Leaving Beer city for Bear country

Today is the day! I'm leaving Grand Rapids and taking my bus down to Georgia. I must admit the anticipation and the go go go i'm feeling right now is going to make those first few days on the trail a bit hard to adjust to but damn if it wont be fun. I will update more while enjoying my 26 hour bus ride but for now its off to see the family one last time before i hop my bus to adventure.

I love feeling this nervous!!!!!

It is almost complete. All the prep and anxiety of leaving everthing behind is almost over....and thank goodness. Buying the damn bus ticket kept making me want to reach for a paper bag. Anyway i packed the bag up last night and shocked myself when i realized how much stuff im taking alone. And i dont even have all of it here yet. But lets go down the list of food and gear. For breakfast we have oatmeal with dehydrated fruit with a side of instant coffee. Protein bars and pop tarts for second breakfast, for lunch we have ramen noodles(may not even cook them) with tuna and triscuits, instant mash for when I need something filling, and girlscout cookies and jerky cause they are awesome. Dinners yet to be decided. For the gear we have 2 pants(one waterproof, one turns into shorts), thermal top and bottom, compression shirt, trail shirt, gloves, hat, 2 socks, 2 liners, 2 underwear, water shell, bug net, pack, tent, dry bag for food, water bottle, stove, fuel, towel, spoon, headlamp, toothpaste, toothbrush, floss, lighters, soap, backup batteries, guidebook, flashlight, solar blowup lantern, vinyl patch, RobotDevil from Futurama.  Things not shown, sleeping bag, bed mat, hikerpro water filter, knife. My back hurts just typing this. Also have a lighter wrapped with gorilla tape somewhere around here

 Went last night to get some new gear. After much reading about what to bring and what not to bring I've decided to try to go an basic as i can. 

On the list we have Flash 65 Backpack by REI
Sahara Convertible Pants by REI
Halulite Minimalist Pot/Cup by GSI Outdoors
Dr. Bronner's Magic Soap
Ultra Thin Performance Liners by Injinji

Light Cushioned Smartwool socks
Gizmo 90 Lumens Headlamp by Black Diamond
x2 Etekcity camp stoves coming in the mail
x12 Quarts Dehydrated fruit from www.Harmonyhousefoods.com 
I still have a few more things to pick up before i head out for Georgia, and also a few things once i get there. This adventure is going to be EPIC!!!!!!

Everyday i wake up, go to work, pay bills, and wait impatiently to have a day off. This year i say no more. I'm taking every penny i can get my hands on and heading on an adventure. Starting May 1st of this year i will be walking over 2000 miles!!!!! Yup, i didnt accidently add an extra 0, thats two thousand miles. I am going on a thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail. Stretching from Georgia to Maine this glorious trail of wilderness is going to be my home for the next 5-6 months. Now thats not really the craziest part. I only decided to start planning 1 month in advance. Everyone else is already on the trail heading north. Im starting northbound over a month late and all alone with little prep. Not going to lie, im scared shitless. This blog is going to be updated by either myself or my lifeline back home to get you all informed and entertained. I have planned for resupplies along the trail but having the little experience i have im sure ill be a pair of shoes short or something of the like. We can only wait and see. Heres hoping i make it to Maine and not in the belly of a Pooh bear.