First post

I've recently announced my retirement at work - Dec 28, 2012 was my last day. Retirement at 51. I'm ready to move to a different career; I loved working as the IT coordinator for a small school district, but felt that it was time for something different.

I've had a love of travel since I was a military brat. I had the privilege of living in Japan and Hawaii while Dad served in the U.S. Navy, and those experiences made me curious about seeing and traveling the world. My own 21-year career in the U.S. Navy gave me many more opportunities to travel, but having limited opportunities to sightsee while in a foreign port just whetted my appetite for travel.

So, now I've got plenty of time to travel and enough resources to keep me from starving. I'm currently living in Southern California, with one month left on my apartment lease. Right now, my plan is to start hiking the California Coastal Trail beginning on February 1, 2013. I figure that it'll take me about 4-5 months to complete, depending on how many breaks I take to come back and visit with my folks and my adult kids.

I prepared for this hike by taking an Outward Bound expedition in North Carolina a couple of months ago, spending a week in the Linville Gorge. The week in the forest helped me learn basic camping and hiking skills, and gave me a small taste of what to expect. But, I expect hiking along the coast will keep me within phone reception and give me access to either a campground, hostel, or motel every night.

I'll take some time later this week to provide a list of equipment that I'll take along with me.