As you might imagine, informing family, friends, and co-workers of my intentions of hiking the A.T. prompted many diverse reactions; and it was always interesting for me to see what reactions would be: many people were perplexed and uncertain, others were unconvinced of my sanity; several people congratulated me and wished me success and luck, while a few even offered prayers and advice. But, overwhelmingly, people were just completely shocked! After the initial 5 to 10 second shock passed, however—always—curiosity and imagination captured their minds by conjuring crazy images of life out-of-doors for six months. To say the least, it has been very exciting this past year while preparing for this hike to have talked to people about the Appalachian Trail and my dream to hike it. I have conversed with many different types of people and I have answered many countless types of questions ranging from wise, insightful, and realistic to the completely ridiculous, bizarre, and dim-witted. Overall, though, most people fall within the mean of questions, and questions are typically similar from person to person. Along the way I have taken mental notes and have tried to recap them as best as I can for you here. Enjoy!

Where in the world is the Appalachian Trail?
Located on East coast USA, the A.T. is a rugged 2,174 mile wilderness footpath traversing through the valleys and over the ridge tops of the Appalachian Mountain Chain. The start of the A.T. is atop Springer Mountain located in North Georgia. Fourteen states, and an estimated 5 million steps later, the trail concludes in Maine on Mount Katahdin. Stacking an impressive 5,267 feet of elevation, Mount Katahdin is the trophy peak symbolizing successful completion of walking the entire footpath end-to-end. The entire A.T. is marked with a 2” x 6” white blaze.

Who walks the Appalachian Trail?
I’d say the A.T. excludes no one!—and from the 3 to 4 million people who visit or hike the A.T. each year, I’d say they think so, too! The A.T. has seized the hearts of so many different walks of life. The A.T. is here for all—the young, the old, the international, the domestic, the afternoon romantic, the day hiker and his dog, the weekend backpacker, or for organizations like the Boy Scouts and church youth groups. Of all A.T. enthusiasts out there, though, only a certain handful of individuals seek to know the trail from end to end. Hikers who are attempting to complete the trial from end to end are commonly known as “Thru-Hikers.” I will likely cross paths with all of the above over the course of my 5 million steps to Katahdin. The words below are inscribed on a plaque located at the summit of Springer Mountain, Georgia to indicate the trail’s purpose and intent for all:

The Appalachian Trail
Georgia to Maine
A footpath for
Those who seek
Fellowship with
The wilderness

How long does it take to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail?
This is a question that is answered differently by each thru-hiker. We all embark the trail for differ reasons, with different goals and with different time constrictions. A seasonal or sectional hiker hiking a 100 miles here and 100 miles there may take years and years to achieve a thru-hike of the A.T., but for others, it may take just a few months. It really depends on what your goals are while you’re out there hiking. Me? I want to savor the experience and relax in the dream, so I’m planning on 150 to 175 days or 5 ½ to 6 months, which is normal—not too slow, not too fast!

How many people make it to the end?
Sadly, only about 10 or 15 percent of the people who set out to attempt to thru-hike the A.T. actually make to Katahdin. People drop off the trail for many reasons—family, money, injury, sickness, boredom, poor attitude, etc.

How many miles per day are you going to hike?
The simple answer is: “As many as I feel like hiking!” Despite the haughty truth, though, my average daily mileage equation will correlate directly into a mixture of constant change in terrain, elevation, temperature, weather, daylight (summer vs. fall), pack weight (base + food + water), gear conditions as well as human conditions such as fatigue, blisters, dehydration, illness, attitude, etc. On any given day, one or all can have an affect on miles logged! I plan to begin slow and steady, averaging 8 to 10 miles in an early, hard-hitting Georgia, North Carolina and Tennessee. I will to continue this pace for the first 300 or 400 miles or about the first 4 to 5 weeks. During those first weeks on the trail, I will change physically—my feet, knees, hips, back, and shoulders will grow stronger, and I will adapt (relatively) to the endeavor of carrying a backpack up and down mountains all day, everyday! Once successfully negotiating through Tennessee and the Smokies, I should be “trail-hardened” and ready to take on the Mid-Atlantic States, which offer many miles of “less difficult” inclines and declines. For most hikers, daily mileage can increase to 15, 20, or 25 miles per day. The New England States and thereafter generally slow the tempo, but by now, most thru-hikers can maintain a 12 to 17 mile day routinely with comparative ease. Overall, from start to finish, I am aiming for a total average of 12 to 15 miles per day.

