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by Dave Manca A. K. a. Solo Grampa (Author)
Attempting a thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail (AT) is not to be taken lightly. It was an arduous task, to say the least, bordering on scary when it finally came to fruition. It was also a life-changing experience. When I first started talking about doing it, I don't think my family or friends thought I was serious, but never being one to back down from a challenge, I was embracing the idea (even though I wasn't being challenged). The more people told me I was nuts, the more enthralled I became about doing it. Being one of the most accident-prone individuals you'd ever meet, I understood my family's concern, especially being fresh out of major back surgery sixteen months prior to my expected departure date. One had to tackle the AT with a can-do attitude or they weren't going to complete a thru-hike! I eliminated the word quit from my vocabulary right from the get-go! Barring any injury bad enough to take me off the trail or a family emergency back home, I was all in. Without much prior hiking experience, my learning curve was quick and unforgiving. I learned quickly that it wasn't about speed. It was about stamina and endurance. I was especially proud of the fact that I completed my northbound thru-hike with a full pack (no slack-packing). I hiked every inch of the AT, which meant no blue blaze trails or yellow blaze! This was considered a purist hike, which was what I set out to do. I hope you enjoy following me on my 2,200-mile journey of the Appalachian Trail. If it is something you are considering, my advice to you would be to not wait until you are seventy-one years old!
