A Trail Update, and a Last Ditch Appeal

Clouds and the setting sun from Blackrock near Big Meadows Lodge.

OK, here's the long awaited trail update. Sorry it took so long, but events that took place left me in a situation where trying to post a blog would have been a frustrating mess. Anyway, on to the update.

For a couple days, the second edition of my hike didn't go too bad. Although my first day was short, it felt good to get back on the trail. Shenandoah is a much easier hiking experience than Georgia, but it still had its ups and downs. I took a zero day on the second day after I said goodbye to my parents at the Dundo Picnic Area because of a heavy rain storm that would be happening overnight. I'm glad I did, because it rained a lot, and I doubt I would have enjoyed the rainy morning.

Appalachian Trail Expense Breakdown preliminary

I think one of the best ways to show we're serious about this hike will be to chronicle everything that goes into planning the journey. One of the biggest things, for me, is finances. Every month, or every major marker in donation/savings process, I'll make an expense report with gear bought and maybe findings on how much other hikers have spent on resupplies and the like.

I'm going to be completely up-front and honest here and it may get a little heavy, so bear with me. I'm pretty open about my struggle with mental illness, and the past 3 years I've been waging all out war with debilitating clinical depression. It's robbed me of a good chunk of my 20s, a decade that I'm under the impression is supposed to be filled with adventure and self-discovery. I spent most of my mid 20s tucked away under covers, wondering if it was really worth it getting through the day. (More on this when I write my "why I hike" post for the AT). It also left me stagnant in my career goals and now I'm left financially in a rut. However, if I'm going to do this hike and move on with my life, the time is now. It's next year or bust.*

Hiking the Appalachian Trail for BECA

We've done it, guys! We've completed our goal! Oh, no, not the raising money part. I meant the choosing a cause to hike for part.

You see, most people want to raise money for a cause and then figure out a way to do it. Andrew and I, being the unconventional people we sometimes tend to be, have wanted to hike the AT for quite some time and knew that hiking the trail would be great exposure for one of the many causes we care about. Raising money for a charity also spurs us on to complete the trail because you just don't quit when people have financially invested in your success. Barring serious emergency, it means we don't give up.