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Why Hike the Appalachian Trail?
Perhaps the better question is: Why am I hiking the “Appalachian Trail”?
While it may be an easy question, there is no easy answer. the Italian word sfida comes to mind. I was in Italy this summer trying to explain to my cousin what I was planning to do and why. He said because it is a “sfida”. While I am fairly fluent in Italian, the meaning of the word escaped me initially. Sfida simply means challenge.
At 58 years old some of my contemporaries have reached a point in life where they have started to regard themselves as “old”. They are slowing down and identifying with online aging memes and jokes. Hell no, that’s not for me. My wife and I are retiring at the end of December. It’s time to start speeding up…Sfida accepted.
2,200 miles?
There are lot of ways to challenge yourself… 2,200 miles on your feet seems extreme.
Like a lot of wannabee AT hikers, my interest started in the late 90s with the reading of Bill Bryson’s A Walk in the Woods.
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/20552/a-walk-in-the-woods-by-bill-bryson/
The AT community either loves or loathes this book with very few opinions in between. I loved it. Bryson is primarily a humorist and not a serious through hiker. The book introduced me to this crazy thing called the Appalachian Trail and sparked a dream of maybe someday. However, the idea of being gone for 6 months with no responsibility was a pipe dream for a 33-year-old lawyer.
The dream of a long hike was further buried in the early 2000s with the arrival of two wonderful daughters and the responsibilities of being a dad. In 2015 a buddy of mine explained to me that he was section hiking the Pacific Crest Trail and a new idea was formed. Perhaps in the middle of this hectic life I could carve out a week or two at a time on the PCT. While my desire to section hike the PCT never manifested itself into reality, I was hooked on the idea of a long hike.
Then Comes Another Book
So why the AT? Turns out it is because of a seriously random coincidence.
In the fall of 2021, I was biking for exercise and listening to audio books I would check out from the library. A friend of mine was (is) obsessed with the movie Appaloosa. I decided to try to check out the book version from the library app I was using. I typed in Appaloosa and Paul Stutzman’s book about his Appalachian Trail journey called Hiking Through was the first choice that came up.
http://bakerpublishinggroup.com/books/hiking-through/329910
A book on the AT was immediately available and I checked it out. Paul’s book is deeply inspiring, informative and entertaining. By the time I finished the book (probably after a few chapters) I had made up my mind that I was hiking the AT. I could see retirement looming on the horizon and projected a 2026 target date. My wife and I eventually decided to retire at the end of 2024. A March 2025 start date was set.
Life is a lot like the AT. Sometimes you believe the path in front of you is clearly laid out. Sometimes a random event changes the entire course of your life without you even knowing it. If my buddy had not been obsessed with the movie Appaloosa, the idea of through hiking the AT might never have resurfaced. Thank you, Guy
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Comments 6
It’s always great to get a perspective on someone’s motivations and influences as they set off on a great challenge. Thanks for sharing and I look forward to more posts!
Thanks Nick, much appreciated!
My Husband, Mark, “Mr.B”, was a thru-hiker from GA to Maine. I finished with him, climbing Mt. Katahdin. Quite an accomplishment for a 56 year old former cancer patient. So proud of him!
Hi Martha. You should be very proud of your husband. He accomplished an amazing feat!!
Hi Dave, your story is similar to mine. I retire November 2027 and plan to start March 2028 with my NOBO AT adventure. Read the same book which inspired me. Keep going and follow your dream and keep us updated.
Thank you, Rob. 2028 will be here faster than you think. The planning and gear research have been a great distraction, and I can’t wait to start. BTW, I have read quite a few AT book by now and Hiking Through is still my favorite. I had my wife read it because I wanted her to have a good understanding of what I will go through, and Paul tells his story with humor and grace.