Around the Corner, A New Year

In just a few days there'll be one more year into the past. For better or worse whatever hasn't been done isn't and it is time to look ahead. This isn't some rosy post about resolutions. I have one goal for 2018. There are mileposts along the way but just one goal.

I haven't exactly kept it a secret that I've been at least thinking about a long hike over the last couple years. There's been experimental hikes, planning, and now training. Miles and miles of walking at a brisk pace while under thirty or more pounds of gear. 2018 contains quite the adventure; some would view it as a frivolous, selfish, grueling ordeal of privation. They're probably the same people that have worked the same underappreciated position at the same job for twenty years out of apathy and terror.

By the same token, the same "traditional career" jobs will be forever closed to someone like me. Ageist managers don't want someone who isn't young and impressionable. Managers who have attained their position by Peter Principle would be in fear for their jobs based on my life experiences alone. Add in a successful thru-hike, the perceived tenacity, and the rest would know it's just a matter of time before I shoulder past them up the ranks. Further, I would be miserable trading in the fresh air, trees, and mountains for a cubicle, substandard computer and petty coworkers. Physical labor jobs might be temporarily satisfying, but only for busywork. Abuse, anxiety, and depression have all taken their toll, any of those jobs would just be a disaster waiting to happen. If society had a use for people like me, I haven't found it yet.

But all that will be something to remember in a fistful of months. In a few days, it will be a new year and the opportunities have just to be revealed. I have projects on hold until after the trail unless I want to work on them from the wilderness. I think I'll be busy walking, eating, being tired, hangry, wet, cold, hot, astonished, awestruck, inspired, motivated and present.

A long hike is a valuable reboot. It becomes a chance to ground, have a simple goal with simple tools and get back to taking each day as it comes. To meet a challenge and surmount it with the resources you either had the foresight to bring or the fortitude to carry.

Another week closer to the Trail

So there's been a move out of our comfort zone and into a motel room not unlike some lodgings I'm likely to find along the AT next year. It's surprisingly roomy and if I had been on the trail for a week, practically palatial. Even though this is in a fairly urban area, and our room has a solid signal for WiFi, the bandwidth per device is throttled. So, just like being out in the wild with random WiFi and trying to get vlogs uploaded, it does take some planning. An eight-minute vlog produced at 720p instead of 1080p does save time, but I am finding even that, in these conditions still needs about two hours to upload. It's something other trail vloggers have run into and is another reason I'm packing a tablet. I can plug it in, open Youtube in a Chrome tab, start the upload and it happily chips way at the gigabytes with no further attention. That still leaves my cellphone in my pocket for running around town to gather supplies.

Video uploads are still a sticky problem as there are long sections with no WiFi to be found. I'm not going to pony up for a wildly expensive unlimited data plan and second smartphone on a second network with another expensive unlimited data plan. What will add to the challenge is my idea of doing neros instead of zeros. I want to pick a place near a resupply, before and after. I want to get into town early, find WiFi, a place to charge my brick and leave my tablet while I get groceries. I would like to think I will find those sorts of places easily enough. When done, just head out for the nearest camp spot and binge on town food there.

I have now repeatedly hiked a nearby preserve. It is typical Florida, generally pancake flat. There are some sections of trail torn up by feral pigs, crisscrossed with roots or other features which make sections of the loop trail I've been using slightly more interesting. I'm still waiting for a good cold forecast to reserve the (one) campsite there so I can make sure my clothing and sleeping options are good ideas. I'm also dealing with some plantar fasciitis, so it's good to get that figured out and a pattern established to maintain it. There's no ice machine at this motel, but I have a steel water bottle that I took a little water out of and put in the freezer. I'm rolling my foot on it as I type.