Are you going by yourself?
This is a very frequent question and perhaps one of the first questions people ask when I mention I’m thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail. It is also a question to which receives very stark reactions when I say calmly, “I am.” A gasp generally accents that stark look, too, at which point I chuckle and add, “But this does not mean that I will be alone alone!” Although there are no clear statistics, some estimates predict over 2,500 people attempt to thru-hike each year—and the annual flow continues to grow each thru-hike season! So, even though I will not *know* anyone when I depart from Springer Mountain, I will meet and develop friendships with my fellow thru-hikers along the way. For example, I may spend one day hiking with a person in Tennessee and never to see them again because they get off the trail, or I could spend the night with them miles up the trail in Maine at the shelter while it’s pouring rain and absolutely miserable out. Don’t laugh, it really happens! You just never know. Ask any former thru-hiker what the best part of their thru-hike experience was and almost invariably they will enthusiastically say, “The people I met along the way!” To quote a recent 2003 thru-hiker, “…it's real easy to get hooked by the social aspect of the hike. I think a good percentage of what gets people to Maine is other people because when you're having a bad day, your hiking buddies are there to cheer you up by doing something silly stupid like slipping in the mud or banging their head into a branch when all their other hiking partners were short enough to hike under the branch!”

When is the best time to start a thru-hike?
Again, this is subjective based on your goals, time constrictions, etc., but mainly this answer is determined by the direction of your hike. For instance, if you hike north bound, or NOBO, then most hikers typically head off between March and April. Of course, too, there are always your rarities that begin hiking NOBO in January or February. These extra adventurous hikers encounter a cold start and a mild, gentler north. If you hike south bound, or SOBO, then most hikers head off between May and August. I am hiking NOBO to Maine, since I live in Atlanta and the trail starts within a few hours drive. GAME04, not MEGA04! Get it?

Where do you stay and sleep?
Along the entire length of the A.T., about every 8 to15 miles, or roughly one day’s walk apart, there are three-sided shelters provided as temporary havens for weary and worn down hikers to use as needed. The shelters are generally free and available to all hikers on a first-come, first-serve basis. In addition to the shelters, there are hostels located on or near the trail which afford food and shelter to hikers for fee; some hostels will even accept payment from hikers in the form of completing daily chores or dinnertime tasks where needed. If you ask me, it’s not a bad option when money is tight. I think I’ll make it a point to volunteer my time to one of these fine hostels along the way. Next, of course, we cannot forget our trusty portable shelter! All thru-hikers have varying approaches and opinions of “home away from home.” The best shelter for any particular hiker is chosen according to the hiker’s hiking style, sleeping style and comfort level. Tents, hanging hammocks, and tarps are the three most popular shelters used on the A.T. After much research on all three possibilities and debating to myself for weeks (and weeks) to predetermine my boundaries of comfort, I decided to carry a tarp for my shelter. I came to this decision based on many features the tarp possesses that I found I like. First, in terms of pitching options, the tarp is the more functional for fickle conditions like I will experience on the A.T. Second, tarps have great coverage area to weight ratio. In fact, for total square footage of livable space to weight ratio, I think the tarp is the lightest shelter available! Moreover, tarps allow great ventilation. Those who have spent time in a tent on a muggy or rainy night understand the need for good ventilation—waking up to a condensation-drenched sleeping bag or tent is not very much fun and a poor way to start the day. Finally, tarps are simple—no poles to snap, no zippers to malfunction, no floors to tear or leak, or grommets to rip! This doesn’t mean the tarp will not disappoint or fail me. In fact, if it does fail, it would most likely be my pitching err that led to the failure of tarp, and not the quality of the manufacturing. One of my goals on this trip is to learn how to pitch the bomb-proof shelter using the tarp and its guy lines. What about bug season, you ask? The particular tarp set-up I have uses a net-tent which secures under the tarp. Both can be pitched independent of each other if needed. Lastly, hotels and motels are another option, though not as cost effective as shelters and tarps. However, if the budget-oriented hiker, like me, divides the cost between another hiker or two or three, it can reduce the price tag to a more reasonable amount. I plan on utilizing hotels and motels as needed, perhaps in conjunction with my “zero” days.

What is a “zero” day?
A “zero” day is A.T. lingo meaning no miles were attempted or hiked that day. A “zero” day is used to describe the day of much needed rest, or the day spent in town relaxing doing chores such as grocery shopping, laundry or the post office, or the unplanned day at the shelter or under the tarp due to severe weather storm. There is no set or established “zero” day; ultimately, it is up to the individual hiker to decide when and where is best for a “zero” day.

