Appalachian Trail (AT) Happiness: Official  Freakout Day!!!

And, when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it. ~ Paulo Coehlo, The Alchemist

So it had to happen right? Sooner or later the immensity of the task, the massive list of details, the kernels of self-doubt all had to align into a freakout. Today was that day, I’m just under 30 days til my start date on the AT. While reviewing my gear today it hit me I had somehow completely and totally overlooked buying a new winter bag for my first month in the mountains. A 32 degree bag, I was going to go into the mountains, in February, in a hammock, with a 32 degree bag! Apparently I was angling to be the new poster child for hypothermia awareness.

So today, Sunday, I’ll be posting this later in the week, I went on a mad buying spree, last-minute items, burning up some REI gift cards, flooding Amazon with orders. Freaking out about my start date, how my mom’s illness might screw everything up, my decreasing fitness while staying with family, figuring out which train to take, where to stay in Atlanta while visiting my friend, how I’ll get to Springer from Atlanta, aaaaaaahhhhhhh! It’s enough to give you angina.

But here at the end of the day everything is calm, my sister made oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, my favorite. I’m breathing, it will work out, it will all happen, just need to keep my eyes on the two drops of oil on the spoon.

I’m sure all of you thru-hikers, or about to be thru-hikers know or are about to know this moment. It’s ok, let it wash over you and then let it pass. We’re on our way friends, see you on the trail where we will be having many happy days my friends ~ Rev Kane