[at-l] Hiking with ADD - how it went

[ken@ehpcpa.com (tinman)]

By way of background, I took my 14 year old nephew out on the AT in GA
last week. He has ADD and normally takes drugs so he can focus on
studies. I asked the Group about the need for drugs on the Trail and the
consensus was that none was needed.

You guys were right. ADD was not a problem on the trail. For the 3 1/2
days, his senses were constantly bombarded by new and different things.
Unfortunately, ADD is only one of his problems. Being lazy and somewhat
spoiled is another, not controlled by drugs. I knew I was in trouble
when on the second day he chose his trail name, "City Boy." He actually
kissed the road at Georgia 60 at Woody Gap and that was the end of his
hike. He claimed to miss the noise, pollution, and traffic of Atlanta. I
kind of figured that he would wimp at Neal's Gap, but he didn't even
last that long. As The Deacon (GAME '93) put it on City Boy's last
night, "Hiking doesn't build character, it reveals it."

But it was still a good experience. I had forgotten what being 14 is
like, when farts are the most amusing things in life. I'm sure City
Boy's 30 miles will stretch in length as he tells his friends about
his adventures, to the point that he might be shamed into going back
out one year.

Tinman



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