Maps!

In a world overwhelmed by GPS devices and talking dashboards, I am very happy to have received the AT Trail map set. 33 double sided topographic maps in total that we will use to guide us Northbound towards Maine. Thanks to Mom and Dad for helping out with this investment in guidance!

Promise Land

40 years ago, the night before Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in Memphis, TN, he addressed a crowd and spoke of seeing over the mountain top and on the other side, seeing the promise land.

This past November the promise land that MLK spoke of became the vision of all American's with hope... and today, the day our country has united for the dawn of a new age, a new generation of leadership, I am one of many who can now openly and honestly express pride for this Nation(a new and strange emotion). I am proud that we can overcome our differences and move forward as a human race with a common purpose.

I am excited for this new age... and for the 2200 miles ahead of me and Lex! We will pass by the capital city after about 90 days on the trail... perhaps there will be more to say then...

but for now I will enjoy this brief glimpse over the mountain top into what we can all hope really is the promise land!

G

Why this blog??

So a few people have inquired with surprise... "how are you going to do a blog on the trail... you won't have internet"

while that may be true for the most part... I am counting on one stop a week in a civilized place allowing me to stop, shower, and connect. That being a rather unpredictable and unreliable assumption, I am also hoping that you... my friends and family... will help keep this updated as I phone in and stay contacted, *I am in favor of all posts, fact or fiction.

I put this blog together for no good reason; but there was also no good reason not to. So now that it's started, might as well use it. if you subscribe to this, i think you get email notifications... which may be more than you want to commit to. But it'd be great to hear from folks, and I can't wait to keep you all in touch as Lexi and I wander our way through the woods.

You may also be wondering what this be all about? Well a bit o info for the newbies...the Appalachian Trail is a foot path marked with a white blaze (or so I'm told) starting at Springer Mnt in Georgia (just N of Atlanta on the border) that winds through Appalachians, Smokies, White Mountains, and ends up in Maine on Mnt Katahdin. Somewhere around 2200 miles in total and about 9,000 people have hike this trail since the early 1920's... most of that taking place in the past 40 years or so. About 2,000 people start in GA each year, and about 10% of them don't make it 3 days.... It is considered an urban adventure in contrast to the PCT and the CDT. however in contrasting it to these also great trails, it has more elevation change over its duration and is not graded for equestrian travel, making some areas more difficult to traverse *that last part is for you Joel.

We (lexi and I) plan on taking 120-150 days to meander the trail, or about 12-15 miles per day with a few days off (or zero days I hear it's called) along the way. I am planning the food and gear as we speak but the details are not very exciting. I will be gearing up in towns along the way and keeping a pack weight of about 35-40lbs for the first 2 months, maybe lighter as the weather warms up and we are better hikers.

Lexi is a Lab and German Shepard mix about 6 years old. She will have a pack and carry her water and food, but not much at first (1-2 lbs for the first month). She has expressed a great deal of excitment when asked about this journey, she would prefer to go unquoted here, but let's just say she too waits anxiously and is hoping the weather is warm and dry for the start (loose translation)

We depart Feb 23rd from California and hope to set foot on the trail March 1 2009. Any assistance, monetarily or emotionally is highly recomended, as you will find yourself vicariously joining this adventure by contributing somehow. Friends you may know along the way is also greatly appreciated...

Thinking of hiking in the name of the Middle Class. No one ever does anything nice for them so here's to the working people...

G

Hurry up and wait

When you make plans to do something ambitious, your first concern is that you won't even start it...never mind not finish it. and as the time passes leading up to the departure; excitement, anxiety, and a laundry list of other odd emotions come and go making the wait seam almost like a dream. In planning to go hike the AT I've gotten the office tasks covered, and the bills paid, and the gear ready, and a bit of training... listened to advice from friends and family... but in the preparation status of walking from Georgia to Maine, all I can really do is hurry up and wait.

40 days to go!