I ...was... planning to wait until retirement in a few years and then jump straight into thru-hiking the AT. Although I have backpacked hundreds of days, the longest trips have been just over two weeks, and never in hot, humid conditions (my trips have all been in the West)

It seems prudent to ease into longer trips and also learn how I handle the weather, terrain, bugs, and society of Appalachian trails.

For those who have done Long Ass Section Hikes (LASH), how long is enough to settle into the thru-hiker routine? 4 weeks off work at a time is about the limit for me.

Jim