How much will your pack weigh?
My day-to-day pack weight will always change. As a guide, though, I use the 25 percent backpacking rule to determine my pack to body weight ratio. The 25 percent ratio means that a loaded backpack should not exceed more than 25 percent of the hiker’s total body weight. For instance, multiplying my current weight of 165 pounds by .25 generates 41.25, which interpreted means I should try not to carry more than 41.25 pounds. Some people use different percentages, too, like 20 or 30 percent to determine their ideal pack weight. My attitude is, “If you’re willing to carry it, then I (generally) don’t care what you pack!” HYOH, right?

What is HYOH?
HYOH is an acronym for “Hike Your Own Hike.” This is a BIG theme on the trail and it means that there is no right or wrong way to hike the trail. It emphasizes that every person is different, that each person will have unique and distinctive experiences, and what is true for one hiker might perhaps be absolutely wrong for another hiker. For instance, some hikers like to pack more comfort features versus other hikers who like to raise the bar for themselves and pack only bare essentials, sometimes carrying only 10 or 15 pounds total. There are limits to HYOH, yes, but not too many. Most thru-hikers respect each other and attempt to avoid “stepping on each other’s toes.”

Can you take a dog?
Yes, dogs are allowed on most of the trail except in The Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee and North Carolina, Baxter State Park, Maine, and Trailside Museum and Wildlife Center in Bear Mountain State Park, New York. Other than that, just keep the wild ones on leashes and you have no problems from me. Afterall, I love dawgs!

Isn’t that dangerous?
Yes, it can be dangerous. Though unlike the typical urban city, the risks and exposures are quite different on the A.T. Out in the woods, thru-hikers are more concerned about poison ivy, sunburn, lightning, hypothermia, heat cramps, heat exhaustion, Hantavirus, blisters, diarrhea, polluted water, ticks, mice (yes, mice), grizzly bears, and big foot! There is always the human idiot factor, too! But making smart decisions can help reduce the human idiot factor while on the trail. For instance, telling strangers where you plan on spending the night, or telling them that you’re hiking alone, or camping less than 1 mile from a busy road access is not exercising very good judgment or prudence at all. By being a smart hiker, you can be proactively defensive. For illustration, traveling in pairs or groups while along busy highways or in towns or promptly, but civilly leaving a shelter if someone makes you uncomfortable, or avoiding carrying large sums of cash around. You get the point? Bottom line: Hike Smart! Be smart!

What are you going to eat everyday while you are on the trail?
Ah, yes, now we have come to my favorite topic: food and eating! Those of you that know me can personally affirm this truth. So, to say the very least, the bi-monthly trips to Atlanta’s local Co-op and International Farmers Market buying fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, and seeds in bulk to prepare for this trip was heaven for me. How are you going to take fruits and vegetables that you bought five months ago on a hiking trip? Well, the wonderful natural process of dehydration and unnatural process of vacuum-sealing and refrigeration! Oh, and the U.S. Postal Service, too, but I’ll get to that later. I began experimenting with dehydrating food while in college at UGA using a single dehydrator. I have read a few “how-to” books since then, but mostly I have learned from trial and error. Dehydrating my own food was labor and time intensive, but I have made nutritious, tasty and lightweight meals and snacks that I’m sure to enjoy on the trail. Moreover, it was a lot of fun! Since I have prepared most meals at home, preparation time on the trail will be quick and simple. Thru-hikers burn a tremendous amount of calories, too. The American diet is based on 2000 calories per day intake. Well, depending on the day’s intensity, the average thru-hiker can burn 4500-6000 calories per day. That’s a lot! With our bodies, we all understand what goes out in the form of energy must be put back in the form of food, or fuel. As a result, we thru-hikers EAT! And we EAT all day, everyday with seemingly bottomless stomachs! It has been said that a thru-hiker’s best friend is the local AYCE restaurant! Unfortunately, though, like most city-goers, many thru-hikers get caught in consuming the quantity of calories they want and ignore the quality calories they need, thus succumb to malnutrition and fatigue. I have planned my rations based on information from former thru-hiker’s experiences—they recommend a 2 pound per day average as ample backpacking food. In colder weather, you need more calories to stay warm so they recommend 2 1/2 pounds per day. So what will those pounds consist of, you ask? I have made oatmeal and berries, fruit-oat cookies (similar to Cliff Bar, but all raw), trail mix variations using different combinations of dried fruit, nuts and seeds; wild rice, cooked rice, grains, vegetables, lentils, sprouts, pasta, assorted crackers, hummus, and more.

How do you resupply?
Resupply locations on the A.T. are fortunately more frequent than other long distance trails, being typically three to five days apart. I will be using two classic A.T. resupply methods: maildrops and local grocery stores. My homemade, prepackaged dehydrated meals will be mailed to me along the trail from home (thanks, mom) to a post office, hostel, or other designated location (see maildrop schedule). I will also use town grocery stores to supplement my portable pantry as needed. As far as restaurants go, many hikers spend plenty of cash at town restaurants. I will try to limit my frequency to only a couple of times every other week or so. But I’ll never *really* know until I get out there and feel what works.

