Decisions

Some times they are easy to make, other times not.  Have you ever said, “I’ll NEVER do this again!” And meant it!  But sometime later you find that never isn’t so long sometimes.

Sherry and I walk and talk a lot. some of our best days are when we just forget how far, and just enjoy the conversation.

(Sherry is standing about a mile into the wilderness here on a lake. We walked a couple miles into and out of the Wilderness.)

Some of you know that we have hiked 1850 miles on the Appalachian Trail. Sherry’s dream was to finish it. I went along for the ride.  I tell everyone, that girl had followed me all over the world, when she said let’s hike the trail (her idea) I said, “ Why not?”

(This is one river (before the 100 mile wilderness that you cannot ford, too dangerous, The ATC keeps a man here with a canoe to take you back and forth)

That 1850 miles took most of 4 or 5 summers. We had thought we could walk the 2267 miles in one summer(what is called a thru-hike), but that was a miss-dream. On one of our walks lately she has talked about supporting me to finish the trail.  I have thought of that, and even thought I said, “I think we will never finish”. Now somehow I think we can. Maybe not the way some folks do, but I think I can do it with her help.

We call this R&R (Rocks and roots)

Lot of soggy places

One of the most daunting challenges is the 100 mile wilderness, no support for 100 miles in Maine. The distance is no big deal. We hiked the 100 miles thru the Smokies with only one stop available for supplies at New Found Gap, and we did not take it. The problem with the wilderness is the rivers and creeks. You must ford them with some of them 4 feet deep, carrying the pack over your head. I think that bothers my girl a little.

(MY girl the map reader, trail or motor home)

I hope this coming summer we can go  to Maine and start back tracking to New Hampshire where we quit. Yeah, I know that is easy to say sitting in Florida, but what the heck, if you are alive, you have to be doing something, right?

My good buddy Vondale says, “I know you can do it Jack, but why would you want to?” My only answer is I have no idea, I just want to.

So maybe Never is this summer. One reason is, because if it is not, we ain’t getting any younger, and it can only get harder. hahaha

Thanks for coming this way.

Nite Shipslog

PS:

Democracy must be something more than two wolves and a sheep voting on what to have for dinner.

-- James Bovard, Civil Libertarian (1994)

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1961 Corvair (Engine in the rear)