The Initiative…12,500 miles, one year, will he do it?

HA HA HA!!! Awesome – that's fantastic.

"Me. I'm a slacker. I like to minimize expectations as much as possible"

According to Woody Allen half of life is showing up. Somehow that makes me feel a lot better. At least Sam made it half way. ;)

The ability to self promote via the internet is one of the issues here. Anyone can slap together a pretty webpage, make it look professional and gain an awful lot of exposure. It's great in a lot of cases, because we get to learn and hear about things that don't normally get much media attention – but "we" just have to get better at filtering what is legitimate from what isn't.

There's nothing wrong with planning a trip like this and documenting how it unfolds. Making grandiose statements about what you're going to accomplish is a a different story and is why people are reacting with skepticism. The amount of experience that people like Skurka, Scott Williamson, Roman Dial, and Francis Tapon had to build up before becoming recognized for their accomplishments make it hard not to laugh a little when I read this stuff.

Glad to be reminded why I avoid whiteblaze like the plague.

After reading the tiniest part of some bazillion post flame war about dogs on the trail, where people were referring to dog owners on the trail as terrorists, I realized, it wasn't for me. Now I realize it even more.

Ahh BPL. You're like that girlfriend that I didn't really appreciate until I realized what how bad the other options were. ;P

I think the one time i was on on WB i found that same dog thread and wasted a bunch of time getting mad at people on both sides. I was like WTF!! One person says no dogs at all and the other says i should be able to let my dog roam free.

I own two dogs and they are on leash at all times unless on fenced private property. I see no problem with one of two instances with dogs in public. The first one just keep your dog on a leash whats the big bleeping deal? If it is that aggravating for you to hold a leash all day imagine how others feel about dealing with your dog. The second if you don't want to leash your dog at least take the time to train the dog to voice command. I mean voice command not "come spot 2-3-4-5 times before the dog listens as that is not listening and asking for trouble!!! Very few dogs are this well behaved so i am gonna just go with option one being the real best option.

I love dogs to death and my dogs are with me 24/7 literally we hike 25 hrs a week minimum most weeks like 40. I however hate others who make what they consider enjoyable my or others problem. I myself sure as hell am not gonna be so arrogant and selfish as to impose what i consider joyful on those around me, I do not like when others do this to me. Plus have you ever seen a dog playfully jump up on like a 80 year old man or woman and nock them over or scare the crap out of them or a kid? Not cool i must see this at least 2-3 times a week!

As for this guy and his hike i say if you have such a problem with him or his undertaking you are the problem and must have way to much time on your hands to be so critical and so concerned. I cant stand a bully in the face of someone just out trying to enjoy life in a harmless manner.

Exciting!

I just spent 4 days camping throughout Tahoe (cross-country skiing), and am very excited to get to read about this guy here.

Will he do it? I only know that I will be checking in to find out about his adventure, succeed or no. :)

I don't really "get" the whole online bashing thing. I've been anticipating Samuel's trek for the past six months (more?) because I was genuinely curious if this was going to be a really badass, get-er-done kind of trip like Skurka does.

Samuel's made it pretty clear in the first twenty days that it's not going to be that kind of trip. He's hiking kind of slow, had a good buddy along with him, and he's hiking his own hike.

Am I going to stop following his progress because he's not out smashing records and totally killin' it? Probably not. But am I going to follow his progress with the same zeal as if he was? Also probably not. He's on a hiking trip and I hope it's awesome for him. How it relates to everyone else is best left to everyone else.

Well said, Sam. I find myself having the same reaction — I check in every once in a while when I've run out of other online reading material, but I can't say I'm overly excited about what he's doing…It's become an average thru-hike with a dash of Peter Jenkins, but his writing is not nearly as good.

Publicly, at least, he hasn't reconciled his pre-trip talk with the current reality, and I have to wonder whether the enormous gap between the two is weighing on him, or if he's given up on those grand ideas. I've been stressed over fundamental trip issues before — e.g. "How am I ever going to snowshoe through MI, WI, and MN in the middle of winter?" — and they are tough to deal with, because there is nothing else that matters out there except the trip. It's the only thing you know.

Sam, Well Said!

People's comments would be different if Sam had used the words try and/or attempt in the description of his route and schedule. There hasn't been any serious "bashing" either – just skepticism. This a a forum where people discuss things, no harm done as long as everything stays "clean".

I'm sure there were skeptics for Skurka's AYE. It doesn't take much of a setback to throw any kind of trip off. Ryan's ankle on the Arctic1000 was a good example.

