Troll's 2010 AT Journal

My trip to EMS was successful in a way. I picked up a new backpack and a spare pair of boots and a few other things for my thru hike. I ended up spending more then I wanted though. I spent well over $400. The good thing about this trip is that I have everything I need for my thru hike now. There cannot possibly be anything else I need to get for this hike.

The real test now will be on the week long hike I have scheduled for this Monday in Maine on the Appalachian Trail. The temps have been getting down into the low 30’s at night here in at the house. That means it will be colder in the mountains. This is a good thing because it will let me test all my cold weather gear that I will be starting my thru hike with. I am and am not looking forward to this. I do not look forward to hiking and sleeping in the cold but it has to be done to make sure all the gear I have will work for me.

There will be one other person doing the shakedown hike with me. His name is Scott. He is a member of WhiteBlaze and HammockForums. He is also thru hiking next year and told me that he plans on starting the first part of March also. Who knows maybe we hit it off and start our thru hikes on the same day. I have talked on the phone and texted messaged with him back and forth quite a bit and he seems like a really great guy and has a lot of the same concerns that I have, I am looking forward to hiking with him and talking about our upcoming thru hike.