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For years I have been fascinated by the Appalachian Trail, a 2,160 mile hiking trail that winds its way through fourteen eastern states, starting at Springer Mountain, Georgia and finishing at Mt. Katahdin in Maine. I have watched Travel Channel and public TV shows about the trail, and read five different books written by thru-hikers and trail experts. There have been times when I seriously considered putting hiking the trail on my bucket list, but I doubt I ever will.

Yes, I understand I am overweight, have arthritis in my left knee, and am not as young as I once was. With proper training, those obstacles could be overcome. People older than me hike the entire trail every year. I could suffer through ridiculously steep climbs and precipitous drops. My wife Jane has a different opinion, but I think I could manage six or seven months of limited internet access. One potential problem is that for much of the journey, the food you carry on your back is the food you eat. The logistics of that are less daunting than you might think, as there are towns interspersed along much of the trail. Supplies can be replenished at all of the towns, and cravings for hamburgers and fries can be met too. In fact, no frills meals and carrying a 50 pound pack on your pack over hundreds of mountainous miles means most hikers pig-out during any town stays. I could do that.

Some people would mind being alone, though not being around people is not a bother for me. Anyway, I don’t think I would venture far on the trail without being accompanied by an experienced-AND easy-going guide. I am sure I could psyche myself into seeing cold and rain as worthy challenges. I could even convince myself that sleeping on the ground in a tent is better than sleeping at a Holiday Inn Express.

What prevents me from adding the Appalachian Trail to my bucket list is that ‘wilderness trail’ means wilderness, which means wild animals. Among God’s wild creatures that habituate trail areas are black bears, wild boars, moose, venomous snakes, mice, ticks, mosquitoes, and black flies. 

Black bear sightings are uncommon along the trail, but sure as not I would be meandering along the trail, turn a corner and come upon a mama bear and her cub. Knowing my luck I would probably get between the mama bear and her cub really provoking the mama bear. I am not sure if Usain Bolt could outrun an angry mama bear, but I sure couldn’t. And I don’t climb either.

If the mama bear roaring in laughter at my meager attempts to escape her chose not to follow me, I would probably fall down a mountainside, roll through a patch of poison ivy, and land in a den of rattlesnakes. You’ve heard the song “I don’t like spiders and snakes,” well, I could have written those lyrics. I don’t know if anyone wrote a song about wild boars, but they are really nasty creatures, and I don’t want to end up as hog feed for a pack of boars. I don’t think moose are moody, but they are huge. I wouldn’t want to get in the way of one, and if I was walking along the trail I can picture stumbling upon a moose wearing a bumper sticker stating “I hate Nebraska tourists.” 

I am not a big fan of mice either. Not even Mickey, I have never been to Disneyworld. The 250 plus rustic shelters built about a day’s hike apart along the trail are all infested with mice. Sharing space with mice would be irritating, and dealing with mosquitoes and black flies would be much more so. Ticks are a whole other species. If I had a choice between having to deal with ticks and not having to deal with ticks, I would not deal with them. I would be more afraid of ticks along the trail than I would be of bears, snakes, and boars, and you already know how afraid of omnivores and reptiles I am.

No, I am going to leave hiking the trails to others. Say someone like Jeff Alt. Alt is an experienced hiker and outdoorsman who decided to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail in 1998 to raise funds for the Sunshine Home of Maumee, Ohio. Alt’s brother Aaron has cerebral palsy and resides at the Sunshine Home. In the eleven years since he began his hike, the effort of Alt and hundreds of volunteers has raised over $180,000 for the Home.

Alt wrote about his journey in a book called A Walk for Sunshine. It is an easy to read page turner, and can be a source of inspiration, not only for a trek along the Appalachian Trail, but even for a trip to the local YMCA for a work-out. 

I am an organized person, so the logistics of a trip like Alt’s fascinated me. Picking the right back pack is no easy task. What to put in the pack takes a lot of creative thinking and planning. Though Alt walked the trail alone, family and friends were team members. Boxes of supplies were mailed general delivery to post offices in towns along the route, scheduled to arrive when Alt would be walking through. 

Alt definitely planned well for his hike, but even he made a rookie error to start the hike. He put arch supports in the wrong boots and ended up with bad blisters only miles into the hike. His solution? Well, what has solved more problems than duct tape?

One thing that intrigued me about thru hiking a trail like the Appalachian Trail is that it is as much a mental challenge as it is a physical challenge. Most long distance hikers are in good shape when they begin a trip, and get in great shape within weeks walking the wild mountain trails. Some do break down with physical injuries, but for many, the mental challenge of the trail is simply too much to endure-dealing with snow early in a hike, or constant rains later take a toll. Wet, slick, fall provoking trails are always a problem and mud is an unwanted trail side-kick. Even though the hubbub of “normal” life is scant miles away from the trail, the solitude, the loneliness of the trail is more than some can deal with. I envy those who endure.

I didn’t mean to imply there was no physical challenge. Strap on a 50 pound back pack and walk 5,000,000 steps on anything but level ground in 150 days if you want a physical challenge. Although already in good shape before the hike, Alt lost 30 pounds during his journey. Trail thru-hikers often burn 4,000-6,000 calories a day, double what a marathon runner will burn. 

Alt followed his dream, met all of his challenges. A Walk for Sunshine is a feel good story, and I thank Jeff Alt for the opportunity of reviewing his book. From healthcare to Haiti to Homeland Security, we all need an occasional feel good story. You can purchase the book or DVD on-line through Amazon.com or Barnes or Noble. A portion of the proceeds go to the Sunshine Home.

Oh, one animal I forgot to mention while talking about animals that scare me is a skunk. Yes, there are skunks along the Appalachian Trail. Alt had a wonderful opportunity to deal with one, but you will have to read his book to find out how that adventure ended.

Thanks for stopping by. No thru-hike in my future, but a day hike or two along the Appalachian Trail with someone like Jeff Alt might make my bucket list.

Tags: appalachian trail, hiking, jeff alt