Appalachian Trail

If you are around us long you will know we hiked a lot of miles on the Appalachian Trail. WE met a lot of wonderful folks out there walking. My friend Tuck is into rough outdoor stuff, such as skiing, four wheeling, back woods hunting. etc. We were talking once about living in the woods and walking the trail. He said, “Jack I know you all can do it, but why would you want to?”

Since then I have asked myself the same thing, I still do not know exactly why, but I have a few ideas. Number one reason is because my wife said we were going to hike the trail. You could have pushed me over with a feather when she said that. Of course I thought she was joking. But when she fitted me with a pack I got the feeling she was serious. First thing she did was buy the book by Bryson, “A walk in the Woods”.
I thought I could nip this idea in the bud, so I said, “Honey there is a three day hike near Standing Indian Mountain. We can start at Standing Indian and come right back out just a half mile up the road. If we can do that, we can try really backpacking.”
“okay” the lady said.
If I ever told the truth, this is it and she will back me up. WE started off early in the morning, we got lost right away. Sometime later we found the trail. About half way up Standing Indian Mountain, I threw my pack down, fell on the ground and said for all the animals to hear, “WE HAVE DONE SOME DUMB THINGS IN OUR LIVES, BUT THIS IS THE ABSOLUTE DUMBEST!”
Three days later and more subdued after climbing three or four mountains including ‘Fat Albert’, we emerged from the hike, I just knew she would now give up; we were sweaty, dirty, tired and stinky.
I said, “WELL?”
She said, “let’s go take a bath and clean up. Then we can talk about when we are really going to start our hike!”

“Oh Crap! The AT has created a monster.”

So that is reason number one.(with that reason, there is no reason for more)

The other reasons are more elusive. You meet another culture in the woods. You meet adventurous souls. There are people from all over the world who come to hike the Appalachian trail. We met folks from three or four countries. People in their teens to the oldest, Pilgrim, who as he put it was Three score and ten.

There are people who get hooked on the allure of the Appalachians and spend their lives walking and working on it.

It was an adventure, I would like to complete it, we need to cover 350 miles more. I think one of the reasons is for bragging rights for another thing.

Nite Shipslog

PS:
A Polish immigrant went to the DMV to apply for a driver's license. First, of course, he had to take an eye sight test The optician showed him a card with the letters 'C Z W I X N O S T A C Z.' 'Can you read this?' the optician asked. 'Read it?' the Polish guy replied, 'I know the guy.'
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