I can't stress enough how rough this is. I need some planning tool though and this is it.

April 21, Start at Springer Mountain in Georgia
May 2-May 7 or so, Smoky Mountain Nat’l Park
Mid May, North Carolina
Late May to early June, Southwestern and central Virginia
Mid June, Shenandoah Nat’l Park
Late June, a few days off in Harpers Ferry for resting, visiting historical sites and taking in an Orioles game.
Early July, Pennsylvania/New Jersey
Late July, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont
Early August, New Hampshire, White Mountains, Presidentials
Late August, Maine, 100 Mile Wilderness
Early September, Finish at Katahdin. Start walking back to Vegas.

I just signed the papers giving up my apartment on April 19. If I didn't just commit to the trail, I at least committed to homelessness. That was the first time I felt a bit of nervousness.

I stay in OK hiking shape, so the physical training is the least of the preparation for me. I've been doing a 12 mile route out at Red Rock. I do 12 miles with 1600 foot elevation gain wearing a 25 pound pack. I average 20 minute miles. I do a little running on the side and some core workouts...crunches and back exercises. I can't wait for the mountains to thaw.

As I talk about this plan, I keep getting asked the same questions. Here are the answers.

HOW LONG IS THE TRAIL? It runs from Georgia to Maine, about 2170 miles, although the distance changes all the time with trail relocations, called "relos" by AT hikers.

HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE? I don't know. Eventually I will post an itinerary that will be nothing more than a wild guess. Maybe four and a half months?

WHEN DO YOU START? I am using April 19th as a target date, although that is still fluid.

ARE YOU GOING ALONE? Mostly. I plan on traveling light and fast so I doubt I will fall in with other AT hikers as often happens. However, I am trying to recruit friends to hike with me for bits of the trip. It sounds like I will have company in Shenandoah for sure. I have a couple of potential hiker friends for the Smokies although that is not certain. I have a really shaky sounding "Maybe" for part of New England. Also one for the area around the Delaware Water Gap.

WHERE WILL YOU SLEEP? There are shelters along the trail, but they suffer from overcrowding and mouse infestation. I plan on tent camping wherever possible, but there are strict regulations in the Smokies and the Whites that may force me into the shelters for at least a few nights.

WHAT WILL YOU EAT? There is never more than 100 miles or so between towns. Mostly towns are more frequent than that. Resupply is fairly easy. I don't plan on having to bring down my own game as someone suggested, although I am interested in learning about edible plants on the trail and using them to supplement my diet.

AREN'T YOU SCARED? Depends on what you mean. There is nothing in the woods that scares me. I'm respectful of the possibility of disease and injury but I wouldn't say it scares me. I'd be negligent not to be aware of the recent killing on Blood Mountain in Georgia, but again I wouldn't say I was scared. My only real source of concern is that I might finish the trail, homeless and unemployed, and find the economy has continued to slide and jobs are hard to come by. That scares me a little.

WHY THE AT? Although I live in the West (Nevada), I am a native Easterner. I hiked bits of the trail as a kid and feel a connection to it. Besides, it is the granddaddy of long trails. It means more to me than the PCT or CDT.

WILL YOU COME BACK TO VEGAS AFTER YOU ARE DONE? I love Vegas and don't want to leave. As referenced above though, the job situation will have the last word there. Particularly after I have blown a chunk of my savings on this trip.

CAN I SEND YOU COOKIES WHILE YOU ARE ON THE TRAIL? Yes! I will list the post offices I am planning on using for mail drops along with instructions on sending cookies to an AT hiker.

I am in a holding pattern while financial arrangements go through. I have a list of supplies I need to buy and can't get them yet. *Drumming fingers impatiently.*