[pct-l] THRU-HIKE ORIGIN, EVOLVEMENT AND HIKING YOUR OWN HIKE

[brian_j_schweikert@icpphil.navy.mil (Brian J Schweikert)]

Years ago, I mean I was in the fourth grade I went on a fishing outing with
my grandfather to the  Pine Barrens of New Jersey. That one trip, that
weekend I look at as the beginning of a lifelong urge to be within a
wilderness or to just be able to wander through it. Shortly thereafter I
read a book called Trap Lines North by Stephen W Meader. This book, a true
story in that it followed a real trapping family through its existence in
the early and mid thirties in central Ontario, was totally in the
wilderness. I was hooked.

More books and more knowledge of the long distance trails followed. I was
determined that whatever the situation I would do the AT. In March of 78
(after already years of hiking the AT in PA and NJ) I began my thru hike in
Georgia and although I was awed at the challenge I submersed myself in it.
It took a couple hundred miles but I am glad I got into the mindset of
"hiking my own hike" this way I met many people and made many new friends
and still was able to make my hike a solitary and rewarding accomplishment.


I kinda came of age however in the years since. I have hiked the AT again
since, in sections. I finished my section hike in 2001. I have done parts
of the PCT in Oregon, walked the Patagonian Landscape, Done the Long Trail
and many other hikes to numerous to mention. I have evolved into this
person who believes "church" is "out there". I cant go a month without
getting gone for a weekend or so. I believe that the peace that I (we?)
find in our endeavors directly effects how we do life, how we view life.
You look at the whole spectrum of the way people behave while in
civilization and, as far as I am concerned, its a comedy.

There's people who we us who will fuss about a meal or a guest bed done
properly for the night or weather their eggs are well done or running from
the car to the door in the light rain so they wont get wet for 5 seconds.
How about the ones who cringe at a thunderstorm or give you (the classic)
the "your nuts" look when you say you've hiked 2100 miles in 6 months or
kayak the entire length of some river. I love the way we look to some
people simply because we represent (to them ) an oddity because they cant
fathom why we do this and are so happy about it.


I volunteer for a local nature center and do two or three trips a year
teaching LNT and backpacking/camping skills to mostly novice adults. Not to
say I do it good when I am doing the deal but really some of the wining
that goes on sometimes about sleeping on the ground, eating from the pot,
walking with a backpack, their boots hurt, etc. I do it because I hope that
for everyone who ends up being the complainer I will get 4 or 5 who end up
thanking me and even touch base to tell me about the later hikes they had
done.

As far as a definition of the thru-hike. I have always held that
slackpacking and yellow blazing are cheating a little. Snow, rock or
otherwise blocked passages with an alternate route are clearly the
exception.The completion of the hike to me is every-step, passing every
inch of the trail as defined at the time of your hike.

 The mistake I think (as I have seen happen a number of times) some people
make is beginning like the stereotypical ball of fire out of the gate and
ending up bouncing out of the groove because they stopped hiking their OWN
hike. Hooking up with someone is great for a day or two. I found it to
restricting to hike with the same person for more than 2 or three days.
Different walking and alot more communication lends to having to adjust
mileages and re-supply scenarios sometimes. Another side-bar to hiking with
someone is you grow on one another, dependance forms and with it, in some
instances comes expectancies of each other (waiting up, slacking off
because the other one wanted to, etc). You get much more out of it if you
can keep the vigil and hike outside of the box. Your own hike.

HIKER777