It's Sept 1, the Class of 2013 is 6 months out, give or take

[SCGamecock]

Just saying......
You wake up, get hyped on coffee
You read WhiteBlaze to see who's complaining about what
You wonder why some are always complaining
You read about that one tidbit that might change your setup
You realize you're 6 months out from living your dream
You get your workout in..... bike, stairs, treadmill, hike, weights
You weigh a few things
You surf the web for something lighter
You checkout some summit photos

It's getting real

Can you say obsession?

[Dash]

I feel the same as you.....starting Jan 1st. 2013 becoming more real everyday!! Doubt and inspiration starting to balance.

[OzJacko]

You wake up, get hyped on coffee - go to work
You read WhiteBlaze to see who's complaining about what - read the Cyber Cafe to chill out
You wonder why some are always complaining - Think MAD magazine, Alfred E Neuman - "What me worry?"
You read about that one tidbit that might change your setup - Read Mad magazine and not worry.
You realize you're 6 months out from living your dream - apologise again to my better half that I'm going.
You get your workout in..... bike, stairs, treadmill, hike, weights - have lunch at KFC.
You weigh a few things - Consider a pack with a bigger hip belt.
You surf the web for something lighter - Surf the web for something warmer - You guys live in a COLD country!
You checkout some summit photos - Go for a short hike and take more photos.

It's getting real - It's bloody real.

Can you say obsession? - I've read all the books, done with all the obsession, I'm just chillin till it's TIME!

CHEERS!
Seeya there mate!

[10-K]

Add one more:

You realize it's over and all that planning, work, and effort is no more.

At this point you'll either become a hiker and at the very least you'll have a great story to tell the rest of your life.

[OzJacko]

Add one more:

You realize it's over and all that planning, work, and effort is no more.

At this point you'll either become a hiker and at the very least you'll have a great story to tell the rest of your life.

Well...
The AT in 2013 is locked in,
The Camino in 2014 is heavily pencilled in,
The Overland Track in Tasmania, the Hadrians Wall Walk and Offas Dyke in the UK are waiting for their year to be allocated,
and the Mont Blanc Curcuit will fit in there somewhere too.
Throw in at least another full end 2 end on the Bibbulmun and a big section of the Australian Alps Walk and I reckon I'm still going to be planning, working and efforting for a bloody long time to come.

[OzJacko]

''' and by the time I get through all that it'll be time for a 10 year reunion hike with my fellow 2013 AT hikers...

[Mulungu]

Well...
The AT in 2013 is locked in,
The Camino in 2014 is heavily pencilled in,
The Overland Track in Tasmania, the Hadrians Wall Walk and Offas Dyke in the UK are waiting for their year to be allocated,
and the Mont Blanc Curcuit will fit in there somewhere too.
Throw in at least another full end 2 end on the Bibbulmun and a big section of the Australian Alps Walk and I reckon I'm still going to be planning, working and efforting for a bloody long time to come.

Hi Oz
just finished mont blanc this year so that's one down and lots to go. It was awesome, marvellous, outstanding.
doing some rearvh for a long walk in your part of the world hopefully in 2015.
Thinking of trail blazing a 2200 km walk from cape town to Durban next year.

Aah but first things first, let's get this trail beaten and then we can sort out the rest. No harm in dreaming with a cold one in the hand around the Barbie. It's spring and we have the whole summer and in fact Americas summer to look forward to. A whole year of summer. That's great.

[OzJacko]

Hi Oz
just finished mont blanc this year so that's one down and lots to go. It was awesome, marvellous, outstanding.
doing some rearvh for a long walk in your part of the world hopefully in 2015.
Thinking of trail blazing a 2200 km walk from cape town to Durban next year.

Aah but first things first, let's get this trail beaten and then we can sort out the rest. No harm in dreaming with a cold one in the hand around the Barbie. It's spring and we have the whole summer and in fact Americas summer to look forward to. A whole year of summer. That's great.

Yeah Mulungu - let's knock this one off first.

When you look at a hike in my part of the world consider the Bibbulmun.
It doesn't have the "iconic" status of the Overland Track but it's a damn sight longer (and free) and I would love to see fellow AT hikers come here for a crack at it.
Think of it as an easy and scenic Virginia. Not that Virginia isn't scenic but we have ocean!

[coach lou]

''' and by the time I get through all that it'll be time for a 10 year reunion hike with my fellow 2013 AT hikers...

Oz, I don't see the Intermountain West on that list. Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado...........really awesome part of our country.........okay, it gets real cold there

[OzJacko]

Oz, I don't see the Intermountain West on that list. Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado...........really awesome part of our country.........okay, it gets real cold there

The JMT is on the list but I forgot to include it.
The Camino, the JMT and the Overland Track are all on my wife's list (a bit lower than on my list) so they are pretty well dead certs.
I must admit there is a little bit of me that is considering triple crown, but I'm suppressing it until at least 2015 and then might let myself start thinking it out loud.

[coach lou]

The JMT is on the list but I forgot to include it.
The Camino, the JMT and the Overland Track are all on my wife's list (a bit lower than on my list) so they are pretty well dead certs.
I must admit there is a little bit of me that is considering triple crown, but I'm suppressing it until at least 2015 and then might let myself start thinking it out loud.

So many beautiful places............so little time!

[OzJacko]

So many beautiful places............so little time!

Ahh but I go back to my thoughts on another thread about measuring how old you are.
Having so many places to think about is the way to believe you're young.

[coach lou]

Ahh but I go back to my thoughts on another thread about measuring how old you are.
Having so many places to think about is the way to believe you're young.

I'm sure you believe as I do, I've been in the prime of life for 35 years now

[OzJacko]

I must still be young.
I'm flitting between reading WB and watching the Grand Prix.
Still a revhead at heart!

[WhiplashEm]

Thru-hiking next year has become so burned into my brain that I've started getting my years confused and thinking that it's already 2013 instead of 2012. It's becoming a problem, especially when i have to date my signature on things.

[Jeff]

Always love to listen to the enthusiam by next years class of hikers. It is indeed the adventure of a lifetime.

[Knndyka]

Starting March 2013. Real is how it's starting to feel. I seem to have the same symptoms of obsession!

[Josh Calhoun]

Starting Feb the 16th, i spend more time at work on whiteblaze and trail journals than i actually do work. i spend most evenings walking my dogs with my back pack on. i have ready 6 AT books in the last couple months. i have unpacked and packed my ULA more times than i can count. i am for sure obsessed. having a passion for something is usually the difference between leaving the trail or finishing. its just a waiting game now.

[colorado_rob]

Nice thoughts. wow. counting the days to mid-April 2013 ! 7 months, 20 work days per month, that's 140 work days. Subtract 12 days of Holidays (xmas, thanksgiving, new years) ... subtract another 15 days for accrued vacation time... maybe a couple/few "sick" days.... wow, only ~110 working days until The Event !

I've probably read the same 6 books, Josh. Now starting some PCT books, just for variety!

Cool thread, thanks.

[Josh Calhoun]

i havent thought about it like that rob, sounds even sooner then!