Do you need a permit?
Yes, but not to hike the entire trial. Only certain state and federal parks require permits and they are typically issued at no or very little cost to hikers. Since I am using a guide book, I will be able to know what areas of the A.T. require a permit, and like most hikers, I’ll sort it out when the time comes.

Are you taking a gun?
Yes, I have purchased an Acme Super II Tri-polarized Electro-Ray bazooka gun to protect myself from the grizzly bears, big foot and mean people. It is very lightweight and powerful. In some field tests, it knocked a man clean to his feet from 100 yards away! Great piece of gear—wouldn’t leave home without it! Err, wait! Don’t be ridiculous! You don’t need a gun to hike! In fact, to your surprise, most people would be offended by a gun and a person may isolate themselves from the other hikers simply by possessing it, just to “be safe.” Moreover, I have heard of people being arrested in certain areas for carrying a gun. Moral: Leave the guns at home!

Aren’t you afraid of bears?
Only the Grizzly bears. Err, wait, Grizzly bears don’t live east of the Mississippi. Or was I confusing Grizzly bears with Big Foot? Honestly, though, I’m exploiting peoples bear apprehensions because the risk of a bear mauling me on the A.T. is very slim. Black and Brown bears are the two species I need to be concerned about and generally, these species are not overly aggressive. If a bear happened to stumble into camp, it most likely smelled yummy hiker food carried by the wind for miles, followed its nose, and then found us conspicuous humans between them and its evening’s feast that it so earnestly tracked. Now, I say, what would you do if you were the hungry bear? I know I’d want to eat, too, especially having walked all that way. So, some simple camp practices will help, such as hanging food high off the ground each night and making sure all sweet-scented items like tooth paste are included inside the hanging bag. Also, lining the hanging bag with a knot-sealed plastic trash bag can help contain any smells that leak into the air, attracting the bears. Again, by being the smart hiker, the risk of my being mauled by a bear is significantly minimized. However, in the event that the bear is after more than my food, and wants to taste *delicious* me, I’ll use my hiking poles, knife, rock, stick, or whatever is handy as a weapon to fight until one of us takes our last breath. With a bit of luck, I’ll survive unscathed, the bear will be dead, and I’ll have a really cool story to tell people when they see the stuffed trophy in the foyer of my home. Hehe!

What if you get bit by a rattlesnake?
Again, an acknowledged risk, but not one I’m too worried about! In fact, I love snakes! I would be disappointed if in 2,170 miles of trail I didn’t see one snake! But I’ll see a few snakes, I’m sure! An interesting fact, of the 8000 snake bites each year in the United States, only 15 are fatal. Not bad!

Are camp fires allowed?
Camp fires are not allowed along some areas of the A.T. or maybe temporarily banned in other areas during periods of fire threats. I know in Georgia its fine to have fires, but I’m not too sure of all the other states’ policies. If I must or want to build a fire, I will keep it small and use only pre-existing fire rings, or build a leave-no-trace "mound fire."

What is “Leave-No-Trace” camping?
Leave-No-Trace should be one of many hikers’ goals. There are many principles to Leave-No-Trace, but the general message is “enjoy the outdoors with minimum impact to the environment around.” Check out the internet if you would like to learn more @ http://www.lnt.org

Won't you get bored?
Nah! Who could get bored in the presence of all the mystery and majesty the woods and mountains have to offer? I mean, how exciting! With each step I take my environment will change—and I love that! All I have to do to discover what’s next is by taking another step. Afterall, how do you discover something new if you never take the first step, or perhaps more importantly, the second step? I just tell myself: “One step at a time, one step at a time, one step at a time, one step at a time, one step at a time…”

What do you do?
Well, hiking, eating, and sleeping are the big three routine events of a thru-hiker! It goes ‘lil something like this: Hike, eat, hike, eat, rest, hike, eat, relax, and then sleep. The next day, I’ll wake up, eat, hike, eat, hike, eat, rest, hike, eat, relax, eat, and then sleep. After that long, hard day, I’ll wake up, eat, hike, eat, hike, eat, rest, hike, eat, relax, eat more, and then sleep. It’s a different beat, I know, but a simple beat.

Just walk?
To an ordinary person, it may seem like just walking, but there is something much deeper happening that you can’t readily see. Each step is ever-so-slightly different and improved from the previous. So, no, it’s just not walking. It’s unique, subtle and hard to describe.

