Class of 2010

[Pedaling Fool]

The actual cost of the thru hike is not a problem. I have planned for it. I don't believe it has to be as expensive as ATTROLL said. I will minimize trips to towns cause that where the excess $ is spent
It's the car payment, insurances and other continuing bills, and especially coming back to no source of income (have to quit job) and especially the effect the countries financial crisis has on my savings. It's all a little overwhelming right now but the plans go forward cause I want to hike.
Good luck to all in your own prep for the Thru Hike

What ATTROL says is right. Yes you can lessen the price considerably, but that's would be at a cost - not a monetary cost; rather a comfort cost. Most who think the can afford that cost cannot.

As for the other costs, I'm lucky there, I hate bills and everything I purchase, including my house I do so with a plan to pay it off quicker than the normal plan. Most people suffering financially put themselves in that situation and didn't know it until problems surfaced. Take a real hard look at your bills and come up with a plan.

[attroll]

Even if you are not planning on spending $4,000 for a thru hiker I would still go into it with at least $4,000 or more. If you don't use all $4,000 then you will have it when you come back to the real world. One of the reasons among others that some people do not finish a thru hike is because they run out of money. I would not want to start something I was not prepared to finish financially.

[NorseWoman]

$4000 for 6 months (26 weeks) is about $154 a week spent on the trail- seems like a lot to me but I'll go with your suggestions. Now I need to get creative with the finances
Thanks for bringing reality to me Nana

[attroll]

$4000 for 6 months (26 weeks) is about $154 a week spent on the trail- seems like a lot to me but I'll go with your suggestions. Now I need to get creative with the finances
Thanks for bringing reality to me Nana

I was not trying to be a pain. I was just trying to let you know that it is not as cheap as people think it is. I think that most people think they just throw a backpack on and have mail drops sent to post office boxes and they can do their whole hike that way and you probably could. I don't know if I could or even what to live off mail drop food for six to seven months. I know I am going to want to gorge myself when I get into towns. Your body is going to burn a lot of calories and you need to replace those so you do not get run down. Your going to want to stay in hostels and hotels too. Hostels can be some what cheaper but you can not find a hostel everywhere. If you use a shuttle service the going rate are bout $2 a mile. Then you have to be prepared for the unexpected. If you get injured or get sick, that could take you off the trail for a few days and every day spent of the trail is money spent.

Look at the bright side if you put the money away and don't use it all then you will have some money to come back to. On the down side if you do not put enough away then you are going to be pretty upset at yourself when you run out.

[Gorp-Gobbler]

I know what attroll is talking about Nana, I for one don't one to worry about money on the trail. If I want to get off for a day or two to "pig-out" at a restaurant instead of eating Ramens I will. If I want to do some side trips, that may require $$, I will do them and not worry about doing them.
Thanks for the advice Troll, I may switch my planning modes for 2011. I just don't think it will be feasible to make it in 010'.
Hey! what the heck? My other 4 or 5 Thru-Hikes I planned didn't materialize either or some reason or another.

[attroll]

Gorp-Gobble
You know the saying. "Proper planning is everything" or something like that.

[Gorp-Gobbler]

Gorp-Gobble
You know the saying. "Proper planning is everything" or something like that.

Ya, I think it is "Proper Planning Prevents P___ Poor Progress".

I just didn't take everything in prospective. My focus was on paying off the creditors which I'm doing quite well.
I knew in my mind I'd have equipment to replace but I never really gave having the money for the hike much thought.
It will still be close and possilbly even doable depending on the amount of painting contracts I have next year, how many landscapping jobs I get, how many powerwashing jobs I do, and the other many Handy-Man jobs I do, plus the work I do in the restaurant.
I may have a career change take place as well in which case I'll wait on retirement before taking the BIG HIKE. I'm trying to get back into Management. I worked as a Deli/Bakery Manager with a local supermarket.
I'll stay focused and keep touching bases here.

[attroll]

Yes money is my biggest worry. It is not the money for the hike that worries me because I will have that. I have three loans that I am paying on right now that we be paid off before the thru hike. That was one of my other reasons for picking 2010. I am in a very good paying job right now with a pension and 401K. I mean I am getting paid fairly decently. They will not give me leave of absents or a sabbatical at all. That means I will have to quite my job. I know I will not be able to come back to it or get a job paying like this when I get done with my thru hike.

I will have the normal electric, house and car insurance and medical insurance while I am hiking. The only big bill that I will have is my mortgage and as of right now I have that covered. It is the unexpected things that will pop up while I am hiking that my wife may not be able to deal with. My wife is disabled and can not work a full time job, she can not work more then 20 hours a week and the job she has is minimum wage. This is not so much as a big worry because I am sure everything will be fine.

My biggest worry is coming back to the real world and not getting a job paying like I have now or at least one that will support the both of us and our normal hobbies.

[bunk]

Hi everybody! I've just recently decided I want to thru the AT starting in/around June '10 - right now I'm leaning SOBO if just to get the hardest part done early...err...first. Realistically, this is a partial pipe dream as I write this since a) I've never thru'd anything - just a few day hikes - and b) I have no idea how my leave of absence request will be rec'd. I have made plans to thru the 165 mile Tahoe Rim Trail in June '09. I figure if I can do that in 8-10 days I'll be AT worthy.

