Frequently Asked Questions

I thought I’d make a page of frequently asked questions. When I mentioned hiking the AT to people, I generally get asked some of these questions. It is interesting, because other hikers get asked the same ones! I guess that means all of us are on the same page – after all, hiking and camping for 2,000+ miles in the mountains is not exactly a normal everyday occurrence. The mere thought of it evokes that familiar, “Huh? He said what?” kind of reaction.

Here are the questions and my answers – in no particular order:

Are you taking a gun?

No. I see no reason to take a gun on the AT and will not be taking one. With that information out publicly, hopefully no one decides – “Hey! It’s open season on Kelly!” Kidding aside, I certainly have no problem with responsible, knowledgeable trained gun owners who chose to carry on the AT. I would think the greatest reason for carrying is for safety. However, statistically speaking, I am less safe walking the streets of downtown Norfolk everyday and I don’t carry a gun there. So, safety alone is not a reason for me to carry.

Are you going alone?

Yes. It would be more accurate to say that I am starting alone. Make no mistake, I would love to start out with a partner. But everyone I’ve asked is either not interested, or is unable to undertake the journey. (If any blog followers want to apply, get back to me!) The reason I say that I’m starting alone is because, once on the trail, I will meet other hikers and form loose associations. Mostly those associations dissolve, but sometimes they stick – and you’ve formed a hiking partnership right there on the trail.

Is it safe?

Yes and No. Ask yourself this: Is living life safe? Same answer: Yes and No. It’s all about choices, consequences and chance. Good choices generally lead to good consequences. Conversely, crappy consequences usually come from poor choices. Knowledge is key to making good choices. But chance comes along and perturbs all that. Chance can cause perfectly sound decisions to lead to miserable consequences. Generally speaking, I would say that hiking the AT is no more dangerous than my daily commute to work. Hazards exist on the trail just like everywhere else – having knowledge and being prepared is the best defense. If you want to read about some specific hazards from the ATC (Appalachian Trail Conservancy) – here is a link to their Health and Safety page.

What are you going to eat?

Food! Lots of food. The Appalachian Trail passes through many towns along the way. This affords a hiker the luxury of only carrying a few day’s worth of food at a time. Studying a map of the trail and where it passes through towns, you’d find that carrying 3-5 days worth of food is usually sufficient. Basically, you resupply in the towns. That resupply takes one of two forms; either store shopping or picking up mail drops (packages that you send ahead of time). My plan is to dehydrate meals ahead of time and mail them to myself in the towns. I will probably also supplement those with fresh fruits and veggies from towns. Also, when in town, hikers take advantage of restaurants – especially ones that have All-You-Can-Eat buffets! I will totally be checking those out.

Where are you going to sleep?

Outside! I will mostly sleep in my sleeping bag, on my sleeping pad, inside of my tent! That is not counting the days I may stay in a town. Hikers generally take advantage of a hotel room in town from time to time. It allows the luxury of doing laundry, cleaning and drying gear, resting and recovering from minor injuries. Oh, and a good night’s sleep in a bed with sheets and blankets!

That’s all for now – I may update this page if other questions frequently arise.