ive decided to do it

[kappy0405]

alright, so just last fall i got the privilege of driving through the appalachian mountains. It was pretty much my first time ever leaving the midwest. Pathetic, i know. but, basically.. I was amazed. My jaw was dropped just about the whole time. anyway, thats when I first heard about the AT, and I immediately talked my girlfriend of 2+ years into doing it with me one day.

Anyway, this was the girl i was gonna marry someday, take care of her the rest of my life, have her kids, and watch grow old and wrinkle away with me, and believe it or not I wanted nothing more in life then to do just that. I was absolutely sure of it, so was she... Now, just two weeks ago, she broke up with me for apparently no reason whaa... so ive spent the last two weeks sulking and trying to convince myself not to jump off the sears tower, or some other building of similar height, all the while, drowning my sorrows in a bottle of jameson's every night.

yeah, I need to get away.

So ive officially decided on hiking the AT this year. Ill be starting the last week of March or the first week of Apr. I'm not planning on doing the whole thing, although, if it works out that way, i just might. Im just gonna walk, and walk, then walk some more, and keep walking until I get tired of it. I'm gonna slowly wander through the mountains, probably crying every step of the way. So with 7K in my pocket, I'm leaving everything behind.. everything. and maybe by the end, Ill have found my smile again... Who knows, maybe Ill make it to Massachussetts and move to Boston to live among my fellow irishmen.

Either way, I'm doing it...

i dont know why i posted this, but theres my story/motivation for doing this ridiculously crazy thing

[Jack Tarlin]

Best of luck! See you out there.

[Frau]

Nessmuk and I will look for you between Waynesboro and Catawba, VA! I have a feeling it won't take long for you to be smiling again.

Frau

[DAKS]

enjoy your hike!

[Appalachian Tater]

Lots of people with Irish ancestry all over New England, concentrated not only in Massachusetts but also in places like New Hampshire, Rhode Island, New York, and Connecticut.

[stumpy]

If you start with 7K in your pocket Pm and let me know when you start. I just might be able to walk with ya!!!!!


All kidding aside, I can think of no better place to get out and set things straight in your world. I have often thought that if I ever attempt a thru I would do the same thing only in reverse. I would start on Kat. in June and start the long walk home (I grew up in east Tennseess). I would walk unitl I had enough and then find a way home from there (Forest Gump style). I know kinda silly, but it makes sense in my mind.

[WILLIAM HAYES]

No woman is worth it . get some peace of mind .there are plenty of others out there hit the trail and have some fun as tony soprano sa foorgetabouit
Hillbilly

[vonfrick]

No woman is worth it . get some peace of mind .there are plenty of others out there hit the trail and have some fun as tony soprano sa foorgetabouit
Hillbilly

and neither is any man.

[Hoop]

Look at this as an opportunity to explore. Be thankful your ex-gal bolted now instead of after a couple years' of marriage, and wish her the best. Although he's a fine fellow, don't let Mr. Jameson start telling you what to do.

[Almost There]

Anyway, this was the girl i was gonna marry someday, take care of her the rest of my life, have her kids, and watch grow old and wrinkle away with me

Wow you must have "really" loved her!!!!


Not trying to be mean, just trying to make you laugh. Walk until you are ready to go home, you've got your whole life ahead of you. I was engaged to my college sweetheart...didn't marry her, and I'm very happy about that as I've been married for almost 9 years now to my wife. Things have a way of working out. You will be fine my man!

BTW, where you live in the Chicago area, I grew up in the Schaumburg area, only moved to Atlanta 5 years ago.

[kappy0405]

Thanks everyone for the encouragement.. I'm sure the trail will put my head back on the right direction. It had better or I dont know what I'll do from there. but yeah, I'm really psyched for this trip.

'Hooprat' - youre right, Jameson is a great fellow. infact I'd almost be willing to call him my bestfriend right about now. lol j/k

'Stumpy' - you just convinced me to put the 7K in bank acct, and just get a debit cart

'Almost There' - yeah i did really love her. It was pathetic actually. lol but I guess your right, everything happens for a reason, and everything works out the way it was meant to. I just cant even picture anything else at this point but I'm sure all will be good eventually. And talk about a small world, I used to work at Argent Mortgage in Shaumburg, right off of Golf Rd.. I used to live right in downtown Chicago, but right now I'm living about 30 miles south of schaumburg, in Romeoville. Its a small crappy town right next to Joliet. lol

[Cannibal]

Love sucks-ya, ya.

If you decided today I bet you're smiling tomorrow. I learned how to smile again just by deciding to go. By the time I get on the trail in a few days I'm thinking it will be a full-on grin; like this:

Good luck out there and have fun!

[Heater]

There is nothing holding you back. You are young with no attachments so you can pick up where you left off after the hike or you take it in an entirely different direction.

Plus, you have 7 Grand.


You are king of the world.

[StarLyte]

Many people hike to walk away their woes. I do it myself frequently. It works.

You'll meet MANY new friends on your hike - go for it.

Hope to see you somewhere....good luck!

[oldfivetango]

Trust an old guy on this-it wasn't meant to be and you will find someone
else alot nicer eventually.It is the way the world works.Better to have loved and
lost than never loved at all.(not a Tango original btw)
Oldfivetango

[maxNcathy]

You will smile and thank her some day. You will meet a real outdoors girl on your hike and be very happy hiking and all the rest through life. So there is a better way to look at this.Don't cherish your grievances and depress yourself with negative thoughts. Give her your blessing and healing will come as it was meant to be.
Kappy, be happy.

All is good with
Sandalwood

[Pennsylvania Rose]

A long walk is a great way to heal and contemplate the future - that's what Earl Shaffer did. I'm sorry your relationship didn't work out. Hopfully 10 years from now you'll look back on your time together with fondness and forgiveness. Right now you're young, free, and have funds - so enjoy your hike without regret!

[Tinker]

Kappy - Watch the Jameson. I've been where you are in relation to thinking about the Sears Towers. It isn't worth it. Things will improve. The AT is a great place to go to figure things out and get your head on straight.
Walking may not cure everything, but it helps a whole lot. There's a new family waiting for you at either end of the AT.
Enjoy.

[Lilred]

Sounds to me like you dodged a bullet. Better now than later. The hike will be good for you. Good luck and hope to see you out there.

[T-Dubs]

Sorry to hear of the sudden change in planning your future.
However, it may be a good thing; give you time to sort things out and decide what's important. I think you've got your priorities in line with this:

bottle of jameson's

But I would add some Stirring's ginger ale. As a matter of fact, I do almost every night.

TWS

Ps. I'm near Dayton. Pick me up on your way down to Ga. I'm ready to start as well. (-: