All in a good days walk - Epilogue
The following has been transcribed directly from the journal that I kept while hiking the Appalachian Trail (AT).
EPILOGUE: Tuesday, May 2, 2000
Could not sleep for some reason and finally woke up at 6:00 am. Slowly crawled out of bed and washed clothes at the laundry mat with Mike. We went to Hardee’s for breakfast while our clothes washed.
7:00 pm. After a day of pizza (nasty junk) and watching videos on MTV, Mike’s Mom and her boyfriend arrived to take us all home.
During the day we all got our pictures developed and even had time to get reprints made of the pictures that we all wanted.
So, the truck arrived and we cleaned out the room and loaded our packs and our bodies into the back of the camper topped truck.
As we drive away, it all seems unreal, surreal. I can see Brasstown Bald-the highest point in Georgia (I remember barely being able to see that Mountain and walking so far that we came to it, around it and beyond it) and all the ridgelines that I am sure we labored over. I feel like I can’t even remember that foggy day when we all set off to do nothing else but walk. I can’t remember the pain from last weeks first steps towards Springer or yesterdays last steps to Dicks Creek Gap. I wonder if your mind shields you from remembering pain? I suppose it does. Why else would or how else could people of all ages endure such pain for 2,160 miles?
“Pain is but an instant in life, only the scars will last forever.” -Gordo
I try to think about what I learned and I asked everyone else what they have learned as well. The common thinking is that is takes a hell of a lot of mental strength to continue climbing when you look up at yet another switchback to summit yet another seemingly endless mountain only to have to descend back down and have to do it all over again (wasn’t someone condemned in Hell to roll a heavy boulder up a huge hill only for it to roll down the other side and have to do it again? This was nothing like Hell. It was truly enjoyable and I am so ready to go again); to wake up in the morning and know that all you have to do today is walk on and on.
Even though the weight is there, always clinging to your back and digging into your shoulders, the weight is not the hardest thing to overcome. Sure, if you pack too much you will have problems, but I noticed that even without the pack on it was just as difficult to climb hills (like when we had to drop down the hills to fetch water). So, I think that leaves mental strength as the most important quality to get you through such a walk whether it is for 7 days, 7 weeks or 7 months. I believe it is fair to say that the longer you walk, the more mental strength you will need.
If I learned anything, I hope that it is to take life slower and spend more time on the important things. Take time to enjoy life and there is no reason to rush through it. When things get rushed, relax and take it slow.
What you give is what you get. Treat people well and they will treat you well in return (you don’t have to treat the people in your group that well cause you have to see them every day! haha)
When you carry your life on you back, things inherently become so much easier. You don’t have the room or the strength to carry a bunch of excess stuff–so you just don’t. You inevitably leave behind all the trouble causing things and quickly relearn how to live each day as it comes; to adjust your life to deal with each day’s unique obstacles.
It’s all that simple. We just have a tendency to confuse things and get caught up in doing more, being better and going farther than the person before us did.
This was the first time I ever walked for more than a day-I learned a lot from reading what others did and packed on many of the Appalachian Trail sites. I would suggest a little research for anyone interested in hiking.
I had a truly great time and I am already planning the next trip. Next, I will take the family out for a few days on the trail to share the experience with them.
So, the walk continues. Only a few thousand miles to go. Thank you for sharing this with me.
