Planning: Past, Present, Future
Doing something as big as quitting your job to walk through the backcountry for six months takes quite a bit of planning. When people ask what I plan on doing throughout that time, I usually respond with, “I am going to walk, sleep, walk, eat, walk, sleep, and eat again.” I think that is my way of not overwhelming myself with everything that has to be completed. I have done some planning already and there are still many things to get done in the future so I am writing these tasks out here in order to stay organized and give an insight of how I am preparing.
Past:
Gathered gear to try out and break in
Get trail miles in
Read blogs, books and watch videos about other people’s experiences
Start to familiarize myself with the maps and sections of the trial
Learn trail-lingo and trail angel etiquette
Present:
Gathering and trying more gear
Mapping out where and when I will ship new gear and food to myself
Re-familiarizing myself with different safety measures such as what to do in a storm, poodle dog bush encounter, avoiding hypothermia and heat stroke
Learning how to hang bear bags and where to set up camp
Future:
Apply for a long distance hiking permit
Finalize gear situation
Pack boxes to get ready for shipment
Quit my job
Take the first step onto the trail
Many people have been giving me tips on how to pack the lightest and telling me all of the things that I need and don’t need on the trail. I feel like I am going to be packing pretty light because of these tips. I am curious if I will want more or less luxuries while on the trail. I’ve heard stories of people who send home half of their pack after a shakedown because they realized they haven’t used or needed a particular item for months. I’ve also heard stories in the other direction where people pack so light, they end up being cold or needing repairs in some way and don’t have the proper gear with them to fix what they need.
Right now I am so excited that I just want to start. I don’t want to wait another 8-9 months to get out there. I still have lots to do before I can say I’m actually ready to go and honestly maybe I'll never be actually ready to go. But I just can't wait to see what the trail has in store for me and the amazing people I will meet.
