[pct-l] (Guest Post) Re: Affording a thru hike

[PlatyHiker at yahoo.com (Platypus)]

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About saving for retirement AND saving for a thru-hike ...

One factor in your income options is whether want to do (just) one big
thru-hike, or one every year (or maybe every other year).  With doing only
one big trip you have more options.  I've known a number of different
software folks who were able to either get an unpaid leave and return to
their jobs or quit their jobs and easily get rehired by the same company
after the hike.  And the software business has a lot of jobs that pay quite
generously.  It's easiest to be able to return to the same job/company if
you've worked there at least several years and are seen as a 'valuable'
employee.  If you've only been a job a short amount of time, your employer
probably won't think it's worth his effort to try to keep your job open for
you when you return.  And, if you're going on a big hike every year, your
employer may think it is more hassle than it is worth to deal with you.  In
order to be able to save significantly for retirement, some folks might
have to move to a plan of doing multiple big hikes on a less frequent
schedule - maybe 3 to 5 years between big hikes.  The other option is try
to increase income (second job?) and/or decrease spending enough to achieve
your savings goals.

P.S.  For the past two years, the software business has been in a slump and
it's a lot harder to get rehired after an absense.  I know somebody who was
let go while on an unpaid leave and it took him more than a year to find
another job.  Not fun.