Pre-hike doubts

imported
#1

Anyone else experiencing these sort of pre-hike doubts?

Examples: I hate the cold. Why would I want to go hike and be guaranteed cold weather? Ditto rain.

What if I’m not planning enough?

I have some money saved. What if it’s not enough? Am I SURE this is how I want to spend that money? 5000 would buy 6 months vacation in Costa Rica, relaxing on the beach. Why spend it hiking?

What if all my ducks don’t line up (I have a house to sell before I can really be sure I can go)? What if I have to CANCEL, and tell everyone I’m not going?

What if my cat forgets me? What if my significant other forgets me?

These are my doubts that creep in. Most are irrational. I’m sure everyone has something they doubt, the specifics aren’t really important. But - how do you handle these?

I am trying to “go on despite the fear” as they say. It’s working alright, it’s just nice to hear of other people going through the same thing.

nunyet

#2

:cheers
Pre-hike (pre trip) doubts always creep up on me early, normally means to me anyway that I have yet to truely decide to do the trip. Once I have truely decided as I have with the A.T, my excitement tends to buildup till the day I’m heading out. The day I’m headed out I tend to crash and burn as the excitement final leaves, probably why some say not to do to much the first day (hiking, etc).

In Regards,

Andrew van Ees

andrew van ees

#3

Your pre-hike doubts are completely normal, I wouldn’t sweat them one bit. Almost all thru-hikers spend their pre-hike time wondering whether this decision is the right one, because yes it is sort of a gamble to put your “life” on hold for half a year, and the people at home will make you feel this way for sure. I was in this spot 2 yrs ago and vividly remember spending december/jan/feb not only planning for the hike, but seriously worrying about quitting, being too cold, getting bored, hating the rain, being alone etc… You really have nothing to worry about. Talking to other 05’ hikers on this site and elsewhere is a great way to settle some of the anxiety.

One thing though that I noticed was you mentioning Costa Rica. (I’m dying to go there myself!). One way to make sure a thru-hike is the right thing for you is to make sure it is the single most important thing in your life while you are hiking. If your heart is somewhere else, well then you’ll most likely end up off trail. I saw this happen to people on the trail. Not saying anything negative, it’s just best to make sure you are fully commited before you start.

A-Train

#4

I don’t know if you ever DO “handle” these worries. You just have them. I had them up until the moment I set foot on both the Long Trail (1 month) and the AT (6.5 months). And then they went away.

I will say that, if this is where you are meant to be, it will all work out. I loved that about the Trail. By Harper’s Ferry, I’d even given up - gasp! - not only heavy-duty worrying, but even middle-weight worrying. I was content with banter-weight worrying, like “I wonder if already ate my last Snicker bar?” or, “Did I leave my Aqua Mira at the last water source?”. By then there was such a faith that everything would work out, I could just lay back on life.

Funny thing, now that I’m back in town life, I’m back to worrying. Funny thing.

Jan LiteShoe

#5

I agree with A-Train. It seemed to me that one had to be absolutely certain they wanted to hike/thru, or else you start thinking on those tough days or weeks of all the other things you could be doing. For me, it was a matter of making the hike the most important thing I could be doing for the next six months. Little questions always popped up and will until you leave, but you just gotta prioritize. Easier said than done, of course.

0101

#6

I think hiking doubts are just like other doubts. Like any major change you make in your life, you should be scared as hell. You’ll get much more out of it that way. :slight_smile: With every challange faced, you will be that much more confident and capable when the next one comes along. They never stop being scary, but don’t you get a small thrill from it at the same time??? The thru hike will be great, and if it isn’t, it won’t be. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

She-ra

#7

nunyet,

there are only two things in this life worth worrying about.

  1. whether you are sick or
  2. whether you are healthy.

if you are healthy, you have nothing to worry about.

if you are sick, there are only two things to worry about.

  1. whether you get better, or
  2. whether you get worse.

if you get better, you have nothing to worry about.

if you get worse, you only have two things to worry about.

  1. whether you live, or
  2. whether you die.

if you live, you have nothing to worry about.

if you die, you have only two things to worry about.

  1. whether you go to heaven, or
  2. whether you go to hell.

if you go to heaven, you have nothing to worry about.

if you go to hell, you’ll be so busy shaking hands with all your friends and hiuking buddies, you won’t have time to worry, so

WHY WORRY!!!

Big Dee

#8

I’m going through the same thing. However, prior to my thru hike of the Superior Hiking Trail this past summer I experienced the same anxiety. That being said I have, for the most part, been able to get myself to shutup. I’m just ready to go and it’s not time yet.

Nimblefoot

#9

Then I met the coolest chick that I’ve ever met in my life four months before I am leaving! So I don’t even know whether I should pursue anything with her, because I don’t want to end up getting attached and then bummed out if things don’t work out during the hike. Women are gonna be the death of me, but what a way to go! :tongue

reggaemylitis

#10

Hey Nun’, skip the jitters, its way cool. The only thing we can add is that for some reason there isn’t any music like in all those military adds. No hero music. All of a sudden, after your ride has left, it’s all you baby. Time to get your groove thang on. Baby steps, baby steps…followed by 20’s!:cheers

Bushwhack & Bramble

#11

I can’t relate to people having doudts. I was SO ready to go and SO glad I did.

