Date: 2004-09-30
To: Post Hike Thoughts
Miles today: 0.0

I¢m not sure how to sum up my hiking experience so I¢ll just jot down some thoughts from the trail that didn¢t fit in the style of my typical daily journals.I don¢t think that what I¢ve done is amazing. It was something that I wanted to do, prepared and planned for and accomplished. It was also something personal. I also think that it¢s something many more people could do if they put their minds to it. They just underestimate their own capabilities.They (a conglomeration of all the reading and research I¢ve done) say that people have three main reasons for attempting a thru-hike: escape, communing with nature and the challenge. I think one of the reasons my hike was successful was that I was doing it for all three reasons. And I¢m just plain stubborn.Several people worried or commented that some hikers don¢t adjust well to the ¢real¢ world following their hikes. First I think it depends on how you define the ¢real¢ world and whose views you¢re using to determine what¢s an appropriate way to live. Second I think that more of the people who don¢t adjust well write books about their experiences. There are hundreds of people who go back to families and jobs without significant issues. Me, I just have trouble remembering to put on deodorant. I think that some of the ones who have trouble going back were trying to escape something that didn¢t change in their absence. I¢m not a hard core backpacker. I don¢t like being wet and cold and don¢t see the need to put my self through that kind of needless suffering. I really appreciate my luxuries. It¢s amazing what an anticipated town stop with a shower and sheets can do to put a spring in your step.I¢ve yet to find out how the trail experience has changed me and how significant those changes might be. Many of the things that other hikers speak of ¢taking away¢ from their trail experiences are things that I had already internalized. Things like a love of the outdoors, an appreciation for the fragile nature of the wilderness, a desire to help others experience and come to love the natural world around them, and the importance of a leave-no-trace ethic. What surprised me on my hike was that there were several people who, even after 2100 miles, never learned those lessons.I may not have cultivated an obsession with long distance hiking on my trek as some do, but as before I still yearn for the out of doors and the peace and beauty I find in the wilderness.While on the trail I learned do sit and do nothing. Well, I guess at the beginning it was imposed - there were just some times when there was nothing to do. After I¢d made camp, had dinner and written in my journal if it wasn¢t time for bed I just sat. Sat and looked at the scenery or ¢people watched¢ and let my mind wander. That¢s something I¢d like to keep. To be able to just sit peacefully and ¢be¢ without feeling like I need to be doing something more.I¢ve come to the conclusion that at this time in my life my family is my priority. A focus on establishing, building and nurturing relationships. Not to mention the details of christenings and weddings.I am not a leave-no-trace fanatic. I did meet some. My ethics were sorely tested at times and sometimes I just couldn¢t embrace the ideal. I walked down the middle of the trail when it was muddy but I¢d skirt the mud if it was over my boots. I¢d pick up candy wrappers, etc., on the trail but I wouldn¢t pick trash out of a fire pit or privy. I¢d wash well away from water sources but I¢d still use toothpaste and spit in the bushes. I¢d dig a cathole but didn¢t pack out my toilet paper. We all need to do better if we want our kids to have the opportunity for a similar experience.I was offered drugs while on the trail more often than when I was in college.There are two main age groups on the trail. The first group I commonly called ¢kids¢ ¢ the 18-25 year olds just out of high school or college or after a first job. The second group is mainly retirees, 50+. There were only a few of us in between. It makes sense. Most folks my age have jobs and families and other responsibilities that make taking a 6 month hike very difficult. I think when people met me initially they probably thought I was a ¢kid¢, just based on looks. I identified much more with the retirees. They were, in general, quieter and more considerate. Though the social aspects of the trail are important I didn¢t expect or want it to be a walking party. Some of the other hikers were just looking for the next bar.There are more men on the trail than women. I¢d say 3:1 even though there were often times I was the only women in a shelter with 5-7 guys. Of the 19 people in my group summit picture 7 are women.I was only uncomfortable about my safety once, as mentioned in my journal. I wasn¢t afraid or scared. It¢s safer out there than walking in the streets at home.Yes, I knew what I was getting myself into. There weren¢t any surprises. If I had known what I do now before I started my hike I would still have done it. Yes, my feet still hurt. If they aren¢t better in a few more weeks and I might have to go see someone.Maine was my favorite state. I don¢t think I¢m biased because I grew up there. The terrain and hiking difficulty ran the gambit ¢ lakes, streams, mountains, hills; from an easy stroll through the woods to boulder scrambling. I got to ford streams, camp by ponds, listen to the loons, see gorgeous views, and I had great weather. NC would run a close second for the northern half of the Smokies and the balds.