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Hello friends,
Happy Monday, everyone.
We are coming for you, Appalachian Trail, in just a few days/weeks.
This is not our first prom. There is great comfort in knowing that, yet again, we are not as researched or prepared for our next adventure as we could be, but this angle has not failed us yet, so we rinse and repeat—deep breaths. Most people who attempt to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail have planned, researched, read, watched, and practiced for 1-2 years before they launch. On the other hand, we decided to hike in March of 2024 on Dec 4th, 2023, just over three months before our anticipated start date. This is how we roll. If we wait until we are ready, we will likely never launch. There are 100s of thousands of very knowledgeable and capable (many more than us) people sitting at home planning until they have aged themselves right out of the adventure….they have even been given a formal name, “armchair _________ (insert activity),” armchair hikers, sailors, travelers, etc.; you name it, and it exists. So, are we going to pause until we are ready?
Hell no!
We are not complete wildcards; we do not risk our safety. We have proper gear for the weather and terrain so we don’t freeze to death or get hypothermia. Has all of our gear been tested? No. Might my Merino wool thongs be too tight when I wear them for the first time on day 1? Probably, but I can muscle through as I will lose weight. Might the WorldTowning beanie not be warm enough because it is synthetic? Could be. Will I survive? Yes. No one has died from a thin beanie or too-tight panties, and I don’t plan on being the first.
Do we have emergency systems, backup batteries, a first aid kit, maps (both paper and digital), mace, and more? Yes! I suspect Will might even throw Air Tags into our packs' corners to track us. We are all set.
Are our shoes broken in? This is a YES. A huge YES. We always test out what goes on our feet. Most other items can be swapped in or out, but feet must be protected. We have done enough hiking to know what needs to be on point from day one and what can be flexed. So what if we don’t like the flavor of our dinners for the first week? We will eat if we are hungry, but we are out of luck if our water filter does not work or our toes hurt. Which reminds me… test our water filters today.
Remember when we bought a sailboat with no sailing experience? Now, was that crazy, or maybe it wasn’t? One year later, almost to the day of purchasing the boat, we crossed a significant ocean. Holy shit! I still say pinch myself. We hacked a lot, but we had redundant systems, loads of emergency equipment, took sailing lessons, and even had someone more experienced with us on our first ocean crossing. We are what I call calculated jumpers.
This takes us to our “on-the-job training” philosophy. What can we hack on the trail? Now, when it comes to hacking or learning as we go, it is essential to have an “I don’t give a fuck what others think of me attitude.” So what if we have only set our tent up once before hitting the trail (we did this yesterday), and we end up struggling the first few nights in front of an audience; who cares if another hiker is commenting under their breath that we likely won’t make it a week? Anyone can learn to set up a tent, but can anyone learn to stick it out when it gets tough? Nope. And we have had our fair share of sticking it out when the going gets tough. Mentally, we are on point. That is massively on point. The skill of not caring what others think of us is hugely important in any adventure. We will not learn if we don’t take risks. We won’t take risks if we are worried about what others say. It is that simple. Be ok with looking silly.
I read this amazing book, “Appalachian Trials: The Psychological and Emotional Guides to Successfully Thru-Hiking the AT,” by Zach Davis. It details the trail as a test of physical ability and focuses on how mental strength is even more crucial on the trail when the going gets tough. And it will get tough. I look at all Will and the kids, and I have accomplished as a family and individually, and I can honestly say we were not the most educated in the area or the most experienced, but we had a desire to succeed and a passion for learning quickly which has served us very well over our decade of full-time travel. We always say we are just ordinary people pushing ourselves to extraordinary measures, which works out for us.
