A Kraut is willing to do this - but has questions

[el.com]

Hey guys
First at all something about me: my name is Ben, 20 years old from a small city called Siegburg (near Cologne), Germany.
A few days ago I saw that documentation about the AT on a German TV-channel. Since that day this ***** won't leave me alone. I'm thinking 'bout this all the time. To be accurate I'm having this idea for years to get my backpack and start hiking somewhere for weeks or months, but I never had a special imagination where I should start. I'm feeling there's something different now. I'm doing research on the internet concerning the trail for days. As stupid it may sound, but I'm just feeling like I found my real aim in life or at least a step closer to this. This is not one of my "I think about this a few days and then totally forget it"-phases and also not a kind of post pubertal crap idea to show my friends how awesome I am. I'm serious with that. I want to do the thru-hike. Northbound. Unfortunately it is too late to plan and begin in this season, for I know, planning all that stuff will take time, money and effort. And the fact that I do not live in the USA makes it additional harder. But maybe I can do it for the next season…

But all this deterrence will not make me give up and throw away the idea for this mammoth undertaking. In this case I start asking me many questions about how to start this trip. So the best way to get answers is asking people who did the thru-hike. That's why I'm here.

What kind of experiences did you get on the trail when you hiked it (for the first time)? Do you have any advices, something to pay attention for to somebody who never did a hike of this dimension, especially for foreigners?
Will I even be able to achieve a visa for that long period? And if so: how do I get a visa?

Questions, questions, and even more questions…

I'm grateful for any advices concerning my problems.


Greetings,
Ben

[ Sorry for my bad English – Mein Deutsch ist besser ]

[Alaskanhkr23]

Gut Ben, Don; t wissen so viel wie einige dieser Kerle/Mädchen aber seines deff Lebens, das sich ändert, um sogar den kleinsten von DARAN zu tun, ich denke, ich denke, dass Sie es tun sollten, wenn Sie eine Chance bekommen

[Alaskanhkr23]

Ich würde mich Ihnen anschließen, Wenn Sie eine Jahreszeit gehen wollen. Ich bin 23, und ich will zu durch-Wanderung die Spur

[sly dog]

Welcome to the AT community Ben. I think you will find the answers to a lot of your questions here, just bounce around some of the forums. It's nice to see people from around the world have an interest in the AT. One day I will be out on the AT as a thru hiker but for now I get out there whenever I can banging out states one at a time. I got that AT bug when my brother did his thru in 06. I met him on the trail in a bunch of states to bring him supplies and do some hiking with him and a bunch of other thru hikers he was runnin with. The whole AT community rocks....enjoy!!!

[Alaskanhkr23]

Ich bin nicht zu sicher auf Ihrer wandernden Geschwindigkeit oder Visum vielleicht 6 Monate

[el.com]

Hehe, thanks for writing in german, but you can write in english
I can read and understand your language very well, I'm just not THAT good at speaking/writing it. But I think it's enough to tell you want I mean

It would be a great honor for me if you really want to join me

[Alaskanhkr23]

Yeah man sorry.had a german fiance ,had to learn you know what im talking about.yeah man i would join you.im not sure about visa's you would have to look into it,maybe someone on here knows,but as of now i don't i'll look it up if you like.

[el.com]

Thank you... In the past few minutes I was asking almighty uncle Google and just found out that the so called "B2 visa" (don't know if US people call it the same) could maybe meet my demands. Maybe I will call the department for foreign affairs (is that the correct term?) in the next days or weeks to get more information.

Another question: how do i handle money on the trail? I will definitely not carry a few thousand bucks in cash with me. The risk of losing it or getting mugged is to big. How do you Americans do this and which possibilities do I have?

[Hikes in Rain]

It's possible to get a visa to hike. On one of my section hikes through the Smokies, I met three separate Austrailians who were finishing up their southbound thru-hike. Thought that was pretty impressive.

Be prepared, though, for the hardest part of the trip. Compared to what you're used to, American beer is awful! Ask for microbrews wherever you can.

-confessed beer snob. hopefully not beer snot-

[Hikes in Rain]

Another question: how do i handle money on the trail? I will definitely not carry a few thousand bucks in cash with me. The risk of losing it or getting mugged is to big. How do you Americans do this and which possibilities do I have?[/quote]

I'd open a bank account when you get here and ask for a debit card. It's like a credit card, except it draws from your deposit in the bank, so no payments.

[Two Tents]

Hey! I know what its like to be bitten buy the hiking bug too! You have found a good place to learn and get some answers. From the minute I decided to do a thru hike it has changed my life. I plan on a SOBO Thru in mid June. So stick around and learn. enjoy your new found hunger for the trail. Good luck and Happy Trails--Teo Tents.

