"Hiker Stuff" by Fishinfred
Earl Schaffer PBS Special is what first opened my eyes and mind to the trail.....I was 44 , When I first hit the AT in spring 03 ,I had broken my foot the night before horsing around with my nephew but after planning for 6 mos. I was determined to carry on (was hoping it was just sprained) but after struggling 51 miles I knew I had to quit when I got to Helen Ga.(only 17 miles of Ga left...damn),but something happened on my way ....and its changed my life ever since .On my second night out at Long Creek Falls I met the first true long distance hiker of my life and we sat around a small campfire for a few hrs and this guy told me more in a few hrs than I had learned from reading for 6 months ...how to fall (if that happens) where to stay away from and where to go and such but most important was that if I had to quit the trail it would still be there for another try later....as he also had to quit the year before after he was all the way to Pa. and his father had passed away ...well he went back and he made it in 03,but what has changed my life ever since that meeting at the Falls was he saw a pic of some sign stuff I had with me (i had a few pics that I had brought down to show my cousin in Tn.) and he said "wow this is nice stuff....can you make ...like Hiker stuff"? Then he told me about Trail Days and that if I had to quit cause my foot that I should make some Hiker Plaques and come back for the festivities in Damascus....seems that ever since that day I have had nothing but the Trail and "Hiker Stuff" on my brain 24/7 and since that meeting at Long Creek Falls I have been making (just about) nothing but Hiker Stuff and I love it ...I feel it was my destiny and life has been so much better for me since (not financially,just from all the neat folks I have met ).I will be attempting another Thru Hike this march 1st and I have alot of Hiker Stuff to sell before I meet the financial goals I need for making this dream come true .Check out my "stuff" on the Hiker Page at Fishinfreds.com or bid on something on Ebay (search Fishinfred2)....and if you run into a guy called "Greenman" tell him thanks ,for he loves the trail and somehow instilled a passion for it in me ....Thanks for looking ..Happy Trails !
Fishinfred
PS
if you buy something from me I Swear I'll never waste it on a boob job....:jump
