[at-l] marriages and hiking...

[slackpacker@juno.com (Richard K Mann)]

i have some very diverse information on marriages and hiking...

one ladies marraige did not survive the experience.  the six month
seperation was too much for her husband.  it took a few months after the
hike for it all to come to a head.  the divorce was final nine months
after her hike...

another lady was hiking, in part, because she felt no love at home from
her husband.  the magic had long since gone out of their marraige, and
she felt as if she was a servant to a very ungrateful man.  she did not
believe her kids when they told her that her husband lived and died with
the occasional note or letter that she sent home.  her husband even broke
with tradition and got of off the couch, visiting her a few times during
the hike.  she swore that this would never happen, and was shocked when
it did.  their marraige is stronger now, though by no means repaired. 
she has built a life of her own, which includes being elected to the
highest office in her community...

another marraige was strong before the hike, and is stronger now.  she
hiked, and he spent as much time as possible with her in a support
capacity.  they genuinely missed each other every day while she hiked,
and hugged and kissed when she hiked off of the trail at the end of each
day.  when he was not around, she was very unhappy.  their need for each
other was obvious.  "her" experience was "their" experience...

then there was the fellow that was hiking very fast so that he would
finish the trail before his wife left him.  this reminded me of someone
that drives real fast to get to a gas station before they run out of
gas...

there was an unmarried couple that hiked the entire trail together, and
will get married only after they finish the "big three".  they have the
PCT and the AT under their belt.  the CDT is next...

there was a couple this year that began hiking one week after they got
married.  the hike was their honeymoon...

another fellow was in his midlife crisis, and his wife was by his side
whenever she could be.  he was often injured, and would heal up, then
head back out.  she was there to kiss him goodbye and welcome him back
home each time.  she put his needs before her own...

while there are no definites concerning marraiges while hiking, it is my
feeling that an involved partner is a happy partner...

pittsburgh
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