[at-l] "Why" and "Purpose"

[art at crystalacresnh.com (Art Cloutman)]

>At the risk of spooking thru-hiker wannabees,
>I'd like to pursue this discussion.
>
>As a failed thru-hiker, haunted ever since by
>that failure, it's a hot-button topic for me.
>.
>.
>.
>So someone tell me, really, what it means to "live
>in the moment" and "mind the miles."  Call me
>cynical, but these just sound like platitudes.
>
>What gets you through the pain, hardship,
>loneliness, and sheer boredom of a thru-hike?
>
>
>rafe b
>aka terrapin
>

I did complete my thru hike.  I was never bored, never lonely, and I 
rarely forced my hike.  The only times I pushed for miles or slowed 
down was when I needed to meet someone, family members.  Even then I 
found other ways to get to the meeting place.  For instance, I 
planned originally to walk into Trail Days where I was to meet my 
wife.  Well, when I got to NOC and met Goosebump we decided it would 
be fun to spend an unplanned day on the river. I spent a day in Hot 
Springs because it was fun.  I took extra time over Max Patch and 
decided early on to camp on top of Silar Bald.  Some days I hiked 
more miles than I expected but more days I hiked fewer miles.  I had 
a schedule for my shortest possible hike but expected to take longer 
so I could enjoy my hike.  Anyway, I made it to Kincora in May where 
I got a ride from Bob Peoples to Damascus to meet my wife.  She 
brought me back to the trail after TD.

I suffered through pain.  Very sore feet.  Near the beginning of my 
hike I had to stop walking after the 1st 2.5 hours of walking each 
day to massage my feet and change my socks.  After that I had to stop 
once every hour to rub my feet.  This seemed to help tremedously.  As 
a matter of fact, I noticed just the other day that I can finally 
feel my big toes.  They were numb for most of 6 months after my hike. 
Actually, my feet became numb after 600 miles which helped me deal 
with the foot pain.  Sprained ankle on NJ/NY line so I spent a couple 
of Zeros in Bear Mountain area.

I avoided trying to keep up with other hikers.  Eventually I found 
people that hiked at my pace.  My trail friends changed often but 
many hiked with me for over 1000 miles. Pokey hiked with me for over 
1500 miles.  I didn't meet him until Hot Springs.   I enjoyed rainy 
days, hot days, snowy days.  And especially the cool dry cloudless 
days.    Each day had it's own challenge.  Each hill its own 
interesting features.  I tried to identify flowers, trees, mountains 
in the distance.  I stopped frequently to take in the views.  I spent 
3 hours on top of Wayah Bald looking at distant ridges and talking to 
day hikers and other thru hikers.  I worked at enjoying the moment. 
Actually I didn't have to work at it.  It comes naturally.  I 
especially love to talk to other people, hikers, campers, tourists, 
sales clerks, traffic cops, waitresses, anyone that is too polite to 
ignore me.

I took 208 days to complete my hike.  I didn't worry that Baxter was 
closed to camping after October 15th.  I didn't finish until October 
25th and then there were only two other hikers on the entire mountan 
that day.  It was clear on the top with little wind and temps in the 
50's.  I zeroed in the hundred mile wilderness because it was raining 
one day, but actually I was trying to make the hike take longer. 
Anyway you can see I had no trouble enjoying my hike.

Gabby
-- 

Life is Good!!!
Art Cloutman