Short But Enlightening Experience.

[BuckeyeBill]

we'll never know for sure unless the OP comes back to clarify for us, but i think reading the OP's post as "long term injuries i had been dealing with prior to my hike impacted me more than i thought they would" is not at all unfair.

and since the hike in question lasted two days.... well, i fail to see how even one shakedown hike would not have revealed the physical issues related to those injuries.
and again, i'm not criticizing someone who goes straight from not hiking to thru hiking, just saying i wouldnt do it. whether i was correct in applying this assumption to the OP or not is sort of moot, as it wasnt intended as a criticism either way.

Oh you're fine. I just wonder how many people who have done the Approach Trail have not felt the effect of those 600+ steps. I have seen lots of pictures of clothes and gear dumped on the way up.

[El JP]

Oh you're fine. I just wonder how many people who have done the Approach Trail have not felt the effect of those 600+ steps. I have seen lots of pictures of clothes and gear dumped on the way up.

I went up the East Ridge trail.

It was quite crazy, sorta reminded me of an assault course with a stretch that is a perfect preview of Pennsylvania. It's a geological dream up there.

Pack weight was 37 pounds. Ran into a few people on the Approach with near and plus 50 lbs.

[BuckeyeBill]

EL JP,

Well in addition to what you posted earlier, that settles the experience part. I still think those stairs did you in, but I am admitting I could be wrong. My step daughter tried to talk her mom and me to join her office team for the empire state building stair climb race. I look at her and said "Are you on crack?"


I said it somewhere on WB that I have done several long a** section hikes of the AT, but left both termini not hiked. Southern end was all of Georgia and up to Clingman's Dome. Up on the north end, all of Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. Why you may ask? I want certain sections to be new to me, even though I have been to Clingman's Dome numerous times.

[Dogwood]

Umm, how are people defining will power?

I see it as effective self control., the ability to make capable competent decisions. Using that definition is it being said lack of will power didn't come into play in the experiences cited for quitting in this incident? I ask because it sure seems it did.

[El JP]

Umm, how are people defining will power?

I see it as effective self control., the ability to make capable competent decisions. Using that definition is it being said lack of will power didn't come into play in the experiences cited for quitting in this incident? I ask because it sure seems it did.

The will power I'm used to observing is the ability to go beyond certain limitations and thresholds. As of this moment, the AT is my absolute , impassable limit. An impossibility.

This might be going a bit too far here but I'm willing to near masochistally transform my body for the sole reason of taking on the AT thru-hike hike. The Trail is all I want to do now.

Between the surgeries, therapy and workouts a whole lot of pain is going to be involved. There will be plenty of times then where pure will is all that matters.

[Dogwood]

Be mindful of what you believe, what you dwell - meditate upon. Guard your heart and mind.

When in our darkest hr know all things are possible to him that believes.

What we focus - dwell upon - we attract to ourselves.

That does not have to be a religious statement. It's been applied by some of the greatest achievers in known history.

[BuckeyeBill]

EL JP

Never say some thing is an impassible limit. You are dedicating yourself to correct things that need fixed. You may be surprised at the changes. I try to walk 10 miles every other day after work. I gave smoking, drinking, don't have a wife, yes to a part time girlfriend. I don't do the gym thing either. I use engine heads, crankshafts and transmissions for weights while I am at my shop. Am I in great shape? I want to lose about 20 more pounds, but I am working on that. My biggest thing holding me back now is hiking season coincides with car show season. We hit a lot of local shows, but hit Goodguys in Indy and Columbus along with Hot August Nights and SEMA in Vegas and Detroit Autorama, but those are my problems. Hope your surgeries go well and your recovery is fast.

[rocketsocks]

When this thread comes up I read the little as the ‘short bus experience’ gets me every time

[Traveler]

its always amazing to me that so many people who, seemingly, have little to no backpacking experience attempt to thru hike. i would never even consider such a thing, for better or worse. its even more stunning to me that so many people do this and are actually successful.

Seems to me thats true for many challenges people take on in life. For example, countless successful businesses have been started by people without any experience, countless more have failed by people with considerable experience.

One gets out of life what they put into it, without some risk there is little gain. While there is risk involved with a thru hike, as the OP has seen, there is a lot to gain by the experience regardless of how that experience manifests itself. That the chance was taken, be it an AT thru hike, starting a business, having children, or attending college portends a successful future.

[tdoczi]

Seems to me thats true for many challenges people take on in life. For example, countless successful businesses have been started by people without any experience, countless more have failed by people with considerable experience.

One gets out of life what they put into it, without some risk there is little gain. While there is risk involved with a thru hike, as the OP has seen, there is a lot to gain by the experience regardless of how that experience manifests itself. That the chance was taken, be it an AT thru hike, starting a business, having children, or attending college portends a successful future.

while for certain there is truth that often times those without experience succeed and those with fail, overall i dont buy that the suggestion that those without experience succeed **more often** than those with. thats what you seem to be implying and that is taking it a step, or several steps, too far.

i think if you were to somehow study it youd find that while yes, many people complete a thru hike having never hiked before youd also find that the failure rate, and the very early exit rate in particular, is much much higher among people who have never hiked before than it is amongst people who have, lets say done, at a minimum done multiple weekend backpacking trips.

