Can it be done?

[Dogwood]

HEY, I know I've been blunt, pissy, and perhaps, even condescending(which was wrong, I apologize for doing that) but I wish you the best in achieving your goals.

Yeah, you are inexperienced as a backpacker, TOTALLY untested in consistent higher miles per day with LONG distance backpacking, and IMHO grossly naive about some things but you also display a lot of maturity and a willingness to SOME DEGREE to consider things that you weren't aware of. You DEFINITELY already have some things going for you to achieve a 30 MPD avg. I'm still not sure you are ready for that though; take that from someone who has and is capable of doing 30 MPDs back to back to back but RARELY CHOOSES TO. Even though I thrued the AT before and can do a few 30's in a row I would find it hard for myself to avg 30's over a 2.5 month period or wouldn't be happy even if I was able to pull it off. It would change WHY I thru-hike to something that becomes negative FOR ME. That's what I was hoping for you to grasp when I spoke about Skurka or Pharr Davis. THEIR motivations, why they hike long distances or do speedy hikes, plays into their ability to accomplish those goals. What motivates you to want to thru the AT in 2.5 months? average 30 miles per day? What you aren't aware, because they didn't say it, is that a couple of posters on this thread have done 30 mile days and gave you SOLID advice on how to proceed accomplishing it yourself which seems like you ignored despite you saying otherwise. What's most important is what you believe and are ready for though!

Don't reaggrevate any pre-existing injury if you attempt the 2.5 month thru while avg 30 MPD. I'll say it again, you got a shot at it. UNLIKELY THOUGH. Never said it was an impossibility FOR YOU! HOWEVER, you now know, the VAST MAJORITY, who do 30 MPD have worked up to it not done it out of the box as raw inexperienced untested backpackers. Don't be naive about this. Doing it consistently, to attain an AVERAGE of 30 a day, takes it to an even HIGHER level. Don't be naive about this either.

I REALLY like the suggestions of other posters who said try averaging 30 MPD on a shorter distance hike first. You'll gain new perspectives of what it will take to avg 30 MPD on LONG distance hikes. Doing this will do all sorts of potentially positive things for you too that I'll let you find out for yourself.

You are in Edison. Not hard taking public transportation from there to the AT to Delaware Water Gap, various places in NY(one poster already gave some ideas, Pawling NY, Vernon NJ, Harriman SP, etc). Do a shorter section hike first say with the goal of avg 25 MPD. Do another short hike avg your goal of 30 MPD. Do the shorter Long Trail in Vermont as Mags suggested(that's a nice trail, nice helpful people). Before dismissing that idea answer these questions for yourself - why am I in such a hurry?, can I just enjoy a 2200 miles AT thru-hike? should I be approaching long distance backpacking as a competition or a race against time as is the case with competitive organized cross country running? am I making things more complicated than they need to be? My goodness. FIRST, before starting ALL the planning and expending ALL the time, money, resources, etc that entails a supported 30 MPD avg 2200 mile thru-hike answer the question for yourself IF backpacking even appeals to you! What if you gather all this thru-hiking info and do all this thru-hike planning for a 2.5 month thru-hike and at the end of the first wk arrive at the opinion backpacking sucks? Did you start out as a cross country runner out of the womb? NO. You worked up to it.

Take my suggestion to focus your questions in the future in such a way that elicits more targeted answers(that support the attainment of your goal). You started that with one of your concerns with your knee and knee pain inquiry and then let yourself get side tracked. Try not to let your thread go off on tangents which quickly happened here. Assimilate one answer first before proceeding to your next question(lock it in); you can facilitate this by starting more than one thread with one or two more targeted questions at a time. When you are just learning something helps to chunk info(opinions) down into smaller bites.

Hope to see you on the trail HAPPILY averaging 30 MPD doing it without hurting yourself determining what is right FOR YOU. All my best DDubs.

Oh, you get self satisfaction out of hard work? Good. Like the outdoors? Good. Me too. Want a job on my next landscape installation project in NJ?

[jeffmeh]

You're right about this part of Jersey being flat. There are only a few hills around that I could take advantage of, but I think most of my training would come from using a treadmill, where I could simulate the elevation change. As for taking some public transportation to the AT, I'm planning on doing that too. Thanks for the advice.

A treadmill on an incline will provide some cardio and exercise some muscles, but it does not really simulate the uneven terrain and ups and downs of the trail.

Also, a "supported hike," means you have a team carrying food and supplies, cooking food, setting up and striking camp, etc. I don't believe that is what you have in mind.

