Dreaming Big

I’m nearly 48. Our girls are leaving home soon. The house will be paid for, in the big picture, quite soon and retirement from my government job is only a smidge over 2 years away. My Navy career that began in 1991 continues but will also sunset in the next 2-5 years (pending promotion results). Lots of change and a re-focusing on how I/we want to live and fill our days. 

So not too long ago, my bride started expressing some real interest in a thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail. For those unaware, that is a 2100+ mile hike from Georgia to Maine. It is done by many each year and spans 5-6 months ... non-stop. In fact, the early birds will hit the trail in Georgia as early as next week. We have a background in endurance sports such as distance running, ultra-running and rucking 50 miles at a time...but nothing like this. We have zero experience camping as well. So, our learning curve is steep as many of the mountains on the AT (Appalachian Trail), we have much to learn and experiment with as we continue to dabble with this new dream to “thru-hike the AT.” 

As you probably know, I love to write. So today while we are away on a “just us” overnight, I wanted to write but also do it from my phone only. If and when we set out, I want to blog the journey daily and it’ll be via my phone only. Blogger doesn’t have an app for iPhone like Wordpress does. I do like Wordpress but this blog has been around for so many years and parting with it just doesn’t sit well with me. I may look at exporting this blog into Wordpress but that’s a huge undertaking as there is a LOT on here spanning YEARS! 

So when will this happen? This crazy idea of a thru-hike? Right now, we’re tentatively talking about the 2024-2025 timeframe. Kids out of college, zero debt of any kind, a small government pension to keep the lights on and maybe the uniform hung up with a sense of permanency. For now, we are reading, watching many VLOGs on YouTube, visiting the local REI and talking to friends about potential short hiking/camping trips in the near-term.

This was us yesterday on our way to Amish Country on a 6 mile ruck. We already love to carry weight on our backs over long distances and we love doing it together. Perhaps this AT “dream” isn’t so crazy after all.