“How have you prepared to hike the Appalachian Trail?”

I get that question a lot. Especially now that I’m two weeks from leaving for the hike.

Since the conception of the idea of thru-hiking the AT in August 2010, I’ve prepared physically and mentally for what I’m about to do. I didn’t get as much physical preparation in as I would have liked (and needed), but at that time, I was still three semesters away from graduating with my undergrad degree as a non-traditional student and commuter. It wasn’t easy, and the second of those three remaining semesters was my internship.

Physically, I have been doing the following:

• Cardio: Jumping jacks, walks w/pack
• Legs: Regular squats, wide-stance squats, calf raises, ankle dorsiflexion/plantarflexion, shin raises, illiotibial (IT) band stretches
• Back/Neck: Dumbbell shrugs, dumbbell pullovers, dumbbell rows
• Arms/Shoulders/Chest: Bicep curls, chest presses, shoulder side raises, tricep overhead extensions, forearm hammer curls
• Abs: Bicycle crunch, vertical leg crunch, long arm crunch, reverse crunch, elbow/toe plank

Mentally, I have been doing the following:

• Attempting to get my student loan repayments in order for the time I am gone. Having your ducks in a row at home will make things easier.
• Calling my doctors and dentist to remind them to not call about or mail reminders for visits.
• Making sure my dog and cat are all set. I will miss them.
• Getting my flight back to NH for graduation and list of Trail shuttle services organized for May.
• Calling the University Bookstore to have my Commencement regalia mailed to my residence for May.
• Arranging for things to possibly pick up to bring back to the Trail (resupply) in May.
• Asking myself the important questions: Why do I want to do this? What will this hike bring to my life? How will I feel if I have to end the hike prematurely due to injury or some other unforeseeable event?
• Making sure “Team Mockingbird” (my support team) knows what I’m up to and that they receive regular updates, in return they will lend emotional support when I’m asking myself why I want to live outdoors for six months.
• Hopefully staying on top of the subjects that my followers are hoping that I will address: my gear, my struggles with endometriosis and migraines, what works and what doesn’t, etc.
• Keeping video and journal updates and photos real: not just capturing flat Trail on perfect days with showered and smiling hikers, but the bad times as well. Nothing dirty (except maybe some mud), no nudity, no swearing.
• Having a tight financial budget and planning to stick to it.
• Knowing my limits. Knowing when to stop and/or take a break. Knowing that I need to stay well-fed and hydrated. Knowing that rest is important.
• Keeping small goals in mind. For example, getting from Amicalola Falls to the summit of Springer Mountain…not getting to the Georgia-North Carolina border or especially not Katahdin. Attainable goals will keep a person sane and successful.

Notice how the mental list is longer? A lot of it is just having things ready, but that is a mental prep if it makes you feel more secure going away for a long time.

I think I have the right gear. I spent a little more money on the big-ticket items: pack, shelter, footwear…but how does one know if they have the right personality? I guess you don’t know until you get out there and try it. It’s easy to say “sure, I can make it from Georgia to Maine” while surfing the Web from your cozy home. Even now, two weeks before getting out there, it’s an epic crap load to wrap your head around. Overall, though, it’s just common sense and taking things moment-by-moment. A little trail magic doesn’t hurt, either.

A Guide to Drinking Water Treatment and Sanitation for Backcountry and Travel Use – PDF 

Introduction

This document should only serve as a guide for individuals intending to use untreated or poorly treated water as a drinking source. This document may also aid travelers and backcountry water users in researching drinking water treatment methods. Except for boiling, few of the water treatment methods are 100% effective in removing all pathogens.

