To THRUHIKE or NOT? Need Advice?

[Footslogger]

[quote=Puzzled;268776]I just wanted to thank everyone for their input, it has been very helpful. I have already talked to my HR department about time off but the decision is basically going to come down to my Director.
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May not be true in your case but when I was in the same position I prepared myself for the NO answer from the boss. I was prepared to WALK (literally and figuratively) when I popped the question. And yes ...it gets rougher to pull off things like this as you get older.

Good luck to you ...

'Slogger

[Jan LiteShoe]

I need to make the decision before I present the idea to him in case he denies my request. I realized the other day that based on some of my past advenutres, backpacking europe 6 weeks, climbing Mt. Fuji, Maryland challenge, that I am being a bit of a puss about this whole thing. I guess that is what has me more perplexed than anything. I had no problem telling my first post college job I wanted six weeks off or else, but then again i was only 24.

"Puss" is maybe too strong a charaterization (and hey, while we're on the subject, the word is kind of a slam to females, but I digress). It's simply huiman nature to project into the future,and most of what we come up with is dire.

I think you're being very honest with yourself. The long, slow slide into slavery is rarely examined. Very few end up peeking behind the curtains. Good for you for your questions and openess.

Maybe, should you choose to hike, you'll envision some way to work for yourself upon your return.

Whatever you choose, best of luck.

[SGT Rock]

Not trying to sound negative but...

Lets face it, and has been pointed out, a hike only takes about 6 months. And has been acknowledged - greater than half the people that start one don't even make it...

So before you sell the house, quit your job, sell the furniture, put the cat up for adoption, and quit your degree... Think about it.

If you go and are successful - It will still have to end someday. If you are not successful, and you burned all your bridges back home with everyone, your school, your job, and your stuff, then you have damaged all that for very little return. And given the odds, that is LIKELY to happen.

If you want certain things out of life or have people in your life that have expectations of you, then chucking all that for a hike could be a bad way to continue that goal of something else you want or hurt the relationship with someone else in your life.

And those mountains have been there for a long time. That trail hasn't been there as long, but it is older than you or I. Chances are very good it will still be there later. Just because it doesn't work for you now doesn't mean it never will.

So in general (not specifically you) use some caution before you drop everything to hike. After all, it will still be there tomorrow.

[Jim Adams]

sgt rock,
never looked at it that way...good advice.
geek

[Jan LiteShoe]

So before you sell the house, quit your job, sell the furniture, put the cat up for adoption, and quit your degree... Think about it.

And just to balance the picture, as one who has "sold the house, quit the job" (let go of the rare, primo property where I lived and ran my horse business), "sold the furniture" (gave it away or storage), "placed the cat up for adoption" (or placed with pet-loving friends)...

you can buy or lease a new house, get all new furniture or "craigslist/freecycle" for used stuff, get a new job or start a new business, go back to school, etc.

The "thing stuff" is workable and replaceable.
Relationships may be another matter, and that's up to each individual as how to handle the situation.

Bottom line, there's a price to be paid for every choice. The question to ask it: how badly do I want this hike? And what does this journey represent to me - what's underneath this urge?

Once you're clear on the answers, it's easy to decide whether to go or not.

Fair warning: Even if you're crystal clear on the cost/benefit end, you may still be plagued with doubts up till the day your walk off Springer. Our minds are not built to let us off the hook.

[Grinds]

You have nothing to lose if you make the attempt. I quit my job after only being there for a year and a half and after I was done, they offered it back to me. Couldn't believe it. I hate the job, but it's only money for a future trip. Good luck.

[Jim Adams]

1989, bad end to a good, long relationship. sold everything and walked away into a 13 month long trip. 2002 i sold my van, my furniture, part of my motorcycle collection (didn't have enough storage space) and walked away. still have the same job now, still have all of the bikes that mattered, have a new address and a new van. will probably go thru it all over again with my '07 thru of the PCT. doesn't matter however there are no relationships to consider or worry over. i don't have any problems just walking away from my daily life but i still think that sgt. rock's advice is very wise for most hikers new to thru hiking.
geek

[SGT Rock]

Well I figure it was something that ought to be said when most people were saying throw caution to the wind and go for it. That does have it's time and place too.

But it amazes me how you hear stories every year of people that do this sort of thing and have also never hiked before. Seems like if you were going to leave your girlfriend, quit your job, sell your house, and give away everything to go hike, you might want to find out if you even like hiking.

