Your opinion about giving it up for the trail

[AtlantaDave]

Hello everyone. For a year or so now I have been thinking about hiking the Appalachian Trail. For some reason it is something that has been tugging at me constantly. I enjoy getting out and hiking when I can. I am 43 and single (possible mid-life crisis). A manager at a small telecom company. Live in an apartment in Atlanta. Closest family is about 750 miles away (New Jersey). In order to do this I would have to leave my job, put all of my things in storage along with purchasing my own health insurance etc. My employer would probably give me a job when I returned if possible. I could not say for sure that I would have a job upon return and would not expect them to give me my position back. I have enough disposable cash, from what I can tell, to do this but I am by no means rich. I would love to hear from those who were in the same position and what the outcome was. Look forward to hearing from you. Appreciate it.

[Rasty]

You personal situation is almost perfect for doing a thru hike.

[Texasgrrl]

I have had the same thought. I think the experience would be so life-affirming that it would make up for the inconvenience of reestablishing the job/home/etc.

[AtlantaDave]

Thank you Texasgrrl. I think so too. My family and friends tell me it is something for the young (just out of school) or retired. I think I will be working until dead or incapable of working.

[geomaniac]

I am in the same position. I doubt I will be able to get my job back, but after over 20 years there I am quite tired of it anyway. I am planning a 2014 hike now and have already turned in my notice at work. My biggest issue is I own a house :>(

[geomaniac]

Thank you Texasgrrl. I think so too. My family and friends tell me it is something for the young (just out of school) or retired. I think I will be working until dead or incapable of working.

This is what my thinking was too. I know I dont want to work until I am dead, life has to have more meaning than that!

[misterfloyd]

Atlanta Dave,

I was skimming thought the posts and I had to respond to yours.

Before commiting to doing a thru hike, do some sections. Long two week sections.

I did springer to Fontana Dam two weeks this last summer and loved every bit of it. Then maybe make the commitment to a thru hike.

I'm 47 and dare I say, "at our age" taking months off, at least for me, and expecting our old jobs back is a lot to expect. A tru hike is a whole different can of beans than an over nighter a weekend, or a week. My biggest worry is that you make the commitment, quit your job, find out that you did not enjoy it, and then come back and your out of luck. I don't know what you experience level is but find out if you like it first, and gain experience.

I will say this: If you have the will, and plan properly, and the means, do it! Life is short! If I could do it, I would do it without thinking!!!

I'm in education and I already look forward to taking a big bite this summer. By the end of the school year I'm hurting from all the BS and it is a soothing balm.

I hope this helps in some small way.

Best,
Floyd

[AtlantaDave]

That had to be a really tough decision egomaniac! Owning a home would really make it tough! You seem "all in". I hope the best for you. I have been looking at an April 1 date for 2014.

[AtlantaDave]

Thank you Floyd for the comments. They are very true. I plan to take a few longer hikes between now and when I make the decision. I try and think how to prep for the trail, but then I realize the magnitude of it and I am back to square one.

[Texasgrrl]

My profession (critical care RN) is easy to get back into after a hiatus but my challenge is two fold: my house and (more importantly) my dogs...I just don't know if I could be away from them for several months.

[hikerboy57]

this past march i quit my job selling cars and hiked from springer to damascus. came home completely broke.when i got back, my boss gave me my job back, and he already knows im taking 5 months off next year. im 56,kids are grown, single, and i rent an apartment.i am by no means independently wealthy. have no retirement fund, never really intended to live this long.my boss told me he envies me, that i just dont give a ****.
one thing you find out on a long distance hike, things just fall into place, if you stop worrying. the trail provides, even when you come off trail.
go for it.

[AtlantaDave]

Thanks hikerboy57. Love the "have no retirement fund, never really intended to live this long". I do have a retirement fund that I could use as "oh *****" money. Thanks for the reply.

[grgs]

You could see if your employer has a leave of absence policy.

[Spirit Walker]

My husband was an engineer, who decided to thruhike at 53. He rented his house and went on the AT. When he came back, his job was, no surprise, gone. It took about 5 months to get another one. A year later, recession hit (early to 90's) and he was out of work for another year, along with most of his department. He did finally find a job, worked for several years, but then quit his job and went hiking again for two years (CDT and then PCT). He got another job within a month of returning that time. We bought a house. Five years later, we sold the house and went hiking again. That time though, he was retired, so no job worries.

As for me - I worked in retail to save money for my first thruhike. Quit and put my stuff in storage and hiked the AT. I moved to San Francisco, got another low level office job, saved money and went hiking on the AT again four years later. Moved east to be with my hiking partner and was able to get an office job pretty quickly. When we returned from our CDT and PCT hikes, I was working again within a few months. After our second CDT hike, I didn't look for another job because a) we wanted to do more travelling, and b) recession was on and there was little point.

IOW - whether or not you get a job upon returning from thruhiking depends on your skill set and to some extent, luck in avoiding bad recessions. It is definitely a good idea to have some real cash reserves, just in case you either can't find a job, or just aren't ready to go back to work immediately after finishing your hike.

[AtlantaDave]

Thank you for your comments Spirit Walker. Very impressive! You seem to maneuver through life just fine and make the most of it.

[AtlantaDave]

You could see if your employer has a leave of absence policy.

Thanks grgs, I will check on it.

[Starchild]

I gave up a very very small telecom consulting company last summer to hike the trail. Part of the reason is I didn't want to go back to it but wanted to transition to something that better suits who I am. As for the outcome, I am still transitioning back from the trail and have realized a possible next step.

The key difference is you look like you want to go back to your former job (though the trail may change that*), I went into it knowing I didn't.

* the trail changes many thing, so you may decide not to go back to your former work enroute.

[AtlantaDave]

I gave up a very very small telecom consulting company last summer to hike the trail. Part of the reason is I didn't want to go back to it but wanted to transition to something that better suits who I am. As for the outcome, I am still transitioning back from the trail and have realized a possible next step.

The key difference is you look like you want to go back to your former job (though the trail may change that*), I went into it knowing I didn't.

* the trail changes many thing, so you may decide not to go back to your former work enroute.

Thanks Starchild. I'm not really sure if I would want to go back to my job (position I am in now). I enjoy the people I work with but not necessarily the job itself. Appreciate the reply.

[Lone Wolf]

AtlantaDave, if you don't hit the AT this spring i'll search you out and put a boot in your azz! NOW is the time to do it

[AtlantaDave]

AtlantaDave, if you don't hit the AT this spring i'll search you out and put a boot in your azz! NOW is the time to do it

Thanks Lone Wolf. I hope you don't have big feet!