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