Hiking the A.T. Chris Cirrincione SLIS 551 Project 1 10 February 2007

Hiking the trail can be mentally tough The worst memories [of hiking the trail] were hard rains when all my clothing became wet. ~John, Personal Interview Sprained ankles, becoming sick, and encountering bears can make roughin’ it outdoors difficult. ~Nick, ICQ—Electronic Resource

It’s good to hike with others I would have hiked with more people. The more the merrier! ~John, Personal Interview Hiking with girlfriends, fiancées, and spouses is common. ~ Nick, ICQ—Electronic Resource ~

It’s hard to pack without mailstops It’s easier to have someone help prepare what you want mailed to you, (e.g. food, supplies, toiletries, etc.) than to rely on just what’s in your backpack. ~John, Personal Interview A good site for supplies and how to pack is Many sites are available on the web. ~Nick, ICQ--Electronic Resource 2005 Appalachian Trail Thru-hikers’ Companion is a great book that details everything you need to know about mailstops

Each day’s hike varies It’s good to condition before undergoing a long hike. ~Bill Bryson’s A Walk in the Woods Beginning with 8 miles/day and progressing to 20 miles/day is a good pace. ~Nick, ICQ—Electronic Resource

The trail takes 4-6 months to hike The time it takes to hike depends upon the individual or group of people hiking. Some are under strict timelines; others are more flexible. Generally, it takes 4-6 months to complete the entire trail from Georgia to Maine. ~Bill Bryson’s A Walk in the Woods ~

Getting in touch with nature In order to hike that long, you end up relying more on nature. For example, when we ran out of toilet paper, I quickly learned to spot the right leaves. ~John, Personal Interview …people opt to ease into the new stage of their life through the simple solitude of the A.T. ~

Hiking the trail multiple times People who complete the trail generally have hiked it again or plan to. Examples include: ~a missionary couple ~Bill Bryson, author of A Walk in the Woods ~A.T. clubs for hiking enthusiasts ~John, Personal Interview who claims, Once a hiker, always a hiker!

History of the trail Teddy Roosevelt (our 26 th President) commissioned the creation of the trail in The trail took a long time to complete due to wars and funding and ended in It is referred to as America’s Trail. ~

Hiking the trail is therapeutic Many people hike the trail during a big change in their life, (e.g. graduation from college, retirement, etc.). Some people take time to think about what they’re going to do next and find hiking therapeutic. ~ It’s a great stress-reliever any time of the year! ~Nick, ICQ—Electronic Resource

A.T. Journals There are many online journals that hikers have created (or currently creating) as they hiked the trail. ~ There are also traditional magazines and journals that are published in print and online concerning the A.T. ~