[at-l] I am a free man

[ellen at clinic.net (Bob C.)]

>"... Next Friday will be the first time in 20 years I haven't signed my own
>paycheck."

Ah. It must be such a wonderful feeling. I have never signed my own paycheck.
But I did have a job for 20 years that allowed me to do whatever I wanted,
whenever I wanted. Then management changed. New controls were instituted. Us few
free spirits were reigned in. The new rule was that management should assign
stories. Those peons out working the beat, who knew what was happening,
shouldn't be trusted with such a chore.

 The problem, of course, was that editors had no way of knowing what stories
were out there. Circulation plummeted. Profits vanished. The third generation
owners, desperate for an out, offered a few of us a retirement buy out -- and
eventually sold their business. I escaped. Sadly the newspaper didn't.

 But this is becoming off topic. Hike the trail. Enjoy the trail. When you come
 back, help the trail. But not too much. I sort of drifted over that edge. I
 desperately want to go to Springer and walk north again. But even more
 desperately, I want Abraham to be preserved for my children, grandchildren and
 future generations forever.

Even more, I want buffers for the trail in Maine -- you know, that place that 99
percent of thru hikers think is the crowning experience of the entire 2,170 mile
Appalachian Trail footpath. I realize, they don't, that this "wilderness" in
places is only 250 feet wide and most of the land nearby is being sold to people
who eventually will be condominium developers.

So. My dream to return to the trail continues. You can help make it a reality.
Just send a decent contribution to the Abraham project, Maine Appalachian Trail
Land Trust, PO Box 325, Yarmouth, Maine 04562. Do it quickly and I might be able
to leave this year, next at the latest. April remains my favorite starting
month. The trail wild flowers in April, the migrating birds in April, are so
cool. I so yearn to go back to see them.

Weary