View Full Version : Glad to have found this
Hi all,
I am so glad to have found WB, and this forum in particular. I have dreamed for MANY years of walking the AT, but had begun thinking that it may be only a pipe dream, as I am getting older (hitting 50 in a few days, LOL ). While health issues may, MAY, (maybe, hopefully not), be an issue, I am thrilled to see that 40+ is a very 'normal' age for hiking the AT. This has given me hope that I am NOT getting too old to even be considering this (a thru-hike). I have no definite date set to attempt, or if it will even be a thru when I do, but it still is a dream.
Thanks to all of you out there that have already attempted, or accomplished this milestone! I am looking forward to learning more, and planning for this 'walk'. I am impressed, in awe of, ( envious?, what is the term I am looking for here?) of all of you, and just plain want to do this myself!
What I see as my biggest personal hurdle, is not seeing my kids (daughter and grands), and (hopefully) supportive husband.
Anyway, no set date, but is definitely on my bucket list.
Peace,
melaniebk
10-19-2012, 21:02
Hi s'more! I've also just joined WB, and I've just been thrilled with the amount of support and information the members give each other. I'm getting the opportunity to fulfill my AT dream this coming year. My daughter and I will be hiking SOBO July 1st. My husband will being holding down the fort while I'm gone. Yes, his first response was to ask how long we'd be gone (6 months-ish) and remark how long that was, but he's in agreement that she and I might never have another time when we can clear our schedules to do this together. Good luck to you as you plan your dream hike!
Train Wreck
10-19-2012, 21:21
:welcome Hi S'more and melaniebk!
Welcome to WB!
Hi, S'more! Welcome!
I'm hiking next March, and I'll be 52. The Trail's been on my bucket list for four decades, and I finally realized it was time.
Good luck with your planning and reading and preparations. And happy birthday! :)
Melaniebk- are you going to do straight SOBO or are you going to flip flop? So glad you are making it happen!
Karma13- I ALMOST put Karma22 as my name here! But as a long time Girl Scout, and in honor of their 100th, I took S'more. :D
Thanks for the welcome Trainwreck!
Pedaling Fool
10-20-2012, 12:36
Hi all,
I am so glad to have found WB, and this forum in particular. I have dreamed for MANY years of walking the AT, but had begun thinking that it may be only a pipe dream, as I am getting older (hitting 50 in a few days, LOL ). While health issues may, MAY, (maybe, hopefully not), be an issue, I am thrilled to see that 40+ is a very 'normal' age for hiking the AT. This has given me hope that I am NOT getting too old to even be considering this (a thru-hike). I have no definite date set to attempt, or if it will even be a thru when I do, but it still is a dream.
Thanks to all of you out there that have already attempted, or accomplished this milestone! I am looking forward to learning more, and planning for this 'walk'. I am impressed, in awe of, ( envious?, what is the term I am looking for here?) of all of you, and just plain want to do this myself!
What I see as my biggest personal hurdle, is not seeing my kids (daughter and grands), and (hopefully) supportive husband.
Anyway, no set date, but is definitely on my bucket list.
Peace,
Yes, you can stay very active and healthy into your later years. Ever hear someone in their 50's say, "I feel healthier now than I did in my 20's". I know that sounds like a cliche, but in my case it's true, however, I'm not quite in my 50's yet, but only a couple years away, but still I feel so very healthy and a big part of that I credit to hiking.
However, there's one snag to this, maybe there are some exceptions, but I believe it's the case for most people. And that is that to become truely healthy one must suffer through a lot of pain and endure many hours of boring workouts.
Look at the people that lose weight on the "Biggest Loser" show, nearly all of them puke in the first few days and they all seem to feel like quitting, many of them cry and bitch, but since they're being forced by the coaches, they break through this barrier. But for us that don't have this support, you gotta just put all the negative thoughts out of your head and maintain a workout schedule.