[Lone Wolf]

Clearly a supported hike.

oh. then you have a chance at 75 days. all you gotta do is walk. let folks take care of the rest

[10-K]

Try doing a four month hike first to get experience.

That's challenging but in the overall scheme of things can be done by anyone in shape and with the right mindset.

After that reevaluate. The first time you will learn about resupply locations and where everything is logistically. That will make your second attempt faster.

This is called practice. Every sport has a period of practice before game day.

[stranger]

So among all the hardcore hiking enthusiasts on this site, I'd like to seek your opinions.

So I'm 18 and besides once at Mt. Desert Island in Maine, I've never hiked a day in my life (mostly due to living in an area of almost endless suburbs). But I do runcross country and track, which trains me physically and mentally to some extent. So my question is this: do I stand any chance of making the appalachian trail in 2.5 months, at 30 miles a day? Now I'm running on the assumptions that hiking training could be replaced by long-distance, fairly intense runs, and that hiking etiquette and techniques can be learned rather quickly. I was hoping that if I were able to comfortably log 8-10 miles consecutive days in jogging, I would be able to handle the appalachian trail.

I realize that most people who will set off on the AT won't make it, the majority failing because they can't handle the mental rigor. I think I can take care of the psychological challenges. I'm a thinker and just walking down the trail I wouldn't have any trouble occupying myself with something. I wanted to fundraise for charity on a "dollars per mile" basis that would keep me motivated by adding some responsibility to completeing the hike.

So here's some logistics. If I hike for approximately 12 hours a day at a pace of 2.5 mph or a pace of 24:00 per mile, I can cover 30 miles a day. It's like Andrew Askurka said, it's about how long you walk, not how fast. I have had previous over-use injuries from running before, and in fact I had to leave my cross country team because of it. But I never did prevention or strengthening exercises that I am willing to do now to get ready for the hike. Can I hear some advice about knee injuries and pain?

So does this plan sound capable of working given that I put in the work and I train for the next 3 months or do I just sound like a fool? I appreciate any advice and/or criticism.

Probably fairly unlikely, long distance hiking is different to anything else. Yes the mental part is tough, but at 30 miles per day, for your FIRST hike, that's terribly demanding and leaves NO room for error, bad weather, injuries, even gear failures. A 30 mile day is not that hard in my view when you are in shape, but 'averaging' 30 miles per day is VERY difficult, that means a 'real' average of probably 34-35 miles per day because it's nearly impossible to hike 30 miles every single day when you factor in resupply, hitching and bad weather.

Before you commit to this, I would recommend walking at least 20 miles with a backpack on over some hills, 2.5 miles is not that tough to average in my experience, but for me at least, something changes around mile 22-23, and the day gets real long, real quick, but it's different for everybody.

Go for it, why not?

[magic_game03]

Clearly a supported hike.

Wow dude, What an attitude. That was my first post to you and this will be my last.

First you never mentioned it so I was just asking. Also I haven't seen anything in my skimming that tells that you had a support team or how you were going to be supported. You should probably lay out the support logistics to get better feed back. My personal feed back...get a better attitude.

[Malto]

Wow dude, What an attitude. That was my first post to you and this will be my last.

First you never mentioned it so I was just asking. Also I haven't seen anything in my skimming that tells that you had a support team or how you were going to be supported. You should probably lay out the support logistics to get better feed back. My personal feed back...get a better attitude.

I suspect he doesn't realize the meaning of supported vs. unsupported. I believe he is doing a traditional unsupported hike.

[Piragua]

I suspect he doesn't realize the meaning of supported vs. unsupported. I believe he is doing a traditional unsupported hike.

Wow dude, What an attitude. That was my first post to you and this will be my last.

First you never mentioned it so I was just asking. Also I haven't seen anything in my skimming that tells that you had a support team or how you were going to be supported. You should probably lay out the support logistics to get better feed back. My personal feed back...get a better attitude.

It's not an attitude problem. I apologize if i made it seem that way. I thought it was actually clear that it would be a supported hike. Malto's right when he said I don't realize the meaning. I thought a unsupported hike meant you don't get any help from outsiders, including packages in the mail? Correct me if I'm wrong.

