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.