[at-l] Gene Espy

[KarenS62@aol.com (KarenS62@aol.com)]

Sorry for the crossposting, delete now....

I picked Shakey Legs up on my way through Gainesville yesterday morning and=20
delivered him to Amicalola Falls. The drive was uneventful and we arrived to=
=20
find a few other people lingering at the start of the approach trail.=20

Shakey picked up his maildrop and weighed everything and it was about 51=20
pounds with food and water. As he was repacking his pack and getting=20
everything situated, I spent the time talking with a '91 thruhiker who was=20
driving past the park and decided to stop and see if anyone wanted a ride to=
=20
the FS 42 crossing. We were talking, Shakey Legs was packing and an elderly=20
gentleman strolls up. He looks at the pack and asks Shakey the question he=20
will be asked many times over the next few months, "Where ya headed?" =20
Shakey, stood up straight and proudly answered "Maine". The elderly gentlema=
n=20
said "I did that 50 years ago....it was a nice trip."=20

All three of us stopped talking and actually looked at the man. He told us h=
e=20
was the second thruhiker ever and all of a sudden I realized it was Gene=20
Espy. He entertained us with some humorous stories about Earl and some from=20
his own hike.  His pack weight ranged between 45-50 pounds for his whole=20
hike.  We did ask if he had considered repeating his feat and he said no, bu=
t=20
he did hike from Deep Gap NC to Springer a few years back right after he=20
retired. I was struck again by how easy it is to "talk trail" with a hiker=20
with no limitations to age, experience or anything else that might matter in=
=20
other circles. Mr. Espy had been invited to Amicalola to give a talk for the=
=20
annual Backpacking the AT clinic. I wish I had known, I probably would have=20
planned to hang around, but I had errands to run and things to do.=20

So, it was an auspicious start for Shakey Leg's hike. A treat to meet such a=
=20
pleasant gracious man while standing in the sunshine at the base of a=20
mountain.

Life is good.

POG

  **************************************************************
"I was always looking outside myself for strength and confidence,
but it comes from within.=A0 It is there all the time."     Anna Freud



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