Lake Hamilton graduate Whitney Clement began the journey of a lifetime on Tuesday, embarking on a more than 2,000-mile trek on the Appalachian Trail.
"This is the one life you get, so don't live vicariously. I don't think there ever is a time to live vicariously," she said in a phone interview from Suches, Ga.
Clement, who is in her early 20s, graduated from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville on May 14, and three days later began a thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail. A thru-hike is traversing a lengthy trail from end to end, in one trip. The AT is 2,190 miles long and spans from Georgia to Maine along the Appalachian Mountains. According to the Appalachian Trail Conservancy's website, a thru-hike on the AT takes from five to seven months.
Clement is making the journey alone, but she said the fact no one was able to go with her did not deter her. She said most of her friends have jobs, are married, have children, or were simply not able to make such a large commitment.
Clement said she does have one friend who will join her for a 100-mile section of the trail in Shenandoah National Park in Virginia.
"Once people found out what I was doing and that I was serious, I got a lot Facebook messages to links with articles about bear attacks, people getting murdered on the trail, and stuff like that," she said. "That didn't really phase me at all. I was pretty much set on going."
Clement said anyone who wants to go on a big adventure alone is going to get a lot of mixed reactions. She said many people are going to be supportive and enthusiastic about it, and then many people are going to show concern.
"They are going to try to talk you out of it and scare you. That is usually their go-to tactic, to scare you. ... If you really want to do something like this, certainly take precautions, but go for it. Don't be scared. Do it."
She said she is proceeding with caution and not taking any unnecessary risks.
"My biggest actual danger would be tick-borne illnesses, like Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Lyme disease, exposure, dehydration ... or twisting an ankle," she said.
The people she has encountered so far have been nothing but friendly and helpful, she said.
"There's a big trail community out here," she said, adding that was one reason she picked the AT for her journey.
Clement said she spent the last five years of her life in college, which was an emotional and mental challenge. One reason she chose a long hike was the need for a physical challenge to cleanse herself of all the stress of college, she said. In addition to earning two degrees, she spent the last year and a half prepping for her hike.
As she was walking across the stage at graduation, Clement said she realized this is the most freedom she has had in her entire life.
Another advantage to a solo hike, Clement said, is that she in full control of her journey.
"I can go at my own pace. I can stop when I want to stop. I eat when I'm hungry. I sleep when I'm tired. I don't have to be anywhere except my shelter," she said.
On the first day of her hike, she had to stop often to catch her breath because of the rapid elevation gain.
"I kept thinking 'I'm so glad no one is here to see this,'" she said.
Preparing for a thru-hike on the AT is more than researching the trail and equipment, but also keeping in shape. Clement said it is not smart to use a thru-hike to get in shape. She said she prepared by walking to class on the hilly campus of the university and carrying her backpack loaded down with school books.
"It's definitely a physical challenge ... and you should have some level of physical fitness when you start out," she said.
Clement said another way she prepared was hiking around Arkansas, but that the mountains in Georgia are much larger.
"Georgia is serious," she said. The AT begins at Springer Mountain in Georgia, but the trailhead is 9 miles from the road. Clement said her first day was actually hiking to the AT and not on it.
She said she also hiked in Ireland last summer. The weather was unpredictable and changed in an instant. That helped prepare her for spending months on the AT and experiencing whatever the weather throws at her.
She said she was looking at a 90 percent chance of rain in the next few days, but she has a good rain jacket.
Clement quoted a saying on the AT, saying, "No pain, no rain, no Maine."
When researching what gear to buy for her trek, Clement said she tried to keep it as lightweight as possible. The AT has shelters throughout for sleeping, but she said she chose to pack a hammock and rain fly. This setup is lighter and takes up less room than a tent.
She does hang her hammock near the shelters, saying it is good for morale to meet people also on the trail and to know that she is not the only one struggling.
For food, she packed instant mashed potatoes, oatmeal, beef jerky, peanut butter, and other food that will provide fuel for her body without taking up much space or weight. She said she also packed tons of Snickers bars.
Her parents suggested she take a multivitamin.
"I figured I may as well comply with one of their requests," she said.
It is customary for hikers to give themselves nicknames to be identified by other hikers on the trail. Clement said she is probably going to go with The Ramen Shaman, because of her love for Ramen Noodles.
When asked what part of the trail she is most excited to see, Clement joked "Done!" The AT ends at Mount Katahdin in Maine.
Clement said she is also looking forward to the Great Smoky Mountains, and Shenandoah when her friend will join her. She added that she was also looking forward to Pennsylvania, because she has heard it is flatter.
"I'm really looking forward to standing on the summit of Mount Katahdin, and feeling like I've triumphed," she said. "I feel like this is my proving grounds."
Local on 05/21/2016