Over age 50 Hikers: Why are you hiking the AT in 2016?

[rjwilliams]

My brother and I are attempting a thru hike at the end of March 2016. We are both retired, aged 58, and want to do it for the same reasons you described. I see it as an opportunity to be truly free. No schedules, no telephones, no demands other than the ones you put on yourself. Also the fact that the trail is actually still there to be explored and admired. We too live in Florida and want to experience some true American landscape.

[rjwilliams]

Nothing but respect for you brother.

[Options]

For many of the same reasons that the OP listed. At 57 I saw the window of opportunity for such an adventure slowly closing. Friends and acquaintances were getting sick and dying. Why wait! So here I am sitting at The Pit Stop in Fontana with 166 miles behind me. It's been the trip of a lifetime to date. Can't wait to see what the next several months hold in store.

[Brad L]

Wondering for those of you that have been taken off the trail on previous hikes, WHY?

[rafe]

Wondering for those of you that have been taken off the trail on previous hikes, WHY?

The fun/misery quotient was too low.

[shawnlakenorman]

I want to walk the trail to find myself. Enough said I guess.

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[Tintype]

Man I know where you are coming from. 2015 sucked. I turned fifty and saw both parents die within 9 months of each other. Looking after them has taken a real toll mentally and physically over the last few years. This is a trip that I have been planning for 20 years now and I think 2017 might be my year.

[CedarKeyHiker]

My brother and I are attempting a thru hike at the end of March 2016. We are both retired, aged 58, and want to do it for the same reasons you described. I see it as an opportunity to be truly free. No schedules, no telephones, no demands other than the ones you put on yourself. Also the fact that the trail is actually still there to be explored and admired. We too live in Florida and want to experience some true American landscape.

You are fortunate to be able to share the experience with your brother. Best of luck to both of you. I hope to meet you out there. You guys will be a few days ahead of me. I step off April 3.

[Carbo]

Wondering for those of you that have been taken off the trail on previous hikes, WHY?

Pushing too hard and not enough zeros. I know I will make it all the way this year!

[Captain Panda]

Going to start my hike March 31. I'm 65 and a thru hike has always been #1, 1A, and 1B on my bucket list. Survived Cancer in 2014, and realized that you only live once. See you on the trail!!

[CedarKeyHiker]

Pushing too hard and not enough zeros. I know I will make it all the way this year!

This is most valuable information. I am wondering if there is a direct correlation between what Rafe stated, "The fun/misery quotient was too low"
and Carbo's observation. I am going to try and be kind to my mind and body and not push this 1958 model too far. There's a lot of miles on my suspension and drive train. I spend a lot of time outdoors and push myself regularly but I've always had time to recover. Great insight. Thank you!!!

[rafe]

Zeros -- can't live with 'em, can't live without 'em. They absolutely kill your forward progress and your average mileage.

On my most "successful" section hike, about 600 miles in forty days, I took no zeros at all, but I gave myself a half-day off every four or five days. I'd typically walk eight or ten miles on those half-days. Arrive in town early- or mid-afternoon, enough time for town chores, a good meal, and lazing around a bit, back on the trail the next morning.

[CedarKeyHiker]

Zeros -- can't live with 'em, can't live without 'em. They absolutely kill your forward progress and your average mileage.

On my most "successful" section hike, about 600 miles in forty days, I took no zeros at all, but I gave myself a half-day off every four or five days. I'd typically walk eight or ten miles on those half-days. Arrive in town early- or mid-afternoon, enough time for town chores, a good meal, and lazing around a bit, back on the trail the next morning.

When you mentioned the fun/misery quotient being too low, I took it to mean that at some point the the ratio got out of balance and it just wasn't fun anymore. Since that statement immediately reminded me of my first marriage(humor attempted)I related to it. Carbo suggests taking it a little easier and taking zeroes to increase overall miles. Your way is suggests a little more push. My question is: If you had it to do again, and I assume you will; would you take it a little easier to help you maintain a better balance in your fun/misery quotient?

[CedarKeyHiker]

* (is suggesting) a little more push...

