This last holiday season was surely one for the books! We were very thankful to spend time with our families and friends when six months away from them is right around the corner. They are so unbelievably helpful and motivating! Between Christmas, birthdays, and just because presents, we nearly crossed everything of of our list before it was even 2017! After a bittersweet parting with our original packs a few months back, we were overjoyed to receive our brand new @hyperlitemountaingear packs for Christmas! Going ultralite is one of the best decisions we've ever made. Our new insanely lightweight packs, unbelievably comfy and compact @patagonia nanopuff jackets, practically weightless @zpacks sleeping bags, and our remarkable featherweight @zpacks duplex tent makes for very happy hikers. While Buffalo has decided to give @altra trail shoes a try, footwear has always been a bit of a challenge for Mumble. She purchased some totally awesome @oboz, but seriously doubts her feet and their ability to stay cooped up inside trail shoes for miles and months on end. In fact, Mumble strongly believes that she'll end up hiking the Appalachian Trail in @chacos. She still has four months to really decide though, so stay tuned. As for camp shoes, we both love our crocs and wear them almost every day! If crocs are not your camp shoe already, we'd strongly suggest considering it! Over the weekend we received our 2017 AT Guide by the fabulous "AWOL," so there are really only a few more things on our trail needs list! We both have to finalize our footwear, and Mumble needs to order some new socks and sock liners (probably from injinji). The rest of the list includes therm-a-rest z lite sol sleeping pads, MSR PocketRocket stove, a couple of stuff sacks maybe, and a reliable, non-solar portable charger (recommendations greatly appreciated). It is surreal being nearly ready for our journey. Two years ago this month Buffalo returned from his three month adventure in Costa Rica and nonchalantly suggested we go hike part of the Appalachian Trail. Now, practically the only thing keeping us going day after day IS the AT. We are grateful for the time between now and May 22nd because we need to spend it with our loved ones, and to save as much money as absolutely possible so we can afford to eat when serious hiker hunger sets in. However, we cannot wait. It excites us to see so many hikers only a month or so away from their start. We can't wait to follow along with everyone's adventures, and look forward to sharing our journey with all of our friends and family as well! Have a happy week everyone!

@rudrunners: UTHC 42 Ultra Trail Harricana 42km 2021 Quoi de mieux qu'un GURU pour t'accompagner ? 2 Guru ! #UTHC #uthc42 #Classique #jesuisloup #guruenergy #RUDRunners #RUDtrailerpack #RUDendurance #rude #trailtime #trailrun #trailandultra #trailaddict #trailrunninglife #trailrunnerscommunity #trailcouple #runnerscommunity #runningcanada #runnershigh #runnershigh #runnersworld #runnersofinstagram

@passortidubois: [ÉPISODE 47] Le feu qui crépite, la chaleur estivale de Limoilou et deux invités pour le prix d'un 🙌 Tous les éléments sont là pour passer un excellent moment en bonne compagnie! Marjorie et Guillaume sont généreux et ont une tonne de bonnes anecdotes à partager. L'épisode est disponible dès maintenant, partout 🎧 . . . #balado #podcast #courseensentier #trailrunning #ultratrail #trailrunner #trailcouple #everysinglestreet #rickeygates #ultratrailchicchocs #iledorleans #fkt #fastestknowntime #vanlife #cuteespresso #passortidubois

@passortidubois: [ÉPISODE 47] Le feu qui crépite, la chaleur estivale de Limoilou et deux invités pour le prix d'un 🙌 Tous les éléments sont là pour passer un excellent moment en bonne compagnie! Marjorie et Guillaume sont généreux et ont une tonne de bonnes anecdotes à partager. L'épisode est disponible dès maintenant, partout 🎧 . . . #balado #podcast #courseensentier #trailrunning #ultratrail #trailrunner #trailcouple #everysinglestreet #rickeygates #ultratrailchicchocs #iledorleans #fkt #fastestknowntime #vanlife #cuteespresso #passortidubois

@passortidubois: [ÉPISODE 47] Autour d'un feu avec l'ambiance de Limoilou comme trame de fond, nous discutons des récents projets de Marjorie et Guillaume. Elle vient de compléter le #EverySingleStreet de la Ville de Québec, alors qu'il vient de remporter l'épreuve la plus longue de l'utchicchocs 🔥 Bref, on a beaucoup à jaser!! L'épisode arrive ce dimanche, pile à temps pour ta longue sortie du week-end 🎧 . . . #balado #podcast #courseensentier #trailrunning #ultratrail #trailrunner #trailcouple #everysinglestreet #rickeygates #ultratrailchicchocs #iledorleans #fkt #fastestknowntime #vanlife #cuteespresso #passortidubois

05.04.17 • 18 days to AT 

 As everyone's number of days on the trail keeps going up, our number of days until the trail seems to be rapidly decreasing at this point. My hope is that the days be longer than ever while we're out there! 

 The To-Do-and-See List 

 Upon finishing our last few days of work, Trey finished 3 days ago and I finish in 2, the to-do list has been growing and looming! It is unreal to be finishing work (FINALLY!!) while tidying up loose trail prep ends, spending time with friends and family, and of course petting the shit out of my dogs! Every single day there's something to look forward to as we get closer to our departure. If I haven't said it before, someone else surely has: it's indescribably bittersweet!

 But we're going! It's on like Donkey Kong! Booked our Harpers Ferry hotel rooms this morning, so that's one more thing crossed off the list! 

