November pre-registration for the Spring 1997 semester came and went. And Christmas break came and went. Now it was time to study the state specific books, countless maps, planning workbooks, and books on the personal accounts of other AT thru-hikers. The AT is the longest continuously marked footpath in the world – over 2,100 miles – and follows along the Eastern seaboard and the Appalachian mountain chain through 14 states. The Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC) defines a person hiking the entire length of the AT as a “2,000 miler” and equal recognition is given to those who complete the trail in sections (Section-Hikers) over many years. I decided to travel from Georgia to Maine.

I had my approach to becoming a thru-hiker figured out – so I thought. A local pack shop (outdoor gear outfitter BRMS) had a presentation/Q&A session in January 1997 about the AT to give potential candidates more information on thru-hiking. I prefaced my first question with “I’ll be starting my thru-hike on February 15th…” and I received an earful. The moderator began dictating the commonly known facts to me – the traditional start date for thru-hikers is April 1, before the summer crowds and after the snow; hikers that hike alone (i.e. starting too early in the year or hiking from Maine to Georgia) have only a blah-blah percent chance of overcoming the mental obstacle of loneliness; and, last but not least, preparing for the chance of bitter cold weather in the Appalachian mountains for a thru-hike is insane. The weight of clothes and food that must be carried is directly proportionate to the energy needed to sustain your body heat. For example, if you have to eat more to stay alive, then you have to carry more – and a person can only carry so much. So, yes, I had read about all of these issues in a book somewhere- but the moderator, we’ll just call him Bill (because that is his name, if you know him) added emotion and first-hand experiences from his TWO thru-hikes over the previous 10 years. I was blown away; however, I intended to brave the elements and tackle this beast with the grace of God, vast experiences in the mountains, wilderness survival knowledge, and dumb luck. And then wisdom teeth happened – yes, the wisdom teeth that had been happy in the back of my mouth for so many years had to come out immediately. So, the endodontic appointment and subsequent recovery time pushed my start date to March 9, 1997. Maybe this was a sign - God works in mysterious ways.