Who inspired you?

[gsingjane]

Blissful... to answer your question about Girl Scouts... as a long-time leader... the answer is, yes, and no. Girl Scouting, unlike Boy Scouting, does not follow a standard progression in terms ot rank, so there are no benchmarks girls have to hit to progress to the next level, as they do in BSA. How outdoors-y the troop is, is almost entirely up to the individual leaders. As a girl gets older, she can also seek out outdoors experiences via the national GS/USA program (the old "wider ops" if you remember those). Girl Scouting is also something more of a girl-driven program than is BSA. If the majority of the girls in the troop want to do camping, hiking and backpacking, then if it's working the way it's supposed to, the troop will do those things - but if the girls are more oriented towards other activities, then the leader shouldn't force the girls to go out if they really don't want to. Another point is that many girls leave Girl Scouting by 5th or 6th grade - this is the time when any Scout troop will start getting out into the outdoors on a more serious basis (even most Cub troops don't do much serious outdoor stuff).

If you (or anyone on this board) has any interest in promoting outdoors activity for girls, I'd strongly recommend you locate your local council and figure out how you can get involved. Most GS leaders, it's true, do NOT tend to be experienced outdoorswomen, but would very much enjoy having strong, positive, outdoors-y role models for their girls. I know I would!

Jane in CT

[docllamacoy]

I went to Rockbrook Camp in North Carolina. That is where I developed my love for hiking and where I took my first hike on the Appalachian Trail.

[4whim]

I was literally inspired by the book: A Walk In the Woods. Years of triathlons, passionate about cycling particularly mntn biking,,,interests have changed over the years and thot I'd just do it,,,, . But have to credit my father's sense of adventure, being an avid reader and researching whatever sounds like fun,,,,,

[Whiz Kid]

Bill Bryson

[drsukie]

None of the above; friends who loved to hike and camp. I was a girl scout, but that did not get me interested. I started hiking in earnest (for fun, that is) after I hit my 40's... Sue

[CreakyBonze]

My daughter. I had been active in scouts and primative camping as a teenager, but never backpacked, and for that matter, never even thought of a thing called the AT.

But my daughter hiked SOBO and I was her support person. Her cards, letters and phone calls got me hooked. And it simmered in the back of my mind until Nov 30 2004, a year to the day after I retired. I made my first attempt last year, and yes, she is MY support person.

I'll try again this year, about mid-March...and once again, my inspiration will be the support person for her mother.



"You don't stop playing because you grow old,...you grow old because you stop playing".

[onicoe]

i was in the Girl Scouts for the longest time. loved it. i wish i could've spent all summer at girl scout camp. sometimes i wish i had a younger cousin that lived near me so i could still keep up with it.

but, i've always liked playing about in the woods. i live in a town with just enough people to not be rural and my house is surrounded by woods. Lots of childhood days were spent climbing trees and catching frogs. (there was a small pond in the back) i guess i'm one of the lucky ones. [:

[tallfran]

My family traveled a lot on vacations and camped, but did not hike. However we were members of an organization called the National Campers and Hikers Association (NCHA). At the first national NCHA convention, held at the Lake of the Ozarks State Park in Missouri, the guest of honor was Emma "Grandma" Gatewood. I was 12 or 13 at the time, and I was really impressed with this feisty older woman who had hiked the AT. She led us kids on hikes in the park and talked with us about her hike. I said "That's neat. I'm going to do that when I grow up". I have never really grown up, but I've gotten a lot older... 2006 was my year to hike. I didn't make it all the way, but plan to section hike the rest. Here's to Grandma Gatewood!

[moxie]

I am a man on the womans forum but I wanted to mention a wonderful book by a woman that did more to inspire me than any other. "There Are Mountains To Climb" by Jean Deeds. Now I have plugged this wonderful short and easy reading book I'll get off your forum. Appologize for being here but the inspired thread inspired me to come.

[mapgirl]

I was a girl scout for years and enjoyed the outdoor activities, but then I virtually forgot about all of that. I met my husband in my late twenties. On one of our early dates, he took me to a spot along the Appalachian Trail that involved climbing up rocks. As I was making my way he asked, "Do I know how to show a girl a good time?" The simple answer is "Yes." The longer answer is that from then on I was hooked. I remember he had this little orange book describing the trail. It made no sense to me. Eventually I figured it out and have greatly added to the guidebook and map collection. I now guide our hikes, taking my husband to places he couldn't find on his own. What a wonderful trip.

[buddha_child]

We used to have a reflection period every morning at Glenkirk Summer camp in Northern Virginia. We had to walk out into the woods on our own until we couldn't see anyone else and sit with our thoughts, a book or a notepad. I always went alone with my thoughts and once, in the dawn's quiet dimness, I sat until shafts of light spread onto the mossy forest floor. I ran my hands through the warm beams and the shadows and light sparkled softly on dewy beads hanging lightly off of the ferns. As young as I was at the time, I realized it doesn't get much greater than that. The Earth is a spectacular place.