I've spent months and months at the gym going through workouts feeling as though I wasn't accomplishing anything, but I was, it was just the mental fatigue that makes you want to stop, but you can't, just keep at it and don't think about the feeling of being stuck in a rut. Same for hiking, there were times I just felt like my walking was a waste of time, but it's not, once you break through this barrier of physical drudgery and negative thoughts it's incredible what the body can do and it can do it because you stuck with your workouts.
This has happened a lot (the feeling of being stuck in a rut) during my various acivities, including cycling. I once got into a rut that I believe lasted about a year of where I was cycling with absolutely no energy, couldn't go fast, I was just going through the motion; I was beginning to think I had some illness. Then I signed up for a charity ride and that change of routine snapped me out of my rut and I couldn't believe the level I cycled at, I stayed with guys that had very expensive racing bikes (I ride a hybrid with touring bags :)), not only did I surprise myself, but I had people coming up to me in disbelief at how I stayed with these people on racing bikes.
Bottom Line, you're going to go through some tough times when you feel as though you're not really doing anything good for the body and negative thoughts will make you want to stop. Whatever you do, don't stop. Try and do things to make it more interesting, and there's a lot of ways to do that, but don't stop.
Country Roads
10-21-2012, 16:08
Why girl, you are still a just a baby. 50 is not old, just experienced. Go for your hike. If you do 20 miles, 2000 miles or all the way, you will never regret it.
kizzybean
10-22-2012, 20:23
S'more, welcome. This is a great site for information, some you'll want and some you don't. Always remember it's your hike and hike it your way. You're doing this for yourself and no one else. As a 55 yo female hiking the AT has always been my dream. Like you my family and hubby are a big part of my life and I knew I'd set myself up for failure if I tried a thru-hike right now. Besides injury and illness - missing families causes a lot of people to leave the trail. Knowing I couldn't take the time and would miss my family I decided 5 years ago to start section hiking. This allows me to enjoy the short sections of the trail and not be gone long enough to miss my family. It's something to consider as an alternative to a thru hike to get a taste of the trail till that time comes when you can happily take 5 months away to do a thru-hike. For me I still dream of completing a thru-hike but I'm excited to get out for section hikes whenever I can. The "hooking up" site can help you find someone to section hike with if you need a partner to help with rides etc. Good luck with your dream, never give up on it and it will happen.
Kizzy
Six Steps
12-30-2012, 23:39
S'more, I am 61 and hiking at least part of the AT is on my bucket list. Won't be able to for a couple of years yet, but I will do it. When I was a kid I promised an older lady, Emma "Grandma" Gatewood, that I would try. If the name doesn't sound familiar, google her story. She's an inspiration.
"We don't stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing."
Happy New Year to all such awesome ladies!!
I just join WB. Having time to hike the whole AT is still a dream for me....but I am working on it. Right now I am hiking as much as I can, keeping myself in a relative good shape, getting to know parts of the AT that I hope someday would be a part of my journey.
I will be keeping an eye on mature females interested in weekend hikes. I am also a scout leader and my schedule is packed but...hopefully IŽll find sometime for myself.
Best wishes for long safe and fun hike days :sun
Country Roads
01-01-2013, 20:08
On an AT section hike in Southern Shenandoah NP, I met Mother Goose at the Pinefield Hut. She as doing her 5, 6, 7th? at hike, going SoBo. She has also done a yoyo hike of the AT. I will not venture her age (age is not even important), but she is older than me, so perhaps 60's ish? She had just done a 20 mile day. Her yearly goal in life is to hike the AT for as long as she can. Very awesome woman with a great sense of humor!
Bottom line, age is not a physical barrier.
Happy New Year to all such awesome ladies!!
I just join WB. Having time to hike the whole AT is still a dream for me....but I am working on it. Right now I am hiking as much as I can, keeping myself in a relative good shape, getting to know parts of the AT that I hope someday would be a part of my journey.
I will be keeping an eye on mature females interested in weekend hikes. I am also a scout leader and my schedule is packed but...hopefully IŽll find sometime for myself.
Best wishes for long safe and fun hike days :sun
Welcome :welcome . and enjoy!