stranger
08-28-2007, 04:05
Just sitting here thinking about my thru next year. Wondering how much of the south I will remember? Wondering if Georgia will be as tough as last time, if NC will be as easy, will the Nantahalas, Roan and Grayson Highlands be as pretty? Will other hikers throw rocks at the privy walls once I'm inside and "committed"?, will we hunt mice again with blowguns purchased in Gatlinburg? Will my first 7 days be solid rain? Will there be any Elvis sightings? How bad will the rumous be about PA rocks by hikers who have never been there?
Will the climb up Roan Mtn almost kill me again? I never did visit the Hogback Ridge privy, this time I'll run the Nantahala Falls without flipping over, I'll walk 33 miles into Damascus instead of 26, I won't spend 3 days at the motel near Atkins with "loved ones" and get depressed. Will we have the characters, the bibles, mouse traps, marijuana, beers left in steams, friendly and crazy hitches? Will we hike a 30 mile day just to get ahead of someone and steal their identity?
Will the slow pokes criticise the fast hikers while the fast hikers criticise no one? Will I blow by yet another ultra-lighter like they are standing still? Will the purist vs blue blazers debate never end? Does anyone still use the term yellowblazers anymore? Will I see some of those friendly faces again? Will Lenny at the Blueberry Patch still fold laundry? I can't help but wonder how many "drunk" hitches I get next year? How many bear sightings? How many kick ass people on the trail? Does the DWG still do the BBQ? Is the Doyle still the Doyle?
I just can't wait in general. And although I only walked 750 miles in 1995 I'm sure things will work out this time around. Maybe 95 wasn't my year, but 2001 showed me I could still knock out the miles and that I still love it. Now it's my time again, to head down to Springer and start walking north again. I hope to meet all of you and I wish you all the best of luck.
These are the days...
Will the climb up Roan Mtn almost kill me again? I never did visit the Hogback Ridge privy, this time I'll run the Nantahala Falls without flipping over, I'll walk 33 miles into Damascus instead of 26, I won't spend 3 days at the motel near Atkins with "loved ones" and get depressed. Will we have the characters, the bibles, mouse traps, marijuana, beers left in steams, friendly and crazy hitches? Will we hike a 30 mile day just to get ahead of someone and steal their identity?
Will the slow pokes criticise the fast hikers while the fast hikers criticise no one? Will I blow by yet another ultra-lighter like they are standing still? Will the purist vs blue blazers debate never end? Does anyone still use the term yellowblazers anymore? Will I see some of those friendly faces again? Will Lenny at the Blueberry Patch still fold laundry? I can't help but wonder how many "drunk" hitches I get next year? How many bear sightings? How many kick ass people on the trail? Does the DWG still do the BBQ? Is the Doyle still the Doyle?
I just can't wait in general. And although I only walked 750 miles in 1995 I'm sure things will work out this time around. Maybe 95 wasn't my year, but 2001 showed me I could still knock out the miles and that I still love it. Now it's my time again, to head down to Springer and start walking north again. I hope to meet all of you and I wish you all the best of luck.
These are the days...