Re: [at-l] Thru-Hiking Plans

[Owen <jrowen@ibm.net>]

rdudley@po.father.com wrote:
>  By the end of the day I had all the symptoms of dehydration
> (headache, nausea, etc.)  I was unable to rehydrate myself and ended
> up in the hospital to get an IV.  I still did not feel good so I
> went to my doctor and he could not find anything wrong with me (blood
> pressure good, EKG normal, blood work OK).  He told me that I was
> getting older and had to be more attuned to my body and realize my
> limits.  I now have doubts about my ability of doing a thru hike when
> I turn 65.


Grey Owl - 
I do realize that our situations are different - but when I turned 50 I
had Peripheral Artery Disease, incipient diabetes and about half a dozen
other miscellaneous ailments - and my wife left me - and I started
hiking again.  Then I started thinking about a thruhike - and had the
same thoughts - if I wait till I'm 65, I won't be physically able to do
it. So I waited until we got the spacecraft off the ground and checked
out (that took an extra year) and then did my thruhike. It cost me - a
job and a lifestyle at least - but it gave me life - my physical
problems are no longer problems (at least as long as I keep on hiking). 
Was it worth it?  I think so - for me.  

I'm not telling you to thruhike - just to keep on hiking.  It will help
what ails you - and it may even cure some things if you hike enough.  I
think that may be because those who hike a lot have better attitudes
about life.  And if you're like me, your body won't like it if you stop.
And if you keep on hiking - you may still be able to do your thruhike
when you're 65.  

Walk softly,
Jim

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