Our Lists

In preparing for our hike, we read Appalachian Trials, by Zach Davis.  In his book, he talks about ways to increase you chances of thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail.  One of his suggestions is to create lists of why you want to hike the trail, how you’ll feel when you’ve successfully thru-hiked and how you would feel if you give up on hiking the AT.

Christy’s Lists:

Reasons I am hiking the Appalachian Trail:

• to have a start date for the next chapter of my life
• because I can!
• to get off the hamster wheel and do something meaningful
• to travel to different parts of states that I wouldn’t ordinarily get to see
• to become a more mellow person- less type-A
• to be more self-assured
• to figure out what I want to be when I grow up
• to meet some lifelong friends!

When I successfully hike the Appalachian Trail, I will…

• Prove to myself that I can do what I set my mind to
• Probably cry
• Show my friends and family that I can achieve what I set out to do
• Feel an overwhelming sense of accomplishment
• Have the trip of a lifetime to look back on for the rest of my life
• tell future employers that my gap in employment was for the best 6 months of my life!
• be able to tell my future kid(s) that we came, we saw, we conquered
• be badass

If I give up on the Appalachian Trail, I will…

• be full of regret
• not feel confident in my abilities
• be embarrassed to tell my friends and family that I didn’t make it
• feel like I gave up a career and a lot of my belongings, only to have to pick up the pieces when I get home
• be embarrassed to tell future employers that my gap in employment was because I tried to hike the AT and then gave up

Jimi’s Lists:

Reasons I am hiking the Appalachian Trail:

• To experience an adventure larger than life
• Need a change in life
• What I’m currently doing isn’t working
• It’s NOW or NEVER!
• I’m somewhat crazy
• I want to discover the true meaning of life
• YOLO!

When I successfully hike the Appalachian Trail, I will…

• scream off the top of my lungs on Mt. Katahdin, and also probably cry, honestly
• do my Happy Dance!
• accomplish a dream
• have that personal trophy
• be much more confident with myself
• have some good stories
• pat myself on the back
• continue to kick ass!

If I give up on the Appalachian Trail, I will…

• never believe in myself
• carry the baggage of shame
• always believe my friends think I just didn’t have it in me
• kick myself in the head everyday
• frown upon my failure
• not be that badass
• be a bum. . .a BUM!
• sell my soul (for cheap)
• tell my dad he would’ve done the same as an excuse