2018 - Just a journal entry.

1/9/18 - Woah, I think that's the first time the year has changed and i didnt screw it up the first time I wrote the date. Almost feels... wrong. It's a tradition that has been missed out on.

Was 2017 so bad that I can't wait for it to change the date? 

I haven't been able to move on any of my stock picks in my list for the new year. Transferring money from one account to the other can be a real pain in the ass. I want to use a check and just actually deposit the money, but I'll have to wait until I can get down to Atlanta and find a physical branch of my investment bank. 

Blogging and writing my book has ground to a halt again. I think i need to go back to working on more than one thing at a time so that I don't just stop working altogether if I lose focus on a project. I guess I kind of feel trapped with the Esmerillon project and that makes me resent working on it sometimes. Funny how quickly it becomes a task rather than an enjoyment activity. 

We are supposed to go to the gym today. There is a pool. Hopefully they let me in (guest). I miss moving every day. Super miss waking up somewhere new with a view every day too. 

Oh well... soon enough I'll be back on trail for those last 500 miles. 

The drive to get back on trail is growing again. Man I miss it so much. I'm glad I have so much left to cruise through this season. 

My buddy 2-sticks has been talking to me about working on the PCT and CDT for a triple crown (completing each of the three big "great-grandaddy" hiking trails in the US) over the next few years. Honestly, the more I think about finishing the AT the more the idea of doing more sections on other big trails appeals to me. 

I've never done much out west. Unfortunately, the first thing that comes to mind is brown bears and mountain lions. I am going to carry bear spray for sure. East coast? Hell no. I've never felt the need to carry anything like that. I've seen loads of black bears. Even the worst ones ran off if we put a little effort into it. 

I'm going to be way out of my biome comfort zone. Ah, that'll probably make it cooler. I'm thinking we should start with the Colorado Trail section of the CDT. That way, we will be taking on a very well established and decently long section for my first trip out of Appalachia. Then I'd like to hit the Pacific Northwest sections of the PCT. 

It'll be cool to have no idea what I'm doing again. Even more so, it'll be cool to get out and keep exploring. 

This just popped into my head. What if I set out to triple crown by my thirtieth birthday? Woah... probably not going to happen. I like to take my time on long hikes. Hell, I've spent months on the AT and I'm not setting any speed records. 

How about "on my way to triple crowning by my thirtieth birthday"? I'll have to give this some serious thought.