 My Golden Year 

 I turn 26 this year on the 26th of October, so for whatever reason I'm convinced this is MY year. 2017. The year we're gonna thru-hike the Appalachian Trail! 

 I've worked so hard for the last eight months doing everything in my power to ensure thru-hiking success. You name it, I've done it: serving full time, Chinese delivery, house/pet sitting, dog walking, consignment at multiple stores, coin rolling, selling all kinds of things online, and finally going out with a bang by having a yard sale! Let me just say it was not easy having almost the entire yard sale be my stuff, but I'm a much lighter, happier person because of it! So we're embracing the brutality! Trey's been a pro at it for a while now, and I'd say I'm playing catch up. Hey, growing is growing! 

 All the Feels 

 It's about that time before a long hike when I begin to savor every bit of clean, running water I can. However, we are becoming increasing restless at night. Like our bodies are just totally ready to be immersed in trail life again. Still, filled to the brim with gratitude and love as we spend our last lunches, dinners, hangouts and hugs from so many of our favorite, faithful, supportive in so many ways, family and friends. It is so deeply appreciated. 

Cheers to being 18 days away from the AT! 

Mumble

Being 30 days away from our "put in" (as Buffalo called it the other day sending me into whitewater daydreams) is truly one of the most bittersweet feelings I've ever felt. Knowing that I won't see most of my family, friends, or my fluffy fur siblings for upwards of six months is UNREAL. But I am totally ready. Each and every day, my thoughts are consumed by the trail. I faithfully read "Your Daily Trail Fix" from the Trek every morning. There was one day the e-mail was a little later than usual and I was all out of sorts, and had to go to the website manually to curb the craving. I seriously love reading a real-time version of what hikers are experiencing in our beloved mountains. One reason I guess to be glad for the internet is our ability to so quickly update our friends and family from almost anywhere. That would be why my mom got an iPad! Remember those phones that slid up to provide a full QWERTY keyboard? Yah, she still has one of those and is firmly set on keeping it, so now she has her very own tablet to use for keeping up with our trail travels, facetiming, and of course sending me pictures and videos of the dogs FREQUENTLY. (Thanks in advance, mom!) I can't wait to finally have every single piece of gear together in one picture, but alas the trail prep never stops. After our yard sale this weekend we're finally crossing "treat clothes with permethrin" off of the to-do list. We finally tackled the external charger obstacle, and then found ourselves with a sleeping pad debacle. Though we love how light and easy to use the Therm-a-Rest Z-Lite is, we were spoiled on past hikes with super supportive blow up ones, so we promptly placed our order for the Therm-a-Rest NeoAir X-Lite sleeping pads! Special thanks to @thermarest for the sweet discount! With there being two of us, every bit of help is greatly appreciated! After more than half a year of waiting, some days it starts to feel like we aren't going anywhere, but we have plane tickets that remind me we totally are! It's the most exciting thing I've ever done and I'm forever grateful to be doing it with my Buffalo! Happy trails friends, Mumble

Up until this point, our blog has been all about how the trail has altered and shaped our lives in the two years since we first became mesmerized by it. More recently we've shared our adventures in trail prep, parting with old reliables and gathering new, lighter gear as we prepare for six months of thru-hiking. Undoubtedly, trail preparation won't end until 60 days from now when we completely lose our shit seeing the first white blaze of our flip flop thru-hike. Pretty soon we'll lay out every last piece of our gear, and continue 86'ing unnecessary ounces before we treat everything with Permethrin. 

 Shit's getting so real, and the array of emotions that go along with an adventure like this will only keep getting wider. Staying focused and keeping positive is key. Any one of us hikers living in the ease of 2017 where nearly anything is within reach, completely understands the allure of something that isn't. Hiking for miles and miles to see mountaintops that others only dream of is solely and completely earned. We earn each and every view that we experience, and everything about that is so much more satisfying than cooking burgers or waiting tables for months on end. 

 Nonetheless, it is the strangest feeling in the world to be leaving for six months. The longest I've ever been away from home is one month the first time we did a section on the AT in 2015. Some days I feel guilty about leaving my mom to take care of my grandmother all alone, other days I cry over not being able to see or squeeze or kiss my three little fur siblings for six months, but then I remind myself why I'm doing this. 

Seems like a good place to segue to the infamous three lists that Zach Davis suggests we make: 

 I am Thru-Hiking the Appalachian Trail because... 

I am in love with the mountains, and with all things in Nature. 

I want to see and do as much as I can while I am young. 

Walking is a perfect way to take absolutely everything in. 

I fell in love with the Appalachian Trail in 2015, and when we were hiking through the Smokies in 2016 we KNEW we wanted to thru-hike it. 

I need to learn and obtain a new, healthy independence free of all the extra fluff.

The list goes on and on and on.

 When I successfully thru-hike the Appalachian Trail, I will... 

Feel more accomplished that ever in my entire life. 

I will be forever changed. 

Feel as if my accomplishments have successfully built upon one another.

Have spent six months on a life-changing adventure with my best friend. 

Be excited for what comes next, and trust that everything always works out. 

 If I give up on the Appalachian Trail, I will... 

Be ridiculously disappointed in myself. 

Better have a damn good reason like I broke my leg or something! *knocks on nearest wood-like surface* 

Probably be more lost in the world than I was before. 

 It's really hard to take that last list seriously when, like most I KNOW I won't give up. Everything's a head game, and I plan to become an expert at it by the time I finally reach Springer Mountain! Gotta aim high, right? 

Happy trails to all, 

Mumble