2/28/2013
Welcome Readers
Please note that it was my original intent to allow only my contacts as readers. I am unable to get this website to accept my contacts, and do not have time to learn how to do it. I am unhooking this computer shortly....... so......hello to my contacts, and hello to anyone else, who is reading.
I am scrambling like crazy to get things done, and time is short. My flight leaves March 4.
At that time, I will be dependent on my phone to make posts etc. You lucked out. Posts will likely be less longwinded.
I have had very little time to train......a major worry. I need two more weeks to learn a bunch of stuff, and to get ready. I have three days. If I get to Atlanta without having a heart attack first, I guess I will be on my way. What is not done, won't get done. I am at that point, of which I spoke to you recently, time to take a deep breath......and do it.
I am heading to the AT.
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Wet Socks
2/27/2013
Wet Socks
Each new experience entails taking a deep breath……letting go of the known…. and stepping forward. Each day, we take that same small, momentous, step.
Each of us overcomes his fear and steps. It is the magical moment of our lives!
For many, taking that first step to new experience, is easy. But for some of us, it truly seems a climb up a mountain.
It is hard to start. For me, the hardest part is to start.
I have hiked most of the Superior Hiking Trail in sections each spring, for the last several years. I wanted to get some experience. I wanted to determine whether I really wished to try to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail.
For me, the hardest thing about hiking is leaving the comfort of my sleeping bag, and pulling on those wet socks and wet shoes. I just dread it. Yes, I know. You're saying…“Are you kidding me?” But the truth is that for me, it is a hard thing to do. I want to stay in that bag. I want to be warm. And I want to be safe. But Stronger than my need to be safe is the desire to hike up the mountain.
I don’t want to stay in that safe known, forever. I really do want to walk up the next hill to new experience. So I take a breath, venture out of that sleeping bag, pull on cold clammy socks, and double tie wet shoes.
Whew. I did it! Hurray. I am on my way! I can not wait to see what is at the top of that hill!
Yoda says, “Do or do not. There is no try!” The Force is strong in Yoda. He has great strength and great courage. I, like most ordinary men, aspire to Yoda’s certainty. But the Force has a tendency to come and go in me. I can feel it; it is always there. But it's power is unpredictable and not controlled.
The truth is that I am not sure, not absolutely sure, that I will get there.
Wet Socks
Each new experience entails taking a deep breath……letting go of the known…. and stepping forward. Each day, we take that same small, momentous, step.
Each of us overcomes his fear and steps. It is the magical moment of our lives!
For many, taking that first step to new experience, is easy. But for some of us, it truly seems a climb up a mountain.
It is hard to start. For me, the hardest part is to start.
I have hiked most of the Superior Hiking Trail in sections each spring, for the last several years. I wanted to get some experience. I wanted to determine whether I really wished to try to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail.
For me, the hardest thing about hiking is leaving the comfort of my sleeping bag, and pulling on those wet socks and wet shoes. I just dread it. Yes, I know. You're saying…“Are you kidding me?” But the truth is that for me, it is a hard thing to do. I want to stay in that bag. I want to be warm. And I want to be safe. But Stronger than my need to be safe is the desire to hike up the mountain.
I don’t want to stay in that safe known, forever. I really do want to walk up the next hill to new experience. So I take a breath, venture out of that sleeping bag, pull on cold clammy socks, and double tie wet shoes.
Whew. I did it! Hurray. I am on my way! I can not wait to see what is at the top of that hill!
Yoda says, “Do or do not. There is no try!” The Force is strong in Yoda. He has great strength and great courage. I, like most ordinary men, aspire to Yoda’s certainty. But the Force has a tendency to come and go in me. I can feel it; it is always there. But it's power is unpredictable and not controlled.
The truth is that I am not sure, not absolutely sure, that I will get there.
I do promise myself this. I will take that first scary step. And then I will enjoy my life's journey.
I will step forward and……I will try!
P.S. Don’t worry. I am done talking about Yoda and The Force. My friends would warn you that what you should be worried about is that I am not done talking.
I will step forward and……I will try!
