A look at the experience in numbers:
I did 80 hikes with a total distance of over 400 miles.
The longest hike was 10.7 miles.
The shortest hike was 1.25 miles.
The most hiking I did in one day was 21.1 miles.
I hiked on 36 different days between March and the first weekend of August.
In the process, I drove (or rode) over 4,375 miles.
9 comments:
Congratulations. I can't wait to see and read the book.
wow, just reading that makes me tired
Congrats! But you're in the best shape of your life especially your lungs. Can't wait for the book party!
19% of the Appalachian Trail
(I calculated using 415 miles)
You think you could do the other 80% of the miles?
I really don't think I could do the Appalachian Trail...at least at this point in my life. Physically, I could. But mentally, I don't think so. Jeff and I would talk about this whenever we passed thru-hikers, and I just think I would get tired of the monotony of getting up every day, hiking, setting up camp, and then doing it again. Some of the people we passed didn't look like they were having that much fun. They didn't stop to enjoy the scenery (even on our 400+ miles of hiking, I was like great, another vista), and seemed to just be doing it to have it done. I think I'd rather do it in increments and enjoy it, rather than churn it all out just to say I'd done it. Maybe I'll feel different later in life, but that's my viewpoint now. What do you think? You going to do it?
I don't think I could handle the "pace" one has to do it at to be successful in doing it. Your daily average, I think I have read, needs to be around 14 or so. That's alot of hiking. On the other hand, hiking is not a fast event. Churning out those 14 miles a day would be tedious work. That's the real challenge I think - putting in those long days one step at a time. The monotony would be amazing.
Dan really wants to do it. I think I would rather do the trans-America bike ride(which Dan has completed). The terrain/scenery changes would be helpful, as would the fact that you don't really have to leave civilization to accomplish the task. Sure the days would be equally as long (full work days; 60-100 miles). Personally, I just think cycling work ticks off more quickly than hiking.
I don't think the pace is too terrible. Jeff and I knocked out 15-20 miles a day fairly often, and that would be on separate trails that we'd have to drive to, thus eating up a lot of time. We did a number of hikes that were close to ten miles and even the hardest ones with major elevation gains, we did in less than 5 hours. We generally did between 2-3 miles per hour, and that's with much stopping for taking notes, photographs, etc. Given we were carrying much smaller bags than thru-hikers, but I've found that carrying that much doesn't slow me down too much. We hiked out of the Grand Canyon with full gear, all uphill obviously in less than 5 hours, and it's about 7 miles. Although I think the weight could drag you down carrying it day after day.
I think the AT is a much greater mental challenge than physical. The monotony would get to me, especially because the scenery doesn't change that much even though you're going from Georgia to Maine---it's all Eastern deciduous forest. I think I'd also get sick of the "food" you eat on the AT. So many people were just doing energy bars for all meals except dinner. I couldn't even make it a weekend doing that.
I think I overstated my previous idea.
Here's what would prevent me from doing it: I don't want hiking to be my full-time job. And I think that's how you have to look at the AT. The monotony would only add to me not liking my job.
I could cycle as a full-time job, I think. The pace keeps me interested, the scenery changes, and you stay within society (although on the fringe in a number of ways).
That's what I was trying to say.
theresa=bad ass. jeff is also a bad ass for being so supportive to you during this fun lil adventure.
i'm very proud of you & can't wait for my signed copy!
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