Checking in From the AT, Part 4

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Double Bow

New member
Joined
Apr 29, 2005
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Location
Ashuelot, NH (anyone know where that is?) Avatar:
Living on Appalachian time
Another week has flown by. The obvious signs are near empty food bags, low energy, and sore feet. I've gone over 350 miles since my journey began almost four weeks ago. My pack has shrunk and I think I have too a little bit. Hard to tell. The days out here seem to last forever, but in a good way. Time seems to stand still and I savor each day, even when it's over 90 degrees and I'm struggling up a steep climb. The community and the memories that we forge each day on the trail or in camp are dear to me and I kow I'll look back fondly on them for the rest of my life. It makes me sad to think that someday this will have to end and I'll have to go back to "the real world". In many ways I am, like Thoreau, sucking out the marrow of life and living more fully, more completely than I have been able to perhaps since childhood. That feeling of endless days that I remember from summers of my youth has returned.

After days ruminating over decisions to be made and actions to be taken upon my return home, I gained some clarity and insight and have, to an extent, come to some conclusions in regards to my life's direction. Beyond that, I kept spinning my wheels thinking more and more about these things, which of course accomplished nothing. Then, I got another awakening. This time from the words of a fellow hiker, Hippy Kippy who's a professor of philosophy out in California.

He said "The trail clears the busy in your head, if you let it. All those things that must be done are distant and beyond the horizon." He is a very wise and peaceful man and I feel my life is richer for having met him.

Right now, I'm resting up at a B&B in West Middle of Nowhere (Montebello, Va). In a few days I'll hit Waynesboro and then be in the Shennandoahs ("the Shennies" as they are called) which will put me out of communication for over a week, maybe closer to two. It all depends on how the miles roll out. I am enjoying my eexperience to the utmost and continue to meet wonderful people everyday as well as seeing people I'll only known a couple weeks but who seem like old friends. All I can say is that my days out here on the trail are the sweetest I have ever known. Namaste.
 
He said "The trail clears the busy in your head, if you let it. All those things that must be done are distant and beyond the horizon."

I think that's a key incentive for many of us to hike -- the clearing of the head.

Keep up the posts; it's good to read them!
 
Your posts are inspiring -- I am so happy for you (and a bit jealous!) -- ENJOY! Thanks for the updates, keep 'em coming. You've many supporters cheering you on!
 
Double Bow,

Keep putting one foot in front of the other. You know we are all here rooting for you - and some are a bit jealous (like me) of having the chance to hike the AT. Keep us posted and hopefully some of us will be able to join you at some point up here in New England.

Woody
 
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