I started this post as soon as my leave of absence from work kicked in and I am posting it now right after buying my plane ticket. I have the lease on my house signed with some tenants moving in April 1st so I think it is safe to say I have hit the point of no return! In one week I will be taking the first steps of the 2200 mile journey.
Although I am beyond excited, it can also be a pretty strange feeling when you’re at the brink of an abrupt and drastic change to your lifestyle. It becomes common and comfortable to have your job with regular hours, your house that hosts all of your favorite things and luxuries, and even your car to zip you anywhere you want to go at a very fast pace (quite unlike the brisk 3 mph speed that I will be living at for 5-ish months.) I believe such routines and familiarities are what makes life seem to start flying by. It is a stark contrast to your childhood where every week brings on new adventure; starting a new school year, having endless carefree summers, making new friends, playing in the woods all day, etc. Almost everything you experience is brand new. As adults, we fall into the 40-hour work week while constantly looking forward to the weekend or your next vacation to offer a break from the daily grind. It is great getting those intermissions, to go somewhere exciting and have new experiences again, but then you return to your settlement and life resumes its hasty march forward.
Taking the scenic route from Queenstown to the Milford Sound, New Zealand
Although it was longer than the average 10 day vacation, the 5 weeks I spent in New Zealand were otherworldly and unlike anything I have ever done. I never stayed more than 1 night in the same place, rode in a car, had a working cell phone, or knew where my next meal was going to come from. We would spend entire days on remote back roads without ever seeing any signs of other people. Every day was full of new adventure and I felt like a kid again…except I was riding a motorcycle and could drink beers! But I remember having the same feelings as I was walking past the guard desk at work for the last time, knowing that in a few days I would be on the other side of the world and having absolutely no idea what to expect. Everything was going to be completely fresh, shattering the repetitiveness of bouncing back and forth between work and home.
I believe there will be parallels between the New Zealand trip and hiking the AT as I won’t be sleeping in the same spot more than once, will probably only ride in the back of pick-up trucks when hitching a ride to town (due to smelling like hiker trash) rarely have cell service, and rationing food out of whatever I can stuff into my pack. Life will begin to slow down as each day will bring new scenery, people, terrain, weather, and problems to solve. As an old trail quote goes:
“Life in the real world is easy, but complicated. Life on the trail is hard, but simple.”
I have been busy wrapping up all of the complexities of life like changing my address, putting a hold on subscriptions, canceling utilities, signing leases, packing up my remaining belongings, and moving out…but in 7 days I will be catching a flight to Atlanta to start this grand adventure. Life will become simple; wake up and hike. But life will become hard; no cozy shelter from the rain, no TV or media, no couch or even a chair with back support. And I can't freakin' wait!