I have a mixture of emotions. We have been in this limbo state, homeless, and waiting to leave for almost 3 months - a perfect recipe for a bad case of Springer fever (named for Springer Mtn., the southern terminus of the AT and the starting point for 90% of thru hikers). But there is also the apprehension of starting something new and big, and not knowing if you can do it. Of those who start a thru hike each year, 85-90% do not complete. Most quit early. Many are young and fit and uninjured. I am none of those.
We hope our experience section hiking will carry us through mentally. Physically, we have been training but of course, it will not be enough. I plan to go slowly in terms of miles per day (<10). We are starting in a section with smaller mountains. I expect it will take 30+ days before we can consistently extend our mileage up to 15+/- per day. By the time we reach New England, we should be ready for bigger climbs.
Our slow pace means that we will need 7 months (or more!?!) to complete the whole trail. Making it to Katahdin would be a successful hike. It would mean continuing our section hiking with over 1600 miles completed. If we continue from Springer and reach the Roanoke, VA area, we will have completed the entire AT. If we then continue on to Harper's Ferry, we will have completed a thru hike in 2010. That would be nice!
But I also know that I could easily blow out a knee or have hip problems that will stop all this.
Time to go find out....
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