[at-l] Most Inportant, Luck.

[kahley@ptd.net (kahley)]

At 02:01 PM 4/12/02 +0000, Bob Fowler wrote:
>I've been following the various threads conserning ones ability to have
>a succesfull thru-hike. Having had , what I would consider a sucessfull
>hike myself. I have the following: After much thought I belive the
>biggest factor is luck.

I'm with you here Grampie.  Having not yet hiked, my mind id often
filled with assorted what ifs and all those what ifs are related to good
luck,  Super strong and commited hikers may not need as much
luck as some of the rest of us.  Luck might not be the factor in their
hike as it maybe for mine.  I will consider myself lucky if it's a warm spring
and a cool fall, that I don't hurt myself seriously when I fall, that I find
interesting people with whom to talk for a while in the evenings so I
don't go mad from the sound of my own voice <g>.  Luck is very much
an under appreciated factor.  Thanks for the reminder, Grampie.  I'll
make sure to add 'good luck' to more of my messages and letters.

>  First you have to be lucky, to a large extent,
>that you don't get hurt by a accident while on the trail. Their are many
>oppertunities. You have to have weather conditions that are bearable to
>you as a hiker. Many have given up because of bad weather. It's only
>luck that you have good weather conditions. Trail experiences; good
>experiences in towns, at hostels, with new friends and in general good
>times realy help. I relate good experiences to being in the right place
>at the right time, luck? Thru-hiking the AT was the hardest job I ever
>had and also the most rewarding. I was older, 65, was not in great shape
>and had little backpacking experience. I over come all this by a want to
>do it. I never thought that I could complete it. I set small goals,
>getting to the next shelter, getting to a specific town, getting to the,
>the Blueberry Patch, the N.C. boarder, Fontana Dam, the Smokeys,
>Mountain Momas, Trail Days, Rusty's one destination after another until
>the end. I broke my whole hike down into little section after little
>section. Each section became a goal. As in life, don't look at the end.
>Focus on the little pieces in between. Grampie-N->2001
>
>
>
>--
>
>  - Posted via http://forums.backcountry.net
>
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