As I sit here typing in an air-conditioned, comfy Starbucks in Phoenix, Arizona, just weeks away from launching, I feel that thing again that happens when we are transitioning and on the cusp of a brand new adventure. I feel tingly. Nervous. Butterflies. I feel grateful to have a body that allows me to do this. I feel peace knowing there are so many people rooting for us. You know, when we first started this travel life, it was a solitary act. It was, at times, super isolated, lonely, and uncertain. In all the good ways, a lot has changed in the last decade. I am humbled by how many of you are physically and virtually walking this walk with us. And a final big hug and bundles of kisses for those friends who have been with me before we were an “us” and now with “us” through these decades of craziness. You are still here; that is a true friend. Even if you say, “Jessica, this is the craziest thing you have ever done, you have lost your mind.” I love you all so much.
Back to Starbucks. I sit here with Largo, who is working hard to get in some intense studying for his APs, which he will leave the trail to take in May. He peacefully drinks his frappuccino and taps away on the keyboard as I write to all of you. He is my/our WHY for this adventure. It is terrible timing, financially ridiculous, and a bit crazy to work part-time and hike, but this is how we roll. We skid in on two wheels and roll out, knowing we have one shot at this life and only 18 years with our kids (in most cases), so why not take the plunge and jump in when we are not ready? Are any of us ever really ready?
I've got to keep it short. I have a presentation to prepare for in Palm Springs on Wednesday, which needs more love. I just wanted to share my thoughts on whether it is okay to start before you think you are ready. You will find your “ready” quickly when you are in it. Sink or Swim! With the right amount of passion, we always swim.
Have a fabulous week! May you start before you are ready!
xoxo,
Jess
How you can help…
A big thank you to anyone who donated gear or has signed up to meet us on the trail! If you are interested in supporting our hike or meeting us for a meal and a bit of trail magic, all details are below. THANK YOU!
Share your knowledge:
-Do you have gear, books, food, etc, recommendations? Send them our way. We must fast-track our planning with hacks since we just decided to hike the AT in December. Many people plan for this hike for 1-2 years beforehand, but you know us…we decide and then make it happen with all our adventures, and we don’t let time be a constraint.
Buy us a meal:
-in person (you join us in a trail town)
-purchase at a restaurant on our route (Paypal link below)
Lend us a bed or shower in your trail home
-if we are passing through your town
Buy us a bed at a hotel, hostel, or B&B along the way
-this is like gold when you have been sleeping in tents and eating meals in the cold for 5-7 days at a time (Paypal link below)
Take Will to dinner
-there are cities where he will be alone for weeks at a time and could sure use some human contact and conversation
Care Packages
-I loved getting these in college, and we welcome them along the trail.
Meet us on the trail with Trail Magic
-This is when you meet us on the trail, where cars can access and bring food and cold drinks. From everything I have watched online, Trail Magic seems to be the happiest part of a hiker’s day. When they come to a clearing in the woods, someone is there with food.
Share our socials with your friends so we can grow our community
-we will be daily vlogging
-podcasting
-sending out the newsletter
-and much more
Another option is to become a Patron.
Patreon is a great way to show your support to creators and also a great way to learn. We host monthly LIVE chats (from the trail once we start), giveaway swag, offer discounts on our group trips, and much more.
If you are interested in helping in any of the capacities above, please fill out this short form so we can plan our meet-up; acknowledge your generosity and thank you. You can donate by Paypal here*; please put in the notes what you are donating so we can adequately thank you.
*If you are not a fan of Paypal, we also have Venmo (@Jessica-Sueiro). All details are on the form above.
Thank you for being here and for your help. We look forward to making this hike extra special by meeting up with many of you during the hike to share a meal and swap stories.
Thank you!
To learn more about us, our mission, and our business, you can visit us at WorldTowning. To view our most recent group trip offerings, head over to WorldTowningvoyages.com. If you want to book a coaching session to realize your travel dream, schedule it here. If you're going to follow the travels of our WorldTowning family, you can find us on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, The Why Matters Podcast.
Stef and I are rooting for you all! Jessica, you are one of my heroes…your bold life inspires me everyday…enjoy! 🏆
Really can't wait to follow this adventure Jessica! Not sure if it's exactly appropriate or not, but buen camino! 👣