I've finally announced on the most recent Backpacker Radio episode (#27) that I will be hiking the AT this summer! We've been hinting at it for a while now, but Zach and I were working to find a solution that allowed me to hike and stay on a the co-host of Backpacker Radio, and now that we've worked out the details its official!
I can't say enough how excited I am to be able to get back on another long trail without having to return to a desk the following Monday (like it was with the Colorado Trail).
My AT questions on episode 27 of Backpacker Radio all revolved around how to actually get to the trailhead at Springer Mountain, whether or not to do the approach trail, and all of the "getting to trail" logistics that I've been pretty confused on. I was amazed by the BR community after receiving several offers from listeners who were willing to take me from the airport to the trailhead - everyone is so generous and kind when it comes to helping hikers, and I love that about our listeners.
Yesterday I was lucky enough to receive a message from a former AT hiker who has hiked with a mutual friend of mine, and after double-checking with our buddy (can't be too safe with the internet, right?) I think it's safe to say I've got my "getting to trail" dilemma solved! Part of me feels guilty because it's not supposed to be this simple, but with no other connections in Georgia I'm willing to accept the help where I can.
Currently I've been working on narrowing down my gear list.. Or rather forming my gear list. Its been a lot of the same stuff for both the Pacific Crest Trail and the Colorado Trail, with a few swaps depending on weather conditions and climate, so there are only a few components that I need to figure out. My biggest concern with my gear is warmth since I'll be starting in mid-late March, so I expect that I'll overpack a few extra layers just until I get on trail and can see for myself what the temperatures are actually like, then I'll mail what I don't need home.
Apart from the usual chaos of planning a thru-hike, I'm just putting the final touches on this website to get it at a stage that's good enough to set public. I'll want to do a tab with gear reviews and more content that isn't just trail vlogs, but this is a good enough starting point to work with. I'm going to try to keep up with posting some blogs here and on The Trek when I have a lot that I can talk about, but I hate typing on my small phone keyboard when I'm on trail, so I imagine these will be better for learning more rather than staying up to date.