[at-l] PA Ruck

[pmags@yahoo.com (Paul Magnanti)]

It is now Monday morning, 7:40 MST to be precise.
After a good night's sleep (something rare this
weekend...), ready to check my e-mail and catch up
with everything.

This was my first PA Ruck, surprisingly.  As always,
it was good to see old friends and put faces to names
for new ones. A special treat, as always, is seeing
the eyes light up on those about to start their
thru-hikes soon.  The enthusiasm is always contagious.

Being back among the Eastern hardwoods, hearing the
swish of the leaves as I hiked, and seeing the rolling
hills reminded me so much of what I loved about my
thru-hike four years ago. Made a pilgrimage to the
half-way point, twice.  First. had a great stroll
Saturday morning to Steeple Pole with a whole group of
us, and a later afternoon stroll by myself to sit at
the half-way marker and remember times past.

Discussing Earl's new book, with him and his brother,
and listening to stories from the AT hiker patriarch
himself..well, can't get much better than that.

I must apologize to those whom I talked to only
briefly. Saturday night, with all the people who
showed up all of the sudden, can be a bit overwhelming
to a mainly solo hiker! 

It was an excellent weekend. One I will have to go to
again. 

Mags

ps. if I find myself gainfully unemployed longer than
I expect after my PCT hike....Pog, Twilight and myself
can start one great (and efficient) catering business.
Always put the New Englanders in charge. :-)



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The true harvest of my life is intangible.... a little stardust caught, a portion of the rainbow I have clutched
--Thoreau

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