Preparation
At the risk of repeating myself in this post regarding some things I have done to prepare, I felt addition detail and explanation should be discussed. Some may ask, as did I, what does it take to prepare for an approximate 2200 mile hike? Truly, I have no clue. Common sense tells me to research and learn as much as you can so...where to begin...?
I started watching YouTube. That's right, good old YouTube. A culmination of visual examples of what to do and not to do with hundreds of people blasting themselves out there for whomever has the desire / interest to see. Every topic from packs, shoes, weight, food choice, travel tips, and personal hygiene are covered. Amateurs and experts alike share their knowledge, or lack there of. YouTube is a toolbox filled with gadgets that you take what you need and forget the rest. Besides YouTube, there are plenty of websites and blogs that have great information which culminated results into relatively decent knowledge. All which serve to give you a base of what to expect.
In conjunction with the research phase, I figured it was important to add a physical training phase. I mean, lets be honest, there is only so much you can do to train for a 2200 mile hike. Something is better than nothing, though, so I hiked. I hiked every chance I got. I hiked on weekends on dirt roads and on local trails at a near by lake. Ten miles here, six miles there, it all adds up. I can comfortably hike at a 23 min mile pace. That being said, I live in Oklahoma and not the "mountainous" part so I figure my result will vary on the Appalachian Trail. As important as hiking, is to maintain leg strength and foot endurance. I have also been maintaining a good full body workout routine. I suspect having a strong back, arms, abs, shoulders, etc. will serve me well.
One additional prep was to build this website. Now this is where I need to give credit where credit is due. My wonderful wife has been solely responsible for the construction of this web page. It's a task far beyond my technological skill but she did one heck of a job, if you ask me, so props to my wife! ;)
Lastly, is the mental prep. What can I say about this? Personally, I don't mind solitude. Not that I expect that much on the trail. I have also had my share of being separated from family with military deployments and it's not like I didn't ask for this. I am sooo ready to start this hike and discover new limits of myself both physically and mentally. I am as mentally ready for this as a 6-year-old is for Christmas.
No sense in worrying about things I can't change or don't know. I just have to do my best in what I can control and stay positive about whatever the trail throws my way.
This is how I am going to prepare to become "a Lane more traveled..."