60 Days From The Appalachian Trail

Surprisingly, the easiest part of prepping to start my first thru-hike was working on the gear. My selections have already been finalized and most of it has been tested. The section hike I did on the Appalachian Trail this year back in the summer wasn't all that informative. However, it was a classroom wherein I had the opportunity to hone some skills and learn a few things that really bugged me. For example, while my pack was one of the best on the market, it made too much noise for me and I had to constantly adjust straps. I was also wearing a front pack and in the summer it blocked too much air flow around my torso and I was extra hot as a result. It also added extra stress to my shoulders. Instead of adding functionality it enabled me to just carry too much stuff which just added to the weight. So I would say the experience was more one of fine-tuning than anything else.

Now I am doing semi-daily training hikes which have landed me in the camp of plantar fasciitis, so I am doing exercises to correct that. My feet have also expanded a full size already. Really the only things left are to keep putting in miles, try to get out for a cold overnight or three and get a bus ticket.

I've already looked into what used to be an economical shuttle/bunk/shuttle package to get me to the trailhead on time. It no longer exists as of this season just passed. So I'll be DIYing my own. I made a call to the first on trail outfitter and worked out something with them. I get a shuttle from Atlanta to them, get a bunk overnight then shuttle back down to Amicalola first thing in the morning. So long as Greyhound doesn't wreck my pack or put it on the wrong bus I'll be good.

I'm still Vlogging and intend to continue that habit as best as I can on this adventure. I have screen recording software on my tablet so I can discuss on trail plans while displaying the guidebook. I have streaming apps so I could even live stream parts of the journey. There are multiple sketching and art apps to make the downtime productive plus I want to Blog. A little less video per day than when I did the section hike and a few more pictures. Text to Twitter worked well, and hopefully, I'll be able to post on Instagram once a day as well.

Long range weather forecasting is showing another La Nina winter so I feel fairly confident about my clothing choices and sleep system. However, I do have some misgivings about pushing some of that gear. To that end, confidence is more important so I jumped on board with a new quilt which was literally just ordered moments ago. I have a 40 degree down quilt and a 30 degree hybrid sleeping bag which I was going to layer to deal with possible 10 degree weather. The combined weight was 43 ounces but I was going to ditch the bag as soon as the weather broke. The space it took up and the weight and knowing I really needed just one 20 degree quilt was a hard pill to swallow. The confidence will be worth it.

That brings me to the mental aspect of doing a long trail. The Appalachian Trail is a 2200 mile, four to six month marathon hike. I have my reasons for embarking on this journey. Depression is a big monkey to carry along, and there is a lot I am doing wrong. There is a lot I'm doing right too, but I'm still using language like "if I succeed" which needs to stop. I also have no post trail plans. Other than knowing I need to lose about ninety pounds and that weight loss is easily achievable on a long hike. Which will make a lot of post trail plans easier. So I am still doing short hikes, planning multi-day excursions once the temperature drops a little more.

Currently I am about to change lodgings, I and my family have been living with a cousin in central Florida. We took shelter here to dodge hurricane Irma and never moved on. That time has come for better or worse. There are some unexplored parks and preserves in our potential new stomping grounds.

This is the version of my Packlist I am working from.

Prepper's Midterm: Hurricane Irma in Florida

As I sit here, the first bands of rain are moistening the ground. Light gusts of wind are sighing through the oaks in the yard. Cloud cover is near complete, but lighter patches create a mosaic of false hope. Smells of food in the oven permeate the house creating a cozy feel. Pantries full to bursting were augmented by a footlocker of camp ready foods. The battery of socially responsible appliances are fortified by a gamut of off grid capable equipment. The menu has been arranged in a way to be ever less reliant on mains power.

Batteries and storage banks have been freshened, radios are already set; one remains active in WX alert mode. My tech watch is set for barometric alert. The assortment of battery powered lights have their batteries installed and are ready for deployment.

We are monitoring the hurricane path with the tools available to us. The time to bug out was seven days ago, when there was time to completely leave the storm path. Now it is only a bug in situation. There is plenty of food, water is easy to procure if supplies run low. Plans are set to triage morale with group games and solo activities.

