2014 AT Thru-Hike

[MStudt]

2015 AT Thru-Hike

The time has come, well kind of. Come this time next year we'll be a month out from our big journey hiking the AT from Georgia to Maine. My wife and I have been talking about do this for the past couple years now. We originally planned on doing this in about 10 more years when she would be eligible for early retirement from the school she teaches at. Over the last couple years, being in public education has gotten a lot more stressful in her district (I'm sure it's everywhere). About a month ago we said screw it, it's now or never. At that point I got to work on our blog, sponsors, and food drops. Sure we're more than a year away, but planning for what we intend to do goes beyond just hiking.

My wife is a high school English teacher with a strong passion for teaching her students about the outdoors. She started an outdoor education club several years ago when she started at her school. Year by year her club has grown in, and in the number of ways they get involved locally. The past two years her club has been working with the Missouri Conservation Department and helping on various projects with them. They have helped build a trail, they build a wigwam for a festival, and helped plant a new field of trees. We're going to document our journey so she can use what we're learned for an educational tool that she can provide students to come. She'll be working with another teacher at her school to develop an interactive while we're hiking. The website is going to be developed by the students for the students. She calls it a modern day Oregon Trail game.

My wife had spinal surgery when she was in 5th grade for scoliosis. This has kept her from doing a lot in her life, and really limits what she can do. Because of this condition, we're reached out to three scoliosis organizations and are hiking on their behalf to spread awareness. We'll be working with the National Scoliosis Foundation, Scoliosis Research Society, and Curvy Girls Support Groups. We're currently debating about doing a pledge hike for these foundations, or taking donations during our trip. Of course if we did this, all proceeds would go to these three wonderful organizations.

The trip starts after Christmas of 2014. My wife, our 5 year Dachshund and I will most likely finish in 5-7 months. We know that is a pretty wide window, and we aim to be done sometime in July. We have no really time frame to finish this trip since we'll have nothing to come home to. We're going to walk away from our jobs, hopefully sell our house before hand, and pretty much have nothing to come back to. That being said, we'll have nothing binding us down in St. Louis, then the next adventure begins.

Anyways, for anyone on here that would like to follow us; our blog is posted in my signature. If people would like, I could continue to update this thread as things change, and as our year progresses.

Thanks,
Mike
Boots and Backpacks

 

[KidVermicious]

If people would like, I could continue to update this thread as things change, and as our year progresses.

Please do! I'm subscribed.

 

[Hyde802]

Im pretty close to the AT/LT in Hanover VT, and have done a bunch of the LT in that area. Hit me up if you need assistance up this way.

Best of luck!

 

[Kel Varnsen]

The AT is not far from me at all. I have done most of the highlights here in VA. So far Mcafees Knob in Salem/Catawba VA is my favorite spot on earth. When you come through this area if you do not go to the Homeplace restaurant in Catawba you are doing yourself an injustice.

When the AT crosses route 42 near newport va, I'd be happy to lend you some support

 

[NYRT4R]

You'll have a blast! I've sectioned hike 90% of the trail and will probably thru-hike it sometime in the next couple of years (had planned to do it in 2011 but a back injury prevented me starting). Any particular reason you're starting it so early in the season? It's going to be very cold the first few months.

 

[MStudt]

Im pretty close to the AT/LT in Hanover VT, and have done a bunch of the LT in that area. Hit me up if you need assistance up this way.

Best of luck!

Definitely! The more help along the way the better. We'll be in touch as the time gets closer.

The AT is not far from me at all. I have done most of the highlights here in VA. So far Mcafees Knob in Salem/Catawba VA is my favorite spot on earth. When you come through this area if you do not go to the Homeplace restaurant in Catawba you are doing yourself an injustice.

When the AT crosses route 42 near newport va, I'd be happy to lend you some support

We'll have to make a note of that restaurant in our trail book. We'll be in touch as the time gets closer as well.

You'll have a blast! I've sectioned hike 90% of the trail and will probably thru-hike it sometime in the next couple of years (had planned to do it in 2011 but a back injury prevented me starting). Any particular reason you're starting it so early in the season? It's going to be very cold the first few months.

Our start date is the most critical point for this trip. With my wife being a school teach, she is a little limited as to her available time off. She's going to be asking for a sabbatical next month. If she is granted the sabbatical she have off the second semester of her school year. We had two plans in mind when we started planning for this time. We could either hike SOBO from Maine starting in July, and finish somewhere around December. Neither one of us really wanted to start in Maine either. Plus, it's not going to be that cold out there (as I'm laughing)! Hiking in the cold is actually a good thing, and we love it. Sleeping in the cold is a completely different, nothing worse then getting out of a warm bag on a 20 degree morning. All and all, the cold is what we're concerned about the least. Every time we section hike the AT over Christmas, we're always hoping for snow.