[BuckeyeBill]

Seems to me thats true for many challenges people take on in life. For example, countless successful businesses have been started by people without any experience, countless more have failed by people with considerable experience.

One gets out of life what they put into it, without some risk there is little gain. While there is risk involved with a thru hike, as the OP has seen, there is a lot to gain by the experience regardless of how that experience manifests itself. That the chance was taken, be it an AT thru hike, starting a business, having children, or attending college portends a successful future.

Very well said. I have taken many chances in life and my success rate is much better that my failure rate. After my wife passed away, I sold our three businesses and moved back home again. A very close friend of mine was living Escondido, CA and invited me out to help him with his hot rod shop. While I was there, we took time off and did the PCT together. When we returned we worked for about another year and did the CDT. Steve was killed by a drunk driver in December of 2013. With his long time girlfriend Carol, we kept the shop open long enough to finish all the projects we had at the time. Carol told me Steve wanted his ashes spread on the PCT, some at the beginning some at each state border and some at the end. So with Steve's old equipment and a new pack for both of us, we took off in 2014 and walked together to pay tribute to Steve. She didn't have much experience but we made decent time all the way. We flew back to San Diego and when we got home, I stayed for a few days, before flying home again. I still send Carol flowers every year on the anniversary of Steve's death and we exchange email and phone calls. That's why I will never dis a person's dream of a thru-hike, starting a business or going for their college degree.

[Dogwood]

...countless successful businesses have been started by people without any experience, countless more have failed by people with considerable experience...

Uhh, I'd argue those countless counts aren't the same counts!


Success leaves clues. Those that do have a higher biz success, or any success rate, tend to heed those clues. There're definitely patterns of success in all sorts of endeavors in life. Success is often planned, making oneself more aware, earned, rarely spontaneously arrived at...college education, marriage, raising children, investments, thru hiking, greater health, fewer hospital visits, lower auto insurance rates, etc.


What's sown is what's reaped...cause and effect.


As it relates to hiking, backpacking, and LD backpacking there certainly are patterns or clues to higher success rates too. Everyone isn't winging it, learning as they go. There are real tangible cause and effect reasons why those completing Warren Doyle's thru hiking the AT course meet with much higher thru-hiking completion rates!

[El JP]

Back at home and made a few calls. Going to the hospital tomorrow morning to begin the process. Much to my surprise, i apparently pretty much have it made treatment wise. I just might be able to go out next year but i'm
really hoping for the year after.

[Traillium]

That's why I will never dis a person's dream of a thru-hike, starting a business or going for their college degree.

What a wonderful heart you have, good man!

[Dogwood]

Very well said. I have taken many chances in life and my success rate is much better that my failure rate. After my wife passed away, I sold our three businesses and moved back home again. A very close friend of mine was living Escondido, CA and invited me out to help him with his hot rod shop. While I was there, we took time off and did the PCT together. When we returned we worked for about another year and did the CDT. Steve was killed by a drunk driver in December of 2013. With his long time girlfriend Carol, we kept the shop open long enough to finish all the projects we had at the time. Carol told me Steve wanted his ashes spread on the PCT, some at the beginning some at each state border and some at the end. So with Steve's old equipment and a new pack for both of us, we took off in 2014 and walked together to pay tribute to Steve. She didn't have much experience but we made decent time all the way. We flew back to San Diego and when we got home, I stayed for a few days, before flying home again. I still send Carol flowers every year on the anniversary of Steve's death and we exchange email and phone calls. That's why I will never dis a person's dream of a thru-hike, starting a business or going for their college degree.

Heartfelt post. That's reality sharing as it connects to hikkng. Hope it brought some closure.

[BuckeyeBill]

What a wonderful heart you have, good man!

Thank you, but don"t let anyone else know.

[El JP]

well, i fail to see how even one shakedown hike would not have revealed the physical issues related to those injuries.

If anyone knows terrain in North Jersey that can serve as a stand in for the East Ridge/Approach trail, i'd be happy to train on it. Doing slope/streets in North Bergen is easy by comparison. I also stupidly forgot to pop painkillers after the first day.

[Dogwood]

Wishing you a speedy recovery El Jp.

[tdoczi]

If anyone knows terrain in North Jersey that can serve as a stand in for the East Ridge/Approach trail, i'd be happy to train on it. Doing slope/streets in North Bergen is easy by comparison. I also stupidly forgot to pop painkillers after the first day.

any of the trails off of the long path between the top of the palisades and the hudson river. they are all short but very steep, gaining 400-500 feet very rapidly by mostly going up steps.

the red dot trail on mount tammany at Delaware water gap is close to a thousand foot gain in a couple miles.

not in NJ, but close by in NY state are the east hudson highlands with several steep climbs of around 1000 feet or more, the most notrious being breakneck ridge which borders on white mountains hard.

pain killers just dull pain, they dont do anything to help actual injuries, which it sounds like you have. dont think you would have finished a thru hike if you had remembered one dose of well timed painkillers.

[FatMan]

This same scenario plays out a half dozen times daily here in March and April. Everyday I see folks who have developed stress injuries or have the "deer in the headlights" thing going on that will not get passed Gooch or Woody. I commend the OP for posting about his experience and more so his desire to get up and try again. You rarely find these stories told because most just go home and lick their wounds and are never heard from again.