Pre-Hike Obsession?

[88BlueGT]

My BF was infected with the trail and then he got a heart problem and that cured his infection.

My depressing advice is only to say that, at least for some of us, there's long distance hiking -- aka a life well-lived -- and then there's all the rest -- aka "success". Neither are compatible with the other.

At least finish school so the door to "success" doesn't slam shut. The hike will probably ruin you for several years, why make it permanent?

[Datto]

I'd suggest you finish college first like the others.

Now, on to what I actually did...

My buddy Tony and I -- we hadn't yet finished college and just couldn't take the stress anymore. One day I'd suggested to Tony that we go to the furthest place we could get from Muncie, Indiana. That we take an adventure of sorts.

Well, that certainly got the ball rolling down a hill. Our classmates had wondered what was going on because we'd stopped all studying and focused our efforts exclusively on finding the specific place furthest from Muncie. Tony had gotten out his ruler and had run out to get the Road Atlas from under the front seat of his car and started measuring the maps. Tony summarily had determined the furthest place we could go and still stay within the lower 48 states was Seattle, Washington. After San Diego was also discussed, Tony had said, "Hey, I think I have a cousin that moved out to Seattle"...

As I remember we were on the road to Seattle that afternoon. Me with a grand total of $55.00 for the trip in my pocket. Tony I think had another Emergency Student Loan from Ball State University in his pocket.

It was my First Great Adventure. Absolutely the most fantastic time. We hitchhiked all the way to Seattle. Somewhere around South Dakota, upon seeing the Rocky Mountains in the distance, us being from the Midwest, I'd said to Tony, "How in the world are we going to get over that!"

As I remember, we'd only bought one beer in Issaquah, Washington where we hung out making ourselves indispensible to Tony's cousin. The rest of the time, someone in that Issaquah bar we frequented bought our beers. Reason: They couldn't believe there was a college named Ball State. I'd had to pull out my class registration to prove it. After that, Tony and I were the guys from Ball State and beers just started showing up.

Many weeks later I'd returned to Indiana and had to write a personal, hand-written letter to the Dean Of Men at Ball State University (I didn't even know there was a Dean Of Men) in order to continue on and finish the last quarter of my college education (with a 4.0 out of 4.0 that quarter I might add). My scholarship money had already paid for that last quarter of college and well, I just hadn't shown up to class for some reason, me being "out of town" and all.

Ended up getting my two college-boy degrees and having the adventure with it anyhow.

Call me irresponsible.

Datto

[sbhikes]

Yeah, the trail ruins you. It makes you want to do another hike. I couldn't resist the lure and hiked two years in a row. Now that I'm not hiking this year, I'm feeling really surly and depressed.

[shwn354]

i second (or third, fourth, whatever) what most have been saying. The hike will change you in myriad ways. Finish school first to give yourself the most options. I went a different route. I finished about half of college before getting fed up and splitting for the trail. When I got home in October I didnt know what to do with myself. That feeling lasted a good while. Finally I'm back in society and finishing school but it took me a good long while to get back in the swing of things. Graduation is perfect because you're wrapping up one phase before starting another. Finish school, have a great hike, and figure it out from there. Enjoy.