[at-l] Advice on starting time

[bcalkins@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (Bruce Calkins)]

Well Bob,

I am a little behind you in years, perhaps a little more broken in body
although for the shape I am in I am in good shape.  So here is my thinking,
6 months is doable, provided you don't run into bad weather early on that
knocks you right off the trail.  Your load will be heavier with the early
start, although Feb. 15 vs. Mar. 1 won't make all that much difference in
your pack weight as winter storms consider March their domain too.  (In
early May of '98 my Brother, nephew and I got hammered by a hail storm and
freezing temperatures in southern VA.) You are setting yourself up for some
serious hustling, especially in the hot months of your mid-trip, to keep
your average daily miles up.  So you may have to forgo the smelling of a few
roses along the way.

In short, you do have a moderately tight window.  Pack light but carefully,
approach your limits with consideration and you have a very good chance of
pulling it off.

The worst case?  Even it you do have to bail out short of the big K, You
will have bagged some great memories for the rest of your life.

Black Wolfe

P.S. Which "life" is the "real" one. ;-)



Hi -

I am planning a thru-hike for next year or the year after, and my "real"
life will go smoother if I'm back home by Labor Day.  I'm 51 years old and
in reasonable, but not great, shape.  Hopefully better shape by the time I
start.

I'm debating whether to start on March 1 or February 15.  Any advice?  Is it
better for an old fart like me to have an extra week or two to do the trail,
or am I better off avoiding the cold weather that early in the season?

TIA for any help you can give.

Bob