Re: [at-l] All or Nothing?

["Thomas McGinnis" <tmcginnis@ucclan.state.in.us>]

>>> The Wizard <tschamp@tiac.net> 04/01/00 11:32PM >>>
I would suggest that people should be "required" to do a month-long
400-mile walk first, before trying a thru, a year or two before, perhaps.
I'd guess that most of the issues concerning equipment and conditioning
would be figured out during that span. 
###
IMO, a great idea. I did something like this and found it very helpful, although it was only 140 miles over 2 weeks.

Importantly, the desire factor at the end of 30 days is critical to observe.  Are you glad that it's over and you can get back to your other interests, or are you sorry you have to leave the trail and go back to what passes for "normal'?
###
And just to throw it to another level, does the desire at day 30 depend on whether you are doing a section or doing a throughhike? My guess is "yes", but my guess is too that it could be different hike to hike, person to person.

No straight answer here, just the Hawthorne Effect.
Sloetoe.




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