good post gershon. no, GREAT post, gershon. i get the "fever" to go all the time. to satisfy that urge, i just get out and walk around the woods, or i walk the roads. i always bring something back with me that i have found on my walk. anything from a new stick to carve/whittle on, to the 40mm practice grenade i found. sometimes i take a trash bag a pick up trash. never-ending job there. if i am at my daughters house in town, same thing, just walking the sidewalks. but, i much prefer the country walks. sometimes i pack my sleeping bag and pack and hitchhike for a week or two, or longer. i think it must be the ancient urge to see what is around the next bend or what is over the next rise. i am sure there are people who can write more poetically than me that have covered this. oh, on my last walk out here in the country, i counted 137 cans/bottles in less than 1 mile along the road.

sorry i got off point there.

Gershon is absolutely right - it's hard/impossible to explain.

I've felt the need to see what was on the other side of the next hill since I was a kid. Probably explains 100+ moves since I left my folk's house in '89.

In addition to the references already made, you might check out the "Life is a Road" site and books by Daniel Meyer. He's a biker rather than a backpacker, but he understands. He talks a lot about the devastating need to SEE (to use his phrase).

Merlyn

Good advice!

I am planning on wearing pretty heavy smartwool socks over thin wicking socks of some sort (Polypropylene?). And I am taking several (probably 4-5) sets in case of wet feet or multiple days between chances to wash 'em. Little extra weight, but worth it, I think.

Merlyn

Merlyn, one of the symptoms of "Long Walk Fever" is the need to plan a long walk before being ready for it. It's likely you will find it's not possible yet unless you are very unique. Don't disappear if that happens. Just learn how to get ready.

From your gear choices so far, I can see you will benefit from some practice runs. The alternative is to throw away a lot of things along the way. Either way works.

(Edited to delete Trinidad idea. It's further than I thought.)

I'm helping someone plan a very long walk which he is perfectly capable of doing. I'm halfway through the planning and I've found it's just a series of 20 mile day trips, so that's kind of a magic number.

Unique? Nope. I'm a fairly typical guy for someone with my (admittedly kinda strange) background and proclivities. But I'm stubborn too, and that plays into many aspects of this trip. No worries - I'm not leaving the board. Between this place and Practical Backpacking, I am picking up too much good information to abandon either one.

I may well can some stuff along the way. :: grin : Keep an eye out for a gear sale along about February. Time and miles will tell. I've already cut nearly 15 pounds off my pack weight, and after a month of lugging around what's left, it's entirely possible I'll have a new outlook on the concept of necessity.

I'm trying to look at this trip as a series of day hikes, but I have to keep the 10-12 (or possibly more) months I am going to be on the road in mind too. Both outlooks come into play. Averaging 20 miles a day, 6 days a week would be excellent... but right on the other hand I'm not on a schedule. If I only make 8 miles on a given day, but see cool stuff and meet interesting people... that is a win, for me.

:: chuckle :: In some ways, this board is the wrong place for me to talk about a trip like this. I am not a backpacker in the same way you folks are. I have different motivations, goals and expectations.

That being said, I am learning a lot here. I've changed a number of things (including my *entire* route, and almost all of my gear list) based strictly on what I have picked up reading this forum and others like it. I have (I like to think) a better idea of what to expect, what to prepare myself for and what I don't have to worry about.

Thank you all for your insight, comments and wisdom.

Michael "Merlyn" Graves

Thought I'd post an update, for any who might be interested.

I am currently in Costa Mesa California, and my walk starts tomorrow morning.

I want to wish you all a phenomenal year in 2012, and the best of luck in all your endeavors.

Merlyn Graves
"In Transit"

best of luck!

Thanks!