Date: 2005-10-12
From: The Gathering

To: Florida
Miles today: 0.0

What can I say about the trail? I have talked about a lot of things in my entries and I don't need to rehash them entirely. I will emphasize certain things.1) It will change you. I don't care who you are, it will change you.2) You will have the experience of a lifetime while you are out there. The good and the bad. There will be days where you can't imagine doing anything else and days where you are miserable and you just want to scream.3) Take your time and "Go Light, Go Easy". Don't get wrapped around the mileage. There is plenty of time to do big miles. Take that time to sit by a stream and listen to the water.4) Take lots of pictures...nuff said here.5) Virginia is not flat and Pennsylvania is not all rocks! Take a lot of what you hear with a grain of salt. What may be easy or hard for one person may be different for you.6) If you feel like you want to get off the trail don't make that decision in a town. Too easy to bail from a town. Hike another three days and if you still want to leave you probably will. One day can change you entire outlook.7) It is not a piece of cake. You have to treat it like a job. The best job you have ever had in your life!8) Pick the gear and weight that works for you! Everyone has their own idea on what they like but you are the one that has to like what you are carrying.9) Your grocery budget will increase the further north you get due to higher costs not to mention the bottomless pit you call your stomache.10) There are many fine people on the trail. People that make the AT the community what it is. To name them all is impossible but I will name three of them that run hostels along the way. Miss Janet in Erwin, Bob Peoples at Kincora, and Rob Bird at The Birdcage. If you get a chance take the time to talk to these three. You will know what I mean when you meet these people. What am I going to do now that I have finished. Work, but work to live, not live to work. For me, the trail showed me what I really didn't like and what I didn't need. I didn't realize it till I was out there. My work from now on will be to save for the next hike. I know I won't go back to sitting behind a desk. It would drive me crazy! What happens to you after you are done may be different. I am just stating how my outlook on things has changed. I also realize that if, several of us had not come up with a plan for the next few years I would be like a rudderless ship. Just drifiting on the sea, not knowing what I want. With the plan I can focus all my energies on achieving the goals. People that know me, know that I am pretty stubborn when it comes to accomplishing a goal. What is the plan? You all know about the PCT in '08 but what about before then? Next year I want to go back to Trail Days in May, then do a section or two between there and Waynesboro. I want to help out with the "mothership" trail magic that Redneck, Angus, and crew put on in early June and then swing up to see Rob Bird for a bit in mid June. From there it is the biggie. Fly to Paris and head down to southern France, to hike the Camino de Santiago Trail. A 500 mile trek over the Pyrennes Mountains and across northern Spain. We had considered the Highland Trail, in Scotland, but decided the Camino would be better. There will be a Trailjournal for the trip if anyone is interested so keep tuned in. After that, come back home and work till summer '07 where we will do a "prep" hike for the PCT, the Tahoe Rim Trail around Lake Tahoe. This one isn't a real long one but it will be fun. As you can see we will be busy. So, that's it for this journal. Once again, thanks for reading! If any of you have questions about the trail feel free to email me. I will be glad to try to answer any questions you may have.