"I Don't Mind" - Tobasco Donkeys

I am looking, I am searching, I have found
Near the ground, my soul, myself, beneath this trail
There's no other place I'd rather be
Can't you see me out here walking
In the rain and hail
The purpose of life, it seems to me
Is not to take yourself too seriously
I wouldn't want to be an old man
Sitting in an office building someplace
Far away, with worry on my face

Well you can take my car, my stereo, my little money
Leave me with nothing but my trail family
Take my dress up clothes, my cheap cologne, my college loans
I don't mind
I don't mind

Well if that tax man comes looking
I'm at ten thousand feet cooking up some oatmeal
Or some rice and beans
I worship the spirit who doesn't just look down
He looks up and through and all around
Find him in the rocks and trees
Cause there's no reason to pray
When you wake up every day to the sunrise
Over Cito Peak

So find some ground, lace up your boots, start walking
And you will find reason
Enough reason to believe
Well you can drop your worries at the parking lot
Or way down in the city where the sun burns hot
Although civilization is a nice place to visit
I wouldn't want to live there

And just one final paragraph of advice
Don't burn yourself out
Be as I am
It's not enough to fight for the land
It's even more important to enjoy it while you can
While it's still here

So get out there and hunt and fish and mess around
Ramble out yonder, explore the woods, encounter a grizz
Climb the mountains, bag the peaks, run the rivers, breathe deep
That yet sweet, lucid air
Sit quiet for a while, contemplate the precious stillness, that mystery
And awesome space
Enjoy yourself, keep your brain in your head, and your head attached to your body
Body active and alive
And I promise you this much
I promise you this one sweet victory, over our enemies
Over those desk-bound people with their hearts in a box
And their eyes hypnotized by calculators
I promise you this one sweet victory

You'll outlive the bastards!

Into the Wild - Christopher McCandless

"So many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned to a life of security, conformity, and conservatism, all of which may appear to give one peace of mind, but in reality nothing is more damaging to the adventurous spirit within a man than a secure future.  The very basic core of a man's living spirit is his passion for adventure.  The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun.  If you want to get more out of life, you must lose your inclination for monotonous security and adopt a helter-skelter style of life that will at first appear to you to be crazy.  But once you become accustomed to such a life you will see its full meaning and its incredible beauty.  Just get out and do it.  Just get out and do it." ~ Christopher Johnson McCandless (Alexander Supertramp)

Some of Our Favorites from AT "Shakedown" Hikes

Why Hike The Appalachian Trail?

Live in the sunshine, swim in the sea, drink the wild air... 

Ralph Waldo Emerson

So, initially my first post on this blog was going to be to answer the question that is always asked of an AT hiker.  My disappointment about our hike this weekend took over the first post, so as a second post I will answer this question.

Why am I hiking the Appalachian Trail?... My answer to this is "Why not?"  Why not escape the monotonous living of every day life? Why not live outside the constraints of a clock and a schedule?  Why not see a new sunrise and sunset every single day?  Why not breathe in fresh air for two and a half months straight?  Why not feel the sun shining down on me, or for that matter, the rain falling down on me?  Why not experience nature in a way I never have before?  Why not challenge myself physically, emotionally, and mentally more than I've ever been challenged?  Why not change my life forever?

I have always been athletic, adventurous, and in love with nature.  Hiking the AT is the epitome of these three facets.  I am excited to experience this journey, but I am also anxious.  I suppose that these are normal emotions.  I am excited for all that I am going to get to see and experience, yet anxious because 1183.3 miles in 70 days can be considered an ambitious goal.  I hope we finish what we set out for.  I can not wait to take in every second of every day, good or bad.  I know that this endeavor will change me forever, and I suspect in a very positive way.  I'm also extremely excited to be on the trail with the person who means the most to me.  Daddy Long Legs and I were married July 14, 2011 and will be celebrating our first anniversary on the trail.  I am sure that the challenges and triumphs that we are bound to share will forever impact our relationship.  We are already best friends and each other's greatest support, but I anticipate that our relationship will reach levels we never even dreamed of because of this journey.  

I hope to walk away from this with memories for a lifetime and experiences that have had a positive impact on my life and my marriage.  I know one thing is for sure... I haven't even started yet, and I dread the end.  I've read many blogs and trail journals, and every time a hiker speaks of the end of their hike, I feel sad for them.  I  know it will be bitter sweet; but, I guess this is one of the advantages of completing the AT over two summers... I get to make it last longer than just 6 months.

"Climb the mountains and get their good tidings.  Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees.  The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop away from you like the leaves of Autumn."~ John Muir

October 28, 2011

It's October, right?  Yes, but they are calling for 4-6 inches of snow this weekend in my home town on Long Island and anywhere from 8-15 inches anywhere along the AT.  What's worse than this much snow in October?  The fact that this was my last weekend for a hike this season.  For over the last month, every weekend has had an event and the same thing stands for the next 2 months.  I have been counting down to this particular weekend for my "last hike of the season" since early September.  There is something about the crunching leaves, dirt, sticks, and rocks under my feet and the fresh air upon my face that makes me feel uninhibited, free, happy, and grounded.  I need the trail as much as I need air.  It is my release from the everyday hustle and bustle. 

Our plan for this weekend was initially to leave out of Harpers Ferry, WV heading north on the AT.  We were planning to hike 7.3 miles to the Ed Garvey Shelter, stopping at Weaverton Cliffs along the way.  We were going to spend the night and then hike back to Harpers Ferry and drive back to Long Island to be home for work on Monday.  This is a hike we've done before, but being that it is late October, we figured the weather would be better in this area than up north.  Go figure!

After seeing that Harpers Ferry was looking at 30 degree weather and rain on Saturday, I thought, "I'll look at NH.  I mean if it's that cold in WV, can't be much worse in NH, right?" The forecast for NH called for 27 degrees, BUT sun... So, now the plan was drive to NH, hike Mt. Moosilauke, sleep at Beaver Brook Shelter, and then hike back to the car and return home.

Then... the forecast changed to  5-8 inches of snow in Harpers Ferry and 5-8 inches on Mt. Moosilauke.  My next thought... something nearby, such as the lemon squeezer in Harriman State Park.  The plan would be to hike from Arden Valley Rd (Elk Pen) on the AT to the next road crossing on Arden Valley Road (5.5 miles), turn around and hike back to Fingerboard Shelter, spend the night, and return to the car in the morning.  Well, that forecast is worse... 8-12 inches, and HEAVY winds!!  IN OCTOBER! 

So now this weekend consists of the next best thing... reading, researching gear for next years 1100+ mile hike, and sleeping.