Isn't that a long ways to walk for no reason?
Everyone has a reason. Everyone has a motive. Everyone has a purpose.

Is it an organized tour? Is your tour group big?
There are organized Appalachian Trail hikes, but, no, this is not an organized tour.

It’s paved like a bike path, right?
Fortunately, the trail is not paved with concrete or asphalt. There are only pebbles, rocks, stones, plant roots, sticks, fallen leaves, dirt, water, moss, mud, sludge, grit, and sand lining the small corridor footpath and a discolored white blaze steering you through the maze of it all. Extraordinary!

How or where will you wash?
Where ever I can. Mostly though, I will “sponge bath” with a small towel and water.

What will you wear?
Believe it or not, this is a very serious question. Hypothermia is no joke and neither is heat exhaustion! As a result of encountering both exposures, thru-hikers like a layered clothes system. It is more versatile to add or delete layers depending on the environmental conditions—if its hot, then remove a layer or if its cold, add a layer. Moreover, hikers like synthetic materials because they insulate and breathe better than most others materials like cotton.

What will you wear on your feet?
Socks and shoes, of course! But more specifically, socks and shoes specially made for the ruggedness of day-to-day trail wear. Foot care is VERY, VERY important; afterall, it isn’t the tour bus that’s going to get you to Maine. Ignoring proper foot care or “trying to walk through it” is a BIG mistake by any hiker—thru-hiker or not! Blisters can be a hiker’s worst adversary and will force many hikers off the trail! Be a Smart Hiker: Keep feet happy and be a happy hiker!

What is a trail name?
Well, it just like it sounds. A trail name is used in lieu of a birth-given name. People attain trail names by either assigning it to themselves, or by other thru-hikers. More often than not, most people wait until the trail rightly reveals a name. This can be something funny that happens on the trail, or a joke, or based on a characteristic trait or anything really—that’s what fun about a trail name! I have no idea what my trail name will be. All I know is I better like it because from what I understand, the name sticks ‘til the end!

How will you earn money?
By pimpin’ myself to the Big Foot; I hear she likes dirty blond men! For me, the money is already earned and saved.

Where do you go to take care of “business”?
Some shelters have privies, but mostly we dig a cat hole and squat wherever and whenever the coast is clear. And yes, we do carry T.P.—we just bury it! Check out the Leave-No-Trace principles to learn more about safe practices.

Have you read Bill Bryson's book, “A Walk In to the Woods”?
Yes, in fact, I have. Funny read—and plenty of good advise for how to not prepare for an A.T. thru-hike!

These are a couple of silly questions that I came across, so I answered some of them silly back…

How do you carry 6 months of food?
With a jackass and a covered wagon!

Where will you plug the TV set into?
Oh, yeah, the extension cord is a bit heavy, but I’ll cope.

What movies are you taking along?
I plan on taking DELIVERANCE or THE EDGE; I can’t make up my mind. What do you think?

What are you going to do when you see those folks from DELIVERANCE?
What do you think, fool? Wait ‘til they invite me over? Hell, naw, I’ll run like crazy!!!

Are you a hippie?
Not exactly, no. Unexplainably inside me, I just love the mountains!

Is it like a big love fest or something?
Yeah, dude! All the hippies are there, along with the folks from DELIVERANCE, and we hang from the trees like monkeys and court our women by beating our chests with our fists and cacophonously yelping our love melodies through the forest for attention. It is very primal.

How many pairs of blue jeans are you going to take?
Zero, zip, zilch, nil, nada! Bad idea! Cotton on the trail is a “NO! KNOW!” situation. Cotton is a terrible hiking fabric and jeans are generally made of cotton. It is a poor insulator and has a very heavy dry weight; if cotton gets wet, it will cause accelerated heat loss and can become two times as heavy.

Are you taking a banjo?
No. If I played and enjoyed it enough I might. Some people bring small, compact guitars, but I don’t know how far they get carried up the trail. If I have an opportunity to learn while on the trail, though, I’ll take free lessons!

Why don't you just walk north to south—that way you'll walk downhill the whole way?!
Ugh, right-o? Darn, I wish I would have thought of that—making mental note now…

My passport?
Oh, yes, I remember my passport for crossing STATE borders!!

So you’re walking the Appalachian Trail? How do you get from state to state?
Ummm…

Do they speak English up north?
No, they speak Ibeez! For those of you who aren’t in the know, Ibeez is a rare language only spoken by a handful of people in the world, including myself. Perhaps, if you’re lucky, someday I will teach you.

And finally, a question that I can’t answer yet, but was asked of me once already…

So, how was the trail?
As if it could be explained in one response.