Date: 2006-04-24
From: Scotia, New York

To: ORLANDO, Florida
Miles today: 0.0

It is bittersweet as I sit here at my computer reading the journals of those who are out there... each day, drawing closer to her, that, which is KATAHDIN ~ Still, so many ask me why I hike the AT? . . .   Here is a "piece" of your answer . . . . . . . It was March 14th, this year, I had left Neels Gap early that morning and made my way up and over Levelland Mountain, Cowrock Mountain, and Poor Mountain. It had been a chilly day, with high winds and small hail at times. I had spent most of the day alone, and at times . . . in complete solace ~ I had gone 17.6 miles, this day being my biggest of this years hike. It was a little past 5pm when I began to think about my camping options. With Blue Mountain Shelter out of reach before dark, i decided just to pitch the tent wherever    "DUSK" is my favorite time of day, and being in the woods is no exception. After the sun has just, you will find the remainder of the day dancing its way west to follow ~   The Mountains become quiet, with nearly all of the hikers having already settled in for the day. You will find the Mountain tops quite empty as the winds blow by, and the horizon . . . beckoning for you to pick up your brush and add your strokes of the day in your own colors . . . . . It was there, just after dusk . . . that I found myself at          Chattahoochee Gap ~ To the west side of the Gap was a small opening with a rocky ledge where I found myself to take a break, and have a drink. It was then that the winds picked up, the colors off the setting horizon made their way below the treeline and the hail began to dance off my pack and face ~ I stood . . . perhaps in awe of the view before me, and perhaps for no reason at all. I stood and let the winds rock me . . . . and the hail sting my fragile skin.               I thought about everything, and thought about nothing.    I laughed, thinking back to 1st grade when my girlfriend mistook my twin, "KTR" for me and kissed him! ~ I chuckled thinking about all the times my sis, Dani had "conned" KTR & I out of most of our good candy every Halloween! ~ I shouted Cheers to my little brother & sister, who both recently became parents for the very first time ~ I cried and yelled at God for having taken my parents so young and so quickly ~ I closed my eyes, and thought about all the places I had lived, all the careers I had worked, and all the people I had met ~ I relished to know that my life had been well spent, and well lived ~ Looking at my watch, it was nearly 630pm, I had been there well over an hour, with not a care in the world... YOU SEE, NO MATTER WHERE I AM THIS COMING YEAR, NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS, WHOEVER YELLS AT ME... HOW MUCH I AM STRESSED OUT THAT DAY... IF I STILL GO TO BED ALONE EVERY SINGLE NIGHT . . . . . I WILL ALWAYS HAVE THAT MOMENT ~ That very time, that I can in an instance close my eyes and think back to this moment and know that everything is fine, that everything is going to be allright . . . . . THAT, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, is one of the many reasons i hike ~ ..... Leaving the trail, when you know your hike is over... is hard indeed, like i said before, it's like the game being tied with 2 seconds left, and not having a chance to go back in ~ To those of you I met, you have my solem respect and many Cheers for just being out there. LIL EASY, many thanx partner ~ CRUTCH & RON, days soon not to be forgotten, all my thanx ~ All of you I hiked with, Huzzah for Life on the AT To those of you stil out there, reading this: Yes, She (KATAHDIN) is still many miles away . . . but look to where you have achieved already. Those miles and memories behind you will indeed become your strength ahead ~ Hike Your Hike . . . NO MATTER THE MILES... Hike YOU HIKE When you are done, your soul will have found the solace you were perhaps looking for . . . Simply . . . YOU WILL KNOW ~ To borrow a quote from TOUK ~ "To understand...                                 You would have to swallow the World"      ~ PACKS PACKED, ZIPPERS ZIPPED, HUGS EXCHANGED...         My hiking stick now resting in the corner, I was off the trail ~   "As a boy, I knew of the Mountains, as a Man, I came to KNOW the Mountains, and every brilliant sight, sound and smell that came with them" ~ It is these things that will never leave my soul, simply put... They are the very foundation of it" ~ Anchor hoisted, the horizon ahead, once agiain KTR... we "set sail" . . . Let Everything You Love Be Your Escape ~ Final Cheers, SOLACE