Two questions:
1) Having read the entire thread, I'm surprised nobody has mention David Miller's 'Awol on the Appalacian Trail'. It's a quick read and has stoked my passion for actually doing this. Does anyone with AT experience have an opinion on this book? It's supposed to be one of the better ones out there.
2) I figure I've got one shot on the LoA request, which I plan on submitting in a few months. I've never made such a request in my career. Anybody have a suggestion or two or three?

I'm happy I found this thread and look forward to getting to know the Class of 2010.

[attroll]

Hi everybody! I've just recently decided I want to thru the AT starting in/around June '10 - right now I'm leaning SOBO if just to get the hardest part done early...err...first. Realistically, this is a partial pipe dream as I write this since a) I've never thru'd anything - just a few day hikes - and b) I have no idea how my leave of absence request will be rec'd. I have made plans to thru the 165 mile Tahoe Rim Trail in June '09. I figure if I can do that in 8-10 days I'll be AT worthy.

Two questions:
1) Having read the entire thread, I'm surprised nobody has mention David Miller's 'Awol on the Appalacian Trail'. It's a quick read and has stoked my passion for actually doing this. Does anyone with AT experience have an opinion on this book? It's supposed to be one of the better ones out there.
2) I figure I've got one shot on the LoA request, which I plan on submitting in a few months. I've never made such a request in my career. Anybody have a suggestion or two or three?

I'm happy I found this thread and look forward to getting to know the Class of 2010.

I also think this is the best one out there at this time. I am not being bias just beacuse Awol and I have become good friends. Before I become good friends with Awol I had already formed the opinion that this is the best AT read and still feal this way.

[Chenango]

Ditto to what AT Troll said. Awol's book is one of the best, if not The Best.

[Footslogger]

I think it's the best ...but I have to admit to a touch of bias. I hiked some with Awol in 2003 and even got an honorable mention in the book.

Seriously though, what I like most about the book is that it documents both the miles and the emotions. Plenty of "how to" books out there but if you are interested in getting a feel for the experience of a thru-hike before you actually undertake one it wins ...hands down.

'Slogger

[bunk]

I think it's the best ...but I have to admit to a touch of bias. I hiked some with Awol in 2003 and even got an honorable mention in the book.

Seriously though, what I like most about the book is that it documents both the miles and the emotions. Plenty of "how to" books out there but if you are interested in getting a feel for the experience of a thru-hike before you actually undertake one it wins ...hands down.

'Slogger

Yeah I'm about two thirds through Awol's book. I *think* I saw you pictured in there but maybe I'm confusing you with another guy. From his writing it seems like you guys had your own personal thunderstorm following you up the trail. Sure hope that doesn't happen to me since I don't think I can stand enduring those conditions for such an extended period.

[Footslogger]

Yeah I'm about two thirds through Awol's book. I *think* I saw you pictured in there but maybe I'm confusing you with another guy. From his writing it seems like you guys had your own personal thunderstorm following you up the trail. Sure hope that doesn't happen to me since I don't think I can stand enduring those conditions for such an extended period.

========================

I hope you don't either ...but in the end if you are committed to getting there, you'll endure !! After a while we all got used to everything being damp and musty. Made an occasional night in town all the more special !!

'Slogger

[Wrangler88]

I'm going to thru starting NOBO in mid-May of 2010 because of college. I've never been anywhere near the AT but I've been reading a lot and buying gear and it's been my one and only dream for the past few years. I need to get out there and start some practice hikes. Although its hard to find anything comparable around here in north Texas. I'm jealous of all of you living around the mountains.

I'm also planning a section from Harper's Ferry south to the Smokies at the end of next June.

I hope to meet a lot of you out there.

[bunk]

Hey 'Slogger (or anyone else who's done the the trail in NH and VT),

I finished Awol's book over the weekend. There was one particular point - I forget if it was in New Hampshire or Vermont - where he wrote about a steep decline of about 45º, the footholds were a long reach, and the short trees nearby had been partially uprooted from hikers using them as aids in getting down.

Do you remember that part of the trail? Since I'll be going SOBO, I'll have to climb that part. I'm not an experienced mountain climber in the least and I'd hate to reach a point which is impassable for me. It's not going to keep me off the AT but I'd rather avoid being surprised by an incline which is too vertical for me.

Please advise.

[walkin' wally]

I'm not Footslogger but on page 185 of his book AWOL desribes the descent of the north face Mt. Mooselauke NH into Kinsman Notch about as you have described.

[Macallister Vagabond]

I'm in. Starting quite early. Intend on experiencing four seasons.

[attroll]

I have added a new forum titled Class of 2010 and moved this thread into it. I will start a 2011 forum at the end of October in 2009.

[Roland]

~ I'm not an experienced mountain climber in the least and I'd hate to reach a point which is impassable for me. It's not going to keep me off the AT but I'd rather avoid being surprised by an incline which is too vertical for me.

Please advise.

Nowhere in the Whites, is the AT so steep that it be characterized as impassable; even for this old guy.

There's no need to stress about this. Honest. By the time you reach the climb to Moosilauke, you will be a hiking machine - having completed the most physically challenging section of the Trail.

Most find steep sections to be less intimidating when going uphill. You will enjoy Beaver Brook Trail. Trust me.