So, how do you come to find yourself on the AT?

I‘m in Damascus, Virginia, at mile 470. It’s supposedly the town most defined by the AT; the Trail Days festival occurs here (in a few weeks), it has the highest number of outdoor retailers per capita in the world (don’t quote me, but 4 for 800 residents is pretty good), and nearly every business is catering to the AT in some way. I like it here.

The titular question is, in my opinion, the most interesting question to ask a fellow hiker. I’ve tried many versions of this question:

• “How did you manage to make the time?” begs for a logistical answer
• “Why did you want to hike the AT” elicits an interest in hiking and big challenges
• “Why do you keep hiking“ is usually met with a need to complete the trail or love of the community and lifestyle

But, “how do you come to find yourself on the AT” seems to get to the most interesting topic. Everyone out here has made a meaningful tradeoff or sacrifice to hike. Regardless of one’s situation or background, doing the AT is an acknowledgment that you don’t want to be at your home for 5+ months. I’ll try to share some of the types responses I’ve heard to this question, and slot myself in where I think I belong.

1. The most common type of response comes from the recently retired; there are lots of these folks here. Not typically retired within the last few years, but nearly immediately before starting. This has been a lower priority dream for years, and coincides with a need to do something monumental to mark a life change traditionally characterized by a more sedentary lifestyle. My favorite story here comes from someone who was on vacation at work, but instead of coming back, was just going to call his boss to both quit and retire, and keep the hike going.
2. “I need to figure out some stuff.” I’ve been surprised by the frequency people mention this type of response. While I suppose a tiny piece of me falls into this bucket, it feels like a lot of pressure to put on oneself whilst juggling a million other things to keep rolling forward on trail. I’m pleased to report that multiple folks have reported learning a lot from their time here, which seems to have had at least a minor influence on their life outlook. It typically hasn’t come directly through stripping away traditional comforts, but through exposure to people they would never meet in their prior day to day life.
3. “I’m broke and I don’t want to work.” This again is a relatively frequent response. It’s true, this is a low-cost activity; despite my insistence on not having a budget and living “lavishly” out here, I’ve spent less than $1500 in my first month. If you have the gear and are frugal, you can make it work for <$20 a day no problem.
4. The need to prove that you can do something difficult. I’ve met folks that want to prove to themselves or a family member that they can do something extremely daunting. I met a girl who hiked 4 years ago who told me “my dad wouldn’t take me seriously until I hiked the AT.” I’ve also met multiple people that seem to hate this; but NEED to finish. One promised never to do an overnight hike again afterwards.
5. My primary reason, and one I’ve encountered less times than expected: a deep love and attachment to this activity/way of life. A fun part of this group to meet are the people that have already done the AT, are working on the triple crown (AT, PCT, CDT), or have a big thru-hiking resume. Their passion for this is electric and contagious. I think it’s inevitable that I set my sights on more thru-hikes in the future.

While all of these are oversimplifications, they are the most common recurring themes. No two people have the same reason. As I continue on out here, I’ll continue to ask, and be curious about this question.