[at-l] Raccoon, AT 2003?

[TrailR@aol.com (TrailR@aol.com)]

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In a message dated 11/7/2002 8:03:13 AM Eastern Standard Time,
orangebug74@yahoo.com writes:

>
> I suspect that sometimes, people look for the opportunity to assign the
> responsibility for a decision onto someone else, even a stranger. If
> things don't work out as expected, the advice and the advisor were at
> fault. Such an early strategy may not bode well for the candidate
> hiker's chances of reaching their goal.
>
> Yet, adults learn that all decisions result in unforeseen consequences.
> If future parents weren't ignorant of their tasks, I suspect the
> species would have been extinct a few generations back. The decision to
> hike will have unanticipated results, not all of them desirable.
>
> The choice boils down to the decision to seek a life experienced versus
> a life contemplated. There is nothing intrinsically wrong with a
> decision to thru-hike, section hike or join a cyber hiking group. There
> can be reward in helping to support other's efforts.
>


My life has been a life contemplated (with 4-5 Gatherings thrown in as
reality
checks).
My decision to do the Trail in 03 was partly made for me when I got laid off
from Lucent in August. I wouldn't have left the job I had to do the trail,
even
though I didn't really like it (it paid too much). So basically, I got a
nudge towards
the trail..... My wife didn't want me to go (and still doesn't, but
understands I need
to), but her mother said, why not? Go do it, you may never have this chance
again...
And my wife grudgingly agreed (which may come back to haunt me someday,
but maybe not...).
The best memories in my life are things I "Just went out & did", without
contemplating forever... The worst memories, are of the things I wanted to do
&
never did... I wanted to fly, but never got around to it.... My father, uncle
& aunt were
all pilots, and still I didn't fly. I looked at my 1974 HS yearbook and saw I
wanted to
be a pilot even then... Never happened (I finally was starting the flight
school
process when I got laid off... Stay tuned for post hike flying threads...).

Maybe I am finally doing things because I'm having a mid-life crisis... A fun
one...
Maybe I'm just seeing the error of my ways & living life instead of watching
it go by...
Time will tell...

JUST DO IT.  It might be the right or wrong thing for you to do, but you'll
never
know unless you try....

Russ (Gimp)

Still afraid...

> Few choose thru-hiking without apprehension. They usually leave the
> trail south of Fontana, rarely to return.
>
> Stay afraid.
>
> Very afraid.
>
> Bill...
>