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

[ThatSloetoe <sloetoe@yahoo.com>]

--- southwalker99 <southwalker99@alltel.net> wrote, on June 8th:
> 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.

This was such a cool post that I wanted to reply with a cogent, deliberative
reply. Well, it's been almost two weeks, and the only thing I can think to
say is "What a cool post." So you get a repost repast. Hope you don't think
it's wasted bandwidth.

=====
Sloetoe

   "Sometimes the light's all shining on me,
    Other times I can barely see.
    Lately, it occurs to me:
    What a long, strange trip it's been."

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