What to really expect......

[snowhoe]

1. The number one thing to remember to do on you hike is to make sure you have fun. I know it will not all ways be fun but try to have a good attitude towards people and the small problems you face. Besides thats what you came all the way out there for.

2. A few things that might bring you down.
You will go up hill alot.
You might get blisters.
You might be uneasy the first night in your tent by yourself.
You will see people doing what they think is the only way to do stuff..
i.e cook, set up there tent, filter or not to filter water.
You might lose your appetite to eat. I did for the first three days.
Your body will kinda go into shock . Its maybe used to sitting around watching t.v. And then all of a sudden start walking 10 miles a day.
3. A few things that make it all worth it.
your first big miles. It maybe over 10 or even futher.
When you have been walking in a tunnel of trees and all of a sudden there is a look out, and you can see the mountains you just walked from or see the mountains you are heading for next.
Seeing the brown trees and grass turning into spring colors.
When you look out your tent in the morning and see a fresh new snowfall on every thing.
I really enjoyed meeting new people and hearing there story as why they are out here.

Things to try to help the small problems.
If you are starting in early spring you will have some very cold nights and your water bottle may freeze. That makes it pretty hard to boil water in the morning. So the night before pour some water into your pot that way you just have to light your stove and not have to worry about getting ice chuncks out of your bottle.
I filter my water and the one thing that I used alot (and did everyone elese that happend to be filtering water the same time that I was) was a empty 1/2 gallon milk jug. Alot of places that you filter water it is not very deep so I just gently scooped up water trying not to disturb the bottom and filterd out of the milk jug. The empty jug weighs nothing.
Carry two sources of fire matches and a lighter and put them in differnt parts of your pack. That way if you happen to lose one of your small stuff sacks you will have another fire starter to use.
I think the most important thing is to hike your own hike and let other people hike there own hike. Dont tell people that they are doing something wrong just because you dont do it that way. But be open for suggestions, it seemed like I would learn somthing new all the time and the people that where aruond me learned stuff from me.
If I got to a shelter and had a little time before I did my nightly chores I would gather some wood and build a fire. That is a great way to meet people and hear some great stories and may even get to hear some music. Besides what is better than sitting around a fire in the middle of the woods drinking hot cider mixed with a shot of whiskey. listing to the sounds of the wood. Please dont build a fire the space shuttle can see just a small one and try to build it in a fire ring.

The very very very best thing about th A.T. is the freedom there is no one to tell you to do anything. No one to tell you to get to work or not do that. If you want to have lunch beside a nice little stream for a couple of hours do it. If you want to take a zero day on top of some mountain and read a book do it.

I hope I might have helped someone with this thread.

[Kerosene]

You will go up hill alot.

You go downhill just as much, which for some of you will stress your quads. When your quads become tired, the stress moves to your knee ligaments. Start with several weeks of low miles to build up your hiking muscles and avoid overuse injuries. Remember, unlike a section hiker you're out there for the long-haul.

You might get blisters.

Stop at the first sign of foot tenderness and take care of the problem. Most of you will want to push on and ignore it, just like you're trying to ignore all the other new pain you're experiencing. DON'T! Give your feet a chance to adapt to your new hiking regimen and equipment. Blisters can alter your stride, which could then cause other injuries. On warm days consider soaking your overheated feet in that cool stream for a few minutes on your break.

You might lose your appetite to eat.

I find that my appetite is depressed for 10-14 days before it kicks back in with a vengeance. Just make sure that you emphasize hydration even if you don't eat. Dark yellow urine means that you're dehyrated, likely by several quarts. Dehydrated bodies injure more easily.

The empty jug weighs nothing.

Everything weighs something. Add enough things that "don't weigh anything" and you end up carrying extra pounds that tire you out more quickly. Pick and choose each piece of gear you'll be carrying, test it out on shakedown hikes, and discard things you don't use daily or need for emergencies. Strive to only carry dual-use items.

[Blissful]

Great posts.

I must admit I am a bit concerned about our March 1st start as I bask in 70 degree temps in December. Wish it were March instead.

[Michele]

Great post....I like that someone posted some stuff that probably most people experience, but soon forget after they adapt to trail life.

Another tactic for frozen water is to boil it at night and throw the hot bottles into your sleeping bag for extra warmth. From what I understand they won't freeze. It hasn't been cold enough for me to try this yet, but I bet I'll have to w/a March 12 start (12 weeks from today baby!!)

Thanks for the insight!

[rafe]

From what I understand they won't freeze. It hasn't been cold enough for me to try this yet, but I bet I'll have to w/a March 12 start (12 weeks from today baby!!)

I remember the weather in GA being all over the map (April 4 start.) Couple of days the temps peaked at 70-75 mid-day, 45-50 at night. A wild night of howling wind and freezing rain near Jarrard Gap, water bottle froze solid. A dusting of snow on the ground walking up Blood Mtn... Low 40s at Neels Gap (mid-day) but a mellow 50 or so at Low Gap the next evening. All over the map....

