Category: Pre-hike

The Appalachian Trail has a lot of ups and downs. Thetreck.com polled 2016 thru-hikers on a number of different aspects of their hike, including the sections they found to be most difficult. Check out the list of The Hardest Sections of the Appalachian Trail and see all the fun I will be having! Anyone want to join me?

Below is my hike in thru-hiker terminology.  Definitions are provided at end!

I will be attempting to be a NOBO thru-hike beginning March 31 at Springer Mt, GA. I’ll be a hicker for sure but will be a white-blazer as well.  No blue-blaze or yellow-blaze but I may slackpack.  As for you, feel free to HYOH.

Vitamin I and mountain money will be extremely important. I’ll also make sure to camel every morning.

I’m looking forward to meeting my tramily and lots of AYCE’s.

With the help of trail angels and their trail magic, I’ll complete my end-to-ender in Maine. I hope to finish by Labor Day…assuming I don’t take too many zero’s and nero’s.

AYCE (adj) “All You Can Eat”; it’s a thru-hiker’s dream

Blue-blazer (n) term of gentle derision for one who periodically uses shortcuts, connector trails, or alternative routes

Camel (v) to chug large amounts of water before the day’s hike

End-to-Ender (n) a thru-hiker who starts at one end of a long path and hikes straight to the other

Flip-flopper (n) a thru-hiker who starts at one point and uses a shuttle and a change of direction to complete the hike

Hicker (n) an inexperienced thru-hiker who’s still figuring out his/her gear

HYOH (v) “Hike Your Own Hike”; in other words, don’t tell others what to do

Mountain money (n) toilet paper

Nero (n) a conglomerate of “near and zero”, as in a very low-mileage day

NOBO (adj, n) northbound

P.U.D.’s (n) “pointless ups and downs”; stretches of monotonous trail that have elevation gain and loss for seemingly no reason

Slackpack (v) to hike without a pack (also: “mule”)

SOBO (adj, n) southbound

Trail angel (n) a person, usually not a thru-hiker, who takes care of hikers, often in the form of food, rides, and lodging

Trail magic (n) altruistic gestures administered by trail angels; known to restore fail in humanity

Trail squatter (n) a local who seeks out prime trailside camp real estate

Tramily (n) people you meet along trail that you may hike with, camp with or share a hostel, etc.

Vitamin I (n) ibuprofen

White-blazer (n) a purist

Yellow-blazer (n) term of derision for a quasi-thru-hiker who hitchhikes portions of a trail

Zero (n) a zero mileage day; usually taken for a much needed day of recovery

On March 31 I will hit the Trail,

Follow my blog and you will see each detail.

2,190 miles from Georgia to Maine.

There will be some pain and lots of rain.

The NFL may have parity,

But I’m doing this for charity.

I think I’ve been a good planner

So I hope to raise lots of money for Sun Dial Manor.

I’ll be working hard and hope no one forgets,

Donate to K9s For Warriors and support our Vets.

There’s lots of adventure and excitement to come,

Your donation will help kids with Down Syndrome.

Think I’ve got everything of import,

I really appreciate your support.

Pete OUT!

 

Introducing my sleep system :

On the left, weighing in at 2 lb. 3 oz. Big Agnes Copper Spur UL 1 (tent).  In the center, weighing 1 lb. 10 oz. REI Flash (sleeping bag).  And on the right, Sea to Summit Sleeping Mat weighing 1 lb.  Total weight of 4 lb. 13 0z.

My new home.  22 square feet of luxury living.  I’m going to have to practice setting up a few more times.  Took about 1/2 hour and several curse words (sorry, Mom!).  Now, if I can only get them back into their tiny little stuff sacks!

Thanks for following my adventure.  Hope you are able to pledge support to one of 3 charities.

Happy trails!

We launched my website earlier this week (thanks to my daughter, Brooke). In a few short days, we have had 25 people pledge a total of $5.32/mile.  Assuming I complete all 2,190 miles this represents a total of $12,206.  WOW!  I am so thankful and grateful to each and every one of you.  Thanks and feel free to get all of your friends and family following along on this big adventure.  These are 3 great charity options and I hope to get the total up to $22.83/mile.  That would mean $50,000 split between these organizations.  Thanks again.

I get lots of questions about the Appalachian Trail and this hike. I will try to give you my answers to some of the most asked.

Are you going by yourself? While I am not going with any individual or group, there are about 4,000 people who attempt to thru-hike the AT in a year.  About 1,000 of them complete.  In addition to those crazies, there are countless other section hikers and day hikers out on the trail all the time.  I expect to meet a lot of interesting people.  Eventually you develop a “tramily” (family on the trail).

How long will this take? I’m aiming to complete by Labor Day so that’s about 5 months.  I hope to average about 18 miles/day with about 1 “zero day”/week.  The first week or 2 will probably only be 10 miles/day but eventually will build up to 25 miles…and then back to 10/day when I get to Vermont and Maine.

How much does your backpack weigh? I am hoping to be very close to 36 lbs including 3 days of food + water.

How are you training for this? I have been walking about 25-30 miles a week (on the golf course).  I’ve added weights to my golf bag so that it is now about 32 lbs.  I’m betting on the fact that I’ll get in better shape as I get my trail legs.  I’m also pretty convinced that this journey is 25% physical and 75% mental.

Please let me know, through contact page on my website, if you have other questions. I will try to answer them before I leave on March 31.

I look forward to sharing this adventure with you! Keep those pledges coming.  Thanks again for your support.