Here's a BBC story about a guy who just finished jogging across Canada. This quote is noteworthy:

"Before I started, I was asked how I'd prepare for the more than 5,000 miles that lay ahead of me, I answered truthfully and said that I wouldn't - no amount of training or planning could have prepared me for this journey."

In a general way I agree with this. I believe the same applies to thru-hiking a trail like the AT. All you can really do is plan to be prepared for what you can expect may or could happen.

If you're hell bent on walking across the continent I don't want to discourage you. That guy did it and I have no reason to think you couldn't too. Shoot if you pass my way I'll lend my support, and I mean that.

But I wouldn't join you and here's why:



That statement above, from a voice of experience, sums up perfectly what I believe you'll encounter on the trip you mention.

Consider BrianLe's advice:



When Brian tells you the ADT is "a lot more challenging" than the Appalachian Trail you need to understand that he has the experience to add that prospective. Thru-hiking the AT is an incredible feat. He offers that you hike a bit of it to put that into prospective first so you can gain a clearer idea of what hiking across the continent would be like. But I believe he also implies that you'd have to thru-hike the AT to really have a clue of what hiking the ADT would entail.

Those two responses are exactly the kind of experience you can benefit from here to help plan an awesome trip, as opposed to a mostly miserable and boring trip. You should take a look at BrianLe's blog. I'm sure you can gain a lot by reading about his hikes.

OregonMouse grew up spending months in the mountains out west. She's camped out more nights than most of us will ever get in. Her advice and comments on what you can expect is solid and well honed with experience. Crossing the Rockies is no small endeavor all on its own. That's an entirely different hike that plodding across Great Plains, which is entirely different than what's east of them. You really need to know something about backpacking in all the environments you'll encounter to avoid misery.

Experiencing misery is best done with fast lessons and the fewer the better. If I had the time to spend a year meandering around with a backpack I'm positively sure I'd choose to do it where even the worst days would still be good. Someplace where, when the storms finally passed, I'd be hard pressed to want to move on, able to stay longer if I chose, and know for sure that tomorrow will be just as good and maybe even better.