End Thru Hike? - Appalachian Trail

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#21

Good advice by all.

My question is - why did you want to do a thruhike? If you were looking for a fun time - well, for most of us, the AT isn’t really something I would consider fun, though it has its fun moments. As you have discovered, thruhiking is a matter of getting up every morning and walking for 8 or 10 hours, sometimes in really nasty weather, in heat or cold or rain, day after day after day. That isn’t always a lot of fun. Worthwhile, yes. Challenging, yes. Beautiful, yes. Happiness, yes. But not really a lot of fun. If you don’t really love to hike, if you don’t revel in spending time in nature, if you don’t like your own company much, if you need constant outside stimulation – well, thruhiking probably isn’t going to be a lot of fun. Some find their happiness in other people. Some enjoy setting themselves a challenge and following through on it, even when it is difficult (and sometimes the difficulty is more mental than physical). Some hate the trail, but keep hiking out of pride, or because they don’t want to go back home and look for a job again, but if there aren’t rewards in it for you, of one kind or another, chances are that if you don’t leave now, if you start skipping up the trail, you will end up going home sooner or later.

Spirit Walker

#22

Danny,
Something you said in your original post caught my eye. You’re thinking about all you’re missing and wouldn’t that be better/more fun than being where you are?
Maybe it would. If you’re still in Damascus and have some time, do a search on the net for Jim Owen’s “thru-hiking papers” - they’re dead on. The one thing he said that spoke to me was (paraphrase) “if you really want to be somewhere else than on the trail, then that’s where you should be”.

I had MANY moments where I wanted to be home in my snug house with cotton clothes waking up in my bed with my husband and pets. But in the end, where I truly wanted to be was on the Trail, hands down. But only you can figure that out. Good for you for questioning it though, it’s not a forced march, you made a goal, but you can change your goal, it’s YOUR hike, no one else’s.

Bluebearee

#23

http://www.aldhawest.org/perspective/THP_5.htm

Bluebearee

#24

A lot of responses which I appreciate very much, I’ll do my best to reply…

I don’t like bluegrass

“How will I feel if I do go home? (relief? sadness? it’s all a guess tho)” - I think this contains a very important point, “it’s all a guess tho”… I was trying to objectively analyze this, but there are just so many ways to look at it and so many things to consider I think the decision I make will in many respects be random

"If you think you’ve got the blues now, going to NH and ME during black fly season is not likely to make your mood any better. " - good point, i called up a friend yesterday who pointed out that the white mountains the weather can be pretty cold at night still and i’m just starting to enjoy temperate nights and mornings now, plus the flies in maine.

"How come you can’t find any good food on the A-T? " Chinese food in particular is bad here, the CheeseCake factory is the restaurant I’m looking for. Waitesr and waitresses are friendlier though, but oddly no restaurant will let me pay at my table, I always have to go to the cash register to pay… it isn’t like that in MA. I have a lot of thoughts on the trail and at some point in the next few weeks i’m going to make a long post on them and hopefully get some good discussion going.

“I’m advising you to quit. It could just be the BLUES” Yesterday I called my dad and a friend. My dad said it was okay if i came home and that if i wasn’t having a good time I should just come home. My friend put pressure on me and said this was part of the trail. My friend convinced me to stay on, I appreciate everyones advice but his in particular because right now I think his advice was the best.

" Haven’t you been ill recently" - yes, i hate squatting. Someone just taught me an interesting technique for going to the bathroom though that should make it easier for me, but it still has to be one of my least favorite parts of trail life. hopefully there are more privvies past damasucs (?)

“Being from NH I can tell you that you don’t want to come up here just yet… and it isn’t because of the black flies. I just hiked Moosiluakie on Saturday and there was over 2 feet of snow still on parts of the trail” - yup

“maintaining a few close friendships on the Trail means a lot–and can help to beat the Blues.” Yeah, the people I like the most are either quit (i’m pretty sure he quit anyway) or ahead of me (i’m going to try to catch up with them. this definitly played a part in my decision to quit. To be honest, I don’t like most of the people i’m with now.

Great quote by lombardi.

Well said Bilko

Spirit Walker, I’m not really sure what your point is, your post has discouraging overtones.