P.S. Don’t worry. I am done talking about Yoda and The Force. My friends would warn you that what you should be worried about is that I am not done talking.
How it Started
2/27/2013
How It Started
Yes. I am a bit of a Romantic. I choose to be so…… celebrating the ability to deeply feel my experiences. I ride the emotional highs, and dog paddle through the lows of this life. This hike will be ups and downs. I will go up and down too, as is my nature, as is all of life for each of us.
I must warn you, as Joan Crawford would warn you, to “hold on. It's gonna be a bumpy ride".
How It Started
Yes. I am a bit of a Romantic. I choose to be so…… celebrating the ability to deeply feel my experiences. I ride the emotional highs, and dog paddle through the lows of this life. This hike will be ups and downs. I will go up and down too, as is my nature, as is all of life for each of us.
I must warn you, as Joan Crawford would warn you, to “hold on. It's gonna be a bumpy ride".
I hope to meet persons who are interesting….opinionated…….. and who have integrity.
Who find joy in nature. Who happily chase windmills. I hope to make new friends, to see new places, to think about things in new ways. I hope to learn.
I was introduced to the idea of long distance hiking, 40 some years ago, at an outdoor party, a kegger. I met a young man about the same age as me. His name is Bobby Knight….(No. Not that one.) the one that everyone at Harding High School, in St. Paul, Minnesota; called "Mouse". Which was short for "Mighty Mouse".
"Mighty Mouse", who had been a talented gymnast at Harding, was short……. and solid as rock. He was bursting with exuberance, filled and overflowing with life. Someone you don’t forget.
"Mouse" spoke with absolute joy, about an adventure that he had just completed.
That night "Mouse" was telling each person he talked to….. he was telling me, about a backpacking trip.
He was so full of this hike, that it just flowed out of him. He actually glowed.
My best guess is that he was talking about the Pacific Crest Trail in California. I think he said that he started at Mexico, and hiked North to Canada. Maybe he started even farther south. Argentina? He said he was the second person to hike it. Was he the second person ever to do it? Or maybe just the second person that year? I don’t remember. We were at a kegger, after all. By the time "Mighty Mouse" got done speaking to me, I was ready to strap on a pack and do it too. It just sounded so cool!
Then a lot of years went by. That happens fast. Around the year 2000 or so….. I read an article in Parade Magazine, about a long distance hiking trail, the Appalachian Trail. I still have that article somewhere, I know that I do. I don’t throw anything away. ( I am just finishing the task of storing my life’s possessions....... mostly my life’s memories, which are precious to me. So I can attest to the accuracy of that statement. Truly, I do not throw anything away.)
Anyhow, that was the first time I heard about the AT.
I was introduced to the idea of long distance hiking, 40 some years ago, at an outdoor party, a kegger. I met a young man about the same age as me. His name is Bobby Knight….(No. Not that one.) the one that everyone at Harding High School, in St. Paul, Minnesota; called "Mouse". Which was short for "Mighty Mouse".
"Mighty Mouse", who had been a talented gymnast at Harding, was short……. and solid as rock. He was bursting with exuberance, filled and overflowing with life. Someone you don’t forget.
"Mouse" spoke with absolute joy, about an adventure that he had just completed.
That night "Mouse" was telling each person he talked to….. he was telling me, about a backpacking trip.
He was so full of this hike, that it just flowed out of him. He actually glowed.
My best guess is that he was talking about the Pacific Crest Trail in California. I think he said that he started at Mexico, and hiked North to Canada. Maybe he started even farther south. Argentina? He said he was the second person to hike it. Was he the second person ever to do it? Or maybe just the second person that year? I don’t remember. We were at a kegger, after all. By the time "Mighty Mouse" got done speaking to me, I was ready to strap on a pack and do it too. It just sounded so cool!
Then a lot of years went by. That happens fast. Around the year 2000 or so….. I read an article in Parade Magazine, about a long distance hiking trail, the Appalachian Trail. I still have that article somewhere, I know that I do. I don’t throw anything away. ( I am just finishing the task of storing my life’s possessions....... mostly my life’s memories, which are precious to me. So I can attest to the accuracy of that statement. Truly, I do not throw anything away.)
