Almost there.....

Well, as it stands now, I am back to the original plan of doing the entire trip solo.  Both of my friends have bowed out for various reasons.  That's alright though, now there is just me to worry about and my own pace to keep.  I’m also moving the departure date up by one day.  I’ll be starting out at Amicalola Falls State park.  This entails walking up an approach trail of roughly 8 miles, to the starting point of the A.T. at the top of Springer Mountain.  The weather is calling for thunderstorms (70%) on the 29^th and clouds (30%) on the 28^th.  I’d rather do the 8 miles and my first day in a light rain than torrential downpour.  Also, I’ll be on the A.T. ready to go on the morning of the 29^th, Leap year day.  To move it forward gets me into March and many more people departing between the 1^st and 4^th.  I prefer to stay ahead of some of the crowds.  I’m looking forward to the social aspect that transpires along the A.T., but not the vying for spaces in shelters right from the get go.  

So in other departments of life, I took the GRE on Tuesday.  It wasn’t so bad, I walked away feeling confident.  However, you’d think I’d come home from that feeling relieved and ready to relax….????  Not so much, I got so riddled with anxiety that evening I couldn’t sleep, and paced the house till 3am and some Tylenol pm.  I was anxious about the finality of finishing the test.  It’s all out my hands now; all I can do is wait to hear back from the prospective universities.  That didn’t settle well with me that evening, a flood of worries and coulda/shoulda’s went through my head.  That stress, along with the sudden realization that this vast trek is just around the corner and about to happen.  Have I prepped enough, what else do I need, and what can I do????  

It was all a bit to take in, and it all wanted in at the same time.  The past couple days have been an emotional rollercoaster I wasn’t expecting.  Excitement and random bouts of butterflies in my stomach egged on by fleeting thoughts of anything hike related.  Wondering if I have what it takes, will my problematic hip flexor cause me too much grief?  Will my knee’s last the entire trip or will just getting past all the initial pain lead to these issues working themselves out with proper stretches (I have a routine) and use?  Oh yeah, and since it’s been such a warm winter, will I get slammed in a later winter push while traversing the higher elevations of this area??  That is the question really annoying me, because if I could just get a NO, then I could shed some clothing and gear.  However, I probably won’t receive that no and will just have to be prepped for it till the end of March.

Let’s see, what else to cover?  Aaaahh, yes….the weight issue, lol,  No, not my pack, just my gut.  The sedentary lifestyle of sequestering one’s self to study has left me with about 16lbs extra.  It’s quite sad really, I’m usually 180lbs and now (through a lack in cardio and poor dining choices) I’ve moved up to the mid 190’s……I even hit 200 at one point.  Though it’s a bit weird and annoying to find all this on me prior to such a hike, I take solace in knowing it will be gone bout two weeks into it all.  I actually read on two long distance hiker blogs, that it’s good to pack on 10-15lbs prior to taking on such a journey.  Just gotta hope my hiking pants don’t “muffin top” me too bad??  LOL.  I’ll be only 10lbs over by the time I leave, eating healthy and stepping up my workout to include more cardio over the next couple days will help.  I’m looking forward to the level of fitness one achieves after hiking 2,000+ miles.  

So as of April 1^st my phone will be suspended for 90 days.  No point in paying a bill for something I do not plan to use much, or at all.  So basically, during March, my blogs will be from wherever I receive signal and shall be more often.  After April 1^st, there will only be updating when I get into towns and can receive a wifi signal or use of a computer. 

If you’re interested, I have a journal account on trailjournals.com.  Some posts, like this one, will be written on one and pasted into the other.  While I’ll save certain reflections for one and others on the other to mix it up.  You can find those entries here: http://www.trailjournals.com/ErikNOBO2012/

Well, I believe this will be it until Tuesday when I blog about my approach trail walk.

Till then, here’s to running water, bathrooms, hot showers and not being stinky ;-)