WE have always loved the wilderness or woodsy camping. Once my BIL said they had found a great place to camp. A place near Franklin NC called, ‘Standing Indian’. It is a small national park named for the mountain nearby, Standing Indian.
We climbed to the top of standing Indian and Sherry met some back packers. On the way down the mountain she said, “Did you hear where they were going?”
“No, I didn’t catch that.”
“They are hiking to Maine, that is 2000 miles from here, can you imagine?”
“NO, I cannot even think of walking 2000 miles.”
“Well, I think we can do it,” she said.
“Are you crazy baby? We have NEVER backpacked! I love the woods and I love camping but that is tough.”
“We should do some planning and do it.”
(Most folks do not notice these signs posted where the AT crosses a road, now we see the all)
It took a while and a lot of thinking, as we walked back down the mountain. I had been a Marine. Of course I did many miles with a 80 pound pack, I knew it would be tough, maybe impossible. But I thought, ‘this girl has followed your dreams,’ time you reciprocated. So before we were back down at camp, we had decided to give it a try.
(We learned fast that this white blaze marks the AT, Sometimes every tenth mile sometime a mile apart. I thought this one was cute, someone had sketched the face, it made me smile)
So it was a trip to the library. The librarian suggested we read ‘A walk in the Woods’, by Bryson. So at a bookstore, we bought the book and read it. We both then caught the fever.
We had heard of the Appalachian Trail, the AT. But really did not know anything about it. So we had to do a lot of reading. Everything was different. Boots, packs, clothes and food. But it wasn’t long until we were ready for a trial run. Back to Standing Indian.
There are a lot of memories, mostly good.
Nite Shipslog
PS:
Bryson only hiked a couple hundred miles, but he wrote a best seller, a fun book.
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Ahhh, the three wheel delivery wagon.
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9 comments:
All that walking is probably why you two are so healthy now. I bet neither of you have high blood pressure like we do. I did dance a lot in my day and I think that staved off the health problems for some years. Nice week-end to you both. Rainy day here.
I was thinking along the same lines as Paula. I think what you do when you are young has a lot to do with the health when you are older.
Loved the drawing.
I'd heard of the AT, of course ... but never for a moment realized the enormity! Chatty's got a good point, doesn't she?
We're experiencing gloomy skies and rain ... but the Lear jets keep on landing over our heads, kind of like minnows! Even the Goodyear blimp is here to pay respects to Goodyear, AZ! :)
What a numbskull remark! I meant to say, the jets are in their landing patterns above the back yard. (Forehead slap!)
Have a great day!
I know you loved hiking the trail from past posts you've done. You both saw a lot that most wouldn't. I know that even in my younger days, that would have been a questionable thing for me to do. Glad you have some wonderful memories to share .
That was quite an undertaking you pursued. Amazing if you think about it.
I have a cousin who walked it. I wish I had before my knees went south.
R
Planning it and walking all that you walked it probably helped keep you guys both young!
betty
Ya'll read that the more you walk the better shape you will be in so get to walking LOL.
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