In roughly two months time I will once again be hiking the Appalachian Trail. There are multiple reasons for this happening. The biggest is I want to. This is clearly the simplest of reasons and the easiest to explain. It seems to me that after doing a long distance hike people fall into two general categories. Some people finish their hike, whether completing it or just ending it, and feel an enormous sense of relief that they are done. No longer are your days filled with the oft repetitive trudge that is long distance hikes. You can shower when you want, you don't have to worry about food or water, in short live seems easy.
Others finish a long distance hike and look back on the journey fondly. As you think of the rolling green hills of Virginia they seem quaint and welcoming, not monotonous and never ending like they seemed while you are in Virginia. These people view the past hike as a simpler easier time. Your concerns are limited to walk, food, water and walk some more. Compared to the rigors of the so called "civilized" life this can hold some appeal.
I fit firmly in this second group. When I think of the trail I remember how nice it was, how relaxing the inmate connection with nature was and how peaceful it was to have very few worries. The fact that my knees were so abused I could barely stand or that there were times when I could not eat enough food to not feel hungry don't hold much weight emotionally for me. I logically remember these things but that is different. Even knowing this I decided it might be fun to do it again.
The other large reason for my doing the trail again this year is it fits my schedule. Greta, I guess UV makes more sense here, is moving back to DC this spring and while I think I will most likely follow her it seems like it makes the most sense to allow her to figure things out there without me also having to figure my own stuff out. I could wait around in Maine while this is happening but that just doesn't sound like as much fun. LL Bean has already approved an extended leave of absence from my job there so I can spend time in the woods and have some sort of income waiting when I get done and then figure out what happens next.
Some of you might be wondering why I am doing the Appalachian Trail again and not another long distance trail. One reason is while UV had lyme disease last time we made very little miles and eventually had to skip some sections. I skipped Massachusetts, Vermont and southern New Hampshire. This isn't an enormous section of the trail and I still view the past hike as a success but part of me figures I might as well go for the whole thing again if I'm going to mess around in the woods. The other main trail options and the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) or the Continental Divide Trail (CDT). These trails both feature some desert portions in the southern ends of the trail. The idea of hiking for days and days without a natural water source strikes me as less then pleasant. This does not mean I completely rule out doing these trails ever but for now, while the AT still hold me enthralled, I figured I would do the trail that would be the easiest to plan.
I will once again be maintaining this blog of my journey with a few changes from last time. The more in-depth maps that my mom made for the early section of the trail last time will not happen this time. She will be busy biking from Mobile, AL to Niagara Falls, NY in the month of April and May and after that will be building a house. I am also toying with the concept of doing some videos from the trail. I am a tad unsure as to how that will work and if it is possible but I thought it might show people a bit more of trail life. In the coming couple months I will be doing some blog posts explaining the preparation I am doing this time for the trail and discussing gear choices I have made. I hope 2014 is another amazing year to walk in the woods.