[el.com]

Be prepared, though, for the hardest part of the trip. Compared to what you're used to, American beer is awful! Ask for microbrews wherever you can.

-confessed beer snob. hopefully not beer snot-

Hahahaha, yeah I have to admit that your american beer is really awful Sorry for that
There's that joke I always tell about US beer:
What do American Beer and sex in a boat have in common? Both are f*!$%ing close to water.

But b2t: If I open a bank account with a debit card, will it tke long to get this or is it just like I open it and 5 minutes later i have access to my account?

[mister krabs]

You'll get a temporary card immediately, but they'll mail you a permanent one with your name on it. That could be troublesome.

I have no idea what german banking is like, but I know that you have ATM's (hole in the wall) all over the place. Your german bank may have an affiliate relationship with one of the american ATM networks, or if you get a debit card with a visa logo on it, you should be able to use it just about anywhere. I'd check with your local banks first, that may save you a lot of hassle.

[el.com]

Actually I see there are Maestro and EC (Electronic cash) signs on my bank card. But I better will ask in my local bank office (or whatevr it is called)

[mister krabs]

The biggest interbank networks here are pulse, star,nyce and cirrus.

[Matteroo]

ben,

experiences were as many, and more, than the amount of questions you could ask about the trail. meet lots and lots of very friendly people, you feel like you're in a club/group -- but not so 'official' - just an understood bond between lots of people. lots of beautiful spots. lots of good food, for sure. It is a definite time to be able to evaluate things in your life - it gives a lot of confidence, whether you are a confident person to begin with or not, to complete (or do a big portion) of a thru hike.

honestly I had done no more than a few miles backpacking when I dropped my girlfriend off on the trail in 2007. I liked the outdoors, fishing, hiking, boating..but not backpacking. she hiked for 2 months and from talking to her regularly, reading this website, trailjournals.com, and stuff, I was very excited and joining her. I was in good shape to begin with, but went to the gym, made sure I found a pair of boots that worked for me (some people use trail runners...upgraded tennis shoes), and then I joined her in virginia. there were a few times when I said "i want to quit" or "I don't really care about hiking this", but it was only because I was hungry, tired, dying in the heat, irritated by something, or had a piece of gear break down and cause me a lot of stress. Never because I actually felt that way about hiking or the trail.

I would look into seeing if your bank has a partner here. When I traveled in south america I was able to use my american bank debit card at ATMs. I am sure there is a way to do it. Also there was a woman in 2007 named Alpine Strider who was german, hiking northbound. if you can find her contact information probably talking to another german who has done a thru-hike would give you a lot of details about the VISA, banking, and travel issues--and maybe provide information about the trail through the lense of your cultural background a little more.

[Blissful]

Best thing to do is to read the articles and threads here on White Blaze about planning, and esp from those coming from Europe, for which we have had a few threads from those from the UK.

[emerald]

I will post information about Berks County for Ben as I have more time available.

Should he travel to Pennsylvania, he will find we have better American beer here than he knew existed. We keep the good stuff for ourselves.

[cravj1988]

Ben,

As long as you have your backpack and gear, don't worry that much about planning for logistics. I did very little in 2007 when I thru hiked. When I hit the trail, I relied on the ATC Thru Hiker Companion. They published all the information you need to the 0.1 of a mile. There is information on water sources, shelters, and roads along the entire AT. It has information about the towns and services such as doctors, hotels, hostels, resturants, grocery stores, bars, and outfitters. You do not have to mail food, but some do. For me, it was easier to buy along the way, and probably cheaper too. Don't let planning cause you stress. The info in the ATC companion is reliable. I found that the Wachovia Bank NA was in most of the towns along the trail. Maybe you can set up an account via internet. You will need about $5K, at least, to finish the trail end to end. As for the visa, I have no idea. As for my experiences on the trail, for the first time in my adult life, I felt like a kid again. Just having fun.
[email protected]

[Kaptain Kangaroo]

I travelled from Australia to thru-hike in 2006.

Getting a visa is not that hard, it just takes some time & effort. Here is the link to the US Consulate in Germany, it has all then information on the application forms and the interview process. You are correct that it is a B-2 visa that you need.

http://germany.usembassy.gov/non-immigrant_visas.html


Money is also easy. I just used my debit card to get cash out of ATM's at towns along the trail. Check with your bank that your card will work in the US. I also had my credit card (Mastercard) set up so that I could get cash advances from ATM's. This was my backup. Just ask your bank to set up your credit card account so that you can do this.

Otherwise everything was easy. without local support it was difficult to arrange mail drops, so I just bought food along the way & used a bounce box to mail ahead any items that I did not need to carry. This worked really well.

Thru hiking was an incredible experience & the best piece of advice anyone can give you it to just get out & do it !!

Cheers,

Kaptain Kangaroo