How does one become a thru-hiker?

As I got older, the standard US thing of only 2weeks of paid vacation just wasn't cutting it for me. What is the point of having money if I can't use it for what I truely want to do? So I know look forward to when I get laid off as I use it to do an extended trip that I always dreamed of. When it happened last Feb., I decided to hike the PCT. Back in 2002, I only did a month long trip when I got laid off, and I regretted not taking more time off ever since.

I managed a 2 month leave of absence in 2006. Did not do a thru but spent much time hiking some of the AT (enough to become addicted!). It was the best 2 months of my life. I planned and save from 2003 to 2006, paid off my car, mortgage paid, no debt. My employer decided that a 2 month leave was a small price to pay for a dependable, hard-working employee. I still work at the same place. So, financial and life planning, ditch whatever is dragging you down and just live it. Life does not have do-overs nor rewinds and it is not a practice for something else. You will not regret the time you spend doing something you will remember for the rest of your life and what a cool thing to tell your kids and grand kids about!

I had been saving money for years. What for, I didn't know. One day in 2008 I realized that the stress of my job was too great and knowing I had 2 years expenses saved up left me wondering what on earth was I putting up with it for? I quit. They offered a leave of absence. I turned it down.

Was it a good decision? I don't make as much money now. Seems workers aren't worth as much as they used to be. But I loved it and wouldn't give the experience back to have my old job. I had always wanted to hike the PCT ever since 1975 when I was 10 years old. I was 43 when I finally hit the trail. That's a long time to keep saying to yourself "Someday maybe I'll hike the PCT."

Anyway, leaves of absence can make it work. Saving up vacation days can at least get you a long section hike. Quitting works. Waiting until you get laid off and get The Package helps. Saving up a lot of money definitely helps. Retirement also helps. What doesn't work is debt. Stay out of debt at all costs.

Piper wrote- "What doesn't work is debt. Stay out of debt at all costs."

Unless you don't care about the implications of leaving unpaid debts behind. 1 in 10 people in America right now are in foreclosure of at least 90 days past due on their mortgage payments. Debt is almost fashionable! You can close up shop and take off for a few years if you don't care about your FICO score. Disclaimer- I'm not condoning it- just saying it's possible.

I know it's bordering on cliche to say this but three or four decades down the road you're going to remember your PCT/AT/CDT/ADT thruhike much more vividly than you will recall financial woes, missed career paths, bankruptcies, or repossessions.

I think the most important attribute an individual can possess for a matter such as this is balls. Cojones. Intestinal fortitude. Lack of common sense. Whatever you want to call it. In order of importance, not being scared to get off your butt and do it far outweighs the logistics of how to get it done.

Balls are overrated. I give 34% to brain, 33% to heart and 33% to balls. :)

I might throw in the likelihood of no job, little debt, and no family to provide for.

"Balls is overrated. I give 34% to brain, 33% to heart and 33% to balls. :)"

The feets is feeling really left out of this equation….

Gentlemen! I believe that you are leaving the fairer sex out of this equation.

–B.G.–

Bob, I think the fairer sex has the power to keep some home, and drive some to get away and thru-hike!! ;)

The fairer sex has feets!

I think Doug has a 'feets' fetish! ; )

Great question! There are a few other threads like this lately. Seems to be a common thought.

My method: I just give 2 weeks notice and quit. My wife does too. We have a manageable mortgage, no kids or dogs. I'm 36 now. Been doing that since I was 22.

So far, so good. This "iQuit" technique is pretty reliable and seems to work every time:
AT '96
PCT '98
PCT '99
London > Istanbul (bike) '00
San Diego > Cabo (bike) '02
TRT '03
JMT '03
CDT '06
PCT '10
AT '11 ?

John, I'm really curious:

What do you do for work that allows you to constantly quit and be rehired and that pays well enough to cover the costs of thru-hiking and several months of mortgage payments?

"John, I'm really curious:

What do you do for work that allows you to constantly quit and be rehired and that pays well enough to cover the costs of thru-hiking and several months of mortgage payments?"

