Three lists

Intro

Hello all! It's three weeks until my departure, and the preparations for my hike are going pretty well. My gear list is coming together, my savings account is almost where I want it to be, I've bought my tickets to Atlanta, and I'm getting the final logistics for hitching a ride to the trailhead together (should I spend the $80 on a shuttle/overnight stay at a B&B near Amicola Falls, or go with local trail magic and see what happens??). Through all of this, I've been doing lots of research and voraciously reading blogs, articles, and all thing AT related. One thing which I stumbled upon while browsing the posts over at http://www.appalachiantrials.com/ was a bit by a wonderful young woman named Allison Kiely who is currently engaged in a 2014 NOBO thru hike. In her post, Allison talks about three lists which she made to pull out at and look at during her preparations and in the midst of rough times on the trail. These lists serve as a reminder of why we're doing this, what we hope to achieve, and what happens if we fail. And so, like Ms. Allison, in the spirit of doing everything possible to ensure a successful thru hike, I'm posting my three lists for the world to see.

Why I'm Hiking the AT

1. It's there
2. It's a challenge
3. I've always wanted to do this
4. Now's the best time for it (or, if not now, when?)
5. I desperately need a change of pace and of environment

When I Succeed, I'll...

1. Gain a serious feeling of accomplishment for doing something awesome
2. Have learned something about myself and of what I am capable
3. Be in great shape with the discipline to maintain it
4. Have (hopefully) made some cool new friends
5. Have the confidence and experience to start planning my next adventure

If I Fail, I'll...

1. Be disappointed in myself 
2. Have to publicly explain to my friends and family why I failed
3. Be embarrassed and ashamed (see number 2)
4. Have missed out on a great opportunity to learn about myself and others
5. Lack the confidence and experience to try something even more awesome

Gear so far

From everything I've read, the biggest factor for success while hiking the AT is motivation and common sense... but having the right gear can't hurt! Below is a list of Gear I've accumulated so far.

Pack and Gear

Kelty Big Bend 5000 Pack - It's a bit heavy, way bigger than I need, and it doesn't fit quite right... but it's what I have, and it's worked for me on excursions in the past. In an ideal world, I'd go in for a fitting and buy a brand new, slightly smaller and lighter pack. But this isn't a perfect world, and I'm on a pretty tight budget!

Mountain Hardware 30* Sleeping Bag - As with the pack, I'd probably go buy a new sleeping bag if I could spare the money. But the one I've got is light, it's warm, and it's served me well for the last 10 years. With the right clothes, it'll keep you warm even on a cold spring night a 6000 ft, but it's light and comfortable enough to use even during a hot Texas summer. 

Walmart Foam Pad - for insulation against the cold, wet ground. Now, they sell high end, self-inflating sleeping pads that apparently feel like feather beds beneath your head. However, my research has led me to believe that the $10 blue foam pad will not only get the job done, but also reduce total pack weight and be easily replaceable.

Sawyer PointOne Squeeze - A lightweight filtration system perfect for eliminating the need to carry pounds of heavy water. The AT runs through some of the wettest regions in the world in terms of annual rainfall, and there are plenty of sources from which to draw water. The Sawyer Squeeze water filter makes groundwater safe to drink by removing 99.99999 percent bacteria and 99.9999 percent Protozoa/Cysts, and it only weight in at 3oz. 

Eureka! Solitaire 1 man tent - I've used the Eureka! Apex 2T on many trips in the past. It's a great tent, but a little heavy for long distance hiking. Since I don't really need the extra space afforded by a two man tent, I've order the Solitaire as a lighter weight replacement. While I haven't tested the tent out yet, I expect to be just as satisfied with it as I have been with other Eureka! products in the past. I'll be using a simple $9 Walmart "Backpacker's Tarp" in place of the traditional footprint, which will add extra insulation and cushioning. 

Clothing

Day to Day Hiking Clothes - 1 "Underarmor" like workout tee which I got for free during my misguided attempt at playing college footbal, 1 wool tee, 1 wool long sleeve, fleece, zip-off synthetic hiking pants, compression shorts, wool hiking socks (extra socks for gloves), ballcap, and (undecided) a pair of gaiters to keep those nasty ticks off. 

Frogg Toggs Rain Gear - Frogg makes a full body, lightweight rain suit that retails at under $30. It worked great for me during a recent overnight in Dinosaur Valley State Park, I expect the same on the trail. As stated above, the AT gets a LOT of rain, and hiking through the rain is one of the things that you just have to get used to. 

Cooking

Pepsi Can Alcohol Stove - After shopping around for various high end backpacking stoves, I stumbled on the great advice at http://zenstoves.net/. While I didn't find my design on zenstoves, I was determined that homemade alcohol stoves were the way to go! They're cheap, ultra light, efficient, run on denatured alcohol (which is also cheap and efficient, although not as light as other fuels), easily replaceable, and super fun to make! I don't expect to be doing any gourmet cooking, but it'll definitely get the job done.

SuperCat Alcohol Stove - I'll also be packing a homemade SuperCat stove as an emergency backup/ water heater. The SuperCat burns less efficiently than the pressurized jets on the Pepsi Can Stove, but it'll be a great way to heat up a cup of tea or cocoa while my primary stove is busy cooking supper. 

