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Carolyn Burman
Aug 27, 2017 : Carolyn Burman Appalachian Trail

Discouraged. Discouraged. Discouraged.

Okay, it’s been so long since I’ve blogged. There are a few reasons for this but the MAIN reason for this is because: i have been evaluating and re-evaluating my relationship with social media, so much. So so much. Do you ever think about how strange it is that my generation specifically is OBSESSED with posting photos of ourselves? Also, so much of my life is wasted away on my phone… mindless scrolling. So, I have decided that when I am done with my hike I am deleting my Instagram. So much time spent looking at other people’s photos… living in comparison and just spending time doing something SOOO useless. No more of that. NO MORE.

I’m in Bennington, VT. Yes… Bennington, VT. That’s a little bit past mile 1600 which means I am close to being done and also have the hardest parts ahead of me. I have been worried… so worried about not getting to Katahdin “in time,” whatever that means. Most people want to be done by Oct 15 but Jessica Mills (AT YOUTUBER) summited Oct 19 and that seems okay.

My mind now is consumed with mostly the following :

1. Stress about not finishing in time

2. Wondering if skipping a section would be worth it and just making up the section next summer

3. Wanting Taco Bell

4. Pondering social media and how free I will feel when I delete it

5. Wondering how it will feel when this is done and I go back to my life

6. Wondering what my relationship with Goatbar will be when this is done

7. Wondering when I will move out of my sisters house and into my own apartment (NEVER) (JUST KIDDING GEORGIA) (BUT MAYBE NEVER)

8. Wondering about a career change

9. Wondering what my “career” even is

10. Wondering if I should go back to school.

11. Wondering if I will want to hike more after this or possibly NEVER HIKE AGAIN.

12. Wondering what my relationship with yoga will look like after because I can barely do half pigeon anymore.
Okay, onward and upward.

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Carolyn Burman
Aug 27th : Carolyn Burman
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Carolyn Burman's Bio

Howda! My name is Carolyn Burman and I am an AT Nobo thru-hiker hopeful beginning my sojourn on April 15, 2017. My dream to hike the Appalachian Trail began two years ago when I became utterly and over-the-top obsessed with the idea of hiking from Georgia to Maine. For whatever reason, walking from Georgia to my home of New England was exactly the kind of insanity I had been yearning for. In the beginning of my planning, I researched what it would take to rescue a Chihuahua puppy to raise as my hiking companion on the trail, strapping it to the front of my pack like a newborn baby. Unfortunately, after several hours of research on the importance of keeping your pack light, the dream of the Chihuahua faded, but my dream of hiking the AT remained! Anyways, I look forward to sleeping on the earth every night and feeling no guilt about the junk food I will be consuming along the way. Onward and Upward!

Comments 2

  • Marie Burman : Sep 4th

    If nothing else the AT provides an opportunity to test your mettle and forces one to ponder life’s big questions. When you wrote this you were at 1600 miles northbound and today crossed into New Hampshire at 1740something. Wow and like you said “and then there were two.” Bravo my brave girl.

    Reply
  • Jay Burman : Sep 9th

    Nobody on this planet wants you to finish the AT more than do I. Dont worry about all the other stuff; trust me – it will all work out fine. And yes, you have more than enough time to “finish in time”. And remember one critical item: not one particle of my love for you depends on your accomplishments. You’ll be fine !!!! huge crates of love, Pops

    Reply

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