Date: 2006-01-08
To: Putting My Foot Down
Miles today: 0.0

Last evening Beth and I had the pleasure of meeting Josh and Sarah who are also trail journalists from the class of 2006. The conversation was non-stop and 95% AT. . . Can you believe that? The excitement over the upcoming adventure was almost tangible and it really put a new face on the AT. All I can say is that if these two are the kind of young people I¢ll meet on the trail, with such positive attitudes and tolerance of old crusty dudes like me, then it truly is going to be a fantastic experience.   Sarah and Josh, I¢m sure our paths will cross again and I¢m certainly looking forward to it.Today I slipped on a pack and went for a hike. About an hour into my hike I stopped to just take a whiff of the air. Something was out there with a sweet smell that couldn¢t be ignored. In this barren winter forest a scent from fall lingered and I thought to myself; this is why I hike.It first occurred to me in the winter of 1969 when I was bundled against a frigid cold on a bright January day. I hiked out alone into the woods and simply observed. To me, the woods are beautiful even in mid January. Just being there lifts my spirits, on this day the still air burned my face at 10 below, but it was beautiful none the less.I¢ve learned not to be cold and damp.   Over the years since I went on my first camping trip I¢ve had my share of getting wet. Sometimes it¢s simply inevitable as I¢m sure the AT will be. But inside my pack in a water tight bag are my sleeping clothes, my wool base layer and a pair of wool socks and a dry sleeping bag. I¢ve learned over the years to keep dry. Experience does count for something. I¢ve been close enough to hypothermia in the wet Washington woods. I knew that taking a novice friend along on a wet weekend was a mistake when I saw him shaking. Got him in some dry clothes and stuffed him in a sleeping bag at noon while I made a fire. Yes, you can make a fire in the rain if you know how. The rain let up, and eventually my friend stopped shaking and felt well enough to come and sit by the fire. I was just plain lucky that I noticed the shivering and caught him before it was too late. Now, this wasn¢t a heroic event on my part, in fact it was incredibly stupid of me to bring him out on that weekend without the proper gear. He never went backpacking again. It just wasn¢t much fun for him. So I¢ve been hiking for a little over 30 years and I¢m still learning new ways and marveling at new equipment. I just love seeing new equipment that works. I¢ve read a National Geographic article about the Eskimo¢s in Greenland and something profound came out of one fellow. The focus was on his polar bear skin pants and the gent simply said ¢we¢re not opposed to new things. Show us something that works better and we¢ll use it.¢ I really thought that about summed it up.I¢m headed to Maine, and I don¢t expect my experience to carry me there as if on a magic carpet. It¢s difficult. The most difficult part for me will be the towns and the crowds. I'm in it for the woods. It¢s a heck of a long way; farther than I can really comprehend. Still, I¢m headed to Baxter and Katahdin. To doubt this is to not know me.