[rafe]

When you mentioned the fun/misery quotient being too low, I took it to mean that at some point the the ratio got out of balance and it just wasn't fun anymore. Since that statement immediately reminded me of my first marriage(humor attempted)I related to it. Carbo suggests taking it a little easier and taking zeroes to increase overall miles. Your way is suggests a little more push. My question is: If you had it to do again, and I assume you will; would you take it a little easier to help you maintain a better balance in your fun/misery quotient?

Happily married to a woman who doesn't hike, so an AT thru hike is not in the cards. At this point in life I'm down to section hikes.

I wasn't really clear on that last post, but I guess I mean to say that too many zeros can play havoc with a thru hike. The fun/misery quotient isn't really related to the number of zeros. For sure, knowing just how hard to push yourself is important. Over the years I've found that consistency is the key in many endeavors. So instead of 20 mile days and lots of zeros, I went for a consistent 15 mile/day average pace.

[CedarKeyHiker]

Happily married to a woman who doesn't hike, so an AT thru hike is not in the cards. At this point in life I'm down to section hikes.

I wasn't really clear on that last post, but I guess I mean to say that too many zeros can play havoc with a thru hike. The fun/misery quotient isn't really related to the number of zeros. For sure, knowing just how hard to push yourself is important. Over the years I've found that consistency is the key in many endeavors. So instead of 20 mile days and lots of zeros, I went for a consistent 15 mile/day average pace.

I plan to heed pay a good mind to both of you. There is wisdom in both approaches. I tend to push myself a bit too hard. I have to remind myself that it is a marathon and not a sprint.

[Postmark]

I love to walk in the woods. When I moved to Tennessee in 2004 I started exploring LBL with co workers. Big South Fork was next. Then in 2009 I was bitten by the release of the National Geographic's Appalachian Trail Documentary. I retired in 2012 and was somewhat healthy just overweight. I decided that I needed to get up off the couch. Now I am 7 years into dreaming and about to step off in Virginia on my journey. I however am not a very social type, this being one thing I have struggled with most of the 60 years of my life. I do fine one on one, but it takes a little more with crowds. So if you see me on the trail don't be put off by my lack talking.
I am hiking this year for Seamarkranch dot com which is a a group of children that have accepted me and are excited to follow me north then south. I feel they will provide me the incentive to go the extra mile when the day comes where I need that extra push. The Marine Corps drill instructor was the extra push I needed in boot camp (no choice). Those that went through it will know what I mean.

[Proton]

I'm sure I can mix up a nice "con leche" when we cross paths on the AT! Jack

Your plan sounds well thought out. Good luck on your adventure and congratulations on making it half way to a hundred. Be safe...We'll look for you out there, and don't forget to bring the Cuban sandwiches, deviled crabs, and cafe con leche from anywhere in Tampa...

[rocketsocks]

Burned out on life, need to unwind, no responsibility but to stay fed, hydrated, and warm as I think, look around and walk.

[handlebar]

i turned 61 on the AT during my '06 thru and have been doing long and medium length hikes since. I did the AT to fulfill a long held dream and to make a clean break from my 38-year IT career. I had already done several week long backpacks so I knew I could handle the challenge. A bout with prostate cancer at age 58 taught me I better start doing some of the things I'd put off until "some day" because I might not live until "some day" arrived. I found that I had the financial resources to retire early, my family obligations had diminished, I had kept myself in fairly good physical shape, and my wife of then 35 years was and continues to be supportive.

i have continued long distance backpacking not only because I enjoy it, but because I felt as young and fit as I did at 25. (Damn mirrors set me straight on that.) I wanted to keep that feeling and have hiked now an additional 9000 miles on long trails. I plan to keep on keepin' on as long as I can. I enjoy both the comaraderie I've found on hikes on the more popular trails and the solitude on some of the less popular.

When I hiked the Arizona Trail, a man in his 40s on an ATV stopped as I was walking a forest road along a ridge after a climb of over 1000 feet in full sun asking, "Old man, are you OK?" I had to correct him. "I'm not old," I said. "I've simply reached advanced middle age." Last fall I hiked Vermont's Long Trail with a 24-year old and averaged 18 miles per day with average elevation gain of 3000 ft per day. This past January and February I completed the Florida Trail hiking over 1100 miles. I dare say I'm in better physical and mental shape than the day I retired nearly 11 years ago.

So many trails. So little time.