When faced with serious, catastrophic events such as this hurricane there are only options until the probability cone narrows. However, there are advanced warnings. You know a major event is imminent, it is not going to suddenly occur, and there is little chance for surprise. The steps to prepare for a hurricane are a prescription, and following it is simple. It does make for a working test of your abilities and gear. It also has the potential for testing skills and perserverence in the face of sudden catastrophe, like the collapse or destruction of your storm shelter. Even then, when forced to switch to a bug out plan in that situation, those plans get tested under stress.

My pen is ready, and the papers are being passed out, ready or not.

Adapting to Florida

I have to say first, that I am not a lover of heat and humidity. That said, Florida is a very poor choice for me to attempt to live, especially as an outdoor enthusiast. On the other hand, it is so hot and I am sufficiently uncomfortable that eating is much more of a chore. Over the past couple years, as my depression worsened, eating made me feel better. While I did not balloon back up to my previous high weight, I did make an attempt at it, and the sixty pounds I put back on certainly adds to the discomfort. However, one of the last things I want to do now is eat, and when I finally do, my portions are much more moderate. Unfortunately the other part of the equation is activity and all I want is shade and a fan while sweat beads up and rolls down my arms.

 Fauna have been entertaining so far. We are currently camped on a little hill which seems to be riddled with ant warrens. We sprinkled some diatomaceous earth around our temporarily claimed territory and they seem to be willing to accept the armistice for now. Our clothing is treated with permethrin and skin gets dusted with picaridin while citronella candles and scented plaques work to against the mosquitoes and ticks. Lizards scatter every time we head to the bathhouse, barred owls hoot at us and bullfrogs serenade from the cypress dome. The ground is soft enough I needed to sacrifice some tennis balls to put over the feet of my chair to stop me from sinking and falling over. A large tarp covers the screen house to help with the heavy rain. So far the Y style stakes are holding in the sandy soil just fine.

A tree, Spanish moss and sun combine for interesting shadows 

Driving is a different experience as well. Just the way things are laid out and traffic patterns are set isn't what I expect. On the drive down, it seemed like once we traveled out of the pit of diaspora which continually spewed from the DC/Baltimore area, there was a significant difference. While Atlanta had some traffic, it just seemed easier to deal with compared to the furious desparation I was accustomed to. Yes there were lane jumpers and the usual shenanigans you get when there is six or seven lanes of congested urban traffic. I want to say it felt more respectful. It was easier to maintain a decent distance between my car and the one in front, and other drivers responded to my turn signals with courtesy. 

When it came to stopping for comestibles or other needs even the people were helpful. Unlike the Martinsburg area where we were typically greeted with gruff "not my department" or other lowest common denominator service. I don't expect much, just some decency. The apparent short supply in that area was a deciding factor in this change of situation. Until moving away I only suspected how inhumane the area was.

The First Weeks

It was only with great trepidation that the change to a fully nomadic life was embarked upon. Many difficult decisions had to be addressed, assessed, and finally either slain with prejudice or postponed with enthusiastic procrastination. Chief among them was plans to immediately begin an adventure much like an unfortunate Hobbit.

For years I had endured the struggle of moving in the direction of simplicity and modest means but found it difficult to eschew the extravagances foisted upon me by social pressures. I continued to drive the same tired vehicles, held together as much by force of will as by the required repairs. This blog itself was started at a time when switching to laptop from desktop and after losing convenient internet. I continued my wonder whether the technology of the time could further my approach to simplicity and nomadicism. It proved out, but my own inner censor prevented much of the logging of that process. I wonder now if it was mostly an incompatible schedule, which interfered with other aspects of my creative endeavors.