Different things over time. I worked as a paralegal between the AT and PCT, and generally in the ski industry (summers off, fall rehire) until 2005. Before the CDT, I worked at Best Buy (a disposable job if I ever had one), and currently I am a database analyst. After the PCT this year, we will probably both return to her outdoor retail gig, and get laid off just in time for the AT 2011.

Since the CDT, I have been attempting to make a career change into national security, my area of study and interest. I would finally be willing to give up the thru-hike/travel/ski lifestyle to do it. Some (but unexpectedly, certainly not all) potential employers in this area have viewed my background negatively.

ETA: As far as $$$, the best years of my life have been the ones where I earned like $4000. When not on the trail, I just don't spend much. No cell, no TV, no cable, '89 Corolla, one modest Kona bike, hardly drink, mostly vegetarian, etc. We are currently refi-ing from a 15yr fixed into a 30yr fixed, which will cut our monthly payment almost in half and enable us to get by with simpler jobs and longer trips.

john i would live like you, but the wife won't have it. She needs her expensive direct tv, iphone, etc, etc. I am a simple guy and could be just fine without all these things, but the wife, well thats a different story. Where do you find such women who can live without these things?

John,

I hire a lot of people. The first thing I do is scan the work history. A lot of job changes is a big negative, as it costs our company a lot of money to hire a new employee. However, moving a lot does not automatically disqualify a candidate. But it will be discussed early in the interview.

My son is going to graduate from college this spring and is thinking about running professionally and doing some hiking. His chances of making a good living running are slim, and it would not last long even if he does well. I am encouraging him to go for it, but he needs to understand that it could impact his ability to find a good job if he has a large gap after school without a career centered job history.

Most of the people who find their "dream job" don't do so until their mid-thirties or later, and often it is not in the field they studied or trained for.

BTW, if I had a 15 year mortgage (with a reasonable interest rate), I would not re-finance. The mothly payment may be lower, but long term you will be paying a lot more interest to the blood-suckers.

"Where do you find such women who can live without these things?"

Well, you're married and I'm not looking… but since it was a hypothetical question may I suggest as a hypothetical answer…

AHEM…

on Backpackinglight?

Hahaha.

(minimal phone, no tv, no internet at home, rarely go out, like to use the library – I mean, I sound pretty boring but that's the lifestyle you were inquiring about!)

yea i am married, just curious as to where these mythical creatures reside.

"john i would live like you, but the wife won't have it. She needs her expensive direct tv, iphone, etc, etc. I am a simple guy and could be just fine without all these things, but the wife, well thats a different story. Where do you find such women who can live without these things?"

Tahoe. ;-) Jessie is quite a find. She's the one that wants me to quit my "good" job, thru-hike with her, and get on with saving the world already.

Many years ago, I was pounding out the miles of a very long backpack trip in Yosemite. Late on the first day, I was about 25 miles out, and three women passed me going the opposite direction. Being a self-respecting male, I thought, "Hmmm."

Then a year later, I ran into the same three on a winter trip. It is then that I discovered that they "liked each other, a lot."

–B.G.–

awesome story bob

"john i would live like you, but the wife won't have it. She needs her expensive direct tv, iphone, etc, etc. I am a simple guy and could be just fine without all these things, but the wife, well thats a different story. Where do you find such women who can live without these things?"

Where do you meet MEN who can live without these things???

Hey, at least by me doing two long distance hikes in two summers in a row (1200 in 2008 and 1800 in 2009), my man has become inspired to give a 700-miler a shot all by himself. It's a welcome change. I hope it's enough miles to give him the full experience–The Change–that comes with a big hike like the PCT.

"The Change–that comes with a big hike like the PCT."

It's truly hard to convince people about what they don't know. And without knowing, there is often little to no incentive to try.

Knowing is half the battle.

(bonus points for someone who knows that reference).

Well, we probably all know people who have never hiked and don't intend to — because they can see Nature right from the trail head (or worse, on TV).

No single experience (be it hiking or traveling or shopping or whatever) will suit everyone — but for me, I do feel sorry for people who just aren't curious or couldn't be bothered to even give things a try. I know, I know, HYOH, YMMV, and all that, but still…

EDIT: Sorry for the tangent.