Homemade Windscreen and Pot Stand - I'm in the process of finding a design I like, but I'm shooting for lightweight and portable (duh!). 

Coleman nesting Cookware - I've had a set of nesting pots from Coleman for the last five of so years. They work really well and aren't too heavy. 

Guide

I've looked through both AWOL's NOBO guide for 2014 and the ALDHA's 2014 guide. They both seem to be great choices, but I like the format for the ALDHA guide a bit better, so it'll probably be the one to go in the pack.

MISC. 

MedKit - A basic MedKit for any wilderness excursion can be assembled from supplies found at any pharmacy. It should include anti-inflammatory painkillers, antibiotic ointment, sterile needle and thread, sterile gauze, athletic tape, ACE bandage, personal medications, body powder, Purell, latex gloves, and emergency water purification. I'm sure I'll play around with this as my departure date gets closer.

I'm still working out kinks for the rest of my pack, including personal items, electronics, footwear, drysacks, and winter gear, but I feel like I'm making good progess. 

Zach's NOBO Journey!

Hi. My name is Zach Lucas, I'm 24 years old, and I'm starting this blog to document my northbound journey along the Appalachian Trail during the Spring/Summer of 2014. Katahdin, here I come!

Background: Or, About Me

Hiking the AT is something that I've always wanted to do, but never thought I would. Well, now's about as good a time as any to get it done.

I've always had a love for camping and hiking. Even when I was growing up, being outside was a big part of my development. As a family, we'd often take long weekends on Possum Kingdom Lake, or spend days at a time in the State Park system, as our vacation. I have my wonderful mother to thank for that. It was always cheap, easy, and fun! Of course, as is wont to happen in the great outdoors, not everything was perfect. I have a fond early memories which involve our old, heavy family canvas tent, a rainstorm, and winding up in a hotel room! Despite this temporary setback, I insisted that we had my 10th birthday in a cabin on the shores of Lake Texoma. I lost my baby sister on a "kids only" hiking tip around the lake, and I've since learned the importance of trail safety and sticking together. Over the next few years, I had the great privilege of attending Camp Highlands for Boys. Our daily curriculum at camp included activities such as water skiing, sailing, sporting, archery, skin diving, and ropes. Every day was an adventure, but my most treasured time was always that spent during the course of "Expedition" training. It was during "Expedition" time that I first became familiar with the true fundamentals of outdoorsmanship (Thanks Councilor Eric!), and  I had the chance to use and improve these skills on my first "real" canoe trip as a "Midget" in Cabin 16. My first backpacking trip, in the Porcupine Mountains, came the next summer, and I've been in love ever since!

In more recent events, I graduated from Trinity University in May of 2012 (B.S. Chinese Studies, Minor in Psychology), and I've spent the last two years doing absolutely nothing of importance. To be somewhat more honest, I'm living with my parents and working the same job I had in high school (cue the world's smallest violin). Now, it's not nearly as bad as it sounds; in truth, I enjoy what I do. I' d like to think I'm a little bit respected in my workplace, I'm very good at it, and I make a decent living to boot (although, I have no clue where all that money's been going!). I've spent a lot of time wondering what my next step should be, and I've come to the realization that there's absolutely no rush. I'm in an absolutely perfect situation for getting out and seeing a little bit of the world. Allons-y!

Why?

Why hike the AT? Why go through the incredible amounts of mental and physical strain? Why not? I've already stated that it's something which I've always dreamed of doing, and I feel like that's reason enough in and of itself. In more concrete terms, I feel like the experience of overcoming these challenges will enrich me as a man, as a person, and as a citizen of the United States. I mean, what's not to like about utilizing our Nation's wonderful public land, experiencing an enjoying the great outdoors, discovering the camaraderie which develops between hikers, and attaining the feeling of accomplishment that comes with attempting such a task? Sign me up!

The Plan. I've got one, right? 

My plan, simply put, is to hoof it for 2,185 miles from Springer Mountain, GE to Katahdin, ME. Easy enough. Seeing as how I should probably eat and sleep in a shelter, I'll be carrying a pack full of goodies. A heavy pack, mind you. 

My plan is to start at the Springer Mountain trailhead and move on from there. For the first couple of weeks, I'm keeping to a very modest goal of 8 miles per day. During the peak of my hike, I'm hoping to have several 20+ mile days, but we all have to start somewhere, right? Three weeks in, I'll have to hop off the trail (somewhere between Gatlinburg and Hot Springs) for a week or so to witness my wonderful older sister graduate from Seminary and my splendid little sister graduate from my own Alma Matter. After that, it's back on the trail! I'm hoping for a late September finish.

Desired Outcome

Aside from weary feet, sore knees, and a fabulous collection of blisters, what do I hope to gain from spending six months on the trail? I'm honestly not sure. That's not really why I''m doing it. I certainly have hopes, but I have no expectations. At the very least, I'll be in phenomenal shape by the time it's all over!

Hang on. What about Game of Thrones? 

I know, I know. Season 4 of Game of Thrones starts right around the time I begin my journey. (SPOILERS) Little King Shithead gets his comeuppance. If I can wait five years for a book, I can wait six months to watch the show. You green children of Summer know nothing of patience. Winter is Coming.