Re: [at-l] Relationships and the AT

[Tim Hewitt <thewitt@fairchildsemi.com>]

I've been silent on this so far, but I'll weight in now.

Based on the comments so far, I may have the ultimate in thru-hiker
support systems. She is a hiker, but not yet a long distance hiker. We
have not hiked together in 10 years - meaning she has not hiked in 10 years.

18 months ago, I was sitting in a comfortable chair, reading a new book
on the AT. Wendy, my lovely wife of 17 years, asked me, "When are you
going to do that?"

I, assuming I was being chastized for not performing some task on my
Honey Do list, responded, "Do what dear? I'm just taking a short break
to read this book. What haven't I done?"

"Hike the AT? When are you going to hike the trail?" was her reply.

"When the kids are out of school, we'll go together," was my response.

"Oh no," she insisted. "I'm not going to go.  You're going alone. In
fact, why don't you go now, while you are still physically able. before
too long you'll be too old and feeble. Go now."

I thought about this, asked her if she was serious, and she told me to
shit or get off the pot. Well, 18 months later, here I am :).

She has been very supportive in all this so far - even to the point of
defending my right to do this to her parents. Her Mom is now coming out
from the left coast to spend a month or so with her during Little League
season - we have three kids, 13, 10 and 8.  Both of us work at
professional careers. She is a saint!

I'm in constant awe of my ability to do this - with her 100% support. 
She and the kids will be packaging my mail drops and mailing them 2
weeks before I'm to arrive someplace, and will act as my support team.
She and the kids have been helping with the planning, food purchases and
logistics. She is going with me to Georgia and spending the night at the
Lodge at Amicola on the way to the trailhead. 

They've taken the 4 foot AT map, put it on the wall in the living room,
marked my planned stopping points, and plan to track my progress against
my plan.  She will be transcribing my Journal and putting it on the web.
This stuff was all her idea. Really :).

Perhaps this is all a ploy to get me out of the house so she can sell it
and move, taking my kids and disappearing into the night, but I doubt it :).

-Paddler (Taking a Hike!, as ordered by his wife...)
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