Monday, March 5, 2012

A day away

"You're Nuts!"

"Mad."

"Are you bringing a gun?"

"Will you at least bring pepper spray?"

"What about bears?"

"You're walking? The whole way? On foot!?"



The Appalachian National Scenic Trail is generally known as the Appalachian Trail or simply the AT, is a marked hiking trail in the eastern United States extending between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine. It is approximately 2,184 miles long. Along the way, the trail passes through the states of Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. The majority of the trail is in wilderness, although some portions traverse towns, roads and cross rivers.

The Appalachian Trail is famous for its many hikers, some of whom, called thru-hikers, attempt to hike it in its entirety in a single season. Thousands of hikers attempt to thru-hike the AT every year, although by some estimates fewer than 20% complete the trail.

     The AT is relatively safe. Most injuries or incidents are consistent with comparable outdoor activities. Most hazards are related to weather conditions, human error, plants, animals, diseases, and fellow humans encountered along the trail.

     So,  Tomorrow I fly out and plan to start walking on Thursday.  I will post on here as often as I can, so stay tuned.

31 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. If you want you and Rob should join me on the 3 rainiest days this year.

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  2. Good luck and Bon Voyage! Looking forward to reading your blog.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Ace, I'll try to keep it clean so the kids can read it.

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  3. Excited for you!! Can't wait to follow along....can't wait to have you home too!

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    1. Thanks Tori, I want to hear about all your riding adventures with Ollie.

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  4. R. and I will be following under the heading Jack the Dog. Our best is with you and be good to your dogs (feet).

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    1. Thanks Frank. Took your advise the first day and had to apply mole skin two separate times. Probably saved me from blisters. Bad choices caused me excessive pain though.

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  5. Stay safe. I'll be worrying the whole time. Love Mom

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  6. Thats the French I know

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    Replies
    1. I'm assuming I am the French you know :) very mysterious with the Anonymous.

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  7. So awesome! Have an adventure of a lifetime and be sure to take pictures!

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  8. Hey Man, thats what you always used to talk about was hiking, so i guess this is the big one. Remember don't pee into the wind, don't wipe with red leaves, and don't forget to drink you ovalteen.
    Thadison

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    Replies
    1. "This is the captain speaking...WOW...that is all"
      -Captain Keith
      USS Bonhomme Richard

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  9. How long do you expect the hike to take? Erica and I'll will be watching. Not creepy watching, just online watching.

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    1. Thinking 4-6 months, but if I keep swelling up like a marshmallow it might be closer to 10 years. BTW, any kind of watching you do is creepy.

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  10. Well done, Matt! If you ever decide to do the PCT, look me up!

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    1. Thanks Tim. Funny thing, I used to be really good friends with a Tim Meyers in grade school, crazy.

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    2. I am that very Tim Myer, dude! Karen Kinnealy pointed me to your blog. I am out in Seattle, and Ben is in Portland.

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    3. What!!?! This is awesome! Sorry about slaughtering your last name. You, Ben and I should get together and jam to Blitzkrieg bop when I get back.

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    4. Absolutely! I'll be following along with your travels as I have a few of my own. Catching up would rock!

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  11. Hi Matt, I'm Pat, Ros's friend from the Atlanta area. Hiking the AT was something I always wanted to do (back in the '70s). I spent a few weekends in Shenandoah National Park back then, hiking on it, and the side trails. Walked a little of it in Pennsylvania, too. At the time, I lived just outside of Philly. So good luck with your journey. -Pat
    p.s. OK, I can't get the "url" right, so I'm just using Anonymous, too.

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    1. Thanks Pat, I am looking forward to the Shenandoah mountains, I hear very good things about it.

      I think when you select name/url you just type your name and nothing else.

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  12. Hey Matt.. I thought of you on April 23rd when I heard it was snowing in the Virginia mountains..You there for that? I am planning to take Yankee in the Ramona Rodeo Parade May 19. Gonna carry the 93 year old parade marshall in the sleigh.
    Don

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    1. Oh, I got snowed on that's for sure. Check out the post titled "Wonderland". That is exciting that Yankee will be the star attraction. Maybe they won't put a brass band directly behind you this time.

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