Now really, tell me everyone out there creates lists like I do... I mean, isn't it normal to have a spreadsheet going with eight different worksheets that deal with money needed, what we need to do before we leave, what we need to buy, how much each piece of our gear weighs, where we want our mail drops to go, and (hopefully) where we plan to be every week or so? No, not normal? Oh well. I guess I knew that...
But seriously, there is quite a bit of planning that goes into this whole adventure!
Luckily, the Appalachian Trail is not quite wilderness. Unlike when Earl Shaffer became the first person to thru-hike the whole 2170-mile Trail in 1948, the Trail now is a well-worn footpath, that goes through many towns and near others. There is a community surrounding the Trail, as well as an endless supply of information on the Trail, services near the Trail, people's experiences on the Trail, etc etc on the internet and in books. In fact, there are databooks that are updated yearly as mileage changes, stores open and close and such. Yes, yes, we've purchased a few of the different 2005 versions to bring with us :-)
Even with the databooks and our own experiences hiking and camping elsewhere, we have a lot to plan, buy and organize before we set off on the Approach Trail on March 28th.
Hence, the spreadsheets...
-D
P.S. Ever wonder how much a titanium spork weighs? For the record, it's not much, but we do have it recorded in our "Pack Weight" worksheet :-)
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