"“if you really want to be somewhere else than on the trail, then that’s where you should be”. " this might be a good way to look at whether i should keep going or not out here, it’s a good clear question. on the other hand, someone was talking earlier about focusing my mind and really, if i wasn’t spending my time the last couple days thinking about how nice it would be to paly poker again, or frisbee or whatever then i wouldn’t have created so much doubt in my mind

as i mentioned earlier, my friend convinced me to keep going, and that’s what i’m going to do. your responses didn’t help me make this decision because i made it before i got to this message board but i have to say, i did not expect 20 substantial responses. your support will strengthen my resolve.

what do i miss? poker, frisbee friends, movies etc. they’ll all be waiting for me when i get back though and i’ll just appreciate them that much more. i logged online and a bunch of friends messaged me their support definitly helped. my pack is a lot lighter now, i had a big gregory palisade when i started which i filled up, now my base packweight is about 16 pounds. i’m going to go back and hike 30 miles of the trail i skipped before, i feel like that compromised my trip some. anway, i’m going to keep going, that’s a great lombardi quote.

danny

danny

#25

i’m surprised more people don’t make posts like my original one (and hence get less responses because of so many similar posts)

danny

#26

QUOTE:danny. MSgt. Bilko here. You set yourself a goal, now go out and achieve it. You knew it wasn’t going to be easy. You said you were doing well physically, keep going. Being able to motivate yourself is the key to success. You set yourself a healthy , realistic goal keep working to achieve it. — This is good advice. Sometimes thinking of getting to Maine can become overwhelming. Pace yourself. Think I’m going to make it to Pearisburg… then when you get there think I am gong to make it to the SNP… then I am going to make it to Harper’s Ferry… and so on. The smaller goals are easier to accomplish.

But as I stated earlier if you should really want out, don’t let peer pressure get to you. It really is okay. BlueBearee’s post and web link is pretty good.

Good Luck, Sue/Hammock Hanger

Hammock Hanger

#27

Danny,
Not all bluegrass is the “inside of a bucket” twang.
Check out dawgnet on the web or even some of Jerry Garcia’s stuff. He had a life other than The Greatful Dead.
Talent is where you find it. Bluegrass is a wide… spectrum.
Peace

New Moon

#28

Well I can say that when my wife and I SOBO’ed last year, we had our down spots. Having a hiking partner really made things better. You also need to realize that you don’t have to just hike 8 hours a day. Carry a frisbee and play frisbee golf at lunch or at the shelter at night. The nice thing about this time of year is that the days are getting longer and you really only need to get to Katahdin before Oct. (Technically like Oct. 15). So don’t overdo the miles, but enjoy the ride. Hitch into fun towns, get good food where you can. I will tell you that north of TN there are more privies, so don’t give up…also try squating/sitting on a skinny fallen tree when you have to go and there are no privies…it helps a ton! One great thing about NOBOing it is if you wait 3 days, you’ll hit a whole new crowd. If you see Goggles on the trail, he’ll tell you all about it. You can also figure out how much weight you can carry and screw the extra clothes and tents, etc this summer and carry fun stuff like food, frisbees, etc. Make it a game sometimes and night hike, skinny dip…it gets better as you get north. Flip-flopping is a great idea, but don’t flip it till you can start in Maine around July 1. That is when we started and the people before us got eaten by the bugs, but we got to enjoy a ton of beautiful swimming and scenery…we even hiked 1000miles with a flip flopper named Zig Zag…

Good Luck…there will always be the time. Hey if you email me a mail drop site, I’ll send you some good food!!!

Mike Sanwald

#29

Realize how envious those of us working 8-5 every day are. I will tell you that I went through doubts on that existence. I sat it out a while. Minimal effort while I sorted things out. I did not make a hasty decision. Ultimately you must live life on your own terms. Be open to options – consider them all. Do what makes you smile. I’ve been rewarded by my choice. You will too. One thing I learned – there’s no hurry.

40by40 Job

#30

Yes, get off the trail please. You are the classic trail wimp and your negitive energy ruins the experience for other hikers. CCCCC yaaaaa

Sniten 01

#31

Well one negative a**hole out of 30 ain’t bad, is it?

If you’re not enjoying the hikers you’re with now, slow down or speed up to meet new people. In '02 I started getting bummed when my friends got ahead, but what I quickly found out is there is always interesting people that will catch up (if you go slow like me). Some of the closest Trail family I encountered I didn’t even meet until New England. And you never know, that really interesting hiker you met down South, you might bump into again 1000 miles later. The Trail is kinda funny like that.

