Greener Grass - Appalachian Trail

imported
#1

All I want to do is hike. In 2005 I did around 1,700 miles on the AT and than returned to civilization to start and finish my master’s degree. While my peers are currently working on their PhD’s I held off to gain more clinical experience before starting mine. During this process my mind has been wondering back to the trail. I don’t live far from Denis Cove Rd. where I have done some day hiking around Watauga Lake, but what I find is that those day hikes feed my desire to long distance hike. When I should be working on an article that a colleague asked me to co-author I am instead looking online at the PCT, CDT, AT, trailforums, ect… and wanting to be on the trail and “in the moment”. Thoughts: can I pull another trip off? What about my girlfriend? Money? Student loans? I do get a monthly disability check from the Army, but in the long run is the grass going to be greener on he other side?

manfire

#2

Not to be pessimistic, but who says there will be a long run? My thoughts are, if you have a true desire, why not go for it now while you are sure that you can?

EricM

#3

i thru’d in 2005 and for a while i kept wondering why i’d still dwell more than my friends about our hike. what i think a lot of it was, was that they picked up other jobs or hobbies or girls that they focused on as much as we did hiking. now that i’ve done the same i can concentrate on adventures of a different sort.

plus you just have to move on eventually or it’s unhealthy. The AT to me has become like the girl you love but who broke up with you. you had your good times and thinking of going back seems nice, but it’s not really realistic.

0101

#4

my realistic thoughts: when you get into the real world and break free from the chains of academia, you will find more of a longing to be free and do things like the AT. the difference will be your girlfriend will maybe be your wife, you will have kids, a mortgage, bills, and be roped into having massive bills to pay that will require you to be at work. you have 2 choices. 1) have your fun now.
2) get a job that allows you financial freedom with an understanding lady and book awesome trips in the future. by the way…thank you for your service to our country.

vibedog

#5

Thanks people,
I have been reading your posts and I am finding them helpful.

manfire

#6

When I was in college, nearly everyone of my classmates said that they were going to travel.

But, then they didn’t, as after college, with the passage of time, their priorities changed: work, love, marriage, children, work, mortgage, putting their children through school and so forth.

My suggestion is that you do now what appeals to you now. If you put it off, you may not do it later, not necessarily because you couldn’t make it happen, but because your priorities will change over time.

Conan

Conan

#7

I have hiked sections of the AT every decade since the 60’s. Shortest hikes were in the 60’s, 50 milers with the Boy Scouts. 70’s did a few month long hikes and by the 80’s I was doing 3 and even once, a 4 month hike. Last two trips out were 6 week trips. I measure my hikes in time spent on the trail, not miles hiked. I have hiked several hundred miles in one direction and turned around and hiked the other direction, exploring side trails all along the way. If you are dreaming about the trail, live your dream. If you don’t have time, finance’s, etc., adapt. Make it happan. Find some time and save some money. Get on a trail for a week or two and see how it effects your thinking. Some of my best accomplishment in life have been after a good dose of the AT.

Bob

#8

It took afew decades for the dream to be real for me. At the mid-point of life (that old assumption) I pulled a ten thousand dollar equity loan to thru the AT in 05’. Half for me, and half for the mortgage. Worth every cent of the finance charge…

fishngame