Wait... We're doing what??

So it dawned on me yesterday that not everyone knows what the Appalachian Trail is and even those who have heard of it might not know what it entails..

The Appalachian Trail (or simply just the AT) is a married hiking trail that spans from Springer Mountain in Georgia to Mount Katahdin in Maine.
The precise length of the trail changes over time as trails are modified or rerouted. The total length is approximately 2,200 miles (3,500 km). The trail passes through 14 states Georgia, north Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire and finally Maine.
The first documented thru hike (hiking from one end to the other) was in 1968 and the trail has been used since then.
It is maintained by 31 trail clubs and multiple partnerships, and managed by the National park service and the nonprofit Appalachian Trail Conservancy. The majority of the trail is in wilderness, although some portions traverse towns, roads and cross rivers.

We are backpacking the entire length of the trail. Yes, on foot. We will pass by streams, creeks, and rivers so we will be able to get water from there. We have a sterilizing light pen (magic wand) for purifying the water. We pass by and through towns so frequently that we only need to carry 3 to 4 days worth of food at a time. And since most of the AT goes through state parks we can't fish or hunt.

Vocabulary

AT - the Appalachian trail
Thru hiker - someone who hikes the entire length of the trail
NOBO - hiking the trail from Georgia to Maine
SOBO - hiking from Maine down to Georgia
Trail Magic - something delightful and unexpected on the trail. Some people have been known to leave a cooler full of beer or sodas on the trail for anyone to help themselves. Or give assistance to thru hikers. And other things like that.

And to those of you that know us, of course we will not be without craft beer for 5 months. We bought this amazing Trail guide that has locations of everything (laundromats, hostels, hotels, which ones have wi-fi, restaurants, and yes even breweries) down to the tenth of a mile. So don't you worry your pretty little heads.. We've got it covered..