The Appalachian Trail is one rich in history, as well as one of those hidden gems that to most, have no idea it is even there for our hiking adventure. This Trail depending of whether you go from North to South or, South to North, Starts at Mount Katahdin in Maine and ends at Springer Mountain Georgia. Just a bit over 2100 miles and many States later and now you have succeeded with an accomplishment that nobody no where can ever take from your memory within your brain.
You have heard many people talk about a bucket list, A list that varies from Individual to Individual and a list that we each make up, as we try to accomplish this list as we walk our paths along this journey through life. The Appalachian Trail is high upon my list and has been for much of my journey here on Earth. Everybody has there own reasons for setting out to join the many before them that have Hiked this Trail, the most common reason for most that have Hiked this trail is, ones that have had suffered major trauma or a life event and are in need of finding their true selves once again. This Trail is not for the ordinary Hiker as it will test you in many ways, it builds stamina, character, as well as testing your will to achieve and finish a project that you have started. There have been a lot through the years that have set out on this Trail, only to not finish, as there also have been even more that have started and finished this journey of the Appalachian Trail.
This journey of the Appalachian Trail is more than just the journey itself, it takes a lot of planning even before you start the first steps along this trail, setting up drop spots for supplies as you can’t carry everything you need all at once, only because the Backpack would be too heavy and slow you down greatly each day, this journey takes approximately six months and that is if your only Hiking it in one direction, than you have too have a plan set up in advance to find a way back to the starting point. You have to plan for the weather also, as the Winter months in the North brings a big obstacle to over come, not to mention other weather events like heavy rain that will make each step you take as slippery as walking on ice in the Mountains of the North in New England. There may seem like a lot of planning ahead before you even start the hike, but once you have it all in place, it makes for a great journey and one you will never forget.
This journey of the Appalachian Trail is one that will test you in many ways, it is a journey full of serenity and peacefulness as well. This journey will definitely give you plenty of time to think and help you truly find of who you really are, some have taken to this Trail and kept a journal of their daily activities, then have turned it into a book and became an Author, which set them off and running along a new path along their journey of life, as what they thought they were doing before this journey was what they thought they were meant to do? This is what this Trail will truly do as you accomplish one step at a time. There is a lot of good books written from past Hikers of this Trail and no better to learn of this Trail, from someone that has really hiked it from start to finish. We all walk a journey through life, but this Trail from Maine to Georgia is truly a journey within the journey, as we all become stubborn and set in our ways, or suffer through a major trauma or a life event, this Trail will most definitely help you find the true person deep inside each of us, as it will change you into someone that actually cares and shows empathy for all that is around you, which is something within this Society we are all guilty of getting away from. This journey of the Appalachian Trail is different from the journey of life, as the paths we take through life, are also different from the paths we take along this Appalachian Trail.
” The paths of the Appalachian Trail may not be the same as the paths through the journey of life, but they will help us find who we truly are along our journey through life”
” The accomplishment of the Appalachian Trail is like no other accomplishment we will ever achieve throughout our journey of life”
” One step at a time is what you do along the Appalachian Trail, the same we do through the paths of our journey of life”