The time is measured in hours, not days

I am now approximately seventy-two hours away from starting my thru-hike attempt of the Appalachian Trail.  I suppose at this point I actually have to go through with it since so many friends and family members and acquaintances know of my intentions.....me and my big mouth.  In my typical fashion, I am coming down to the wire on preparedness; I can--with a fair amount of confidence, I must admit-- say that I truly feel mentally sharp and aware of what lies ahead of me.  It's hard to use the words 'sure' or 'confident' when referencing my readiness mentally, since everything I know of my upcoming journey is either hard fact regarding the attributes of the Trail or personal accounts of those who have gone before me.  Not at all to lessen the value of listening to your predecessors, but I cannot say I feel 'sure' of what is to come, or that I am 'confident' that I am totally equipped.....but I feel like I know what I need to know, I'm not romanticizing the hardships and realities of living with what you can carry, and I do not at all expect this journey to be "easy."

For some people I have talked to, the most daunting aspect to them is the isolation from daily connectivity and civilization; for others, it is the sheer thought of being swallowed whole by the woods; for others it is the dietary restrictions; for most, I would say, it is a combined emotion leading to a comprehensive fear of what they can't predict.  It sounds almost fantastical, a 2,200 mile WALK from one end of the oldest mountains on Earth to the other.....okay, so technically that last statement isn't true because the ancient mountain chain actually spreads across the floor of the Atlantic Ocean and helps comprise the rolling hills of Scotland, if I'm not mistaken......but the other part is true.  Well, almost true; the actual distance this year comes in at just over 2,180 miles.  But I like round numbers.  I can say, however, that the remaining part of the original statement is absolutely true:  I will be walking the whole way.  Unless I can tame a feral pony, in which case I will be riding a pony.  Yes, there are feral ponies on the Trail.

Tomorrow is a critical gear day for me; a couple final purchases to make and a lot of tinkering and prepping.  The tent is due for a seam sealing and a healthy once-over, and the weather is supposed to be prime for such activity.  I'll be uploading a host of pictures of my outfit for this venture; though this blog will not be a gear review, I will share my pack list and any pertinent item info.  Also, once on the Trail, I'll be delving into my diet and food prep quite a bit, hoping to share some useful bits concerning the backcountry menu.  Everyone has their own approach, and there is nothing especially significant about mine--I just want to keep it affordable, healthy, clean of junk food, and as nutritious and replenishing as possible.  Some of the things I'll be trying will be brand new, so it'll be a learning experience for us all.  Learning is fun sometimes.