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Troll's 2010 AT Journal

Freaking out and nervous [PRE HIKE]

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It has been a while since I posted. I was working on my own journal site but have not got it all ironed out yet. I will start posting here again until I decide.

I am really freaking out and getting very nervous now. We are almost down to the two month count down. The part that has me freaking is putting in my notice at work. That will be the point of no return. I am very scared about quitting a good paying job with all the benefits. Quitting a $20 an hour job is not an easy thing to do, knowing that I will never come back to a job that pays that much in this area.

I am really excited about this adventure though. I have a friend that will be starting out with me (Mad Mike). We are taking the Amtrak down together and starting on the same day. This however does not mean that we are committed hiking partners. We are each going to hike our own hike. If we stay together so be it. If not, O well. Mike is good people so I am hoping we stay together. Mike is only saying right now he is going to hike for two months. He also said that he might just keep on going and do the whole trail.

I have already made the reservations at the Hiker Hostel for Mike and myself. The next step besides giving my notice at work is purchasing the Amtrak tickets. I have all my gear with the exception of the gravity feed water filter that I am waiting on.

I have been doing physical therapy for the last two months for a knee injury I received at work in September. It still hurts but the doctor released me and said that there was nothing he could do other then surgery. He also started that it was not bad enough to do surgery and that I will be fine with it for my thru hike. He told me that I could keep coming to the clinic for free and working out until I left for my hike. He added some more exercises for me to do that will help me. I have been riding the bike twice a week and doing exercises now. I hope this will help my endurance.

Here is my train of though. One of the biggest problem people have when starting out trying to do a lot of miles. Whether this be the need to hurry or just a ego thing it is what does them in and lots of them end up getting off the trail. I plan of doing only 8 to 10 miles a day for the first couple of weeks. This should build the muscles up in my legs and help my knee get in shape. After that I will play it day by day. It would be nice to be able to break the 10 mile barrier on the third week though. I know I can do more than 10 miles in a day because I have done it before. I just don’t want to start out by overdoing it. I do not want to be one of the statistics.

Ok, enough said for now.
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2010 Pre Hike blogs

Comments

  1. rtappan's Avatar
    Attroll,
    I hiked in 1997 and started with a friend. I think we both needed the comfort/security of the other, but once we hiked about 150 miles or so realized that we'd be ok and split up. I agree with you wanting to start hiking slow. the best advice I can say is don't set a really strenuous schedule becasue your body will need time to aclimate. My ankle really started to nother me coming into virginia and the other hikers who saw me thought I was a goner for sure. I took a few days of in a motel and really took it easy for a few days (with lots of pain killers) and I made it through. Just don't push your body too hard at first.
    One thing I recommend about gear; call each and every company that makes the gear you are bringina nd ask them what kind of service they will provide if something happens. Sierra designs, merrell, and llbean were absolutely awesome in their support. I would hike the entire trail with llbean gear if I had to do it again just because they were so good. Same with merrell.

    Good luck, and have fun. I live in VA so when your coming through, give me a shout!
  2. ShelterLeopard's Avatar
    See ya soon troll, my two month count down began a week and a half ago.
  3. Shovelhead's Avatar
    Slightly Freaked myself, start date 4/1/10
    good luck see ya out there