Date: 2014-04-28
From: Fontana Dam

To: Fontana Dam
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

I'm taking a zero today, so I thought I'd try to put down in words why I'm writing this journal. The main reason is to take the opportunity for my kids and grandkids to know me better - much better than I knew my dad or granddads. Next, perhaps, is so Linda and our family and friends can follow along on my adventure if they're interested. I elected to do it in this public setting because I've certainly enjoyed reading the trail journals of many other hikers over the years who have inspired, entertained and informed me and who don't know me at all (thank you, journalers!). So it's also for you folks out there who I haven't met. Being public will also make it easier for me to not succumb to temptations of quitting. :-)I don't think it's for a memoir for me. I've tried to journal for my own benefit a couple of times over the years and couldn't finish the first day's entry. I guess I'm not interested in recounting the day's experiences and/or thoughts to myself on paper. They've grown me I know, but I'm more interested in the future... and am learning to spend more time in the present. I may enjoy going back over this journal when it's over, but I kinda hope I'll be focused on whatever's next instead! Don't know if all that's a good thing or not...But I love to share tales of the past and thoughts and ideas with other folks! That's what I hope to include in this journal for my kids and grandkids and whoever else is interested.My dad married my mom during WW2 when he was 33 and died after a long bout with emphysema when he was 61 and I was 24. He was a good dad with whom I had a very good relationship, but he was a quiet introvert who spoke little. I realized several years ago that although I knew he loved me and I learned some good life's lessons from him, I knew very little about his life before he married my mom and little about his thoughts and opinions outside our relationship. His Dad, my namesake, died before I was born and his Mom shortly after I was born. So I hope to use this opportunity to not only share my adventure but to share some of my past experiences and my thoughts with my kids and grandkids. The rest of you are welcome to come along! Warning - some of my thoughts can get pretty wacky! ;-)I'm hoping to get my journal organized similar to my friend Tic's 09-10 journal. I'll include updates/corrections to previous days, talk about my day, respond to any questions/comments in the guest book and then talk about thoughts of the day. Hiking in the woods, one has lot a of time for thinking and reflecting! I may also mix in my thoughts with the others as appropriate.Thanks for all your prayers and encouragement. I'm truly a blessed man to have such good family and friends!Into the Smokies tomorrow! I may be out of contact for a few days.Post Hike Note: I had two other-than-backpacking learning objectives for my hike: (1) Keep a journal and (2) be more deliberate about socializing with other people. As it turned out, they conflicted with each other! After hiking all day or when taking breaks I could either hang out with folks or I could work on my journal. I usually chose the former. I would always at least write down notes for the day if I didn't write a complete entry, and then come back later to flesh out the notes into a full entry.Being tired at the end of each day, I often wrote just about the events of the day and the people I met. I occasionally wrote about my thoughts or my history or discussions with other hikers, but not as much as I intended at the beginning. While hiking, I did have lots of time to think and share thoughts with other hikers about topics other than backpacking, but I just didn't have the time/energy to write about them much. I suspect I'll have other venues in the future!But I certainly enjoyed spending time with other folks along the trail and am glad I gave it priority! :-)