AT Tats

Plenty of AT tattoos to view online.

Some go with the AT map:

(via Trail Journals)

Variations of the AT symbol are very popular:

(via img arcade)

The boot print tats are some of my favorites:

(via Appalachian Trials)

This is a little too much:

(via Trail Journals)

Nifty Idear

How much fuel is left in your canister?

AT Hiker Journals & Blogs

Reading online journals and blogs posted by successful thru-hikers is a great help.  I've adjusted my "plan" here and there after getting a better feel for what will (and won't) work for me.

Finished reading Chelsea Walking last night and must rate it as one of the best I've seen so far.  It's very informative, has plenty of great pictures, and the timing was right:  her 2014 North-bound thru-hike was done around the same time of year I'll be on the trail in '15.

Her blog has it all.  She dealt with wild weather (ice/snow/lightning), foot issues (blisters & missing toenails), and a few jackasses along the trail.  She enjoyed great views, spent time on the trail with wonderful hiking buddies, and ran into some fantastic trail magicians.

If you'd like to read it from the beginning, start here.

I walked 10 miles the first day and plan to keep this pace for the next two weeks or so even though I'm itching to tack on more mileage. It's not worth the risk of injury as my body adjusts to the extra weight of my pack and this ridiculously awesome day to day activity of waking.

Wow!

After nine years of bloggin' 'bout swimmin' I just figgerd out how ta post by phone!

 

Pic is from Yellerstone trip a few years back. 

 

From my Android phone on T-Mobile. The first nationwide 4G network.

Footwear

Asolo Neutron are the boots I'll be starting out with.  Wanted something to keep feet warm and dry.  They're very comfortable and Gore-Tex® should help with the keeping dry issue.

Trail Names

As an early-starter, I won't be seeing many folks out on the trail for the first few weeks.

I guess I could wait until March for someone to tag me with something.

It could be Stinky.  Maybe Sweaty.  Possibly Baldy.  Maybe they'd roll it all into one, like StinkySweatyFattyBaldySlowPoke.

I'll just go with one my 6th grade P.E. teacher in Hilton, N.Y. gave me:

Zipper

It took me many years to figure that one out...

Gear Lists Galore

After going through list after list, I've purchased most of my thru-hiking gear.  I still have clothing (everything from Darn Tough socks to compression shorts) and a few other items on my wish-list.

Here's what I've got (so far).  Knowing there are a wide variety of opinions on what a thru-hiker should take with him/her, I'm certain there will be many folks who'd do it differently.  Cost, comfort, weight, etc. go into the decisions for each hiker.

I didn't get all the "top of the line" gear, but it wasn't all that cheap, either.  Tried to stay lightweight, but that's not always possible.  If (when?) I make changes on trail, I'll give updates.

Edited by adding links (not necessarily where I purchased item).

Tent:

Eureka Apex 2 - more room (claustrophobic) and free-standing








Sleeping Bag:

Eureka Casper 15F Long - synthetic for cold/damp conditions






Backpack:

Osprey Exos Large - lightweight, roomy, great reviews











Trekking Poles:

Easton BC AL3 Anti-Shock Cork - REI closeout, didn't want to spend the big bucks










Cooking System:

JetBoil Flash - all-in-one, easy to use/pack










Sleeping Pad:

Therm-a-Rest Z Lite Sol Large - lightweight, no leaks, fold-up










Rain Gear:

Frogg Toggs - cheap, lightweight, recommended by Leon (my outdoorsman son)










Headlamp:

Black Diamond Cosmo Blue - 4 to 90 lumens, up to 50 meters, strobe, single red LED, water-resistant (we shall see)

Springer Fever

Yeah, I've got an acute case of Springer Fever.  Complete description of the "disorder" is here.

For Use as Medical Reference Only:

SPRINGER FEVER

Springer fever is the physical and mental condition which can affect people of all ages, but most commonly those in transition: pre- or post-college age, empty-nesters, and retirees. It indiscriminately afflicts people of all shapes and sizes, transcending all educational, intellectual, and socioeconomic levels.

Yes, I spend a lot of time checking out thru-hiker journals.  I have been gathering gear, checking out clothing, and putting together a tentative schedule.  Pretty geeky, right?

(via Your Gear World)

(via Airsoft & Military Newsblog)

Yeah, even a few "practice" cooks on my JetBoil Flash:  experimenting with adding fudge brownie mix to oatmeal and instant potatoes to ramen noodles.  All good!

Countdown to Springer

(via Trail Journals)

Tough to put a countdown together when you don't have a starting date, right?

I intend to start my AT thru-hike in early- to mid-February.  Actual start date will depend on transportation to north Georgia and weather forecasts.

I hope to be on the trail no later than the 15th, or around three months from now.

"Paul" posted recently on the question "Should you tell people that you're hiking the Appalachian Trail?  What if you fail?"  Read it here.

Roughly 70-80% of attempted AT thru-hikes end in failure. Or, rather, only 20-30% of folks planning to hike the entire AT in one calendar year finish. Should we, the upcoming class of 2015 (or ’16, ’17, etc), even tell people about our plans? What if we fail?!

Too late for me to ask that question, since I've told quite a few people already...