Before I die, Walking the AT

…aka Grey, or simply Fox when Red and Snow aren’t around. In the spring of next year, 2026, I will tackle a dream held for twenty years. I will hike the Appalachian Trail.

Because?

Of the many people’s responses so far, from “You’re crazy” to “That’s amazing!”, “Why” is the most common. I really don’t have any answers. Years ago, someone said, «Oh, you like hiking, you should read AWOL,» and AWOL was the book where this started. Initially I wanted to hike the AT ASAP. But in a family it is difficult. Sure, I thought, and even talked about taking the kids with me, but I’m pragmatic. So I planned it, looking for a moment. Days turned into weeks, which quickly turned into months and years, and the trail was always “3-5 years away.”

Last spring I went to visit two of my only remaining relatives. They lived near Amicalola Falls State Park and we stopped to visit them. My aunt asked me to stand at the arch and I refused. I was just standing at the arch as I began my hike on the Appalachian Trail. My aunt said she would really like to be there with me. On the way home I thought about how special that would be and how short life is. I shouldn’t assume that any of us would live “3 to 5 more years.”

And so, here I am. Instead of chasing an ever-advancing date, I count down.

In the next few posts, I’ll cover all the usual stuff: gear, food, logistics… and if there’s anything you want to see more of, just ask!

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