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Quote from mental note: “...today is national "coming out" day ” I am not one who would stand in the way of people who want to be who they think they are. I really like women and I understand why women would like women too. Datto

One of the things most notable about my AT thru-hike was that I had met people who's character was exemplary. These were people, individually, who were true and real. I had just loved that about them. There was just no BS about them at all on the AT. And I had recently come from an environment where BS was highly valued prior to me having arrived on the AT. That past experience for years on-end had made me suspicious of everything. The AT had become a relished breath of fresh air. When you see p…

Quote from Astro: “Got to ask, you related to Just Bill by some chance? ” Nope. Coal miners, blacksmiths, engineers and registered nurses. Datto

Quote from Rasty: “I thought most divorces were caused because the wife is a beast? ” I have certainly seen that too and I am one of the fortunate ones to have long-ago encountered a woman who is naturally kind, generous and loving. Plus, she enjoys long-distance hiking and puts up with me when I've ranted out loud (to no one in particular) about some injustice or foe. Every man should have such a relationship with a woman during their lifetime. Datto

One of the greatest joys I'd had on my AT thru-hike was meeting up with people who were entirely different than me. I'd come to the AT from the cornfields of Indiana and the only place where alternative lifestyles existed were Border's Bookstore on Friday nights. I believe it was zoned that way by the Plan Commission. Somewhere in New York on my AT thru-hike I'd come upon the crossing of the AT where four lanes combines into eight lanes of car traffic. At noon I'd hung out my thumb to get a 1.4 …

Quote from Da Wolf: “1st time thru-hikers need not read any of this crap ” If only you had finished any of your hikes, your comment would be meaningful. Why don't you explain why you have quit so many times? Datto

The above explains the reason why Datto's Tips v2.0 was written -- to increase the percentage of AT thru-hikers who finish their AT thru-hikes (not necessarily the total number of thru-hikers who finish). That can be done through two approaches (individually or together): 1. Inform prospective AT thru-hikers what the situation will be like and what is required in order to have more prospective AT thru-hikers be properly prepared and realize what is ahead. 2. Awaken prospective AT thru-hikers to …

Some Top Reasons Why 85 percent of AT Thru-hikers Don't Finish: - It wasn't what the person had thought it would be - Financial issues - Commitment Issues -- no Beast Mode to work through obstacles Some Top Reasons Why 34 Percent Of First Marriages Fail: - It wasn't what the person had thought it would be - Financial issues - Commitment Issues -- no Beast Mode to work through obstacles Datto

I note of encouragement for prospective AT thru-hikers. A couple years prior to me starting my northbound AT thru-hike I'd decided to drive over to the AT (about a 12 hour drive or so) and hike for a week during thru-hiker season -- just to see how actually tough the Trail was and see/meet some AT thru-hikers. I'd started north from Damascus, VA and hiked for several days to Troutdale, VA. I was a bit discouraged while on the Trail because the northbound AT thru-hikers had passed by me so fast w…

Not related to anything above but it's been my observation people who are considering an AT thru-hike frequently have a significant life change coming on their near-term horizon (end of college, leaving the military, retirement, job is ending, career is changing, relationship ending, those kinds of events). The emotional roller coaster seems to look like this for planner-type personalities (the roller coaster looks like a two-humped camel): ^__/\ The left smaller hump is where the AT is discover…

Quote from TrafficJam: “Ok, gotta disagree with #29. If I had a significant other on effing vacation and they didn't bother answering my phone calls and help me deal with problems at home...well, they'd be handed walking papers. ” You are not alone in your feelings and opinions about Tip #29 -- I've heard from others who feel the same as you about that particular subject over the course of the last few months while writing Datto's Tips v2.0. Datto's Tips v2.0 is about getting a prospective AT th…

Quote from SarcasmTheElf: “On a side note, Datto is also a now billion dollar cloud based server company who's owner I happen to have met. ” Yeah, there's a bus company too -- I had my picture taken in front of one of the buses by a past AT thru-hiker. My trailname pre-dates all but I did put this into Datto's Tips v2.0: I have no affiliation with other companies or entities with the name Datto in their company name. I'm also not affiliated with any carnival. Datto

Quote from chief: “could take a hike, or maybe I misunderstood. ” Yeah, you misunderstood. Datto

I had to look up what my Tip #29 was to see what the commotion was about. Ha, walking papers? That cracked me up. Never got walking papers. Got a letter from the IRS that I'd avoided opening for the first 700 miles of my AT thru-hike. That letter turned out to be nothing (opened it at an AT shelter one day on my AT thru-hike when in Virginia). Tip #68 -- Dealing With Fears. I shoulda put that IRS Sidebar in there. Datto

100 Tips for Prospective 2017 AT Thru-hikers: tinyurl.com/DattosTips Datto