Old-Solo-SOBO

Just wanted to say 'thanks' for this forum.

Recently left the 'flat land' of the midwest.
Getting my gear weight down from car camping to backpacking again.
Will be doing a lot of 'shakedown' trips, in all seasons, with a goal of going SOBO on the AT in two years. (Maybe sooner...)

'Gearing up' so far has been a real treat; so many choices.
Hardest part is staying away from the 'Packs' till I've gotten all my gear together!

The 'thanks' is for a feeling of confidence with my plans, after hours of reading past posts.

"I only go out to get me a fresh appetite for being alone". - Lord Byron

Although I am but a small cog in this wonderful machine, you are welcome. The real thanks go to Packlite, who runs the site, and to the moderators, who keep it civil and cheerful. This place seems to be mostly a labor of love, and they labor at it more than the rest of us.

Have a great solo SOBO AT adventure! If everything goes right, you'll be younger at the end than at the start.

What is SOBO?

SOBO means southbound. It means he's starting in Maine instead of Georgia.

Reasons for the Maine start, for me, has more to do with the amount of people on the trail at the start.

Another is that Springer doesn't close, so I can take as much time as I need.

Doing Kathadin, then the 100mile wilderness appeals to me. The mud and bugs, not so much...

I am just another person who has thought about doing the AT for many years and now things are coming together in my life for the chance.

Something to think about...

I stopped by the AT visitors center in Harpers Ferry and one thing that came up in the conversation was that many people are now doing their thru-hikes in two legs, one starting in Maine and the other starting in Georgia as I recall. By doing this they maximize their time on the trail with good weather. Give them a call for more details on the technique. Their contact info is (304) 535-6331; info@appalachiantrail.org.