[at-l] Five Years Ago Today

[pmags@xxxxxxxxx (Paul Magnanti)]

On February 28th, 1998 I was on Springer Mountain in
northern Georgia. Looked south, and saw the rolling
mountains of the southern Appalachians. Looked north
of the Springer summit, and saw a series of white
blazes. I put one foot in front of the other. Five
months and five million steps later, I was on the
summit of Katahdin.
*******
Five years after the journey, my time on the
Appalachian Trail is still having an effect on me. The
experience is still very vivid in my memories. Seems
as if much that has happened to me in the five years
is because of that hike. If I did not hike the
Appalachian Trail I doubt I would have had the courage
to move two-thousand miles away to a new home  where I
did not know anyone. It was because of my hike on the
AT that I decided that the freedom and challenge of
backpacking for months at a time is something I want
do again.

The journeys we take on these long trail affect people
differently. For almost all it is a memory to treasure
and savor. For some it is experience that has an
effect long after that last white blaze is passed.
Whatever else I may do in my life, 1998 will be a
special year for me. It was the year I thru-hiked the
AT ...and the year that seemed to change how I
approach the rest of my life.

That first step will lead not only on the trail, but
also to other experiences you may not have even been
thought of yet.







=====
************************************************************
The true harvest of my life is intangible.... a little stardust caught, a portion of the rainbow I have clutched
--Thoreau

__________________________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Tax Center - forms, calculators, tips, more
http://taxes.yahoo.com/