[at-l] Short-notice Dutch thru-hike: NEED HELP!

[k.vanoverbeek@lr.tudelft.nl (Kajsa van Overbeek)]

Dear all,

This is gonna be a long mail, so beware.... but I really could use some =
help and advice. For quite a while now, I've been dreaming of doing a =
thru-hike. My initial plan was to hike after graduation which would have =
been last year. Because of personal circumstances, amongst which a =
divorce that cut into my finances I was to forced postpone. So I told =
myself I was gonna hike in March 2002 so I could get all the money =
together and get into decent shape.

After more than a years work at the university my contract will end =
April 1st (no joke) and since I still have a month worth of holiday I =
started to think an calculate. If I were to sublet my "appartment" for =
six months starting March 1st I would get one month worth of pay and =
have no costs plus some more that comes from all kinds of things (Dutch =
law thingies, won't bother you with that..) and so it seems that all of =
a sudden I have the money to do a thru-hike. I think I could even get a =
visum arranged in time (yep I'll need one and will only be able to get =
one for exactly six months). Also I can get an open jaw ticket with open =
retour date (probably not the english word, but you know what I mean) =
where I fly in to Atlanta and leave from Boston.

However, I don't have all my gear yet... (I have a backpack, sleeping =
pad, sleeping bag, pots, a whisperlite, but no tent and waterfilter yet =
for example) I was going to order a Nomad from Kurt (we've been in =
contact about it), but I don't think he'll be able to get one finished =
in time and he would then probably have to ship it some place in the US, =
but where?

Anyways I would need to get to an outfitter somewhere in the vicinity of =
Springer or somewhere in Atlanta. I'ld need a place to stay before =
starting my hike and I'ld need a lift to the trailhead, but where oh =
where could I stay for little money, where can I get my gear and maps of =
the AT (I know at the ATC store, but they won't be able to send it to =
Holland so fast I think...) etc.?
What's the wheather like at the moment, is March a good time to start or =
is there still too much snow?

What would you say? Should I pack my things and go or wait one more =
year, running the risk that I won't be able to leave any kind of new job =
after a mere year?

HELP!!!!!!!!!!

Kajsa
(been lurking around for a loooooooooong time and only posting every now =
and then)

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