Attempting the Possible

I've decided to hike the Appalachian Trail, from Maine to Georgia.

As someone who rarely gets excited about...well, anything, it's refreshing to have something concrete to look forward to.

Of course, shopping for gear and gadgets is fun, as is learning about the physical demands that will likely destroy my earthly form (hopefully only to rebuild it, stronger). Logistics, planning, and the like, also all well and good. And though I love the out-of-doors, independence, and random acts of adventure, I think what I most look forward to is putting myself to the (extreme) test in two related areas in which I constantly find myself lacking - perseverance and commitment.

I'm interested to see whether I can stick it out when things are no longer exciting, interesting, or new. In the words of someone's taunting reality check: "Will you still be inspired after every view starts to look the same and the Trail seems like an endless green tunnel?" As someone who has taken up and abandoned, and even taken up again, more hobbies, obsessions, distractions, and occupations than I care to remember, I have absolutely no idea.

As far as commitment? Five to six months (or more) of living out of a backpack, even with regular shelters and stay-overs in towns along the way, is something that I think, if I could really wrap my head around, would stop me dead in my tracks. So this is the one aspect of the journey that I'll leave in the realm of blissful ignorance for as long as I can.

Anyway, when it comes down to it, and that blood clot hits my brain or that meteor hits the earth or, y'know, whatever...
I'd rather be under a tree than at a desk.