"I'm sure there were skeptics for Skurka's AYE."

Not many. Skurka's a sled dog.

The only question was whether he might need a psychiatrist when he got done with it.

–B.G.–

I didn't get the sense that there were many skeptics either. I was flattered by the confidence in me, but it made me wonder whether I wasn't pushing the limits enough. Not sure how exactly I would done that even if I had wanted to, though.

Andy, at this point brother, you're going to have to attempt a free-float from the earth to the moon without oxygen for us to start questioning your ability to complete a trek.

If you do however, I'll make you a quilt for the trip. :P How cold is space again? =”,jdempsey”

Now if Skurka will try it………I'm gong to Vegas and taking the over.

Andy – Skeptical was probably the wrong word. I'd bet that "Holy $@%#!" or "No way!" were pretty common reactions when you first put out the AYE map… It was a pretty bold line!

Andrew –

What is worse? I think it's nice to have the support of most people, on the other hand, there are people out there more motivated by what people say can't be done. Where do you fall on this? Or does it even enter your mind?

Dirk

Supporters are nice; naysayers make it more fun. But, truthfully, both play a pretty small part in my thinking. Long trips really need to be self-motivated, for selfish reasons. I'll go on a trip if I think I'll be a better person on the other end, and if I know I at least have the "ingredients" to finish it.

I'm not sure if they've edited the website, but the general impression I got today from re-reading the site is that completing these 4 trails in a year is the ideal achievement, but the main goal is just to complete them back to back regardless of how long it takes. On his current pace, that could be 2-3 years.

From the site:

"It will be the first ever, attempt of the “All-In Trek”. This involves solo hiking the four longest hiking trails in the United States, back-to-back continuously without any time off. I hope to finish in one year but it is my ultimate goal to complete this trek continuously regardless of a time frame."

2-3 years might actually be more interesting to follow, as he'd be at some spots at the absolute worst time of year.

Originally his site said: "On January 1st of 2011, I will set out on a 12,500+ mile 'All-In Trek' to establish a new record of unassisted ultra-light long-distance backpacking. It will be the first ever, attempt of the “All-In Trek”. This involves solo hiking the four longest hiking trails in the United States, back-to-back continuously without any time off. It is my goal to complete this trek in one calendar year."

No kidding, you guys are a lot nicer than the curmudgeons at WB! Each time I've tried to post a topic about this guy, it gets immediately deleted! No idea what their problem is, but I'm behind this kid, 100%. Even sent a little cash his way because he's out there, in the cold, and the grumpy WhiteBlazers are on their warm armchairs!

" Long trips really need to be self-motivated, for selfish reasons."

yup.
… just like everything else.

cheers,
peter v.

Skurka, you were deserving of the support you garnered for the AYE because you've put in your time previously building a solid foundation of long distance hikes. Gardner may have been better off not marketing himself the way he did so early on. I didn't know who you were, Skurka until sometime during your C2C hike.

Gardner's been making about twelve miles a day so far which is less I would hike on a slightly-above-average day of winter exploring and I make no claims at being a record-breaker. I'm sure Sam and Jake's pace will pick up as they get into trail-shape and particularly when Spring rolls 'round and they hit some dry tread.

Sometimes people establish Big Hairy Goals, and if they fall a little short, they still do big things.

Also, maybe this is not marketing. For some people who want to stop smoking, but are unsure they can do it, they tell everyone who they know that they are going to stop smoking. Thus, they set an expectation that puts much more pressure on them to do it.

If this guy is determined, and does not get injured, I think he can do it, but probably not in the 1 year window. And he will probably get faster.

I hope he continues and reaches whatever objective that makes it a life-altering experience for him.

I am not going to chime in on what I think about the attempt, but i will say that I read wb a bit now, and all I can say is I am sincerely glad I am a member here. Those folks just seem angry about everything.

There is a ton of opinion, and very little fact to back it up, quite the contrast to here from my experience.

folks here disagree from an intellectual level, folks there seem to point fingers and yell names.

I suppose its not an all in type of comparison, as I am sure there are good folks there too, just the overall feel is different than here.

Responding to Nick's post: I guess it ultimately depends on the personal philosophy, whether you set lofty goals, with the intent of seeing how close you come, or whether you set more conservative goals, with the possibility of exceeding them. In the past it likely wouldn't matter right? Only in the internet age, are you incapable of escaping the idealistic promise of your dreams.

Too bad. In this day and age, the pessimists and cynics rule. As such, I am both! ;)