About My Trip

ABOUT MY TRIP

Since I was assigned to Fort Benning, Georgia in the mid-1970's, I have had a dream of hiking the entire length of the Appalachian Trail (AT). I found out about the trail by reading some of the accounts of hikers that appeared in magazines and newspapers and sought out more information. One thing led to another and before long I was planning a hiking trip for several of my work group and our sons. The first trip of four adults and our sons took place August 29 - September 1, 1975, when we traveled from the Amicalola Falls State Park to Woody Gap. The eight of us had so much fun that I planned and took additional trips in 1976 -  77 covering a total of 150 miles of trail. These trips included a combination of work peers, our sons and their friends and, in two cases, Chick came on hikes of 3 - 4 days. During this same period Chick, Kirk and I also got involved in volunteer work on the development of the Pine Mountain Trail in central Georgia. It was fun helping to build a trail that others could enjoy for years to come.

We left Fort Benning in 1977 for another military assignment and hiking the AT became virtually impossible, but the dream remained. I originally wanted to thru-hike the trail when I retired from the military in 1989, and my nephew Duane was willing to go with me, but my departure from the military was timed in such a way that it just wouldn't work. Our family financial status indicated strongly that I also needed a job and several months off wouldn't do. So the dream was postponed.

I recently retired from my second career in education and hiking the trail again became possible. I pulled out my equipment from 30 years ago to see what could be used again and found that what I had was seriously outdated. Backpacking equipment has improved tremendously in that time and is generally much better and lighter than before. Research on new equipment and purchase of items needed consumed the next three months. Now the necessary equipment has been purchased and I found it is also much more expensive than in the 1970's.

Training has also begun in earnest. Use of the gym at the Naval Reserve Base in Fort Worth has provided an excellent means of improving fitness. The stair climber has been the most effective way of increasing my leg strength and I use it 3 - 4 times a week. I have also hiked 3 - 4 times a week with a 25 - 30 pound pack up to 10 miles on the Trinity Trail (a hike and bike trail that is only a short distance from my house). Hopefully, the training will allow me to get going on the AT and improve my fitness further while on the hike.

I am looking forward to starting the hike, tentatively, around the last week of April (exact date yet to be determined). Since I will start the trail at Springer Mountain in northern Georgia, I will fly to Atlanta and then be delivered to the start point by a commercial shuttle service that is primarily dedicated to getting hikers to the trail.

Typically, hikers move on the trail for 4 - 7 days between resupply. This limitation is driven by the weight of the food you need to carry. Most hikers who have completed the trail are convinced you need about 2 pounds of food a day to keep your energy at an acceptable level. Since my base load without food (8 - 10 pounds) or water (another 2 - 4 pounds) will be about 22 pounds, I need to be careful. I don't want to have to go over 35 pounds max. My knees won't survive the extra strain. There are small towns located within walking or hitch-hiking distance of the trail where resupply can be completed at local grocery stores. An alternative is to have resupply boxes mailed to a post office near the trail and held for pickup. I will probably get most resupply from grocery stores, but will get some items through the mail from Chick.

When on the trail I will either stay in a trail shelter or in my tent. The shelters are generally three-sided structures that can accommodate 4 - 12 hikers. They are located several miles apart for the whole 2,174 miles. Sometimes they are full and a tent must be used. At other times I will not be near a shelter when I want to stop for the day and will use my tent at any campsite I can find (a space large enough to erect the tent with water nearby). Once every week or so I will find a place to shower, shave and wash clothes. There are several hiker hostels that will provide this opportunity. In other locations I may need to get a motel room.

Each year over a million hikers are on the Appalachian Trail. Most are out for a day hike, an overnight or a long weekend. Only about 2,000 are attempting to hike the entire trail, of which less than 25% are successful. There are often Boy Scout troops, church groups and others that are out for 2 - 3 days. There are some trail sections that have heavy traffic (e.g., Great Smoky Mountains National Park) while other areas (e.g., Maine) often have few hikers. Although I will not have a hiking partner or be a member of a group, I will frequently be hiking in proximity of others. Often small groups form that tend to hike separately during the day, but frequently meet at the same shelter each evening. These groups are ever changing, yet tend to draw support and enjoyment from their frequent association with each other.

I do plan to take a cell phone and charger. I understand the reception along much of the trail is spotty, particularly in Georgia, North Carolina and Maine. In other areas there should be little problem calling home. I'll have to charge the phone when I stay in a place with electrical outlets.

I'm looking forward to the challenge, the adventure and the beauty of nature. It will be very demanding with heat, humidity, rain, cold, insects, aching body and dirty smelly clothes. It will also be very rewarding and I am looking forward to the trip.