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[at-l] A sobo remembers..A Question of Purity



A sobo remembers......

A Question of Purity

I was walking to Piazza Rock Lean-to, taking my time, enjoying the cool of the day's end and the relatively easy trail after the heat on the rocks of Saddleback. A young woman, day hiking with a small pack caught me and we walked the last mile or so toward the shelter together. She asked about my hike and people I had met on the trail. I told her that I had met a few northbound thru-hikers and had asked each of them what they thought about as they walked each day. ( A note of explanation is necessary. I was struggling and my thoughts recently had been of the difficulty of the trail). I told her how each of them were sure that they would be finishing the trail soon and that their thoughts were beginning to turn to what they would do next.

She was quiet for a minute and then said, "Sort of makes me wonder about the purity of the purpose of their hike."

I was absolutely stunned. Later I would think of a dozen replies to that comment and more than a few ways of saying them but at the moment I was speechless. It bugged me so much I thought about that comment for days.


southwalker99@alltel.net
ME-GA '99
In hiking there is no special recognition given for speed, style or 
finesse. There are only those that do the hike and those that don't.



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