I am composing this from a shady campsite at Amicalola Falls. I am typing on a small Samsung tablet and my internet is through the hotspot on a matching smartphone. The water for my coffee and oatmeal was heated in a stainless tea kettle on a propane stove made by Coleman twenty years ago. In a footlocker to my left there is three weeks' worth of dry goods, I have water filters and other chemical means to make water potable. I have sufficient solar collectors to maintain my electronic devices and various batteries. The site does come with all the power and water I need, but I have the options should a site not have them readily available.

Life has consisted largely of driving hundreds of miles, as per plans. The first night was at a Dispersed Camping Area prior to entering Red River Gorge. The following days were at various campsites with either limited or no amenities, but the assets possessed made life comfortable. Trips were made back to civilization to raid WiFi and eat unhealthy food, only to return to camp, hike and eat camping rations. Other lodging was purchased when we felt the need for machinery to launder clothes and limitless clean water to contaminate with either soaps or other bodily soils.

Eventually we made our way to southern Illinois where the second part of our adventure plans placed us in the path of totality for the solar eclipse. We fought heat and humidity, but persevered. Special photographic filters had not been added to the list per the plan, but extra viewing glasses were on hand to create them with the addition of adhesive tape and things scavenged from the trash. That Saturday night I participated in a transformative activity wherein we walked barefoot upon a pathway of glowing coals of cedar. The eclipse came and went with a few hours devoted to observing and recording it. After this we watched all the others attendees of the festival flee to their social normative existences. Accordingly, we executed the third part of our plans, reducing and prepacking our camp.

I should mention that some time every day was set aside for creative pursuits. Whether that be photo or videography, other graphic arts or processing the photos and videos gathered previously. I do not find it possible to keep up with my collections yet, but it is just a matter of time.

Today's adventure will be the viewing of the falls, which I am presently preparing my equipment for. I would like to take a few longer exposures to capture the flow of the waterfall as a misty, dreamy blur.

In Every Ending, There is a Beginning

The struggle has been real. I've needed and wanted to relaunch this blog. Yes, again. As I sit here in Red River Gorge, I am reflecting on the things that had to happen to get me here.

This blog has always been about finding, learning to use and replacing outdated technology with newer. The aim being, to simplify and make more accessible a freer lifestyle. To be comfortable accomplishing frequent moves to take advantage of life's opportunities. To become nomadic if that was the desire.

To that end, the past several months have been spent quite literally shedding thousands of dollars of possessions. The purge was extensive and I would be remiss if I did not admit that it was painful. In the end, I feel as though I am close to answering, for myself, an important question. "What does one need to live?" Not just survive, but live. To go about the activities of life, and feeling fulfilled and satisfied.

Turning back time a little, allow me to explain an interest I had when younger. I liked camping, but my family always traveled in an RV of some sort. Us kids were evicted to tents when we parked. I asked a few times about carrying my tent into the woods a ways and my father bought me a copy of a popular magazine devoted to backpacking. The hook was set then and there. Unfortunately that was where parental support ended. I was able to collect some gear, but never everything I needed and requests to try what I had out fell on terrified ears. A class trip to dayhike a trail as part of a science lession didn't help. Soon the desire to hike was set aside because of the misguided expectation to chase the american dream.

About a year ago, while in existential crisis and psychotherapy, the desire to just go for a long walk came back. The topic of the Appalachian Trail came up. Research started, gear was accumulated from my extensive stocks and plans began to be made. One overnight trip later and I decided to jump on it with both feet. No halfway, quit the secure job, dump everything non-essential and go. I am a technology addict, so some things could not be parted. I am an amateur photographer and discovered vlogging. Seems hiking and those things go well together. I have a gift in writing, and morning or evening wordsmithing is also apropos.

To get ready and really decide I wanted to do such an undertaking I completed a section hike on the AT. I started just north of Harper's Ferry and ended on the morning of the sixth day at Pine Grove Furnace to take the half gallon challenge. As out of shape as I was, I still averaged decent miles, and after six days I was ready for a break, but not wanting to stop. Thus the die was cast.