[Lone Wolf]

It's not an attitude problem. I apologize if i made it seem that way. I thought it was actually clear that it would be a supported hike. Malto's right when he said I don't realize the meaning. I thought a unsupported hike meant you don't get any help from outsiders, including packages in the mail? Correct me if I'm wrong.

are folks meeting you at road crossings and setting up a camp for you each night? that's supported. getting packages at POs is not being supported. you still have to walk/hitch to the PO

[Kookork]

It's not an attitude problem. I apologize if i made it seem that way. I thought it was actually clear that it would be a supported hike. Malto's right when he said I don't realize the meaning. I thought a unsupported hike meant you don't get any help from outsiders, including packages in the mail? Correct me if I'm wrong.

I think you will benefit from using the search engine of this forum and reading some of the previous threads. Didn't you mentioned somewhere you have read some books about thru hiking? If so read them again. The mixture of real training hiking and cyber hiking makes your hike more possible IMHO.

In supported hiking you hire a carrier to carry your gear ( one is advertising on ebay right now) along the trail. If you pay 10 percent more he even will repeat this sentence every half an hour " You are doing great ".
unsupported : You can not have any conversation with other hikers along the way because they might morally support you by their words.

[magic_game03]

It's not an attitude problem. I apologize if i made it seem that way.

No worries. Apology accepted. Kinda my fault for being so snappy this week, I got finals and a 10 pager due this weekend and here I am on WB.

Here's my tip: Ya gotta prove that your up for the challenge before you start. I think a girl set a record on the Long Trail supported(supported= w/support team) just recently for 4 days. Go out and try to knock out this trail in about 6 days and you will earn some trust. Then, you will have everyones attention. Did you see the movie Gladiator where the guy says, "win the crowd and you will win your freedom," same here. Next, put a shout-out on White Blaze that you are trying this fast hike. A lot of people here on WB are not down with speed hikes, but many people are and those people will go to great lengths to help you accomplish your goal. Finally, start your hike. If you can keep your pace by the time you get to the state border you will have peoples attention. By the time you get to the second state border, people will know you my name. Most likely by the time you get to third border you will have people coming out of the wood work to support your hike. Support doesn't mean money but it does mean shuttling and taking care of logistics, which is very time consuming for most hikers. With a supported hike I think you have a chance.


But remember the story of Icarus, the freedom of flying high is exhilarating but go too high and it will surely be a devastating plummet when things go wrong. Keep yourself in check (recognize your limits), prove that you are capable (go out and do the LT in 6 days), then throw out a little chicken feed to all the chicken heads here (just drop in here with a little note to let everyone know you are starting the AT) and you will not believe your eyes at how fast people will come to aid your quest.

[rickb]

Questions for Piragua:

Will you be making a sincere attempt to start a long distance hike this year?

Will you make a sincere attempt to start a long distance hike this year even if you reach the conclusion that a complete thru hike in 75 days is not realisic?

I hope the answere is yes to both, but I sort of expect that may not be the case.

To my way of thinking, one thing that is lost in a thread like this is a communal hope that do you (and people like you) don't pass up an opportunity to gain a great lifetime experience, simply because you may have chosen to frame your specific short-term challenge too narrowly.

[Kookork]

Questions for Piragua:

Will you be making a sincere attempt to start a long distance hike this year?

Will you make a sincere attempt to start a long distance hike this year even if you reach the conclusion that a complete thru hike in 75 days is not realisic?

I hope the answere is yes to both, but I sort of expect that may not be the case.

To my way of thinking, one thing that is lost in a thread like this is a communal hope that do you (and people like you) don't pass up an opportunity to gain a great lifetime experience, simply because you may have chosen to frame your specific short-term challenge too narrowly.

Amen to this.

[magic_game03]

To my way of thinking, one thing that is lost in a thread like this is a communal hope that do you (and people like you) don't pass up an opportunity to gain a great lifetime experience, simply because you may have chosen to frame your specific short-term challenge too narrowly.

This is so true.

If you love to exist in nature most everything enjoyable thing about the NST's are off the trail. While the AT is less geologically interesting, a prime example is the PCT. The trail literally skirts all of the most phenomenal parts of the wilderness. It is up to the hiker to release him/herself from the grips of being a mileage hound and seek out these elements, like... Death Valley not on the trail, Mt. Whitney not on the trail, none of the redwood forests (two kinds: costal & inland) are on the trail, Lower Yosemite Valley-El Cap-Hf dome not on the trail, Ritter not on the trail, Palisades not on the trail, Iva Bell (Fish Crk Ht. Spr's) not on the trail, Tahoe not on the trail, Donner Lk. not on the trail, Burney falls not on the trail, Mt. Shasta not on the trail, Drakesbad not on the trail, Mt. Ashland not on the trail, Crater Lk. not on the trail, Mt. Thielson not on the trail, Sisters not on the trail, Eagle creek not on the trail, Mt. Hood not on the trail, Rainier not on the trail, and so on.

