Off to the trail tomorrow...

Tim here. I have finally been convinced (kicking and screaming mind you) into getting some proper gear for the trail. Christine finds it quite funny that I finally caved just 2 days before we're due to leave. I feel quite Americanized (note the spelling) with all these high quality purpose designed items. They do however come with a high quality purpose designed price tag, which has certainly made this planning process slightly painful. Still, I'm starting to come around and enjoy all these great items I now own. REI will be glad that I decided to go hiking, I probably just paid the wages for one of their staff for over a month!

I have been researching the A.T website throughly today, and studying the interactive map online. Check it out at www.appalachiantrail.org if you're interested. It gives you a good idea of how far between shelters, and even shows a photo of them in most cases.

So anyway, tomorrow we fly out to Baltimore in the morning, take a train to DC in the afternoon, then another train to Harpers Ferry, West Virginia in the evening. We'll spend the night there in our tent, and then set off on the trail on the morning of Sept 2nd. Harpers Ferry is the headquarters for the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, and is also known as the psychological half way point on the trail. We'll be heading south and as the seasons cool off from Summer to Autumn, the weather should stay fairly constant as we get closer to the equator. Our next post should be in a few days, at our first refuel spot. At this point we'll be about 30-50 miles in, and hopefully running like a well oiled machine. Hope you're all well, keep us in your prayers, 

T&C