[at-l] Bryson interview

[spiriteagle99@hotmail.com (Jim and/or Ginny Owen)]

Southwalker said:  "Well this certainly explains why he hiked so little of 
it.

"Although I had some very hard days I can't in all honesty say that I ever 
hated it.

"I also don't remember ever talking with a single thru-hiker that hated
it."

When I hiked the AT the first time I hiked for a couple of days with a woman 
who was very very slow.  She needed to have someone to hike with (hated 
hiking alone) but was so slow that no one was willing to hiker her pace.  
Finally she got off the trail, at Roan Mountain.  Her words stuck with me,  
"I want to get off now.  Right now, I just hate the AT.  If I keep going, 
I'm going to hate hiking.  It's time to go."

I've had many times I was frustrated at the trail - endless switchbacks or 
stupid PUDS.  I've frequently cursed the trail designers (were they drunk or 
mad?), wouldn't I like to give them a piece of my mind! And I've had a few 
nasty thoughts about some guidebook authors.  I've been so tired and sore or 
just plain tired of being tired that the thought of leaving the trail was a 
real temptation -- until I spent 24 hours in town -- but I've never come 
close to hating hiking.

You're right - if I spent 98% of my time hating what I was doing, I'd stop 
doing it -- though there have been a few jobs I've stuck with longer than I 
should have.


Ginny





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