Date: 2006-05-17
To: Time to say goodbye (for now)
Miles today: 0.0

I'm back home in Munich since Sunday. It has been a long time since my last entry. Almost a month went by and I didn't write one single line. One of the reasons was that this should be a trailjournal and even if I was NEAR the trail I didn't step on it the last 4 weeks. What I have expierienced was not hiking related and is therefore misplaced in a hiking journal. But nevertheless I'd like to explain at least along general lines why I didn't continue my hike.What happened? The last entry was about spending the Easter weekend in Erwin, TN at Miss J's house. Actually I intended to go back to where I was picked up (I-81 at Groseclose, VA) by Monday after Easter. But as the time had come I could't leave. My priorities had shifted for quite a while and my goal to hike the trail at least to Harpers Ferry was no longer important to me. If there is one thing this hike has thaught me than it is to enjoy every day you spend on this earth as much as possible. There's no sense in following a plan only because you made it in the past. Plans should serve as a guideline but not be viewed as the Holy Grail. And if there is something else arising that you couldn't foresee at the time the plan was made why shouldn't you jump at the chance? It all depends on what is more desirable at the time the decision has to be made. I have seen people hiking this trail only because they couldn't admit that it was no longer fun to do so. Stopping when it's no longer enjoyable for some people is almost as hard as the decision to start. What made my focus shift that much? I found something without looking for it. Something I had never expected to find on the trail and least of all in a small town in Tennessee. Something I had almost forgotten because I missed it for such a long time. Something precious that couldn't be simply ignored because of my plans to hike the trail. Something that would have made me regret not to explore it. The trail won't go away. I can hike it again whenever I find the time to do so. But if I would have missed this opportunity to get to know this one very special person I have met it would have been gone forever.What am I talking about? I won't go into details even though it's not a secret. But some things are more private than others and you won't expatiate them in public. You already know that I spent my time in Erwin, Tennessee, and the people who met me while staying there know what I'm talking about. For them Janet Hensley was many things: devoted Hostel owner, Trail Mom, Trail legend, somebody who was always willing to pick them up or drop them off almost where ever they wanted, breakfeast cook, story-teller and for some even sort of confessor. But for me she was and still is much more and could be even more in the future. That's the reason why I couldn't simply hike on, why it was so hard for me to go back home and that's the reason why I want to come back as soon as possible. It's not easy to get you to now better when there are constantly 20 other people arround who demand attention. But the hiking season doesn't last forever and quieter days are still to come. Conclusion The past 90 days are among the best times I ever had in my whole life. I met so many nice and helpful people, I saw so much of the beautiful nature in those parts of the country where I was at and enjoyed the way of living in almost every aspect. Sure you can say it was an exceptional situation and if you have to live constantly in the US it's not much different than in other countrys, but I would doubt that. I would feel very comfortable about living there forever. To everbody I have met and who has taken part in my journey - whether it was physically or virtually - let me thank you for your interest, your kindness, your help and your support. I can't express enough how honored I feel to have expierienced such a great hospitality. The best ambassadors of the US are the wonderful people who live there (and you don't have to tell me that there are people who doesn't match my description. They are everywhere. ).I still have to upload a lot of my pictures but this might take a while. First I have to fit back into "normal life" and get accustomed to the thought that I'm back in Germany. Tomorrow will be the first time I have to go back to work and I don't feel comfortable with this fact. But otherwise this makes me enough money to come back as soon as August or September. To the people I have hiked with and who are still on their way to Maine : I wish you a great time. Don't let the goal to reach Kathadin get in your way to enjoy every single day until then. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you and will follow your progress when ever possible. Take care! And maybe we'll see us again another year. Bruno / Nuts