Sub 03

subman

#12

I never was really worried until about 2 weeks ago, but now my US visa has just come through (yay!) recently I think its struck me that this is it, that I am actually going through with it.

I’m flying away from the UK, leaving all my friends/family and comforts to hike a trail across a country I’ve never been to before…it’s all kinda scary.

But at the same time I know I’ve gone through too much already to turn back…and I know I hate myself for passing up on this oppertunity to do something so amazing.

tom

#13

oh gosh i too get worried about my significant other forgetting me but i have said to myself if we are meant to be tog our paths will cross again. so let fate take care of it n trust the process. gosh i wld hate to see things arent turning out as expected tho, grr!

nullie

#14

Nunyet,
I too have been having some jitters…am i foolish to do this at my age, will my old knees hold up, can I make those climbs. I have had such good mentoring and help from folks who have done it before. When I start doubting, I remember all the folks that are going to be out there with us, encouraging us…and aching just as much as we do at the beginning.

one step at a time, I can do it.

Susan

#15

Nun -

This will be my first extended hiking trip since I was in high school. I have some of the same concerns/worries as you and everyone else. I think that they are completely normal. My wife and I are both anxious about the seperation but we have talked and she and all my friends are extremely supportive of my decision and wouldn’t let me quit even if I wanted to. I think they, especially her, are as committed to this journey as I am. And that is the important thing: commitment. If you are not 100% on board, then you make not make it the whole way: and if you don’t - so what. Hike yur hike, enjoy yourself and let your worries figure themselves out along the way.

JimmyP

#16

I recently was told by my boss that I can’t take six months off to do the trail. This is devistating. So forget your jitters and do it for those of us who can’t go this year. Good luck Nunyet

Jeff T

#17

A funny thing happened around september for me, I suddenly got “cold feet”, realizing that money would be a big concern I started to panic. But I had taken some proactive action for just such a circumstance.

When I decided to go for a thru hike I told EVERYONE I knew that I would be leaving for a thru hike in March. I talked about how excited I was about it and pretty much everyone was equally as excited for me. When I started to have my doubts and mentioned that I might not do the trail, all of those people helped pick me back up.

I knew that I’d go through some ups and downs emotionally, and I knew that “my friends look out for me like family” (one of my favorite song lyrics), so I had (I guess subconsciously) proactively helped deal with the worry. Hey man, I don’t even know you and I’ve got faith that I’ll be hiking next to you at some point, and it appears the rest of the people on this forum have faith too. Especially with $5K, I don’t think you’ve got much to worry about.

Wyatt (still trail namels exess)

#18

Yeah, no idea how I mangled my name in the previous post, sorry.

Wyatt (still trail nameless)

#19

alright…

First time fears… You will end up learning a lot about yourself. You will see that you really do not need a lot to make you happy. Rain - there is nothing more soothing than to lay in a tarp listening to rain pelt at it’s fabric… cold - climb in your bag have a cup of joe and read… no worries. I would love to see how you feel when you are finished… worrying about how you will fit into the afterlife (back to the numbered world)… Daytripper and I have been sleeping on beaches along California and Oregon lately (except last night we ended up in, where am I, oh yeah Astoria…). I am envious that you get to go and long distance hike… nice way to relax…

Peace

ASWAH

Aswah

#20

Well damn,
I with ya’ll!!
I have been talking myself in and out of through hiking for the past year and a half. By now I have told everyone I know that I am doin it so I gots ta!! I have even though about trying to raise money for charity, just to add another layer of glue to me hiking the trail (besides helping the people of the world).

What helps me is just going over in my mind, understanding that this is the perfect time in my life to go. How long is 6 months out of your life? NOTHING.

Not to say that I grow less confident as the days click by:
I figured it would be perfect time because I will be between jobs (stressful enough), no ties to significant others, no dog, young & healthy.

I think of all the things I want to do and that will only push me towards the finish line, not take me off. I want a dog so badly I can’t stand it, but I know that it will be my reward when I finish.

I just (3wks) met a girl that, besides any struggles we may have (substance problems) I am starting to really care about her. For me, she knows that I need to do this and I am sad to say that I know she will not be there when I get back. That will be my biggest challenge in leaving. Who knows, maybe my girl is out there in a shelter on the trail waitin for me.

I just hope I get to meet all of you people out there hiking. I don’t have a trail name yet, but the support from this website alone is great. I can’t imagine what kind of bonds I will find once we are all out there DOING IT!!!

You miss one hundred percent of the shots you don’t take.

You need to go big or go home.

Sometimes you just gotta say, **** it. Make your move.

Can you taste it? Now EAT it!!

Do it or do it.

James Kinney