Israel
08-18-2007, 20:35
Well,
I don't post here a lot but was sitting here doing a few things and while I had thought of it earlier in the week I almost forgot today was the day...9 years ago today I sumitted the big K on my last (to date!) and second thru-hike!!
Hard to believe it has been 9 years- time flies to say the very least. My life isn't revolving around the AT these days but I tell you what...i am so grateful for all the time I was able to spend on the A.T. and the lessons it taught me and the peace I gained from it. In a world that desires to be hectic, it is nice to know the peace that God really gave us to have in this world. My time walking in creation is a source of peace to me this day and though most all my trail friends have scattered and lost touch with them...happy memories and heart felt smiles of my time on the trail with them. Of all my days on the AT the ones that touched me the deepest and the ones that can calm me to this day were the days high on the ridgetops, socked in the fog, rain falling down on my beard, and the song of the wind in the trees as I walked alone in the mist and rain. To be young and footloose through the hills again! :)
Anyway, cheers to the times and memories on the AT! Who knows, another thru may be in the deck of cards someday will have to wait until the kids are a little older but that's ok...life is very good and the joy of a hug from my 2 little ones is better than any mountaintop I ever found so all is good. But...hugs from them on mountaintops is pretty darn good too!!! :D :D :D
If you are contemplating a thru and have not done so yet and are thinking of a million reasons not to, I assure you, go for it. You only live once and time marches fast and the peace of walking through creation with friends and beauty, you just can't replicate that. Work will always be there. Failing to live your dreams is a life not lived. So go live, no matter what form that takes. Maybe it is thru-hiking, maybe not. Whatever it is, live your life to the fullest.
Happy 9 years to me! Many more adventures yet to come!! Current adventure we are contemplating is traveling by boat around the Great Loop (like thru-hiking but on water). http://www.greatloop.com/topic.asp?pid=1
-Israel
Southern half 1993 (AKA "Four Winds" on that trip)
Northern half 1997
GA-ME 1998 (AKA "Israel")
I don't post here a lot but was sitting here doing a few things and while I had thought of it earlier in the week I almost forgot today was the day...9 years ago today I sumitted the big K on my last (to date!) and second thru-hike!!
Hard to believe it has been 9 years- time flies to say the very least. My life isn't revolving around the AT these days but I tell you what...i am so grateful for all the time I was able to spend on the A.T. and the lessons it taught me and the peace I gained from it. In a world that desires to be hectic, it is nice to know the peace that God really gave us to have in this world. My time walking in creation is a source of peace to me this day and though most all my trail friends have scattered and lost touch with them...happy memories and heart felt smiles of my time on the trail with them. Of all my days on the AT the ones that touched me the deepest and the ones that can calm me to this day were the days high on the ridgetops, socked in the fog, rain falling down on my beard, and the song of the wind in the trees as I walked alone in the mist and rain. To be young and footloose through the hills again! :)
Anyway, cheers to the times and memories on the AT! Who knows, another thru may be in the deck of cards someday will have to wait until the kids are a little older but that's ok...life is very good and the joy of a hug from my 2 little ones is better than any mountaintop I ever found so all is good. But...hugs from them on mountaintops is pretty darn good too!!! :D :D :D
If you are contemplating a thru and have not done so yet and are thinking of a million reasons not to, I assure you, go for it. You only live once and time marches fast and the peace of walking through creation with friends and beauty, you just can't replicate that. Work will always be there. Failing to live your dreams is a life not lived. So go live, no matter what form that takes. Maybe it is thru-hiking, maybe not. Whatever it is, live your life to the fullest.
Happy 9 years to me! Many more adventures yet to come!! Current adventure we are contemplating is traveling by boat around the Great Loop (like thru-hiking but on water). http://www.greatloop.com/topic.asp?pid=1
-Israel
Southern half 1993 (AKA "Four Winds" on that trip)
Northern half 1997
GA-ME 1998 (AKA "Israel")