Why?
I remember my 6th grade teacher telling my class about it, and I thought, that sounds like fun, I'm gonna do that someday. And sometimes you look around and realize life is really too short for fear or regret. So why the hell not!?!
When do you leave and how long will you be gone?
I'll be flying to Atlanta on April 4th and hitting the trail on the 5th. It takes between 4-6 months to complete the trail.
Where do you start and end?
I'll be going North Bound or NoBo from Springer Mountain, Georgia to Mt Katahdin, Maine.
How many states does it go through?
14
How long is the Appalachian Trail?
2,189.2 miles. It fluctuates yearly as the trail is maintained and worked on.
Where will you sleep?
There are more than 250 backcountry shelters located along the trail at varying intervals, on an average of about 8 miles apart. But I'll most likely be camping in my tent most of the time. And occasionally I'll stay in a trail town and take some R&R for a day.
What will you eat?
I'll be trying to eat food that's high in calories, low in weight and preferably packaged in convienient portion sizes to help stay organized. An example for a days worth of food would be: Pop tarts & Granola Bar for breakfast, Snickers bar and trail mix for a snacking on the go, a Bagel with Nutella and some beef jerky for lunch; dried pasta side for dinner and maybe adding some tuna or salami for protein.
How will you filter your water?
With the handy dandy Sawyer Squeeze. You can watch a little video here.
How many miles will you hike a day?
Starting off I'm looking to keep it light at 8-10 miles for the first few weeks, till I get my hiking legs under me, then I'll be averaging 15 miles a day and even having some 20+ mile days.
How heavy is your pack?
23.8 lbs without food and water | 37 lbs with food and water
What does Sara think about this?
I don't know entirely what she's thinking, she's a little crazy herself for letting me go, but you can always ask her yourself. But I do know that I would never be able to do this if it wasn't for her. She's been extremely supportive and is hands down the best lady any man could ask for.
What about lions and tigers and bears, oh my!?!
There are wild animals on the trail, bears, snakes, and wild boars. I'll be taking certain precautions to protect myself and my food, such as hanging food in a bear bag, but there is little worry of these animals causing any serious harm.