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Why Hike the Appalachian Trail?
The Appalachian Trail
A trail that extends from Georgia to Maine, crossing 2198 miles of wilderness. It travels across 14 states, requiring complex land management to protect it from development. It travels across six national parks areas and eight national forests, and dozens of state parks. It was one of the first scenic trails created by the U.S. government and helped in the creation of 11 total scenic trails across the nation.
To me, the AT has been the place to travel, to experience the outdoors. The mountains of Appalachia have been my home for a while. I want to hike it to accomplish something. To see new places in my country, to experience new friendships. I could write for pages about why I need to do this, but I feel like I need to keep it succinct.
Why Hike This Trail
I had dreams of studying abroad during college. Walking into KSU fall of 2019, I had joined a wonderful study abroad program that would last two and a half years, travelling to Central America and Europe. Unfortunately, due to a pandemic those plans were never realized, and while the program was amazing (and came with a pretty decent scholarship too) unfortunately I aged out of the program before they had the ability to go abroad again.
So, travelling out country at my college’s expense was out of the question. So I got back into hiking and camping. My dad and I have gone on so many trips around the Southeast, hiking parts of the Pinotti Trail in Alabama, going across the Smoky Mountains and more. I had an appreciation for the outdoors and the wisdom to stay safe. When people ask how to get into backpacking, I legitimately don’t know how to answer them, for me I always had a dad with a checklist of stuff to bring, a map of where to go. All I had to do when I was eight was carry the bag he packed for me.
Once in college I was able to plan my own trips, especially with the free time online classes gave me. I enjoyed seeing nature and not worrying about a full-time job yet. Eventually my schedule got busier; started working again, started running a DND game, volunteering and running a camera at a new church. I was not able to hike all the time, but that was ok.
But I had to graduate at some point. It took me four and a half years, but I got my degree in Computer Engineering at last. I had given some thought about what I wanted to do immediately after college, and I decided I wanted to do the Appalachian Trail. It is really the best time to do it, before taking the responsibility of a career, but also having a degree to support me.
Conclusion
It will take me four to six months (I am hoping for a nice 140 days to accomplish it). I will be seeing so many new things across the trail. I pray I will stay safe and am taking first aid training in case I don’t. I know I have so many family members supporting me. A wonderful community group and Church that are praying for me. A great group of friends (shoutout to the ones I leave behind in a DND campaign fighting vampires). I will soon be leaving for the Appalachian Trail, and I can’t wait.
If you want to learn more about the AT and its conservation please check out the Appalachian Trail Conservatory.
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