12:53
I left the trail in Virginia to attend a wedding. It was very uncomfortable having to walk around a mall without any food or water on me, while I searched for appropriate attire. Between the hordes of people, hidden exits (kept looking at the ceiling) and the lack of windows, it was very disturbing, but good practice for what followed. I adjusted to seeing more than a handful of people each day, re-learned some table manners, and even got a haircut before the event. Since I lost more than 10 percent of my body weight in the first month, I'm sure I would have had issues with clothes fitting if I had shopped before hand.
Adjusting back to trail life was also difficult for me, but not nearly as uncomfortables as the mall had been. I was injured while hiking a trail near the wedding (not the AT) and had to reduce my mileage when I got back on. All my trail friends were way further North, but I could catch up with their journal entries. I met a crowd of hikers that had started in nice weather, some of whom had been following my journal entries. After the first night, when I knew my knee would take a fair amount of distance, it was sort of like being a section hiker. I met many who passed me by each day, and wasn't able to keep up with a crowd for a few weeks. I then flipped to Maine, and was back with a smaller South-bound crowd, since my mileage was back to reasonable amounts.
My advice is to take the extra time before the event to buy clothes are return to society even it means loosing the group of trail friends you've been hiking with. Most groups tend to split up eventually, and you can avoid the issue of clothes not fitting and looking shaggy by cleaning up right before the event. My appetite usually declined from incredible amounts to just a bit above "normal" after a day or two or not hiking, so the time before hand gave me a chance to readjust and not eat an entire tier or two of the wedding cake by myself.

Giantsbane
06-27-2012, 13:28
First thought, you will be a Rock Star, straight off the trail to the blessed event, don't shower, wear your pack into the gig, pull a chair up to the buffet table....open bar, take it from there.

Pitch your tent, tarp or hammock on premesis after midnight, all good.

I have to leave the trail next year in June to go be the best man at a wedding and that is exactly what I plan to do!