This is going to be an amazing journey for us. We talked last night and I think we're going start taking donations. We're thinking about doing a pledge hike, where people can pledge a certain amount per mile of the hike. We also talked about the option of not taking money, but instead asking people that wanted to help; to help us on the trail. This could be from a ride into town, helping us with a mail drop, or just joining us on the trail for a night. We still have a lot of time before we leave, but even more to plan.

 

[aha2988]

well put me down for trail help, The best place for me to meet you on the trail is on the AT somewhere near mount Rodgers its in the thomas jefferson national forest near grayson highlands state park. Its only about a 2 mile hike from the parking lot to the AT, so I can bring you gear as well as drive you into town for supplies or a good hot meal. theres a shack type dinner right down the road called the log house. they have the best damn hotdogs of all time lol specially when you've been on the trail for a while.

just let me know when you'll be nearing that area hopefully you can be there on a weekend I'll head out from my house friday night and camp on the trail so you should be able to just run into me an some of my buddies that Saturday. whatever you need buddy just let me know I'll PM you my contact info when you need it.

 

[MStudt]

well put me down for trail help, The best place for me to meet you on the trail is on the AT somewhere near mount Rodgers its in the thomas jefferson national forest near grayson highlands state park. Its only about a 2 mile hike from the parking lot to the AT, so I can bring you gear as well as drive you into town for supplies or a good hot meal. theres a shack type dinner right down the road called the log house. they have the best damn hotdogs of all time lol specially when you've been on the trail for a while.

just let me know when you'll be nearing that area hopefully you can be there on a weekend I'll head out from my house friday night and camp on the trail so you should be able to just run into me an some of my buddies that Saturday. whatever you need buddy just let me know I'll PM you my contact info when you need it.

Sounds good, appreciate it. It's 450 miles to Damascus, and maybe another 10 till we could meet up. We should be able to swing a weekend date, plus we can always hike slower or take a zero day or two in Damascus. Once we really start getting into the planning stages we'll be in touch with everyone that wants to help out.

 

[youngr]

Boy ya'll are pretty brave, A start that early you could get anything in the Nantahala National Forest or the Smokies. A freak bad weather spell can easily put you below zero at the higher elevations.

Ill be out myself this year as well though ill be starting in early March. Same boat as ya'll with the "now or never" although it was proposed by my girlfriend. Raised a little concern from my perspective but turns out shes just being generous as usual and will continue working to hold the fort down while im gone for 5 months.

The scoliosis cause is pretty neat, I have Scoliosis myself and it can be a PITA sometimes.

I dont live along the trail but im not too far from the Southern Terminus so if theres anything ya'll may need help with ill do what i can.

Best of luck.

 

[MStudt]

Boy ya'll are pretty brave, A start that early you could get anything in the Nantahala National Forest or the Smokies. A freak bad weather spell can easily put you below zero at the higher elevations.

Ill be out myself this year as well though ill be starting in early March. Same boat as ya'll with the "now or never" although it was proposed by my girlfriend. Raised a little concern from my perspective but turns out shes just being generous as usual and will continue working to hold the fort down while im gone for 5 months.

The scoliosis cause is pretty neat, I have Scoliosis myself and it can be a PITA sometimes.

I dont live along the trail but im not too far from the Southern Terminus so if theres anything ya'll may need help with ill do what i can.

Best of luck.

Those two areas are the weather concerned areas for us. We've been in the Smokies when bad weather came through and dumped about 14" of snow on us. That is something we're taking into consideration. Bad weather is the end of the world, but it can't be taken lightly either. We'll be sure to plan for a couple extra days in the troublesome areas.

Fortunately, I don't know how much of a PITA scoliosis can be. I can share the pain stories, but of course they are just stories for me. I'm sure we'll have some pain management issues along the way. She's not one to take pain meds to help her deal with the pain. But, I'm sure she'll bring something along with us to deal with the pain on the trail.

Good luck to you as well, and maybe we'll cross paths on the trail.

 

[MStudt]

I never realized how slow planning is! While I've been slaving away trying to line up some sponsors for the trip. My wife has been busy on her own. The trip is a 100% go right now. My wife was the first teacher in her districts history to be granted a leave of absence. That means at least one of us will have a guaranteed job to come back to. This will make things a bit easier to handle, and coming back to a job is always a plus. I on the other hand will most likely walk away from my job. Returning from the trip will by my next adventure, being self employed.

So far we're up to 10 sponsors, and hopefully more to come.

 

[MStudt]

I spent some time hiking on the AT this past weekend in Virginia. I was able to meet and talk with several thru-hikers passing through the area. I was able to get a lot of advise that other I wouldn't have thought much about. I've been busy working, and saving to fund this trip. My wife and I are both leaving our jobs. My wife on the other hand was granted an unpaid leave of absence from her teaching position. This is great for one of us, at least she has a job to come back to. At this point we're pretty financially secure for the trip. Have enough at this time to mortgage for the 7 months we plan on being gone, as well as insurance, and funding for about 3/4 of the trip.

I've been working on sponsors for the trip, and have been pretty successful thus far. I think I'm pretty much done working on sponsors since I've used all my resources already.