These are the moments I love. Glenkirk and girl scouts, exploring the national park land surrounding the neighborhood, gardening with my father, camping with friends and family. Hiking has come in more recently as a way to reconnect with those most precious memories and shed some weight without cramping myself into a sweaty, nasty gym. It's easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of bills and cars and work.
I'm ready for a great escape into the outdoors!
-Elizabeth

P.S. I love reading everyone else's reasons!

[Joon]

From my young, young days my dad took me and my brother car camping, and we spent time walking and scrambling (not exactly "climbing" :-) ) in the woods.

But it was the overnight hikes from summer camp that really gave me the bug for hiking.

I haven't done so much hiking in recent years, but plan to do more this year!

[birdygal]

I just started but love it. Motivation was quitting smoking (gained alot of weight) and living right next door to the Pinhoti trail

[soulshine26]

Ha, I actually started hiking with my first serious boyfriend (just out of high school). I didn't really 'want' to go hiking, but did it anyway to impress him. Then I got out in the woods and loved it. After we broke up, I kept going out in the woods as much as I could with friends... and when I met my husband and he said he'd always wanted to go: we started hiking and backpacking together.

[Jan LiteShoe]

I am a man on the womans forum but I wanted to mention a wonderful book by a woman that did more to inspire me than any other. "There Are Mountains To Climb" by Jean Deeds. Now I have plugged this wonderful short and easy reading book I'll get off your forum. Appologize for being here but the inspired thread inspired me to come.

Same for me, Moxie. Same book. I read Jean Deeds' story and thought "... she did it alone... maybe I could too. " She was older than me, and hiked the AT solo.

Reading that book, it was like a bomb went off in my subconscious. I had never backacked before, though I liked to (car) camp. I started waking up sweating in fear, knowing I was going to try hiking the AT - and the idea terrified. I had just never thought about backpacking, much less the AT, but after her book, I was obsessed.

I've wriiten to tell her all this, and gotten a nice note in return. Classy lady.

[aufgahoban]

I was extrememly fortunate to have spent my summers at a girl scout camp in New Mexico in the 70's. Yes, times have changed. I can't see todays girls even surviving at that camp. No place to charge their cell phones. It was a tough camp. One of my favorite counselors, who led me over miles of trails and who was probably my single greatest influence as far as hiking and who instilled in us all a deep sense of respect for nature is now the Governor of Arizona. (Janet Napolitano) Her camp name was Nap. I'm pretty sure she still hikes whenever she gets the chance. :-)

[RockStar]

My best friend at work Dale hiked the A.T. in 2000 (Caretaker). We talked about it before he left and I made him tell me as many stories as he could stand when he returned. I was the onlyone that wanted to hear them and he was glad. I was about 19 when he first started talking about Thru hiking the Appalachian Trail. I am now 27. Finally in '06 I had a chance to try. My attempt ended at the GA/NC state line. I am going back Spring of '08 to try again.

[kroe]

For me, the leap from first hearing of the AT and deciding to hike it took just under a minute. It was 3 weeks after my 10th birthday and my friend Hester told me and another friend Lauren about it and suggested we hike it upon graduating from high school. We made extensive plans, including how we were going to "live off the land" and see no civilization for the entire 6 months.
Perhaps it's strange that such an impulsive childhood decision would stay with me for so long, but ever since then I've always known in the back of my mind that, upon graduating high school, I would hike the AT. The more I learned about the trail and the people who hiked it, the more certain I've become. Even more surprising is that Hester also still wants to hike the AT with me; out of our original party of 3 ten year olds, 2 are actually going to make the trip together. I think that's pretty impressive, actually.
Anyway, I've grown up in middle class suburbia without too many hiking opportunities (I've only spent about 10 nights in a tent), so it was really something internal in me that's led me to want to hike the Appalachian Trail. I can't really put my finger on it... no one close to me wanted to hike it, none of the women in my family are hikers (although my godmother was quite the hiker until she was forced to quit by her MS), and I've never really had any strong hiking role models. I've just loved the little hiking I've done beyond belief and have always had this knowledge, if you will, that I'm going to hike this trail.

[tina.anderson]

My dad really deserves most of the credit for starting me on hiking when I was very young. My mom always went too, and my older brother and sister were also an influence, but if it was not for my father none of us would be hikers today.

[wtmntcaretaker]

My dad was an avid hikerwhen I was little and tried getting me into it but WOW I hated it. He did it alone mostly and left me and my mom to our chick flicks. (I love chick flicks). But when I graduated highschool I approched my father with a dilems I was having. I said, "now I have no school sports to keep me fit, I dont want to be fat and lethargic. what should I do?" He very calmly suggested hiking and I have been loving it since! Thanks Dad