[at-l] Arguably the Most Important Gear

[shane at theplacewithnoname.com (Shane)]

> > How do you get your most important piece of gear, your heart / mind,
> > ready for and through a long distance hike?  I've got the gear, mostly.
> > I'm conditioning my body.  I'm saving the money, making the plans,
> > conferring with the experts (including several of you, dear list
> > readers).  But where does my head need to be?
 
I keep writing really long posts to answer this, and keep deleting them.
Let me just point to this link:

http://www.theplacewithnoname.com/hiking/sections/philosophy/begin.htm

I think that I'll add to the discussion something that I don't know if I've
shared here, although Jim has talked about it with personal contracts.

Personally, when I set a goal in mind, I don't allow any retreat or
surrender.  Once I start on the AT, for instance, with my eye on Kathadin,
for instance, the only thing that will keep me from that is some serious
injury, illness, or death.  Even if I'm miserable, I will make it.

Once I've established that with myself, the goal no longer becomes the end,
but to make the adventure as much fun as possible.

Never forget the fun.  That's the whole point anyway, right?

Shane