[at-l] New AT speed record... today?!

[Bror8588 at aol.com (Bror8588@aol.com)]

In a message dated 8/2/2005 1:14:40 PM Eastern Daylight Time,  
carol1944@brmemc.net writes:

Speed  hiking the AT is like  
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The AT is similar to a Rorschach Test in that there are certain  expectations 
to be derived from it but it is up to each person to say what it is  that 
they see; so too the AT brings out of each of us that which is important to  each 
of us.  
 
I was appalled when I saw the AT movie where thru-hikers were really  
disgusted with the AT and just wanted to put it behind them.  Of course,  they were 
speaking from where they were on the trail and from what they  experienced and 
from what their goals were.  Another person might have  shouted their 
appreciation of each phase of their hike.  Others might  experience fatigue and thus 
be blinded to the beauty of the trail.  
 
The very, very, short time I spent in Georgia in the PUDS (Now, that is a  
derogatory description of some beautiful wood walks) I was so out of shape that  
a lot of beauty escaped me but when I took time to look there was beauty all  
around.  The full day that I spend at Justus Creek gave me an appreciation  
for the beauty of a camping spot with a stream with several nice places to set  
up camp.  All around there were little places to explore.  But at that  point 
I was forced to camp rather than hike.  So, there was time to look  and see.  
At another point in the season there would have been more to see  as trees, 
bushes, and other plant life would have progressed in their march  toward 
completion of their life cycle.
 
Yet, a lot of credit must be given to the athletes among the hikers along  
the trail.  I speak of those who have long distance goals.  Hiking a  certain 
segment of the trail in one day (Maryland) or doing twenty mile days  
consecutively for long periods of time, and then there is the Marathon efforts  of those 
who strive to complete the trail in less than two months.  These  hike the 
Appalachian Trail for other reasons than one who would take a leisurely  
approach and take time to appreciate nature along the way; or even those who  hike 
the trail with the hope of meeting a variety of people along the way.   People 
hike for their own reasons.
 
If perchance, one hikes for another persons reasons then misery raises  its 
head and inflicts its ills, making each step a dreary proposition.   

So the adage Hike Your Own Hike, is the only way to be happy on the  trail.  
Well, perhaps happiness can intrude from time to time even upon  those who 
hike in misery -- but it takes a willingness to accept the gifts of  such moments 
along the way.
 
Skylander