~ A.T. FAQ ~
Are you serious?
Yes.
Why would you want to do
that?
Because I can.
Those are the two questions that I am most
commonly asked so I figured I would get them out of the way as soon as
possible. The rest of the questions are a little more serious, or may have
answers that are not obvious to someone who doesn’t enjoy hiking and
backpacking. Either way, I have been asked all of them at least once since I
announced my intentions to stop working and walk for 5 months. I will do my
best to answer them as appropriately as possible and hope that I do not offend
you.
How
long will it take?
That depends on the hiker but the average
is anywhere from 4-7 months. I am hoping to complete it in about 5, give or
take a week. Fun facts: there are approximately 165,000 blazes and it takes
roughly 5 million steps to go from one terminus to the other!
Are
you going to walk the whole way?
That’s the general idea. Thru-driving
seemed too risky, especially on some of the trails in the
What
is a blaze?
A blaze is what marks the trail. They are
2”x6” white strips painted onto trees, rocks, et cetera that indicate which way
you are to travel. At trail junctions and crossings, you will find two blazes,
indicating which direction you need to take. Other colored blazes (i.e. blue)
indicate side trails or trails to shelters/water sources.
What
will you eat?
Other, weaker
thru-hikers. Oh come
on, I’m kidding! (I was recently advised that thru-hikers are scrawny and chewy
and that I’d be better off sticking to a steady diet of day hikers since they
are generally meatier). Truthfully, I’ll be eating whatever I can get my hands
on. Most of a thru-hikers diet consists of rice and pasta based dishes because
they are easy to prepare, high in carbs, and
relatively inexpensive. I’m not much of a backcountry gourmet so I plan on
eating whatever just needs hot water added to it.
How
do you get your food?
One of two ways, for the most part. I plan
on doing most of my food shopping in trail towns, every 5-7 days. This seems a
better option for me so I can buy what I am craving and be a bit more flexible.
The second option is to have pre-packaged mail drops sent to a town you will be
stopping in. I plan on having 4-5 maildrops throughout
my time on the trail. Many hikers have more, I think I’ve read about those with
up to 20 maildrops. I just don’t want to be that
reliant on post office hours.
How
long does it take to plan?
For me? Apparently 25 years!!! Actually,
I’ve been serious about doing it since April 2005. It takes however much time
you have I think. Some people plan for years, others for a couple of weeks, and
I’m sure there are some that don’t plan one iota. They just hike. It is mostly
about what your comfort level is.
Who
hikes the A.T.?
Anyone that wants to, really. There are
people of all ages, shapes and sizes out there on the trail. If I had to guess,
I would say the majority of the people out there are in their early 20’s.
However, there are a lot of middle-aged folks and retired ones that have been
dreaming about this for a long time. It’s a physical challenge, but it’s just
as much a mental one. I read a trail journal the other day of a guy who stopped
hiking because he didn’t realize how hard it was going to be for him to be away
from his family. It’s a commitment that takes a lot of strength in more ways
than one.
Where
do you sleep?
Wherever I want. I am bringing a
one-person tent (Sierra Designs Mach 1, to be precise) and plan on spending
many a night in that. Otherwise, there are shelters and lean-to’s scattered
along the A.T. every 5-15 miles, I’d say. They are mostly three-sided shelters
that can sleep from 8-12 people and are generally located near a good water
source. Shelters are first come, first serve so if you get there and there’s no
room, hope you have another option! In addition, there are hostels in many of
the trail towns where hikers can stay for a minimal fee (probably $10-$15 per
night). I hope to spend the vast majority of my nights in my tent, preferably
with a great view to wake up to.
What
about, um, going to the bathroom?
I hold it for 5 months. Most shelters and
lean-to’s that are on the trail have a privy/outhouse for use. Some are quite
nice, like the Cloudland Privy at Thistle Hill Shelter in
What
is a “trail name”?
A trail name is a nickname that is given
to one while they are hiking. Usually the name will come from something dumb
you do, say or wear. Typically, you do not choose your own name, your name
chooses you. For example, there was a girl thru-hiking a couple of years ago
that almost set the shelter on fire with her gas stove. Hence, she was known as
Scorch from that point forward. The nice thing about trail names is that you
could meet ten “
Are
you going alone?
When I first planned on doing this, yes, I
was planning on going solo. However, things have changed and I am now going to
be accompanied by my boyfriend. He has wanted to hike the A.T. for a long time
as well and I guess my excitement rubbed off on him and he’s decided to come
along. We are both carrying our own gear, meaning we will be self-sufficient.
We are not sharing tents or any other gear because the reality is, there may be
days when we don’t see each other. Actually, the reality is, he hikes at
roughly mach 5 and I don’t.
What
if it rains or snows?
I’ll quit and go home. I placed my “no
precipitation” order months ago so I expect Mother Nature will comply. Hey,
it’s part of the hike. I’ve got cold weather gear and rain gear. Unfortunately,
there will be days we will be walking in miserable weather, but it’s all part
of the journey. I’m sure I will have days on end of being wet and tired, but
that’s simply not enough to send me home. By leaving a bit later in the season,
I am hoping to avoid extended periods of snow in the Smokies,
but you just never know. The best you can do is to be prepared for the worst
and hope for the best.
Are
you carrying a gun?
Yup. I’m carrying a bazooka. Or an Uzi. I
haven’t decided yet. Are you kidding me? Of course I’m not carrying a gun! I’d
probably shoot my dang feet off. That and it’s not a necessity, in my opinion.
The trail is probably the safest place to be.
Aren’t
you afraid of bears?
Hell yeah I’m afraid of bears! Especially
grizzlies and momma bears! BUT, I also have spent a lot of time in the
wilderness and know that if I respect them, they will do the same. I don’t plan
on doing anything to attract their attention, such as dousing myself in honey
and sneaking up on them in the underbrush. It is also important to “bear bag”
your food and scented items (toothpaste, etc). By bear bag, I mean, food is to
be hung on a tree branch, about 12-15 feet from the ground and 8 feet from the
trunk of the tree. You should cook 150 feet from your tent and hang your bag
about the same distance. Sleeping with your food is not a wise choice as nylon
is not an acceptable form of bear protection.
Are
you afraid of crazy people in the woods?
Newsflash: I AM one of those crazy people
in the woods. They aren’t the ones I’m afraid of because I know they are crazy!
I’m more concerned about the loonies in the trail towns. It’s important, especially
for females, to be careful about talking about your hiking plans or destination
when in trail towns. That’s probably more dangerous than anything, and it’s
about being smart.
Won’t
you be bored?
Not in a million years. It’s not just
walking, it’s an adventure. It’s a challenge physically, mentally, and
spiritually. There are amazing views, amazing wildernesses, and amazing people
the entire length of the trail. I’ve never been bored for a minute while hiking
and backpacking. I will have a lot of time, yes, but I am looking forward to it
because it will be MY time. Being away from the “normal routine” of fast meals,
fast cars and technology gives me the time to stop and really see what is
around me.
What
are you going to do after your hike?
After summiting Katahdin,
I
don’t get it.
It’s okay. Not a lot of people do. The
beauty of it is that you don’t have to get it.
~ Home ~*~ About Me ~*~ Journal ~*~ Gear List ~*~ A.T. Links ~*~
Contact Me ~