Thursday, March 16, 2017

Ten Goals/Traditions Custom Made for My Hike

Sunsday, 25 Rethe:
A lot of hikers look forward to all the unique things people do while hiking the trail.  There's the traditional things like Jumping off the James River footbridge, hiking naked on the Solstice, eating a half gallon of ice cream after making it halfway and mooning the cog to name a few.

I want to create my own goals.  Some things that are offbeat and maybe not very mainstream.  Although some of these thing are done by most hikers, I want to keep my hike interesting with the following things I want to do.  My bucket list of the quest:

1. Be asked to leave an AYCE buffet.

2. Buy a set of clothes in a thrift shop (for town, camp or trail).

3. Swim naked in a pond or stream.

4. Do a complete resupply in a gas station store.

5. Continuously change my trail name.  Try to find a new one for each state.

6. Collect and build some sort of totem for the quest.  Add something for each state or major goal achieved.  

7. Use only Shire Reckoning for all my journal and register entries. 

8. Create several badges, achievements and abilities that can be earned during the hike.  Some examples are the Outsider Badge, the Long Distance Trekker achievement and the Resupply Wizard ability.  

9. Submit an offering of fat and oil to Pamola whenever needed.  

10. After summiting Baxter Peak, continue along the Knife's Edge to Pamola Peak.  There my Quest will end.  

I hope to continuously add to this list as we make our way North towards Pamola.  The plan is to keep everything fresh and exciting.  Especially when the blues intrude on my mind.  

I also have cut this Hike into several short mileposts and goals to make it manageable.  I find it overwhelming to only think of that final mountain.  There is so much more before that final climb.  

Here are the first ten Goals and Milestones:
1. Neels Gap
2. NOC
3. Fontana Dam
4. Hot Springs
5. Damascus
6. McAfee Knob
7. Harpers Ferry
8. Halfway
9. Bear Mountain Zoo
10. Mt Greylock
to be continued...

Peace,
EarthTone and LoGear

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