Who's ready to walk the Appalachian Trail with me?

Lacing my boots up as we speak. But, will I really need 'em?

I thought you'd be "piggybacking" me the whole way!! lol

Dammit, you know I'm fragile and old.......lol

Oh man, I would LOVE to. It is my goal to hike the AT when my kids are all teenagers, as a family. I think it will be an awesome experience. But have to wait until they get that age!!! Hope you find a hiking buddy and have a fun hike!

well, i guess the above poster and i will have to kindly disagree on some things, but no two hikers ever really carry the same things. i tend to be more of a minimalist and lightweight backpacker, just because i find it to be more comfortable during the day. you can most certainly hike the AT with zero experience. There are a lot of good backpack brands out there. i get mine off of Ebay after i've gone to the outfitters and had it fitted. Appalachian Trail Thru-Hikers Handbook is the most popular guidebook out there, otherwise the ATC makes a good book. For extra money, you can also get topo maps of the stretch you want to hike--not necessary, but the profile map can be neat. The AT is well-marked and well-traveled that you won't get lost or somehow lose the trail. plus the Trail twists enough that Magnetic North isn't always Trail North. there's zero need for a compass or a GPS. I carried a knife on my thru-hike; used it to open food packages and lance water blisters. but only one knife or scissors is necessary. personally, i think if you can't fix a wound with duct tape and a sock, then you better just get to a hospital. apart from some iodine/neosporin to heal blisters faster, a first aid kit is pretty much unnecessary. check out the Platypus water bladder. very light weight and they'll replace it if you get a hole in it. you want to carry a 3L minimum with you, but should probably have at least capacity for four liters if you're hiking in the heat of the summer--water sources often dry up in summer. i'd venture to guess that 98% of thru-hikers carry down bags. i did. they're much lighter and pack smaller. but yeah, don't get it wet. if you set up your tent properly, then that shouldn't be a real problem. Polypropelene shirt is good, too. certainly carry a few cigarette lighters, but then if you have those, i can't see what you'd need matches for. the longest stretch on the Trail without resupply is the 100-Mile Wilderness, and even that now has a hostel on it. you're never too far from a town that you can't get some help if needs be. MREs are tremendously heavy. great for a weekend trip, not cool for a six-week one. Lipton Sides are good for dinners, and so is Ramen with dehydrated vegetables. but there's a lot of different food that's light and good for a meal. i personally can't recommend you taking a gun on the AT. yeah, there are some sketchy people you might meet around the Trail, but you're also statistically safer on the Trail than you are in the average small town. not to mention you will be feared by other hikers yourself, and disliked. having a gun is taboo, and you won't make friends of people who know you have one. those sketchy weekenders i met--they were usually so because they were carrying a gun, and i'd pick up and move on. (not to mention a gun is heavy) whistle=unnecessary. instead of a flashlight that you'd have to carry in your hand, a headlamp might be easier. carry some duct tape wrapped around a hiking pole or water bottle. when you get a blister, cover it with the duct tape and just leave it on for a few days. there's a lot of debate of boots vs. shoes vs. even sandals. i hike in thick-soled hiking shoes, but if you're going to be carrying a lot of weight, you might prefer the sturdyness of a boot. every pound on your feet equals about five pounds on your back. please don't hike in cotton clothing--you won't enjoy it. hike in Polypropelene. cotton doesn't wik moisture well, doesn't dry quickly, and doesn't insulate when wet. go commando. it's cooler. you'll find the Trail has plenty of shade. i know a few people who carried sewing kits, none of whom used one. unless you're getting a syl-nylon backpack, you shouldn't have any problems at all with it tearing. it's a rule of thumb not to camp less than a mile from a road, but there are plenty of spots, otherwise, including shelters, which make for nice places to camp. yes, you can read about the odd or even dangerous person who is hiking the Trail, but please know they represent the extremely small minority of people who hike. use common sense, but please don't be scared of every person you encounter. and staying at shelters can be a great experience, as you get to socialize with your fellow hikers and hear some great stories. an estimated three million people hike at least some portion of the Appalachian Trail each year, and you could probably count on one hand people who suffer serious injury each year, get lost, or are victims of serious crime. i wish cities had that same percentage. please don't hike with fear or paranoia that you'll be one of them. use common sense, but please don't carry so much extra gear "just in case" or feel you have to avoid some of the greater aspects of hiking on the AT because of it. you're really going to have a great time, and I hope you get to meet a thru-hiker along the way--they're all going to have some awesome stories to tell

I walked 11 miles of it last summer, and I will never walk more than that much of it again!

I can cover it in just under 24 hours, just give me tons of steroids first to find my best mode.

I would love to walk part of it....that would be great fun! I also read Bill Bryson's book.....it was funny.

Ya think you could just give me a piggy back ride?

ah.... I know where this is going... which one of these dudes is bringing the Banjo and canoe.?.... nah... this city boy don't venture into the woods.

I would do that!

I loved Bill Brysons book about it...

im ready lets go baby