The Beginnings of the Hike

Hello All!

My name is Amber Ballard and I am starting my southbound thru hike on the Appalachian Trail at the beginning of July.  I recently decided to do this hike for my father, who had always wanted to do it with me.  My father, Porter Ballard, was quite honestly the most amazing man I've ever known in my life.  He had a laugh that could carry happiness straight into your soul and the ability to give so much love, even with just a simple smile.  I was 6 years old when he was diagnosed with heart disease, underwent bypass surgery, and was given only a few years to live.  He had several heart attacks after that, but my father was a fighter!  When his heart would give him trouble he would say that his little heart loved so much that it just couldn't handle it.  He beat the odds and lived for 17 years after the initial diagnosis.  It was only a year ago when he left this world due to the heart disease, but I still carry his love with me wherever I go.  I know that he will be walking with me and rooting me on during the hike.  In honor of his memory, I have dedicated this hike to the American Heart Association.  I am hoping that with each step I can help to raise money and awareness for the AHA.

The countdown to the beginning of the hike has begun!  I will start in Maine at the beginning of July and work my way down to Georgia.  A thru hike of the Appalachian Trail will take me approximately 5-6 months and over that span of time I will be covering more than 2,180 miles by foot.  My father told me that the true beauty and spirit of this country can be found out in nature, in places like the Appalachian Trail.  It has been hiked by thousands of people before from all sorts of backgrounds, in all stages of life, each hoping to let go of or gain something different.  Some do it as a respite from the modern, fast-paced life, some do it for spiritual purposes, some do it because they don't know exactly what to do next, but no matter why people do it, everyone will come off of the Appalachian Trail having learned a few lessons and having experienced a new type of splendor.  All of this is extremely exciting to me, but at the same time I am nervous about the hike itself.  If you know me, then you know that I'm not an outdoor adventures guru, I've only ever camped out with my father or with some girlfriends, and I've definitely never hiked for more than 5 miles at a time.  The idea of being out in the woods walking roughly 15 miles day after day for months on end is a little bit out there, even for me.  However, I have been talking about doing this hike for my father ever since his death and it is high time for me to put my money where my mouth is!  I know that this is going to be a difficult journey (with many sore muscles and blisters to prove it!), but just the thought of my father being there with me melts all of those worries away.

I am asking for help in this journey!  If you'd like to help, you can do so in many ways:  I believe in the power of prayer and I am asking for all the prayers possible for a safe journey and for guidance along the way (also please pray for my sweet mother to have her mind at ease and not to worry too much!)  The hike itself will cost a total of about $4,000 on average, and I am asking for help with raising money for the hike and for the American Heart Association.
I will be setting Paypal up on this blog soon and any donations are greatly appreciated!  A direct link to donate to the American Heart Association will be provided come Tuesday!

In all that you do, do it with heart :)