[at-l] Thru-Hiking

["Willie Brock" <williebrock@hotmail.com>]

  Thru-Hiking or The Springer to Katahdin Fifty Pound Back Pack Blues.

It was hot, Damn hot...The profile said it was 1100'+ foot rise in one and 
one half mile, it was every bit of that. As I approached the crest I pulled 
my glasses off and fumbled with my bandana, trying to find a dry section to 
wipe them with. That being done, I hung the glasses back on my face and 
pushed the bandana back into the belt loop on my shorts, looking up only in 
time to avoid walkling into a South Bounder.
How you doing and great were the recognition of each other that were 
exchanged.
Several steps past, when I thought.....Did I see what I thought I saw?
A pirouette is something that should not be attempted by the untrained in a 
pair of Cresta Hikers and a fifty pound backpack.
I ended up on my back on my pack, but I was looking back down the trail in 
the right direction.
Walking away with a pace that carried her out of sight all to soon.
Did I see what I thought I saw?, she was wearing two bandanas, one tucked 
into and draped over the hip-waist belt. Another was tied to and draped on 
the sternum strap.
Walking away she was wearing only the pack, a trickle of sweat ran from 
under the hip belt, down the curve and roundness....I do not remember if she 
had boots on.
Lying there on my back, on my back pack, arms and legs and hiking poles 
splayed out like a compass rose, neck arched, chin on my chest so I could 
watch the figure disappear from view I considered, if only for a moment 
yo-yoing the trail.






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