Is it weird that its been an entire year since any update has been made? Soon after that last post I left the trail, but I never really updated it saying I was leaving. I kinda just left it hanging. At any rate I had to leave last year as I ended up nearly cracking some ribs and never fully recovering. Everyone thinks they can push through it, but going up mountains and breathing hard with an extra 40 lbs on your back can get pretty taxing to say the least. When your chest hurts after every breath its time to call it quits. Sometimes you have the listen to the little voice in your head saying it's a bad idea, I guess. however I believe I have recovered enough to now finish the trail.
Quite a few people have wondered 'but MagicMan, didnt you hike enough last year? I mean, you DID hike over 1000 miles...'
To which I would respond "Yes, I did hike over a thousand miles, but that's not the whole thing." I know my initial goal was to hike the Trail in its entirety in one go. However I can also totally accept hiking the whole thing over a period of time instead. Sure my status (im my eyes) is slightly less since I've been reduced to a section hiker, but I still want to be able to say "Yeah i Hiked the AT... what part? oh you know... all of it." Besides, I already started it, I have to finish it now. Even if i didn't necessarily want to, it's out of principle at this point. I have so many projects and goals and various other things that I've only half completed. Granted finishing any number of those would be easier than hiking the northern half the AT, But if I can finish this, that I can sure as hell finish anything else.
Hobey-ho, here we go again
-Sam
P.S. My 'normal' journals will resume mid May as I start backpacking 5/18/2015
P.P.S. (6/11/15 - Kent CT) Since writing what was said above I have completely changed my view of things, courtesy of other hikers. My status has is way higher than the average 'true thru-hiker'. As a 'true' thru-hiker you get your trail legs once and spend 4 - 6 months out here. If you do in sections, you need to regain your trail legs for EACH section you start. Since quite a few people don't do bigger than one mother sections, you're barely getting your trail legs back. Then as you can push big miles you have to go back to 'the other real world'. Hence why I think i'm actually better than those guys from GA -> ME. Also I am still doing a thru-hike, just not a 'true' thru-hike. That's the only difference. No matter how many sections, if you walk from GA to ME that's a thru-hike no matter how you complete it.
P.S. My 'normal' journals will resume mid May as I start backpacking 5/18/2015
P.P.S. (6/11/15 - Kent CT) Since writing what was said above I have completely changed my view of things, courtesy of other hikers. My status has is way higher than the average 'true thru-hiker'. As a 'true' thru-hiker you get your trail legs once and spend 4 - 6 months out here. If you do in sections, you need to regain your trail legs for EACH section you start. Since quite a few people don't do bigger than one mother sections, you're barely getting your trail legs back. Then as you can push big miles you have to go back to 'the other real world'. Hence why I think i'm actually better than those guys from GA -> ME. Also I am still doing a thru-hike, just not a 'true' thru-hike. That's the only difference. No matter how many sections, if you walk from GA to ME that's a thru-hike no matter how you complete it.
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