Off Trail

[COOPDOG]

Well, I gave it a shot. I had my boots for almost 2 years and still my feet were blistered after only 10 days. I also had knee problems dating back to the Marine Corps that were never corrected and that flared up and I am at home now. Ankles are swollen too.:(

I still hiked almost 90 miles and I plan to get back out there someday soon. Beside the physical problems, there were mental things that I could not get out of my mind...my son graduating HS, and then going to bootcamp soon after and me not being here for him and my wife has severe depression and migraines. Things were just too much and I came home.

Good luck to all those still out there hiking and to my hiking partner "So Big", keep on hiking and God Bless.

Later.

[jmcgarrahan]

Well I think it's wonderful that you even got out there and tried....In my mind that makes you a success, my husband left springer Saturday morning for his attempt at the thru hike. It is his dream and his biggest worry was failing, I told him time and time again, that fact that you even got out there and tried makes you anything but a failure....Good luck to you....

[Mother's Finest]

Hey Coopdog

my wife has migraines and depression too......what is up with that?

Unless she had things dialed in I am sure you were worried sick about her. forget about talking to her when she was either with migraine or depressed.

good luck in the future.

peace
mf

[Outlaw]

CoopDog,

It just sounds like the timing just wasn't right for you (or your family) to do a thru. I know you must be disappointed, but nothing lost for trying.

I have been waiting in the wings for the chance to do a thru. My wife is fully supportive, but I have a 16 y.o. and a 14 y.o. that I would feel guilty leaving my wife to raise single-handed for 6 months. Not to mention, I don't want to spend that much time away from them at this critical juncture in their lives. Like yourself, just too many important events to leave them now. So, although I have the support of my wife (and probably my kids initially), I don't think I would be able to fully enjoy myself on the trail.

Get your knees cared for, and when the time comes that you can attempt another thru without worries and concerns weighing on your mind, you'll be in a better position to make it all the way. :)

[buckowens]

Hey Coopdog,

You tried and that is much more than most. Here is my favorite quote, and I thought it might help:


"It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat."
Theodore Roosevelt
"Citizenship in a Republic,"
Speech at the Sorbonne, Paris, April 23, 1910

[RockStar]

I agree with BuckOwen and everyone else! Also My favorite quote when I feel like a"failure" is on my sig. *points down;) The one thing that kept hope alive is knowing "The Trail will always be there"