The trail does go right close to all these places but not like Mt. Washington or Clingmans Dome. Often you have to go a few miles out of your way. Is it worth it to cut into your schedule... ya better damm well believe it!

Look at Squeaky. He did a triple crown and gets a lot of credit for the TC but he passed by all these places just to be the 2nd TC'er ever. I met Squeaky in '03 in Maine and in '05 on both the AT and PCT and he is a very nice guy. We know him, he's famous--but unfortunately he never got to see that stuff. So much for fame.

[magic_game03]

To my way of thinking, one thing that is lost in a thread like this is a communal hope that do you (and people like you) don't pass up an opportunity to gain a great lifetime experience, simply because you may have chosen to frame your specific short-term challenge too narrowly.

This is so true.

If you love to exist in nature most everything enjoyable thing about the NST's are off the trail. While the AT is less geologically interesting, a prime example is the PCT. The trail literally skirts all of the most phenomenal parts of the wilderness. It is up to the hiker to release him/herself from the grips of being a mileage hound and seek out these elements, like... Death Valley not on the trail, Mt. Whitney not on the trail, none of the redwood forests (two kinds: costal & inland) are on the trail, Lower Yosemite Valley-El Cap-Hf dome not on the trail, Ritter not on the trail, Palisades not on the trail, Iva Bell (Fish Crk Ht. Spr's) not on the trail, Tahoe not on the trail, Donner Lk. not on the trail, Burney falls not on the trail, Mt. Shasta not on the trail, Drakesbad not on the trail, Mt. Ashland not on the trail, Crater Lk. not on the trail, Mt. Thielson not on the trail, Sisters not on the trail, Eagle creek not on the trail, Mt. Hood not on the trail, Rainier not on the trail, and so on.

The trail does go right close to all these places but not like Mt. Washington or Clingmans Dome. Often you have to go a few miles out of your way. Is it worth it to cut into your schedule... ya better damm well believe it!

Look at Squeaky. He did a triple crown and gets a lot of credit for the TC but he passed by all these places just to be the 2nd TC'er ever. I met Squeaky in '03 in Maine and in '05 on both the AT and PCT and he is a very nice guy. We know him, he's famous--but unfortunately he never got to see that stuff. So much for fame.

[Malto]

Look at Squeaky. He did a triple crown and gets a lot of credit for the TC but he passed by all these places just to be the 2nd TC'er ever. I met Squeaky in '03 in Maine and in '05 on both the AT and PCT and he is a very nice guy. We know him, he's famous--but unfortunately he never got to see that stuff. So much for fame.

Unfortunately for him or unfortunately for you. I suspect Squeaky is quite satisfied with what he was able to see. While it was different than your priorities he was able to see scenery on all three trails through a variety of conditions. I'm sure he's crying that his hike didn't meet your expectations.

[magic_game03]

Unfortunately for him or unfortunately for you. I suspect Squeaky is quite satisfied with what he was able to see. While it was different than your priorities he was able to see scenery on all three trails through a variety of conditions. I'm sure he's crying that his hike didn't meet your expectations.

So, what's your point?

I think your just trying to make up some issue here. I did the AT, PCT, PMT, and the LCT that year (5,000 miles) and while I'm happy with my effort I will always be disappointed that there were things that I didn't get to see.

Do you even know Squeaky? Dude was a little upset at the end because he had to hike with the worry that his visa was going to run out before he finished. And since he over shot his finish time I know he was disappointed with his time. He was worried if he violated his visa then he might not come back to the U.S.. Ya should have seen how upset he was in '03 after he fractured his foot and had to put off the TC till later.

It's kind of like marathoners who can do sub 3hr's. you look at it and say it's awesome, they look at it and always contemplate if they had done something different they could have been faster. Squeaky is a nice guy but he's intense and I'm sure he'd of liked to see Whitney, Yosemite Valley--Hf Dome & El Cap, climbed Shasta, see Crater Lake, & done Eagle Cr. Tr. I think I know Squeaky well enough that I can vouch for him to say it was unfortunate that the US didn't grant him a longer visa so he could go to Arches or Pinnacles and other places like he wanted to. Squeaky & I will always be satisfied with our hikes but disappointed that we didn't get to see more.