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In early 1999 I decided that it was necessary for me to hike the AT. It was something I had long wanted to do, ever since first meeting some thru-hikers in the Smokies years before. The opportunity arose as I was finishing graduate school, where I had been studying the theme of nature in English and American literature. Having completed the program a year early and still unsure whether I wanted to take my studies further, I figured I could use the six months well. It turned out to be the greatest six months of my life. Six months and two days, to be exact.

On March 17, three days after walking across the stage for my sheepskin at the University of Alabama, my dad and first cousin Crook McInnish drove me up to Amicalola falls. I have never been more exited, nervous, terrified, or ready in my life.

This is one of the quotes that inspired me to do this crazy thing.

"Do not burn yourselves out. Be as I am. A reluctant enthusiast and part-time crusader. A half-hearted fanatic. Save the other half of yourselves for pleasure and adventure. It is not enough to fight for the West. It is even more important to enjoy it while you can, while it’s still there. So get out there, hunt, fish, mess around with your friends, ramble out yonder and explore the forests, encounter the Griz, climb a mountain, bag the peaks, run the rivers, breathe deep of that yet sweet and elusive air. Sit quietly for a while and contemplate the precious stillness of the lovely, mysterious, and awesome space. Enjoy yourselves. Keep your brain in your head and your head firmly attached to the body, the body active and alive. And I promise you this one sweet victory over our enemies, over those desk-bound people with their hearts in safe deposit boxes and their eyes hypnotized by their desk calculators. I promise you this: you will outlive the bastards."

-- Edward Abbey



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Other bits of wisdom:

"I guess it is in my blood to be in the woods, so I didn't really do anything "extra" to prepare for my trip. I think with something like this, you are either the type of person that has what is in you to do it, or you don't." --"Heavy"

"I have a very slight build, so I started eating anything and everything I wanted. I stuffed myself on fatty foods, knowing that the fat would burn off.... There is NOTHING you can really do to fully physically prepare you for hiking the trail, besides hiking the trail."--Audrey

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