What we will miss (predictions)

Ron:

Things I will miss when I'm on my thru hike:

•Warm, comfy home Which will be replaced by a 2.5 pound nylon tent or a shelter that will most likely be friended with mice.

•Real Meals Yes most likely the ones that Kelly so kindly puts together the majority of the time. Her cooking is wonderful. Instead, we'll see how creative we can get with our 1.5 and 1 liter pots and burner and food that can be stored on our backs for up to 7 days.

•Hot Shower much to manys disbeliefs, I actually enjoy taking a hot shower — shaving on the otherhand... We will be going for days with out showering but when we do find that shower I imagine it will be heaven.

•Casey our beloved attack dog. She is too old to come with us on the trail. We calculated her dog years and they come out to be 98 years old. If I'm kicking as well as she is at 98 — it will be a sight to behold.

•World of Warcraft I love this game! My brother and his wife play and I have other friends that play too along with the online friends that play. They will have progressed very far into the game while Kelly and I are on our trek through the woods.

•House the television show. Kelly and I have been very addicted to this show. So much we have season one and two on dvd.

•Friends and Family I take for granted the ease of access we have to communicate with each other on a daily basis. This won't be the case for about six months. While we will make new friends on the trail our friends at home will be missed.

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Kelly:
I am sure that I'll miss things during this hike that I didn't even anticipate. However, these are the things I already know that I'll miss while Ron and I are on the AT.

•Family (People): I sure will miss being a day's drive away from family members. I'm sad about the birthdays, recitals, and other events we'll miss. Besides when I was teaching in Mexico, this will be the only Easter I'll spend apart from family. We also won't see our parents on Mother's Day and Father's Day. Of course, we'll be with our family members in spirit on all of their special days. I just hope we can get phone reception within a day or two of each of the big events. As far as cards go, I might just mail them all in one big clump before we leave. You all can decide if you want to open them in March or wait until the designated day. (I don't plan on leaving the cards with someone to mail for the actual day. Taking care of our mail drops will be enough work for that helpful soul.)

• Family (Dog): I go through withdrawal if I don't get to squeeze Casey and rub her belly after just a day or two. Being without her for months will be incredibly hard. It's nice to know that she'll be so happy staying with Mom and Dad. I pray that she stays in good health the entire time.

• Our bed: I love curling up in a nice warm, cozy bed every night. I was surprised when I read about people who finish the trail and can't go back to sleeping in a bed. Some of them take their sleeping bags to the front porch and sleep there for the first few weeks they're off the trail. (This often causes great conversations among the neighbors.) I can't even imagine that happening to me. When we get off the trail, I'm going to make a running leap for the bed. (That is, once we have a home in which to put the bed.)

• A climate controlled environment: I love a heated home and a closet of extra sweatshirts/blankets to use if needed. We won't have this luxary on the trail. When we have those snowy nights in the Smokies, we will have to get as warm as possible with what we have in our packs. No extra blankets and no thermostat. I really don't enjoy being cold. (I'll be able to handle the summer heat, though.)

• ESPN the Magazine and ESPN.com: Ron and I choose not to have cable TV, but I love reading every issue of my favorite magazine. Also, I check scores and read articles on the website all the time. I really will miss televised sports. We're just going to have to plan our departure date until after March Madness so I can catch my college hoops. THANK GOODNESS pro football season ends in the winter. Really, the timing of the hike works quite nicely for this sport. I can watch the Super Bowl the first weekend in February and still have some down time until we leave. Also, since Tiki Barber is retiring at the end of this season, I'll just invite him to meet up with us along the trail for a few days. He'll need something to occupy his time, I'm sure.

• Work: This probably sounds crazy, but I can explain. I cannot sit still. In fact, the highly reduced work load going from teaching 100 middle school students to nannying for three kids took a bit of an adjustment for me. I've certainly enjoyed the reduction in stress, paperwork, and politics. It's been wonderful! However, I won't have much of a "to do" list while on the trail. Right now, I use free time to try out a new running route, see a movie, or read a book. I go places in a car. On the trail, I'll be walking almost all day- every day. Of course, that is the point of this trip. We'll enjoy beautiful scenery, meet wonderful people, and have nice stops along the way. I'm just afraid that my short attention span might catch up with me. This experience should help me to slow down in general.

• Non-camp food: This is a given for hikers, for obvious reasons. I can't wait to take the half gallon challenge along the trail when we reach a town. I have no problem downing a carton of ice cream in one sitting at home. Can you imagine the record-breaking-ice cream-eating one can accomplish on the trail?

• Clean clothes and daily showers: I like really hot showers. I like clothes when they've just come out of the dryer. I better get over it.

• Some TV shows: I don't feel too tied to one particular show, but I would like day hikers and people who visit us along the trail to update me on what's going on with House, American Idol, and The Office.

• My Homer Simpson Slippers: They are awesome. Of course, I love down booties too. However, I usually wear Homer around the apartment. They're special because a wonderful student gave them to me last year for Christmas. (Thanks, DW!) The eyes are huge, and my foot goes right in Homer's mouth. He even has the two sprigs of hair. Ron thinks I should bring the slippers along, but they would actually be the biggest possession I bring. (The two slippers are even bigger than my sleeping bag in the stuff sack.)

I look forward to figuring out what else I miss once we hit the trail!