[at-l] trail newbie

[m_factor@hotmail.com (Mara Factor)]

>From: "round tripper" <roundtripper2001@hotmail.com>
>Date: Sun, 21 Jan 2001 17:05:09 -0800
>
>...I am basically an introvert which makes me a perfect candidate for a 
>thru-hike but a lousy list or social companion.

Well, along the AT, you can be as social or not as you please.  It is 
nicknamed the Appalachian National Social trail for a reason though.  Though 
it's easy to be alone while hiking during the day, if you want to be alone 
at night, you have to work at it by camping away from the "natural" 
gathering spots of other hikers such as shelters and campsites mentioned in 
the data book and guide books.

>...will I have the endurance to accomplish this?

Just think of it as 6 months worth of 3-5 day hikes.  Can you do a 4 day 
backpack?  Can you do it again?  And again?  6 months will end up passing 
awfully quickly.

>Am I just plumb crazy to even WANT to do this?  (Guess that would make 
>y'all crazy too, so I'll rule crazy out)

Some would say we are all crazy.  Is there anything wrong with that?

:-)

If nothing else, you will have to deal with people who think so.

>   Would like to hear from some first-timers, or other females who have 
>soloed the AT.  Is there anything I should be worrying about other than the
>obvious "oh my god I'm leaving civilization for six months" fears?

Well, the first thing to remember is that you're not leaving civilization 
for 6 months.  You'll be getting into towns every few days.  If someone 
needs to get in touch with you, or you need to get in touch with someone, 
it's only a few days, not 6 months.

I was a backpacker before I started the trail.  I was excited to be getting 
out there.  I had even done a bunch of solo trips so hiking solo was not an 
issue for me.

My concerns about the trail before I started were centered on things like my 
maildrops (would they get there when I needed them) and knowing that I would 
be relying (in a sense) on strangers along the way.  I was brought up to be 
independant so I wouldn't have to rely on strangers (who might be out to get 
me - for some reason).  I had hitchhiked only once in my life before my 
thruhike and that was just the previous fall when I was doing my AT prep 
hike.

I also had concerns about everything I left behind.  Would my support back 
home be able to handle whatever came her way?  Did I forget to do a change 
of address for something important.

As it turns out, all of my concerns were for naught.  The people I met while 
hitchhiking were wonderful.  My maildrops all worked out fine though I wish 
I hadn't bothered with them at all.  A couple just to trade out cold/warm 
weather equipment would have been fine.  My pre-trip planning was fine and 
my support was phenomenal - even when my company was bought in the summer 
and I had to deal with a ton of paperwork while I was on the trail in CT.

I encountered no problems as a woman on the trail.  As a matter of fact, it 
can be easier to hitch as a woman because people see you as less of a 
threat.  I did have one woman pick me up who said she had never picked up a 
hitchhiker before but since I was a woman, why not...

So, get out there and have a wonderful time.  Wish I was going again.

Mara
Stitches, GAME99

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