[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]
[at-l] Why?
Hey guys how's it goin'
i've just been thinking about why people hike the AT. I'm pretty
young (20) and I did my first thru hike last year (Bruce Trail). Next
year i'm taking some time off of school to do the AT. I have always
been a lover of the wilderness and an avid hiker. I love the sense of
adventure and the way a trip of even a week or two can change your whole
outlook on the world (If only temporarily). I was having a conversation
with a friend tonight and she asked me why i wanted to hike the AT. The
best answer I could come up with was that I was looking for a great
adventure. But I think that there's more to it than that. One reason
that I want to hike the trail because when i was fifteen or so and
working on a trail crew at Philmont scout ranch in New Mexico, my
foreman had just gotten back from an At thru and he was the coolest guy
I have ever met. Since that summer I have had an intense desire to hike
the trail. Also, many of the people I meet that have hiked the trail or
even sections of it, seem to have some idea of what really matters.
They share a love for the wilderness and for hiking that few people can
grasp. Many of the thru hikers that I have talked to especially those
who are repeat hikers have a wisdom, a clarity of vision that I feel I
lack. One of the reasons I want to hike the trail is to emulate these
people that have guided me through life with their examples. I also
feel like I'm falling into a routine of going to school and working and
then taking a month or two off during the summer and hiking/ cycling,
whatever. I want to find a way to integrate an intense social and
physical experience in the wilderness, into my normal every day life. I
hope that hiking the trail can be my first step towards achieving my
goal, or at least an inspiration to keep on going to school and
working. I need a great adventure to keep me going. Perhaps you can
help me and yourselves by sharing your inspirations, aspirations and
experiences, was/is the AT a pivotal moment in your life?. I am anxious
that the trail won't live up to my expectations and I'll have to keep on
seeking greater adventures. There are worse things, but I'd appreciate
your thoughts on the subject. Why do you/ did you hike the AT? What
did you want from it and what did you get from it?
Thank you
Eric
* From the Appalachian Trail Mailing List | For info http://www.hack.net/lists *
==============================================================================