[at-l] Are hostels/motels really a necessity?

[kellyswhitman at hotmail.com (Kelly Whitman)]

It looks like I just might be able to scrape the funds together for a 
(budget) 2004 thruhike. I'm still not sure about some things but all of a 
sudden this is all so much more REAL!!  Eek!  lol

I'm looking at my budget and trying to cut down on the amount of time spent 
in towns, since time in towns = money gone, and I got to wondering... has 
anyone completed a thruhike without staying in ANY hostels or motels along 
the way, purely living on the trail?  Is that desireable or even possible, 
and what are the pros and cons?  I lived in my car for 2 years (to finish 
college).  I know that's not a thruhike, I just mean that I can and have 
gone for long periods of time without sleeping in a bed in a room when 
necessary.  Since I have allergies, finding a hostel or motel that doesn't 
want to kill me can be a real challenge, anyway.  I'm allergic to mice, so I 
won't be staying in the shelters along the trail, either, just my hammock.  
Anyone feel like they absolutely had to stay indoors at some point along the 
trail, and what was the reason?  Rain?  Rest?  How do people spend their 
zero days when camped along the trail?  Will they be tediously boring if I 
spend mine there instead of in front of a tv in a motel room?

Kelly Whitman
INTP
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"There ARE no other women like me."  -- 7 of 9

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