Lets Have A Chat

There are many things about this trip that I have various feelings about that we need to discuss. I figured that I would throw out a fact and discuss my personal feelings about it. Just like the old days when your philosophy teacher would say “there is no right or wrong answer.”

FACT: The Appalachian Trail is approximately 2,175 miles.

Rebuttal: Yeah, that’s long. Pretty darn long if you ask me. When its all said and done that’s 5 million footsteps. The furthest I have ever walked in one day was 24 miles; coincidentally on the Appalachian Trail in the Shenandoah Mountains, but four of those miles I was lost. I think what I plan on doing is not looking at the big picture on the mileage but taking it day to day. One step at a time is the plan. Cliché? Yes! Only plan so far? Yeah, if you have a better one I am all ears. I am a goal oriented type of person so if I set mini goals such as “23 more miles before I can stop at that little Quick-E-Mart to get ice cream” I will be ok….I hope.

FACT: The first 8 miles of the trail in Georgia don’t count towards the overall mileage.

Rebuttal: Yeah, whats up with that? The beginning of the trail begins on top of Springer Mountain but to get to the “beginning” you must traverse 8 miles from Amicalola Falls State Park. Being that it will be my first 8 miles of the journey I will undoubtedly be pretty tired and worn out by the “start” of the trip. I have actually heard of people quitting on the approach trail My goodness people, it’s the first day!!! At least wait til the second day and lie to your friends and family with some beautifully concocted story about a bear attack.

FACT: Shelters are spaced about 13 miles a part on average,

Rebuttal: That’s cool….except for the following reasons:
1. The mice are outrageous in these shelters. They actually dance on your chest while you are sleeping (I found that out first hand).
2. You are in very cramped quarters so you get that “cuddling” feeling with strangers.
3. There’s always that one guy that snores like a champ.
4. Not overly a private area so when its time for a skivvies change you’re doing it in your mummy sleeping back.

FACT: Only 1 in 4 Appalachian Trail thru hikers will complete the entire 2,175 miles in 2010.

Rebuttal: I’m fully aware of this fact. I’m trying to do all I can before I leave for the trail to reduce the odds that I am one of the 75% that have to quit. First, I am trying to get my body in the necessary physical shape to compete with the mighty Appalachians. I want to lose roughly 20 pounds before the trip which means I am no longer weight lifting for “football” muscles. A lot of people get the benefit of being around mountains and trails so they can do like a Saturday hike or a weekend trip. In case you failed geography class, Dallas, Texas isn’t in the Rockies. Its sorta flat here….actually its really flat. I remember distinctly living in a 3rd floor apartment and almost needing a ‘breather’ when I got halfway up. We’ll see if I can change that. Second, I am trying to mentally prepare. I have talked to a few other guys that are leaving around the same time and I think its apparent that we are all going to need some moral support. It’s easy for people to be sending me ‘good luck’ messages when I first leave but 102 days into it I will be a distant memory to most. I hope I will be have the mental fortitude to be able to overcome any mental obstacles. Especially the ones I will face on a daily basis. This is why I am bringing my Bible and plan on diving into at least once a day…whether on a nice cliff eating lunch or before I go to bed I feel that this is a necessity.

FACT: There have been 9 murders on the Trail since 1974.

Rebuttal: Oh no, my odds of survival are tiny. I mean, how could I ever survive such a crime infested area? Afterall, out of the 3-4 million hikers A YEAR, 9 have been killed since 1974. I must be hiking through the South Central LA or inner city Baltimore of the Appalachians. The chances of me meeting my demise to a violent attacker are too overwhelming so I must make sure my will is drawn out before I leave. Ok, not exactly. Yeah, honestly, a violent attacker is the last worry on my mind. I’m bigger than a few people so I should be able to put up a decent fight (like it would matter if the guy has a gun). And to answer most peoples’ questions: NO I AM NOT BRINGING A GUN ON THE TRIP. Geez Louise, you don’t need a gun or any weapon for that matter. They are just extra weight. If I see a hiker with a gun I will promptly hike to the nearest road and call the police.

FACT: Mt Washington in New Hampshire, along the Trail, is home to some of the deadliest weather in the WORLD.

