Date: 2014-03-10
To: Reflections 
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

As I'm sitting on a Red Eye Flight to Atlanta, I'm reflecting on this upcoming hike and how I slowly let the news out that I was going to hike the AT with Michael. It felt like a slow air leak at first, then the "hole" seemed to get bigger with "news" exploding all over! The reactions were mostly positive, ranging from, "You know you got the Family Knees," (from my brother) to "You're an inspiration for after I retire!" (From a teacher at Griffin School).I got the usual -                        "Where does it start? And End?"                        "How many miles is it?"                        "How long will it take you?"The "How many miles?" and "How long will it take you?" often lead to "Have you done anything like this before?" NOPE!It was something of a family secret for about a year after I agreed to do the hike. I was almost afraid to tell people, fearing that something would happen to prevent me from going or I'd flat out chicken out! When it looked fairly certain that I was committed to this endeavor, I "tested the waters" and started telling a select few, as in passing or out of necessity.I nonchalantly mentioned the tentative plan to a friend from church while talking with her. Dixie and her family are hikers and backpackers so she was VERY encouraging. I needed that! Even when I commented that I wasn't sure about "living" outside for 6 months, she said, "You'll love it!"I then needed to tell Andy & Grete, our pastor and his wife, because I had offered to take care of their baby when Grete went back to work back in September 2012. We talked abbout long0range plans, that I'd eventually quite my teaching job to focus on the hike, and that carrying their baby around would become part of my training! I got ALL the questions, and it was good for me to go through that and think about my own thoughts, fears, challenges, and other moments of wonder!Although at first I carefully chose how I'd tell, by the summer of 2013, people were telling people who were asking me about it! I was visiting family in New York and a friend of my brother's was asking ME about the hike! People started wanting to meet us on the trail, like my niece in Virginia. Thanks, Kathy! We'll keep in touch and hope to see you!I have come to view this adventure as 1) an incredible journey and experience with my son, 2) a sojourne to visit famiy and friends on the East Coast, and 3) an amazing and intreguing blip in my life since becoming a mother; of course I understand that this COULD undo the wonderful 20-year relationship I've had with my son!Although some people may be a bit bewildered as to why I'd want to do this, my reasons are strong and determined, as long as God helps my feet and legs to carry me!Perhaps the best reaction I got was on the plane, flying back to Seattle from New York last summer (2013 by way of Dullas Airport). An older woman seated in the aisle seat was chatting to her friend across the aisle. She had a document that said ALASKA at the top, so I asked if she was going to Alaska. We chatted about Alaska and her travels, especially with her son in Europe. I mentioned my upcoming adventure with my son and got bombarded with the questions. But when she asked how many miles and I told her, she immediately turned to her friend in excitement, "She's going to hike 2200 miles!" "How long will it take?" Six months!"It's going to take her 6 months to hike it!""She'll be goig through 14 states!"And on it went, like a relay race! I never did get your name, but I'll think about you on the trail. Hope you had a grand time in Alaska! Adventuresome people are some of the most interesting people! And I'll have lots to talk about in the "home", if I remember!Marilyn, Mother of...