As a young boy, I read about the Appalachian Trail and dreamed what it would be like to hike it from end to end. The desire grew with every step I took on the trails in my neighborhood.

It was not until I hiked in the Delaware Water Gap area of New Jersey that the bug really set in. I was hiking with my friend Jeri and we camped out for the night at Sunfish Pond just off the AT. The next day, we were hiking back to the truck and my inner self wanted to go the other way and head up the trail toward Katahdin.

Over the next couple of decades I married, had children and worked hard. After my divorce, I moved to Maine in 1990 and was living in Kingfield and working at Sugarloaf.

It was there that I met two people, Ed and Kevin, who had hiked the AT. As our friendship grew, we talked about the trail more and more until, one day, I said that I was going to hike a large section of it myself. My friends were happy and excited for me because it had been a long time since that first moment reading about it as a boy.

In March 1996 my hiking partner Kim and I headed off to Georgia to start the trek north. We finished our hike at 350 miles and a promise to start where we left off the next year.

Over the next few months Kim and I went our separate ways, but I still had this desire to hike. So, in the spring of 1997, I headed back to Gatlinburg and started off from there and bagged 413 miles that year.

The spring of 1998 brought me closer to my goal of being able to stand on the “Big K.” That year, I completed another 516 miles, but had to finish in Duncannon, Pa., because of injury.

By the spring of 1999 I had done my homework. This was the big year. I planned to hike the remaining 889 miles.

Duncannon was a welcome sight as I readied to head north. That first morning was cool and clear; a perfect day for a hike. I joined a couple of other hikers for breakfast and told them I was heading for Katahdin.

Two months later, I stood on Katahdin for the first time.

In 2006, my home burned to the ground and I lost everything. Part of that loss was 32 rolls of film taken on the trail. Now, only the memories are left.

It was the next summer when the thought of re-hiking the trail first came to mind. I could replace those pictures I lost.

In 2009, I slipped and fell, breaking my ankle. I figured my hiking days were over, but the doctor told me he was confident I would be hiking again.

During the first year of recuperation, with every step I had pain. My thoughts of re-hiking the trail were thrown to the wind.

A year later, I was walking around town every day and, after about half a mile, the pain would start in again. It was better than the previous year, and the idea of the trail got stronger with each passing day.

Now, three years later, I have no more pain when walking. My dream has come back to me stronger than ever, even though I am years older. The decision has been made. I am preparing for a hike on the trail.

The first thing to do is to get my feet measured and fitted for custom boots. Boots are the most important item needed on a long-distance hike. A poor fit has taken more hikers off the trail than any other problem.

I was fitted for Merrell boots at Lamey-Wellehan; it’s like walking on air.

I will hike in the spring of 2014. I will take shorter hikes in preparation for the distance between Georgia and Maine. And, when I get out there, I will retake those pictures.

Stephen J. Martelli lives in Auburn. His trail name is “Grizzly Bear.”