[Jim Adams]

so true, so true! i had hiked a total of 3 days prior to walking away for 13 months! i had good outdoor skills and alot of wilderness canoeing under my belt. it changed my life and was possibly the greatest decision of my life. i'll never regret it but it probably was very stupid the way i went about it!
geek

[handlebar]

Puzzled,

It is all too easy to just say, do it. But, it's all a question about what you want from life. What are your priorities? I can tell you that it will be a lot easier on your body to thruhike as a 31 year old than it was for me as a 61 year old. It will also be easier to go before you have the responsibilities of a wife and family if those are among your priorities. It will be easier before you're much further along in your career. While it's relatively easy to change jobs in ones 30's, my experience is that it becomes more difficult as one gets older. About the only 40/50-somethings out on the trail this year were men retiring from the military or in high demand professions.

My desire to be fit enough for active pursuits (backpacking, skiing) after I retired helped me keep fit enough while I waited for a time in my life less complicated by the responsibilities of a wife, children and the career needed to support family life. Having a family and a partnership with my wife were my priorities. The career and job were a means to an end. I got my outdoor fix with 2-week backpack trips now and then, hoping eventually that I'd be healthy enough and have the financial security to retire young enough to do some of the things I had put off. I'm truly fortunate that I could step out of the squirrel cage and follow my dream for 6 months. I don't regret waiting, but I'm glad I didn't wait any longer.

You sound as if you seriously want to do this. Your life seems relatively uncomplicated. Your girlfriend is supportive---if she's not, she's probably not the right person for you. I detect a tone of regret that you didn't hike instead of taking that job. If you think you'll have regrets, then I say go ahead and hike now. Those regrets will interfere with your professional and personal life down the road.

[hopefulhiker]

Another option is to go work for Whole Foods. An article in Backpacker magazined talks about how the president of Whole Foods is a thru hiker and his company even allows some long time employees to take six month leaves to go thru hike the trail.. I think it would be great if other companies did this. It would be sort of like a reward for loyal employees of many years.. What am I thinking? Of course in this day and age companies are lucky to have someone around for six months....

[Heater]

Get it out of your system before you get suuucked into the system.

Maybe if you do it now, you will gain enough insight to avoid that second part.

[ASUGrad]

Do a two week section hike. If you find you hate it, don't do a thruhike.

[Puzzled]

This has been a great thread with plenty of good advice, suggestions to hike as well as reevaluate and possibly go later. I am still on the fence right now but leaning toward going. I do want to hike but just can't pull the trigger. I guess what it comes down to is that if I never try I will never know and it is also alot easier to hike at 31 then 51, given lack of current responsibilites etc. In any event, I have talked to my HR dept but it will ultimately comd dowm to my boss. Do you think I need to have the decision made, decision to go or stay, before I go and present my request? I was thinking I could go in and present the idea to my director and see how he reacts.

[Jim Adams]

definitly make the decision BEFORE you go to your boss. if the answer is not hiking, why ask? if you make up your mind and decide, yes i am hiking, your boss may not agree but he will respect you more and no matter what he says, you already have YOUR answer.
geek

[chickadee]

Don't know if you have made a decision yet, but I will say: Thru-hike. I am pissed that I only did from PA --> ME this year. You need the full experience of the whole trail, all at once. Drop everything and do it. It's worth it.

The only thing that makes me happy that I didn't finish the entire trail this year is that I have another half to hike!

Chickadee

[mweinstone]

hike or die fatty.

[Third Times A Charm]

Puzzled;

There is a reason my trail name is Third Times a Charm. I went to Georgia in 1993 lasted to Hawk Mountain, not because I didn't have desire, I was physically not prepared. I came back in 1994 and once again realized I still wasn't ready. Ended up hiking the C&O Canal from DC to Cumberland, MD, to see if the Long distant hiking was my thing. In 1997, I hiked Georgia and had severe tendenitis, went home to California for rehab, came back in May and hiked from Harpers Ferry to Hanover. I'm hiking this year 10 years later, because my experience of hiking the trail change me the person. I have never been the same and would not want it any other way.

Take a deep breathe go for a long weekend hike and decide. I no longer am a pawn to corporate structure. But I have found the hike was a profound spiritual experience for me.

[SillyGirl]

In reality, you probably know deep down what you really want to do, its just a matter of admitting it to yourself. Do YOU want to go or not?

[Appalachian Tater]

It certainly won't get any easier the older you get. You may thru-hike when you're 45 and say to yourself, "Boy, this would have been a lot easier ten years ago."