But to break up the monotony try these “diversions”:
1)Hershey Park in PA
2)DC via the C&O towpath
3)NYC
4)Gettysburg
5)Cooter’s garage (from Dukes of Hazard) in Sperryville, VA
6)Research when some festivals, broadway shows, or your favorite band might be nearby and hitchhike to see it.
7)whitewater rafting in WV
8)buy a yo-yo or a harmonica and learn it
9)hike the rest of the Long Trail
10)most importantly, don’t send your frisbee home!
See where I’m going with this?

Your hike shouldn’t be all about the actual Trail–make it a journey to explore the unique diversity that is America and strive to meet as many people and see as many things as you can squeeze into your hike. You’ll be better off for it. Just remember there is no such thing as too many zero days, espcially the ones spent on the Trail :wink:

Just my two cents . . .

Cap’n

#32

If you have seriously weighed all the pros and cons and still can’t make up your mind - even after all the good advice you received - find a quarter and flip that sucker. Make a decision!! You waffle back and forth and enough is enough. You sound like a little kid at the ice cream truck who can’t make up their mind.

pooh

#33

Things could be worse Danny…you could be in Iraq squatting in the desert instead of on the AT. And I am sure the food on the AT is a little better then in Iraq. When I get tired on the trail I try to think of other places I would rather NOT be and there are many. Try sitting in front of a computer; bored and watching your company outsource all your work while you do 8 jobs at once.

Hang in there

#34

in Sperryville unfortunately closed last Fall. He’s concentrating on his other shop in Gatlinburg, plus other pursuits. But the other suggestions are still good AFAIK, Cap’n!

“Skyline”

#35

Danny,in your post you mentioned something about not being able to pay your bill at the tables in the restaurants back there.Did I read that correctly???If that is an irritant to you,you need to go back home and marvel at the comforts of yer terlit.I was in support of your hike and taking some time to decide whether to continue or not.At this point,after seeing your list of complaints about the trail,in my opinion you should leave it.:boy

Bill Harris

#36

Right on Bill!!!

Sniten 01

#37

The nice thing about this time of year is that the days are getting longer and you really only need to get to Katahdin before Oct. (Technically like Oct. 15).

I want to get back by early september for college, i was a freshmen in college last year and took the last semester off.

! One great thing about NOBOing it is if you wait 3 days, you meet new crowd

thsi is on the on the plan

You can also figure out how much weight you can carry and screw the extra clothes and tents, etc this summer and carry fun stuff like food, frisbees, etc. Make it a game sometimes and night hike, skinny dip

that’s a good way to look at it. I forget if i said this already, but i just reduced my pack weight drastically (my pack weights 16 without water and food which i am very proud of) so I should have extra space in my pack to have fun with.

Good Luck…there will always be the time. Hey if you email me a mail drop site, I’ll send you some good food!!!

wow, amazingly generous gesture which i will definitly take you up on.

“Ultimately you must live life on your own terms”

yup, wellsaid

“don’t send your frisbee home”

i love frisbee, i tried getting a game together but unfortunately no one was interested

"I gots just the rite thing for them trale blues. I know this gurl "

what’s her number?

Bill Harris, I just went back and read your first post which I thought you put really well. My comment about not being able to pay the bill at a table in restaurants was an observation, not a complaint (although it is nice, why is it like that here in the south?). What list of complaints? If i made it sound like there were a lot of small things bothering me out here i didn’t mean to, because there aren’t

danny

#38

Danny,the first post I sent was in support of your taking some time to decide if you wanted to continue.My second post was after you complained about certain things on the trail.That indicated to me that your thoughts and efforts were not conducive to getting on with your hike.I’m sure before you left for your hike,you had a goal in mind(as Bilko stated)and, that was to Thru-Hike the AT.So get er done.Sorry if I mis-read your posts,but you know how us southerners are.This will be my last post on this topic.
Everyone have a great time at trail days…:cheers

Bill Harris

#39

Danny-
I have heard that if you hike the whole trail, in one trip, it will make your penis bigger.

Bandito

#40

Bandito, then I need to hike it at least four times.

Cygnus