[at-l] We were all Newbies once

[pmags@yahoo.com (Paul Magnanti)]

(Sounds like a a title to a less macho, less violent
Mel Gibson movie..but I meander as usual)

>>years.  So, I think that everyone that has been on
>>the list for more  than six 
>>months or so should write a brief (Ha!  I KNEW I 

The lazy way is to post the URL to my on-line journal:

http://friends.backcountry.net/pmags/PCTBIO.htm

There..all done. :-)

But, since that is not too nice of me for those who do
 not want to check out yet another web page, here is
my (short) life story.

Born and raised in Rhode Island. Hardly did any
outdoor activities growing up. Mom's idea of camping
is a hotel, Dad said he did enough camping when he was
in the army, and I am guessing my late grandfather had
a hiking tour of Europe (Sicily, Italy, southern
France, and ended in Munich, Germany) that gave him
his fill of sleeping outdoors.  So, outdoors was not a
large factor in my childhood.

I did a hike on Mt. Lafayette in NH on a boy scout
trip where the love of mountains was kindled.  The
love lay dormant for ten years until I did my first
backpacking trip in 1996 (where I carried too much
clothing, got lost, enjoyed myself quite a bit. Read
the letter in Backpacker Magazine. The  published
story was responsible for a lister we all know and
love dating a gentleman. True story.)  The following
year did an end to end hike of the Long Trail, and in
1998 thru-hiked the AT, in 1999 did the LT again then
moved out to Colorado.  Currently live in Boulder
where the Rockies are just about in my backyard. 
Hiking the PCT this year. 

There..think maybe next time I will  just post the
URL.
:-)

Mags

p.s. In a 'wow..ain't that cool' thing to add to my
personal history: digging up the family records and
talking to people in the small village where my
great-grandad came from, his father and older brother
were essentially backcountry rangers up in the
mountains encircling the village. So the love of
outdoors runs in the family, just skipped a few
generations. Saw picures of both of them in their
uniforms, (one circa 1900, the other circa 1960 just
before he retired)  both were somewhat short guys with
stocky builds.  Hmmmmmmmmmm.
With apologies to fellow old time listers who have
heard this story before. :-)



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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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