[at-l] Slightly off-topic, but . . .

[rhymworm at gmail.com (Robert Rubin)]

. . . but it was inspired by hiking past old ruined monasteries along
the North Downs Way in England.

Anyway, if any of you listers are in the D.C. area Monday, Sept. 26,
you're hereby invited to stop by the Round House Theatre and see the
first staged reading of my new play (a musical actually, although it
won't be sung on the 26th, just read and acted by local actors).

http://homepage.mac.com/rhymworm/mpsrhtml2.htm

To make it more on topic, I attach below one of the lyrics from the
play, which is sort of applicable to making the break and setting off
on a thru-hike (it's actually a duet, but, what the heck):

TWO FOR THE ROAD

Cast off the moorings and pull up the stakes,
leave all your baggage--whatever it takes.
Put down your burdens and lighten your load.
Together we'll manage it--two for the road.

Two for the road! That's the way it should be.
I'll go for you if you'll go for me.
No one indebted and nobody owed.
Only the two of us--two for the road.

Nothing to hold us back, no doors are shut.
No fears and no regrets, no matter what.
And when another dawn's rooster has crowed
we'll leave this all behind, two for the road!

Two for the road! That's the way it should be.
I'll go for you, if you'll go for me.
No one indebted and nobody owed.
Only the two of us--two for the road.

There must be a thousand reasons why we ought to wait.
And with every change of seasons more accumulate.
Quick now here's our chance, run, run before it's too late!
No, not a backward glance, none, leave and don't close the gate!

After the wind has swirled, after the storm ? 
After we've left our homes, safe, dry, and warm ?
Walking past white moonlit fields where it's snowed ?
We'll leave new footprints there--two for the road.

Two for the road! That's the way it should be.
I'll go for you if you'll go for me.
No one indebted and nobody owed.
Only the two of us--two for the road.

--Rhymin' Worm