• Protozoa – Cryptosporidium
  • Potential health effects from ingestion of water contaminated with Cryptosporidium are:
    • Gastrointestinal illness (for example, diarrhea, vomiting, cramps).
  • Sources of Cryptosporidium in drinking water are:
    • Human and animal fecal waste.
  • Methods that may remove some or all of Cryptosporidium from drinking water are:
    • Boiling (Rolling boil for 1 minute) has a very high effectiveness in killing Cryptosporidium;
    • Filtration has a high effectiveness in removing Cryptosporidium when using an absolute less than or equal to 1 micron filter (NSF Standard 53 or 58 rated “cyst reduction / removal” filter);
    • Disinfection with iodine or chlorine is not effective in killing Cryptosporidium;
    • Disinfection with chlorine dioxide has a low to moderate effectiveness in killing Cryptosporidium;
    • Combination filtration and disinfection has a very high effectiveness in removing and killing Cryptosporidium when used with chlorine dioxide and an absolute less than or equal to 1 micron filter (NSF Standard 53 or 58 rated “cyst reduction / removal” filter).
• Protozoa – Giardia intestinalis(also known as Giardia lamblia)
  • Potential health effects from ingestion of water contaminated with Giardia are:
    • Gastrointestinal illness (for example, diarrhea, vomiting, cramps).
  • Sources of Giardia in drinking water are:
    • Human and animal fecal waste.
  • Methods that may remove some or all of Giardia from drinking water are:
    • Boiling (Rolling boil for 1 minute) has a very high effectiveness in killing Giardia;
    • Filtration has a high effectiveness in removing Giardia when using an absolute less than or equal to 1 micron filter (NSF Standard 53 or 58 rated “cyst reduction / removal” filter);
    • Disinfection with iodine or chlorine has a low to moderate effectiveness in killing Giardia;
    • Disinfection with chlorine dioxide has a high effectiveness in killing Giardia;
    • Combination filtration and disinfection has a very high effectiveness in removing and killing Giardia when used with chlorine dioxide and an absolute less than or equal to 1 micron filter (NSF Standard 53 or 58 rated “cyst reduction / removal” filter).
• Bacteria - (for example, Campylobacter, Salmonella, Shigella, E. coli)
  • Potential health effects from ingestion of water contaminated with bacteria are:
    • Gastrointestinal illness (for example, diarrhea, vomiting, cramps).
  • Sources of bacteria in drinking water are:
    • Human and animal fecal waste.
  • Methods that may remove some or all of bacteria from drinking water are:
    • Boiling (Rolling boil for 1 minute) has a very high effectiveness in killing bacteria;
    • Filtration has a moderate effectiveness in removing bacteria when using an absolute less than or equal to 0.3 micron filter;
    • Disinfection with iodine or chlorine has a high effectiveness in killing bacteria;
    • Disinfection with chlorine dioxide has a high effectiveness in killing bacteria;
    • Combination filtration and disinfection has a very high effectiveness in removing and killing bacteria when used with iodine, chlorine, or chlorine dioxide and an absolute less than or equal to 0.3 micron filter (NSF Standard 53 or 58 rated “cyst reduction / removal” filter).
• Viruses - (for example, enterovirus, hepatitis A, norovirus, rotavirus)
  • Potential health effects from ingestion of water contaminated with viruses are:
    • Gastrointestinal illness (for example, diarrhea, vomiting, cramps), hepatitis, meningitis.
  • Sources of viruses in drinking water are:
    • Human and animal fecal waste.
  • Methods that may remove some or all of viruses from drinking water are:
    • Boiling (Rolling boil for 1 minute minimum) has a very high effectiveness in killing viruses;
    • Filtration is not effective in removing viruses;
    • Disinfection with iodine or chlorine has a high effectiveness in killing viruses;
    • Disinfection with chlorine dioxide has a high effectiveness in killing viruses;
    • Disinfection has a high effectiveness in killing viruses when used with iodine, chlorine, or chlorine dioxide.

Things to Remember

Please remember that:

• Boiling can be used as a pathogen reduction method that should kill all pathogens. Water should be brought to a rolling boil for 1 minute. At altitudes greater than 6,562 feet (greater than 2000 meters), you should boil water for 3 minutes.
• Filtration can be used as a pathogen reduction method against most microorganisms, depending on the pore size of the filter, amount of the contaminant, particle size of the contaminant, and charge of the contaminant particle. Manufacturer’s instructions must be followed. More information on selecting an appropriate water filter can be found at http://www.cdc.gov/crypto/gen_info/filters.html. Only filters that contain a chemical disinfectant matrix will be effective against some viruses.
• Disinfection can be used as a pathogen reduction method against microorganisms. However, contact time, disinfectant concentration, water temperature, water turbidity (cloudiness), water pH, and many other factors can impact the effectiveness of chemical disinfection. The length of time and concentration of disinfectant varies by manufacturer and effectiveness of pathogen reduction depends on the product. Depending on these factors, 100% effectiveness may not be achieved. Manufacturer’s instructions must be followed.
• If boiling water is not possible, a combination of filtration and chemical disinfection is the most effective pathogen reduction method in drinking water for backcountry or travel use. Manufacturer’s instructions must be followed.

Other treatment methods can be effective against some of the above pathogens:

• Ultraviolet Light (UV Light) can be used as a pathogen reduction method against some microorganisms. The technology requires effective prefiltering due to its dependence on low water turbidity (cloudiness), the correct power delivery, and correct contact times to achieve maximum pathogen reduction. UV might be an effective method in pathogen reduction in backcountry water; there is a lack of independent testing data available on specific systems. Manufacturer’s instructions must be followed.
• MIOX® systems use a salt solution to create mixed oxidants, primarily chlorine. Chlorine has a low to moderate effectiveness in killing Giardia, and a high effectiveness in killing bacteria and viruses. Manufacturer’s instructions must be followed.

Important: Water that has been disinfected with iodine is NOT recommended for pregnant women, people with thyroid problems, those with known hypersensitivity to iodine, or continuous use for more than a few weeks at a time.

Sanitation

In addition to using the appropriate drinking water treatment methods listed above, you can also protect yourself and others from waterborne illness in the backcountry or while traveling by paying attention to good sanitation practices:

• Burying human waste 8 inches deep and at least 200 feet away from natural waters.
• Practicing good personal hygiene. Wash hands before handling food, eating, and after using the toilet.

Information provided by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

I am excited. Nervous. Joyous. Stupefied. Blessed. Overwhelmed.

The AT will never just be “easy”. I’m going into this knowing that. The first couple hundred miles is going to be physically and mentally difficult because my body will not be conditioned. Once the physical conditioning kicks in, it will be mainly about keeping my head in the game. The last two states, New Hampshire and Maine, will also be the hardest physically and mentally. By then, you’re just worn out and ready to be done, and the terrain is exhaustingly difficult. When I look online for photos and videos of the AT, what I mainly get are the good times…and while that’s great, the AT isn’t all perfect sunrises and smiling, showered hikers and flat trail. I want to capture the misery as well. I want my followers to see the beautiful sunrises and sunsets, pretty spring flowers, fawns frolicking; and happy, posed, showered hikers…but I also want them to see death-defying thunderstorms, blood and tears, endless days of rain, and hikers wondering why in hell they’re doing this to themselves.

It’s the misery that makes the perfection all the more a blessing.

‘Protecting America’s Premier Trail’ video series courtesy of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy.