What Preparing for the Appalachian Trail Taught Me About B2B Sales

About a week out from departure, I woke up from a 12 hour nap, and things felt a little more...serious

Maybe it's because I've passed the time horizon of my normal Buffalo stay. Maybe it's because my "final" to do list has only grown. Maybe it's because I realized just how cold it's going to be in Tennessee (well below freezing). I know from experience that freezing in your tent overnight is a bad time. I upgraded my sleep system so I don't fall on my face right out of the gate, but I have no choice except to welcome the uncomfortable situations I'll find myself in. Otherwise, this is not going to be fun at all.

For 11 months, I've made list after list of what to do next in order to be as prepared as possible. When I got back home, I made what I thought was a final list of preparatory tasks. Predictably, but to my annoyance, that just exploded into more things to do. Dehydrating food turns into buying a vacuum sealer turns into buying boxes turns into assembling care packages. Like lopping heads off the Hydra, they don't disappear, they multiply. It's both reassuring and nerve wracking that no matter what, eventually I just gotta hike.

But right now, I feel like I'm in a waiting room. Not purgatory, but definitely like a waiting room. But also I'll be back to this waiting room in 6 months, then I'll live in it -which is new for me, but also old, because I'm from here. See what I'm saying?

So I'm stranded for another few days, desperately getting ready for something I actually can't totally prepare for. There's just no winning.

Pretty early on, I'll have to make my way into town for the first time. Hitch a ride, find the post office, resupply, return to trail, and figure out where I need to appear by nightfall, based on how much time I spent in town.

I'll surely get lost and find myself in the misty foothills of the Smokies or Chatta-whatever, questioning my decisions. Dark, cold, and wet.

I can't wait.

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This is a short list of things on my mind that will be resolved after multiple consecutive days of backpacking:

  • Does my gear fit correctly?
  • How often should I go into town?
  • Am I crazy for not bringing headphones?
  • How long can my phone stay charged?

Here's ALL of my gear for the next 6 months (minus water and food, some charging cables, and I'll send some of the cold weather gear home as I make my way north):

Barely pictured because I'm wearing them: Crocs