Yep, just ordinary.

Since letting the latest adventure out of the bag, I've gotten a lot of comments about it not being an ordinary adventure, that we should be calling it an extraordinary adventure.

I admit, it sounds ambitius and it'll definately be the biggest challenge I've ever undertaken. However, there are several hundred people who successfully hike the Pacific Crest Trail every year and even more people who ride a bicycle coast to coast in any given year. To date, Trail Journals, has 1,118 hikers in their database who are doing these long trails, many of whom do multiple trips in their lifetime, and countless smaller (week or two) hikes. The only thing out of the ordinary about this particular adventure is that the two trips are planned back to back. Honestly though, this should be the easiest way to accomplish both trips.

We will be in transition as Anna is finished with graduate school, and we're ready to move somewhere to start using our educations, be they from school or experience. There's no better time than during such transition to set out to do a trip that takes a substantial amount of time and energy.

Our AT hike opened our eyes to a world of adventure that many people find to be extrordinary, but to a core group of people like the hikers listed on Trail Journals, the Appalachian Trail could be seen as relatively mondaine. The trail is extremely well marked and maintained, heavily trafficed, there are "trail angles" who do A TON to help hikers, you are relatively close to towns for most of the trail, and rarely would have to carry more than 2 days worth of food. I can't dicount the AT though, as it is a very difficult trail, and it takes a lot of mental and physical strength, along with the time and money to complete it.

While on the trail we met other hikers who had hiked longer, more remote trails, biked cross country in the US and took adventures in other countries. We became members of the Appalachian Long Distance Hikers Association (ALDHA), a breeding ground for future adventures. And I in particular started following other people's adventures on their webistes and on Trail Journals.


Fundraising Trailer - Tell it on the Mountain from TellitontheMountain on Vimeo.

I have been inspired by trips such as these:
Andrew Skurka's Sea-to-Sea Route in 2004-2005 & Great Western Loop in 2007
Justin Lichter's 10,000 miles in 2006 on the ECT, PCT & CDT with his dog Yoni
Erin McKittrick & Bretwood Higman (Hig)'s Journey on the Wild Coast of Alaska 2007-2008
A combination Ski, Sail & Bicycle trip 180 degrees from North Pole to South Pole
Deia Schlosberg & Gregg Treinish's Across the Andes Trek in 2006-2008
Stumpknocker's 2008 Appalachian Trail hike & Southern Tier Route bicycle trip
We've talked with Warren Doyle who has hiked over 30,000 miles on the AT and David Horton who has held the speed record on the AT, currently holds the record for the PCT and made an attempt to run the CDT recently.

In company of these trips, ours is definatly not extraordinary. What will be extraordinary for us, is that it will be ourselves on the adventure, and not reading about it in a trail journal, blog, or on podcasts. This is really an adventure, but a relatively ordinary one.

I'm definately looking forward to getting started!!!