The Great Resignation, Broadening Options

[Tim Rich]

Greetings,

I've been away for a bit. I began a sectioning of the AT at 24 years old, achieving 2000-miler status at 39 in 2005. Not the typical age range for many, I juggled raising a family and pursuing a career during that time. Now at 57, I'm on the cusp of retirement and I'm looking to be deliberate in my future hiking exploits. My post-AT hiking experiences have been infrequent, but increasing, completing the Alabama Pinhoti and, most recently, knocking out the Ouachita Trail. Running from just west of Little Rock into Oklahoma, it's a 220+ mile I would recommend to anyone. If you enjoy staying in shelters, they are simply extravagant, spacious and well built.

I've been fortunate with my health. Contact sports and a hereditary bias put me in a spot to require a back surgery at 34, along with a repeat procedure of the same disk space at 51, but all is well. Last year, my ortho told me, "you're getting two new hips". My response of "When?", prompted a "you'll let me know." Not a fan of catty surgeons. I asked what I could do to aid or hamper the future hip replacements, and his response was, "don't get in a car wreck, outside of that nothing you'll do to your hips will help or hinder a replacement." Challenge accepted. I've been intent on developing a better range of motion, joined a health club to achieve this and torture myself, and I think I have a thousand miles in me before I roll in for a retread. GA Pinhoti, Grand Tetons and John Muir beckon.

All that being said, as I progressed up the AT over those years, it was a wonderful experience. My fellow hikers - weekenders, sectioneers and thruhikers alike - were awesome. As a section hiker, I greatly enjoyed the ability to plan, anticipate and relish each trip. Coming back here - and in the AT-L community - I felt a part of the trail community, all the while siphoning every bit of relevant data I could obtain to make my next section a success.

I'm grateful for my experiences with those along the trail. I passed muster with the great Helen Carbaugh in Port Clinton to get a room, and she made me an awesome cheeseburger. Honey and Bear in Andover were incredible. If I'd stayed one more night in Andover, I'd have stayed, period, and I got a good dose of Baltimore Jack through that section as well.

Coming back after being away, it makes me sad to see those who are gone, those who are jettisoning gear because of their hiking abilities, but I'm buoyed by the old names still chugging along. I don't mean this as a sad post, just a reminder that we need to walk while we can.

Take Care,

Tim

[chknfngrs]

Happy Trails!

[putts]

Yes, do it while you can. 3 years after I was too stubborn to quit my SOBO thru when winter set in in VA, health dealt me the "no more thus for you" card. Thru the winter, I kept telling myself "you may never get this chance again". Definitely, do it while you can.