I had a philosophy professor tell me once that there are two main types of questions: what-questions and why-questions. In this post we are addressing the ‘what’ of thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail.
What-questions are about logistics.
How are you going to raise the money?
Do y’all have all of the gear you need?
What will you eat?
What happens if a bear attacks you?
How do you call 911 after the bear attack?
Where do you…um…go to the bathroom?
And so on…
These types of questions are necessary, fun to answer, and hilariously entertaining when you tell people that you burry your…well…there’s not always a bathroom in the woods! I wanted to go ahead and answer the most popular what-questions we receive:
How are you raising money for this adventure?
Like any adventure, hiking the Appalachian Trail costs money…and lots of it. On average, it costs about $6,000 – $10,000 for two people (plus a dog) to do a thru-hike. That money includes gear, travel expenses, food, lodging, and sanity. We are raising money in two ways. Firstly, you can purchase a piece of artwork from our Etsy store! OR, you can donate directly to us through our GoFundMe campaign. We are in the process of making a video to spread the word about fundraising, so keep your eyes open!
How does one “hike the Appalachian Trail”?
Step-by-step…Seriously! If you want a more detailed analysis, check out this fun excel document I made: AT Planning (nerd status for the win!).Thru-hiking requires months of physical, emotional, and logistical planning. Even though we have not ‘physically’ started our thru-hike yet, we started many months ago. And if there is one thing we have learned time and time again, it is that this type of trip is all about perseverance. Without courage, hiking the Appalachian Trail would simply remain a dream. Yes. One hikes the Appalachian Trail by responding to its intoxicating call, which is a call to come, taste, and see.
Do we have all of the gear we need?
Simple answer: almost, but not yet! Thankfully, we have awesome supporters helping us out. PLUS…Big Outdoors, an incredible outdoor retailer showcasing smaller companies that make quality products, has decided to officially sponsor our trip! This is by far one of the most exciting milestones of planning yet. Not only does Big Outdoors specialize in curating unbelievably innovative products, they also are incredibly encouraging and supportive. Check out their website here!
Stay tuned for our next post where we answer the ‘Why?’ of thru-hiking the AT.
