hello all, from wild and wonderful WV

i'm looking to thru-hike the AT in spring 2011 and i wanted some advice about which how-to books to purchase and any gear reviews anyone might have...

also to make some friends along the way

Hey and welcome!

Waiting until 2011? I'd say its time to test. Take a few overnight hikes and build up to a week or more. That way you can see which gear you really like and can live with for a long time.

If you're still 18 months away from the hike, maybe read a couple of memoirs to get a feel for what the trail will be like:
www.appalachiantrail.com/hikers-memoirs.html

i definitely hike frequently, but have never done an overnight. i'm planning, scheming and researching at this point, mostly saving money and doing solo hikes (no hiking buddies just yet). already raided my local library for text but thanks for the memoirs link!