Rebuttal: Yeah, on April 12, 1934, world record wind speed was measured at 231 mph at the summit of Mount Washington. With that being said I might have a hard time putting up my tent on Mt Washington. The weather in the White Mountains is unpredictable and deadly. I want to get to the Whites by the end of August. Anyone that knows me knows that I am officially the world’s biggest wuss when it comes to being cold (look it up on Wikipedia. Type in Wuss and Cold and you’ll see a big picture of me). I will do all that I can to avoid being cold. That means if theres 231 mph worth of wind I’m going to go ahead and stay in the lodge that day.

FACT: Clingmans Dome is the highest point on the trail at 6,643 feet.

Rebuttal: Well isn’t that something? Unfortunately, there’s not much of a surprise in it because I have already been to the top. The view is great but its in the Great Smoky Mountains which is known for its fog (hence the name Great Smoky Mountains).

FACT: From Springer Mountain to the West Virginia/Maryland line is 1013.5 miles.

Rebuttal: Why is that significant? That’s the mileage when my parents can pick me and I can go home for a few days!!! I guess that seems small to the unknowing reader but that milestone is quite significant to the hiker….in this case, ME!! That means a bed, warm shower, real food, conversation, another shower, cheez-its, pizza, phone, TV, internet, just to name a few.

So there you have it. Those are just a tiny amount of facts and my responses to them. Stay tuned because I know I will have more to come.

Sometimes You Just Need a Reminder

It’s very easy to get so caught up in your own little world that you just forget the stuff that really matters. Finances, stress, job, and life can really put your mind to hard work and its simple to forget about what really matters. I guess I am guilty of that as I have been so caught up in the material and meaningless things in planning my trip that I forgot what my real intentions are for doing it.

My recent trip back to college to visit my buddies helped me put my perspective back on the right track. Going back and being around everyone made me feel real proud of graduating college at the University of Kentucky. It was so nice to be around all the other dedicated fans that bleed blue but most importantly it was a chance to be around the friends who I have developed bonds with through the years. It felt great to sit back and laugh, talk, laugh, hangout, laugh, and engage in some more laughter. It was even more fun reliving the stories that we shared several years ago and it was usually at the expense of one of us but it was all out of good fun. Yeah, being around those people made me remember that relationships are important and they help shape who you really are.

I guess this trip back to Kentucky last weekend brought me back to my senses. Lately, I have been overwhelmed with stuff that’s going on at work, life, and with questions like how am I going to raise enough money for me to travel? What makes it more complicated is that I have set my brain to hike the AT no matter what so there’s no backing out; I just want everything to be perfect. This can cause a lot of anxiety because I get that feeling like when I was in college and I had a 20 page paper due the next day and I only had one page done. Going back to Kentucky reminded me that it will all work out and that with my priorities in the right place this journey will be awesome. Kentucky reminded me that I have great support behind me even though I am not always aware of it. I know not everyone is on board with my ideas about this trip but that’s ok. The outpouring of support I have received from a lot of people (unexpected at times too!!) is phenomenal. In Kentucky I realized that as insignificant as I sometimes feel that I really do have the power to impact other people.

So here’s my chance to really impact at least one person’s life. Although I am not completely sure of the dynamics I am probably going to have to start my own fundraiser for this. I have absolutely no idea how to do this or where to start but I know God will show me the way. I’m leaning more towards helping kids who do not have parents and are living at the area shelters. What do you think? I just want to be able to impact someone’s life and really help at least one person out. I’m not on this planet to serve myself but to serve other people. This is my way of giving back. Lately, I have lost focus on that and I was beginning to focus on myself instead of thinking about how I can really help shape a young person and set them out on the right path.

This is where my trust in God is coming out the most. I am just completely putting my trust in everything no matter how poor I am and no matter how uphill this journey can look sometimes. I know that as long as I stay focused on God and why this trip is to happen then I will be successful.

Then JESUS said to the disciples, "If any of you wants to be my follower, you must put aside your selfish ambition, shoulder you cross, and follow me.....if you give up your life for me, you will find true life." Matthew 16:24,25(NLT)