Dreams Really Do Come True

SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!  Its really going to happen!  After years and years of dreaming, my thru hiking the Appalachian Trail is becoming a reality!!!!!!!  I've set Sunday March 17th as my start date....*gasp* that's only a month away!  Oh wait...February is a short month...that's 28 days to go!

As you can tell with my prolific use of !!!!!!  I'm beyond excited. In fact, inside I feel like those kids you see running around Gatti Town or Chuck E. Cheese--overstimulated and hopped up on sugar and adrenaline.  Some days I find my mind spinning in overdrive as I finish up my to-do list and planning. Others my hands shake from shear nerves.  My biggest fear is that I'll get ten miles down the trail, break my leg and my dream will be over before it even gets a chance to happen.  I worry that my shoes won't fit correctly, that my stove fuel will run out and I'll be eating uncooked ramen until I can get into a town to resupply.  Oh, and that I'll freeze to death in the mountains during a blizzard. 

Anyone who knows the South, knows that the weather between Mardi Gras and sometime after Derby is a crap shoot.  You never know what Mother Nature will bestow upon us, you may wake up to 70's and go to bed with snow on the ground. I have upgraded my sleeping bag.  The one I have is rated to 35F but I've ordered one with a 0F rating as a safety net. In this situation I'd rather be too warm than try to sleep cold. My next decision is whether I should break down and buy a down jacket. My original plan had been to wear a base layer, an outer layer, a fleece jacket w/ wind barrier and a down vest. Add a hat and gloves to complete my stylish ensemble (insert snickering fashionistas). I may stick to that, once I get moving I'm going to warm up quickly, so it will only be while I'm setting up camp for the night and rest stops that I'll theoretically be cold.  I'll post my finalized gear list before I set out. In the meantime I plan to squash those nerves into their own little mental compartment and let off a little 'pressure' a bit at a time...dealing with them a little at a time, otherwise I may go crawl under my covers and never resurface.

Many people...okay most people that I talk to...are astounded that I'm not afraid to sleep in the woods and that I'm doing this solo (aka I'm not taking a man to protect me). I do not fear bears or really any other animals in the woods.  I prefer not to cross paths with a wild hog...those puppies are bad news and aren't as 'friendly' as bears.  The biggest animal worries I have are surprising a skunk (Thru hikers already reek, can you imagine adding that to the mix?) and deer ticks. In that case a partner to check me for ticks would be handy...