[Nean]

.....the unexpected?

[SteveJ]

Great post....I like that someone posted some stuff that probably most people experience, but soon forget after they adapt to trail life.

Another tactic for frozen water is to boil it at night and throw the hot bottles into your sleeping bag for extra warmth. From what I understand they won't freeze. It hasn't been cold enough for me to try this yet, but I bet I'll have to w/a March 12 start (12 weeks from today baby!!)

Thanks for the insight!

I guess it depends on how cold it is, but my experience when it was 20 degrees colder than I'd planned on it being was that I was waking up every 4 hrs to reheat the water in the nalgene!

[maxNcathy]

Above all else I want to be warm and dry at night.

I set up my new tent (BAgnes Seedhouse SL1) for 3 days of rain and high winds and it never leaked or ripped or blew away.

Now I am wondering if an UL down vest/ jacket/sweater would be worthwhile insurance against extra cold nights.

Sandalwood

[rafe]

Above all else I want to be warm and dry at night.

I set up my new tent (BAgnes Seedhouse SL1) for 3 days of rain and high winds and it never leaked or ripped or blew away.

Now I am wondering if an UL down vest/ jacket/sweater would be worthwhile insurance against extra cold nights.

Sandalwood

Nice tent. For warmth at camp, consider a polyester long-sleeve flannel shirt. I had to search high and low for polyester flannel, but finally found it (and for way cheap) at blair.com. It's not as light as a Montbell down vest, but is very versatile and comfortable, and covers the arms as well. Weighs about 10 oz. Wool would work also, but more $$.

[maxNcathy]

Nice tent. For warmth at camp, consider a polyester long-sleeve flannel shirt. I had to search high and low for polyester flannel, but finally found it (and for way cheap) at blair.com. It's not as light as a Montbell down vest, but is very versatile and comfortable, and covers the arms as well. Weighs about 10 oz. Wool would work also, but more $$.

Thanks, TT. Much appreciated.

[HapKiDo]

Check out your Goodwill and Thrift Stores for clothing to take hiking. I got wool shirts for $2, ski poles for less than $5, wool sweaters for $5, and other items I could use. They have silk shirts, rayon shirts, sometimes nylon pants, too.

I have since purchased replacement gear, yet there are a few of those Goodwill items I will always keep for day hikes, etc.

HapKiDo

[RadioFreq]

I filter my water and the one thing that I used alot (and did everyone elese that happend to be filtering water the same time that I was) was a empty 1/2 gallon milk jug. Alot of places that you filter water it is not very deep so I just gently scooped up water trying not to disturb the bottom and filterd out of the milk jug. The empty jug weighs nothing.

And since it's always advisable to bring things that have dual purposes the milk jug can double as a safe place to store foods you don't want crushed while in your backpack, like crackers (Saltines or Ritz), bread or other fragile munchies.

[MOWGLI]

Expect;

Intermittent unbridled Joy
Occasional frustration
False summits
Pleasure from simple things that would seem insignificant today
Chafing
Wonderful new Friends
rain
cold
heat
humidity
ticks
mosquitoes
Sore feet - most every morning
A new body after 1000 miles - including buns of steel
A worn down body after 2175 miles
That you will probably tire of some of the foods that you enjoy today
Incredible vistas that will leave you speechless
That you'll ask yourself "what the hell am I doing?" more than once
Satisfaction when you reach Fontana Dam
Happiness when you reach Hot Springs
Relief for arriving in Erwin
Big grins when you reach Damascus
Surprise at how nice Lone Wolf is when you meet him in Damascus
Joy when you reach Harpers Ferry
The knowledge that Pennsylvania's rock aren't as bad as they were billed
Amazement when you reach the Maine State line
Mixed emotions when you reach Katahdin
A new found respect for volunteers
A desire to get involved to protect the trail (OK -that's my expectation for you)
That you're friends and family will NEVER understand what the experience means to you - no matter how hard you try and explain it. That's what your trail friends are for!

Happy New Year everyone!

[fiddlehead]

"Either you think you can or you think you can't, either way your correct." Tom Mount

[J Link NJ]

hey HapKiDo.. see ya on the 18th. same start date as me!

anyone have any ideas about what the weather will be like considering it was 70 degrees yesterday in Jersey.. normally around 30 degrees? think the winter will come later and will be pretty intense in march/april, or do you think it will stay mellow all season?

[maxNcathy]

hey HapKiDo.. see ya on the 18th. same start date as me!

anyone have any ideas about what the weather will be like considering it was 70 degrees yesterday in Jersey.. normally around 30 degrees? think the winter will come later and will be pretty intense in march/april, or do you think it will stay mellow all season?

Hey, NJ, wait for me! I will be a day behind You. Will look for you in the shelter journals.

I think it will be COLD some nights so bring toasty bedding.

Sandalwood