I've got to put off my first thru hike for a year.

[Fats]

Tomorrow we go to find out how soon my wife needs back surgery. She has a tethered spine, and has a 50% chance of walking after the surgery.

I originally had planned on, and purchased the equipment to do a thru-hike starting in mid March. We have discussed my plans, and my wife said that she want's me to still go through with it.

I guess I have another year to be even more prepared.

I'm going to be discussing starting next year in January, or early February, does anyone know an easy way to talk with people that have done this?

Thanks for all the info guys, please put Rachel in your thoughts and or prayers.

Brad

[Roland]

Best wishes for successful surgery and a speedy recovery.

The Trail will still be there next year. Anticipation is part of the fun.

[royalusa]

Good luck to Rachel with her surgery and recovery!

We started our thru-hike of the AT in February 18, 2008 and did run into some snow and single degree temps, but it was manageable. There were some hikers ahead of us in the GSMNP though that had some real challenges due to waist high snow drifts. It'll all depend on the year and what Mother Nature throws at you, as well as gear and preparedness for the conditions. Our journal has some details on the conditions we hit: http://trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=304501 .


Feel free to PM or email me if you have questions.

Good luck!

[hobbs]

I am sorry to hear about your wife my prayers to you and her. I hope everything goe's well..If I am still in Virginia after my thru be happy to do some trail magic for you when you do come thru...

[DapperD]

Tomorrow we go to find out how soon my wife needs back surgery. She has a tethered spine, and has a 50% chance of walking after the surgery.

I originally had planned on, and purchased the equipment to do a thru-hike starting in mid March. We have discussed my plans, and my wife said that she want's me to still go through with it.

I guess I have another year to be even more prepared.

I'm going to be discussing starting next year in January, or early February, does anyone know an easy way to talk with people that have done this?

Thanks for all the info guys, please put Rachel in your thoughts and or prayers.

Brad

Good Luck to you and your wife with the surgery. I wish her the best. Try not to worry about missing the opportunity to hike this year. If it is not to be this year, then eventually your year to do it will arrive.

[Cookerhiker]

I'm sorry for your wife and her condition. I hope she recovers and that some day you'll be able to hike the AT.

[4eyedbuzzard]

Best wishes for your wife's recovery. It's good in this "it's all about me" day and age to see that you are doing the right thing by being there for her as well. And maybe next year they'll shorten the trail 3 miles.

[Blissful]

Hope the surgery goes well. The trail will always be there. Keep us informed.

As for starting earlier, if you have this kind of weather this year, sure. If you had last year's piles of snow, heck no. So it depends.

[Fats]

Good luck to Rachel with her surgery and recovery!

We started our thru-hike of the AT in February 18, 2008 and did run into some snow and single degree temps, but it was manageable. There were some hikers ahead of us in the GSMNP though that had some real challenges due to waist high snow drifts. It'll all depend on the year and what Mother Nature throws at you, as well as gear and preparedness for the conditions. Our journal has some details on the conditions we hit: http://trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=304501 .


Feel free to PM or email me if you have questions.

Good luck!

Thank you, I will be messaging soon .

It's sounding like I will run into the same weather leaving in early February, as I would in mid March. you know, the kind that changes anyway.

Loving the read, I'm not sure why I never saw the Trail journals before, they should be required reading.

We finished another round of doctors appointments today, and a referral to another more specific type of surgeon for next Wednesday.

Unless things go really wrong I will be on the trail next year with my wife's blessing, that part doesn't bug me. Missing out on this season bugs me.

Brad