Re: [at-l] Flip Flopping

[Felix <AThiker@smithville.net>]

Bpwildness@aol.com wrote:

> In a message dated 2/25/00 4:54:57 PM US Eastern Standard Time,
> thewitt@fairchildsemi.com writes:
>
> << He said he never felt like he was a part of the trail community. I
>  don't know if he finished. I did not see him again after PA. He just
>  didn't seem to be having any fun, and would not open up to anyone
>  at all - sort of like the way you treat weekenders; not wanting to
>  make the emotional committment for just a night's talk.
>   >>
>
> This has to be a young man thing. I mean, when we get into our 40's, do we
> still crave being apart of stuff the way we were in high school?
>
> I doubt, as a middle aged women,  that I am gonna find all that much
> camaraderie on the trail. From other older ladies that have hiked, I have
> been told that I will take to these young guys like they were my kids. I
> never had any kids so I kinda doubt that. Men have this idea about reliving
> the past. I sure don't. I just want to hike.

I agree with a lot of the stuff Paddler said (in another post). I don't do
ANYTHING to relive the past. I meet a person, and want to be their best friend.
If it turns out that way, great. If not, okay. As a winter-time section hiker
and then a southbound thru-hkier, I haven't had the opportunities to meet as
many people as others have. Of the people I've spent more than one night with,
over the last 10 years, I am in contact with almost all of them. Most of them
nearly monthly. Of the people that hiked southbound with me, I have been in
contact with ALL but two of them in the past week. The two excluded are Machu
Picchu and Huayna, who are still travelling around. The ages of these people
have nothing to do with the friendships. Magoo is mid 50's. I've been to his
house for dinner. Groovin' Moose is 20. I've spent the weekend with him. I talk
to the 27 year old Sundown about once a month. I'm trying to go to Germany to
see Lucky Luke and Calamity. Patch and I are talking abut thru-hiking again.
The point? If you want to make friends, you can. If you want to be a friend,
you can. The few times that age was ever brought up when I was hiking with
Groovin Moose was when he couldn't believe that I am as old as I am, and when
he said I hiked pretty good for an old man. Of course, I did call him "The
Kid". Sorry if this makes no sense. I really wanted it to...


--
Felix J. McGillicuddy
ME-->GA '98
"Your Move"
http://Felixhikes.tripod.com/




* From the AT-L |  Need help? http://www.backcountry.net/faq.html  *

==============================================================================