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Expect reflections on long distance hiking, hiking culture, nature, creativity and my undying love for backrests.
All tagged appalachian trials
A big part of preparing for a thru-hike and setting oneself up for success lies in getting your head right.
Once you’re prepared mentally and you’ve wrapped your head around the fact that it’s going to be tough--maybe even the hardest thing you've ever done--then you can make some choices about what you’ll do, or what you’ll carry, to vanquish misery.
Some of it fits in your pack. But some of it doesn't weigh an ounce.
I almost skipped recording this day because, honestly, the trail isn’t that interesting for the first 3.5 miles. Just climbing and climbing and climbing some more. Nothing as gnarly as the Kinsmans. Just unrelenting up hill.
But there was a special treat at the end and an idea for my next challenge, so I decided to add this to the mix of Friday Faves.
"If you can be stopped, you will be stopped." ~Joshua Benavides
I've been reading everything I can get my hands on about thru-hiking the AT.
It's interesting, but, except for one universal fear, no one really talks about their struggle with fear. It's almost like no one is afraid or has any reservations at all.
We know that can't be true, so I'm going first with my "What if?" list and five things you can do now, months before your hike, to deal with the fears that are sure to reveal themselves between now and your start date.
I've just finished reading Appalachian Trials by Zach Davis. (Read my book review here.)
Using a classic coaching first step, he encourages thru-hiker wannabes like me to spell out our why.
Here's my why.
I expect the only books I read between now and mid-March will be books about hiking the Appalachian Trail. From poetically, descriptive tomes about nature and spiritual evolution to wonky missives centered around gear and mileage and locations of all you can eat pizza buffets within hitch-hiking distance of the trail.
It’s all good and I’m soaking it all in.
To wit, I’ve just finished Appalachian Trials: A Psychological and Emotional Guide to Successfully Thru-Hike the Appalachian Trail by Zach "Badger" Davis.
This is my review of the book and some personal musings on how I know I'm in the right place doing the right thing in spite of the fear.
