So here I am, in my plush and comfy bed here at Amicalola Falls Lodge on the eve of one of the greatest adventures of my life. I would be a damned liar if I said I didn't feel like I was about to pee my pants a little. This past week has been nothing but restless sleep. It seems that all of my fears of what is to come like to pop into my head as soon as it hits the pillow. I am absolutely terrified, but at the same time incredibly excited and anxious. It is a strange mixture of emotions. I have checked through my lists, rechecked my lists two more times, and then repacked my bag again just to make sure that I was not forgetting anything. I feel like I am as prepared as I will ever possibly be, but I know that it is impossible to prepare for everything. Each step tomorrow morning will be a step towards the unknown, towards adventure!

The love and support I have already received has been absolutly overwhelming! I already received my first bit of trail magic from some long time family friends the Richardson's, and my Louisiana family over at WHLC Architecture sent me a good luck video! I am truly blessed to have such a strong support team that I can lean on whenever things get tough out on the trail. I cannot truly express into words how much everyone means to me that is following along on this journey of mine.

Tomorrow morning I will take my first steps toward Katahdin. 600 steps up the tallest waterfall east of the Mississippi will be there to greet me first thing in the morning as I make my way up the 8 mile Approach Trail to Springer Mountain, the official start of the Appalachian Trail. It should make for an interesting first day out on the trail. This is my first update from my phone so please forgive any formatting or spelling issues. My next update will be from Neels Gap. I should be there in three to four days. This whole experience is going to be life changing, or in the words of the great Barney Stinson "It's gonna be legend... wait for it..."

The following day, I decided to drive up to Athens, Georgia to visit some very good friends. It has been awhile since I have had a chance to hang out with my UGA friends, and it felt oh so good. It is always good to see friends that you have known for years. It was as if I had never left Georgia. Also I must admit, UGA has a way better downtown atmosphere than LSU. That is the one and only advantage I can give UGA over LSU.

Well, as I pack up the last of my gear and gather my first four days worth of food; the whirlwind of emotions are really setting it in. I am super excited and super nervous. It is kind of like that feeling that you get the night before your first day of school or first day at a new job, but magnify that by about 10. In all, I am just ready to get started. My next update will be from Amicalola Falls, the start of the Approach Trail to Springer Mountain! In the meantime, enjoy these pictures from my Kennesaw Mountain.

Shoes.... Never in my life would I have thought that I would have this much time and effort into shoes. I have tried on what seems like hundreds, and have finally, FINALLY, found a pair that I am extremely happy with! (I only had to buy three different types to get there... ) One of my biggest fears of my upcoming thru hike is developing blisters that could possibly end my hike early. So, in hopes to prevent this from happening, I have joined the cult following and picked up myself some Brooks Cascadia 10 Trail Runners. Now, I know what you are thinking, "Trail runners? Don't you need a sturdy waterproof boot for hiking?" Well, my friends the answer is not necessarily, and I will explain how I came to this conclusion.

The shoes ended up being way too narrow for my foot, and the box had my toes rubbing up against each other causing hot spots. My feet ached for the following couple of days. I quickly realized that these too would not be the best shoes for me.

Well, it is my last full weekend in the state of Louisiana. I could not have imagined a better way to have spent it than with some of my closest friends in the great city of New Orleans for Mardi Gras! 

These days, I am sucking the heads of the crawfish (you will understand when you try it) and still trying to figure out what in the hell those crazy cajuns are trying to say to me. And even though it is unlike every other place in the world, Louisiana no longer feels like a foreign country to me. If anything it is a place that I can call home, and it will always have a place in my heart. I have had the pleasure of meeting some amazing people that I deeply care about, and have made some memories that I will never forget, although, some memories may be a little hazy. If you ever get the chance to come to Louisiana do not hesitate. Forget any prior preconceptions that you may have from watching The Waterboy, and prepare yourself for one of the most amazing cultural experiences of your life.

It is with a heavy heart that I am leaving Louisiana, but I am ready for my next foreign country. I am itching to start my long journey north and all of the new experiences that it will bring. I think it is time to bring some Louisiana flare to the Appalachian Mountains. Let the good times roll!

However, it has helped prepare me for the "Green Tunnel" effect known to happen along the Appalachian Trail. Without the rewarding expansive views at the end of a strenuous section of trail I have come to appreciate the small moments that happen along the trail. Whether it be a small flower, interesting rock formation, or even the wind rustling through the trees above. These small happenstances are what the trail is really all about. When the sky is opening up on me and everything is soaked it is going to have to be these small moments that get me through it.

Yesterday, my good friend Ben and I drove up to Tunica Hills WMA on the Louisiana/Mississippi border. It is one of the few areas near where I live that offer some sort of elevation gain. Also, it has some pretty awesome waterfalls and rock scrambles. It was a perfect day for getting outside. We couldn't have asked for better weather. However, the trail was a little waterlogged from the previous days rain. The trails were rather slick so this gave me a chance to test out the traction on my trail runners that I will be using for the trip. Also, I was able to test out my new camera that I will be bringing. Enjoy!

Well, this morning I put in my notice at work. Things just got real.

All week I had been running scenarios through my head. What I would say, how I would say it, which one of my bosses I would talk to. Every possible delivery and outcome ran through my busy mind up until the final moment that I approached my boss. And, of course, like every other thing in life that we over think and over plan, it did not go anything like how we always imagine it to. 

It instead went amazingly well beyond all expectations. All of the partners in my firm were incredibly supportive of my decision and one even mentioned that he wished he could come with me on the trail. I feel like a huge weight has been lifted off of my shoulders now that this is out in the open. 

Things are being set in motion... I am excited for the coming months and ready to take on the new challenges that await! I will leave you with something that my boss said to me during our conversation this morning that really resonated with me:

The Appalachian Trail, a continuous 2189.2 mile footpath stretching through 14 states from the summit of Springer Mountain, Georgia to the top of Mount Katahdin, Maine. This year an estimated 2,500 people started from Springer and only 519 of those made it to Katahdin (only 21%). On March 16, 2015 I will start walking from Springer Mountain and attempt to be one of the select few that can call themselves a "thru hiker".

Until a few years ago, I had always just pictured the trail as really long dirt path that went northward...Then I saw this video and quickly became entranced by walking the trail end to end. The mystique and beauty of the Appalachian Mountains drew me in, but it was the culture and history of the trail that really solidified my obsession with becoming a thru hike.

Whenever I tell someone about my plans for the coming months I am usually met with a few different reactions. The most common reactions can be summed up as: "Wow. That is pretty awesome!" and "Wait, you are doing what? Why?" The former gets me pretty pumped for what is to come while the latter really makes me think about what it is I am about to get myself into. Why am I doing this to myself? Why am I about subject myself to the constant aches, pains, and days on end of being totally drenched in rain? 

I have contemplated the answer to this question for the better part of a year. I have a few different answers, but one sticks out in particular. Because, it is worth it. When you have a goal in life, you will always be met with resistance. This resistance only makes you stronger as a person and better prepares you for new forms of resistance along your journey. The rain is temporary, my legs will become stronger, the trail is my journey, and my goal is Katahdin. 

What started as a simple YouTube search of the "Appalachian Trail" has really snowballed into what I hope to be a life changing adventure. I am hoping to update this blog periodically with pre-trail planning and stories of what life is like on the trail. Stay tuned!