Smoking Bear

[Just Bill]

Not looking for this fella really, just wanted to point him out. If any have more info, please share.

I have been watching the documentary put on by a family thru-hiking this year. It is available as part of my BPL membership,
http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/interview-with-tougas-jordan.html

though you can also buy episodes directly-http://toesalad.com/beyond-our-boundaries-family-thru-hike-video-series/

Anyhow- a bit ho-hum, but interesting for a father of two like me.
But in episode 10, they meet and briefly interview a hiker with the trail name Smoking Bear.

Smoking Bear has lung cancer. A year+ of treatment and Chemo have been unsuccessful. With clearance from his doctor and several trips off trail for medical needs, he is hiking the trail. Quite possibly in the final months of his life.

It was a short clip, but quite moving as he tells his tale and gets choked up over the choice to spend his days on the trail and fulfill a life long dream to hike it.

It could always be worse, or as this fella is showing;
When it's worse, it can always be better.

Happy trails to Smoking Bear!

[rocketsocks]

Hope he reaches his journey's end, whatever that be. Be well Smokin' Bear.

[AfghanVet]

It's awesome that he decided to do this. The flip side is it kind of sucks that life has to bring people to a moment like this before they take on the "damn it all" mentality to go out and try and realize a dream that they have had. I wish life were always fair man. Still, heartening to see him taking it on and best wishes to him on his journey.

[Damn Yankee]

I think I may have seen some of his videos on youtube. At least it was a guy with cancer but, may not be him.

[AfghanVet]

You might be thinking of the guy with the trail name of Yo-Yo. If you are, I watched his video and while I was compassionate that he had cancer and it was a challenge. I thought he was very negative about a whole lot of things. Another topic for another thread I guess lol