Anyhow, that was the first time I heard about the AT.
Hiking it seemed really, really, cool. It sounded like a real adventure. I thought of "Mouse" again that day, remembered his blissful exuberance, and decided right then….. that some day, I would hike that trail.
About seven years ago, I read several books about hiking the AT. Bought some gear, and went up to the Superior Hiking Trail, here in Minnesota, to see what this "backpacking" was all about.
About seven years ago, I read several books about hiking the AT. Bought some gear, and went up to the Superior Hiking Trail, here in Minnesota, to see what this "backpacking" was all about.
I am no stranger to the outdoors….but had never backpacked. I discovered that hiking was quite different than reading about it, and talking about it. It was harder. I also found out that I kinda liked it. I suspect that it is deeply satisfying because of its simplicity.
First, It was Bobby Knight, "Mighty Mouse", of Harding High School, and St Paul‘s East Side. Much later it was that Parade Magazine article. And finally, it was reading about the journey of others along the trail, that sunk a tiny hook into my heart, and the barb held. Over time, the AT itself began reeling me in…..
That trail was calling me. I could hear it. And the call got louder and louder. I knew that I was going.
I have now happily retired early, and moved out of my apartment, home to me for 13 years. I have stored my belongings, and my precious memories that remind me of who I am.
I have abandoned all common sense……… and I am answering that call.
As my fellow East Sider, Herb Brooks would have promised me, "this is my time. I am meant to be here".
I am joyously AT bound.
First, It was Bobby Knight, "Mighty Mouse", of Harding High School, and St Paul‘s East Side. Much later it was that Parade Magazine article. And finally, it was reading about the journey of others along the trail, that sunk a tiny hook into my heart, and the barb held. Over time, the AT itself began reeling me in…..
That trail was calling me. I could hear it. And the call got louder and louder. I knew that I was going.
I have now happily retired early, and moved out of my apartment, home to me for 13 years. I have stored my belongings, and my precious memories that remind me of who I am.
I have abandoned all common sense……… and I am answering that call.
As my fellow East Sider, Herb Brooks would have promised me, "this is my time. I am meant to be here".
I am joyously AT bound.
Mountain Man
2/27/2013
Mountain Man
I am Hawkeye Finn, and....... I want to be a mountain man.
I am the great, great, grandson of Huckleberry Finn, and have shared his raft.
On my mother's side, I am direct descendent of my namesake, "Hawkeye"; of James Fenimore Cooper; and I treasure the friendship of noble Chingatchgook.
I am friend to Jody and Flag, ("The Yearling").
And I have chased the bear through the swamp with Faulkner.
I am second cousin to Jeremiah Johnson, and…..I want to be a mountain man!
I am distant kin to James Dickey; and somewhere in my ancestry is Strider; destined to be revealed as Aragorn.
I know Quixote, and am an irrepressible chaser of windmills.
My joy is outdoors. I want to breathe fresh air, feel wind and rain on my face……. hear the song of clear mountain streams.
My bliss is in the overwhelming beauty of nature, of wilderness and wild things. I know the peace of sunrise, of sunset, of summer rain........ and the quiet beauty of hoar frost on trees.
It is outdoors, that I feel the presence of my God. I am surrounded by him in nature….. not in a church.
I am born of mother earth. I understand who I am. I know my joys. I know my fears, and I know this path that I follow.
And with my whole being, I know,that….. I want to be a mountain man.
My joy is outdoors. I want to breathe fresh air, feel wind and rain on my face……. hear the song of clear mountain streams.
My bliss is in the overwhelming beauty of nature, of wilderness and wild things. I know the peace of sunrise, of sunset, of summer rain........ and the quiet beauty of hoar frost on trees.
It is outdoors, that I feel the presence of my God. I am surrounded by him in nature….. not in a church.
I am born of mother earth. I understand who I am. I know my joys. I know my fears, and I know this path that I follow.
And with my whole being, I know,that….. I want to be a mountain man.
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