Date: 2008-07-07
From: Mt Rogers Recreation Area HQ

To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Amy came down to visit for a few days. I took her back to several of the highlights of the AT. Given her love of animals, we had to go to Grayson Highlands and see the wild ponies. We also hiked up to Rhododendron Gap to take in the spectacular views. We then drove South to Roan Mountain, TN. There we had a 2 day hike starting at Carver's Gap. Though the Rhododendrons had gone by, Amy was treated to display of the rare Gray's Lily that exists on only a few of the balds in the Roan Highlands. Over the last couple weeks I decided that I am more like Bill Bryson than Earl Shaffer. That is to say that I was less focused on completing a thru hike and more about enjoying the part I was hiking. So I've decided to turn my thru hike into several section hikes.The reasons for this include:Hiking was becoming more like a job than an adventure. The trees all have leaves. The views are few and far between. It was starting to become about doing the miles, rather than enjoying the journey. I want to enjoy what I experienced rather than regretting the experience. While these trail journals often describe all the wonderful things about the trail, they don't often emphasize the down sides which include painful ascents / descents, too hot, too cold, too wet, too dry (and no water to drink), and tedious miles. Not that I am complaining, it's just a fact of life on the trail.I am too not able to put in the daily miles of the fast hikers, but am now too fast for the slow hikers. That means I was often hiking alone, rarely developing friendships that lasted for more than a day or two. Though I tried to push myself, my body would remind me of its limits.It may sound corny or just romantic., but I missed my wife of 30 years, Amy. When we walked across England we probably talked 1/2 the time. While I loved the solitude and silence on my hike, I also missed having someone to share my thoughts & experiences with. (Luckily she also was missing me too.)Finally from talking with Amy, I realized that my hiking was creating quite a burden on her to keep everything together while I was gone.So after hiking almost 1/4 of AT, I decided to come home with her after our hike in NC/TN. However, I am not done hiking! My friend from the trail John Hockley was in the Boston area with his girlfriend, last week. We got together for a picnic & Shakespeare on the Common. It was great to compare notes about our hikes after we split up (at the NOC). It only reinforced that I did enjoy a lot of hiking the AT, just that maybe I'm not meant to thru-hike.Currently, I am doing some projects around the house including installing a french drain to alleviate some of the flooding problems Amy experienced while I was gone (wouldn't be too bad, except 1/2 of the drain will be under the deck!) and several painting / staining projects that were on my to do list. After I finish those, I expect to hit the trail again. This time, I'll focus on New England - which will be easier for Amy to periodically catch up with me. I expect to start in CT and head north. Libby also finishes her Mission Year assignment in August & has expressed an interest in doing some hiking with me too.