[at-l] Tomorrow...

[mapster at charter.net (Frank Looper)]

...I'll be heading out on the trail. I'll probably check in a few more times
today, in my own strange way, but it's time for short-term goodbyes.

I've been a member of many lists, but this one seems to draw me in more, and
take up more of my time. It's the people. Mostly "real" hikers; not without
B.S. altogether, but with a different kind of honesty that goes past that.

I've unpacked and repacked too many times in the last few months, lightening
as I go, but today, it's for real. Lost ounces have sometimes been easy to
find, and sometimes expensive, but I'll find that it's worth it when I'm
carrying my house for six months, I'm almost certain.

Between the SORUCK and this list, I've made some really good friends. Some
of you, I may see on the trail. Some of you, I may never meet. Either way,
thanks. Thanks for being there, thanks for lots of things that I just can't
put into words, but really, thanks for just accepting me.

About a week ago, I started getting very calm. Before that, I was turning
into a bundle of tics, but last Saturday, I realized that I'd done
everything that I could, and that it was just a matter of going to bed a few
more times and then letting the rubber hit the road, so to speak. I've felt
really good this week. I've been working on the 2004 version of my
shelters-and-towns list. Sometime today, it'll be ready, at least in text
form, and I'll give it to the webmasters who've used it before, and post a
link here to "my" version of it.

Anyway, no sad goodbyes, really, just wistful, and I hope to see y'all soon
(but not too soon!).

Frank