Holy Crap

It's getting real.

We have less than a month left before we are walking away from Springer Mountain heading the 2,185.9 miles to Katahdin.  What?!

We decided to do this three years ago.  It's been 3 years.  It was hard to believe that this time would ever come, and I must admit, I'm getting quite anxious.  Both in a good way and a bad way.  I know that once we step foot onto the trail that life is going to get crazy awesome.  We also have a seemingly ton of stuff to do before we leave!  I'm not just talking about trail prep either.

Since getting out of the Air Force and moving back to Texas, we have been busier than we have been in years.  6 years away from family and friends tends to make you a big target for time consumption.  Somehow, the fact that we don't have jobs now just seems to mean that we "have unlimited free time".  Yes, "free" time.  Don't get me wrong, I love spending time with all of my family and friends, I'm just not used to it (all the time).  I've also committed myself to helping with different projects before the trail.. I was under the impression that when I got out of the military that I would get bored from the lack of stuff to do.  I was wrong, really wrong.

I've helped complete a garage, cut down trees/chop wood, many other various tasks, and I'm still currently working on refurbishing my Mom's house to be sold right after we leave. This is by far the biggest project.

It's been tough stepping back into my old life as a new person.  It will be nice to be out in the wild for a spell.  The short trips have done well to remind me of my new freedoms.  It don't have to ask permission to travel, and I have no one to answer to besides Jacki, and it's more like conspiring anyway.

As for trail preparation, I'm pretty sure we're mostly set to go.  Time will tell, and so will the trail itself.  We'll see what's what in a couple of weeks.

 -Jeremy

 

Jacki: T-40 days

I've never written a blog post before but I decided it was time since we are starting our great adventure in only 40 days! That and my hubby asked me to, so I thought I'd oblige.

            I guess I just want to say how I'm feeling and that is excited and anxious all wrapped up in one, slightly larger than ever, Jacki-package.  Which brings me to my next topic, weight loss.  I'm specifically looking forward to losing this extra weight I've put on these past few years.  Not so much because I don't like the way I look or am unhappy, it's really more about being healthy and fit again.  I now weigh 160 lbs. and that is the most I've ever weighed in my entire life.  I'm only 25 years old and I'm perfectly able bodied so the way I see it, I have no excuses.  Also, it's starting to adversely effect my health because my doctor told me I have borderline high cholesterol. 

            Don't think for one second though that this hike will be all about weight loss for me, that's just going to be a bonus.   Hiking the A.T. is much more about the adventure, experience, and memories for me.  I won't lie, it's also about the pride I will feel from this huge accomplishment.  I want to hike the entire A.T., in one shot, so I can tell my kids one day what their dad and I did and hopefully it will inspire them to do the same kind of things in their lives.  After all, "Life is about living it, with those you love." -Hitched Hike

            I can't believe the hike is just around the corner.  Jeremy and I have been planning it for 3 years now and it's always been something we'll do in the distant future.  It's rather daunting now that it's the near future.  I really can't wait though.  It's going to be nothing but unknowns for about 6 months and that definitely sounds like quite the adventure to me. 

                                                                                                 

                                                                                                                  -Jacki 

Lyle: An Introduction

Dearest human beings,

First, let me say how excited I am to be a part of the Hitched Hike experience. The decision to hike the Appalachian Trail was a long, slow one for me. When Jeremy and Jacki shared their plan to do a thru-hike, my response was "that sounds fun, but I don't think I would ever do that". Then, I would say, "that sounds fun. Maybe one day I'll do it." After over a year of the idea floating around in my head, something inside of me finally snapped and it seemed ridiculous to not do a thru-hike. Now, I feel like hiking from Georgia to Maine is a journey that I have to make. The choice almost feels like it made itself, and I couldn't be more excited.

Despite the excitement, there is a large amount of trepidation. I am a bit intimidated by the idea of walking between 8 and 10 hours a day in everything from the bitter cold to choking heat and snow and rain, sleeping on the ground, carrying everything I need on my back, getting bitten by mosquitoes (and hopefully nothing else), dealing with knees and ankles in constant discomfort, and other various fears (ZOMG BEARS!). But, like everything, I know I must take the bad with the good. I know I'll be gaining, among other things, a sense of freedom that I have yet to know. I look forward to spending 6 months adventuring with my best friends, sleeping in a new place almost every day, meeting people who I otherwise wouldn't, playing guitar around campfires and writing fun hiking songs, having space to think and just BE with myself. I view the thru-hike as a condensed version of life -- there is a lot of unknown, but a huge potential for fun and adventure. Some days will be great, some days will by trying. Some days friends will encourage me to keep going. The next day, I may be encouraging them. I'll meet people I enjoy, and I'll meet people who annoy me (and who are annoyed by me). And, of course, it isn't about the destination. As my friend, Oli, says: The way is the goal.

I expect to learn a lot about myself and my place in the world. For me, this journey will not only be a physical one, but also deeply spiritual. I look forward to having space to clear my mind. I anticipate I'll have a healthy amount of time to practice walking meditation. I expect the experience of being in nature and away from distractions like TV, computers and the internet to give me a new experience of mental clarity.

All in all, I'm super-excited about the thru-hike, and I know it will be a blast. The last 10 months of my life have been the best I've ever had, marked by lots of growth (and growing pains), insights into self-and-others, and a new respect and appreciation for the world, family, friends, and my very existence. Just being alive is a beautiful moment-by-moment experience that I have too often overlooked, ignored, or taken for granted. I look forward to living well and deeply on my trek, touching life and, hopefully, the lives of others as I go.