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My AT “Why” Redux
Last year, I first journaled my “why” on The Trek: Quiet Man Hikes the AT: Why, I wrote then; For many section hikers the desire to hike the AT started as an idea to thru-hike the trail. My first SASH (short ass section hike) of 2025 will be the Approach Trail at Amilacola Falls State Park and the first 30+ miles of the AT to Neel Gap. Since this also is the start of a typical thru-hike, I am excited to have the opportunity to experience a little of what it is like to be an AT thru-hiker. But I am still a section hiker and I feel this is also a good time to review my “why” hike the Appalachian Trail as a section hiker.
Bottom line upfront: my goals have not changed. And, so far, I believe I have been quite successful. My goals: I want to hike the entire Appalachian Trail because …
I want some time, solitude and quiet to reflect on my past 64 years.
I want to challenge myself mentally and physically by testing the limits of my endurance.
I want to explore the natural beauty and history of the Appalachian Mountains.
I want to experience AT culture and traditions.
I want to consistently journal about my adventure and share my experience with others.
I want to accumulate stories to tell in the future around the campfire and at my local tavern.
I want to complete my AT journey before I am 70 years old.
During this section hike, I also want to think about an idea I have been kicking around during recent day hikes. I have always journaled my hikes and I recently started sharing my hiking observations through haiku. While reading about hiking culture and values for a featured article on The Trek, I came across the Japanese concept of shinrin-yoku, or forest bathing. There I also found a few haiku. I started thinking of hiking haiku as an extension of practicing shinrin-yoku and journaling. Since rediscovering haiku, my senses have awakened even more during my hikes. Before, I watched for natural objects or scenes to photograph. Now, I see something and try to imagine it in words. Writing is part of my hiking; they do not exist separately in my mind. Haiku are simply word images of what I see, hear, feel, while hiking. Maybe writing and publishing a book about my AT journey, based upon haiku, will eventually be added to my “why” hike the Appalachian Trail.
Via Kira Thornley
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Comments 8
As a fellow Forrest Bather this missive really HIT HOME w/ me. Big time. I don’t know if I could ever reach deep enough inside to reach haiku status but that is something now in my 77 yo mind. Thanks for sharing. Many thanks.
Yam, thanks for the comment! You know this well…never too late to learn something new! Writing haiku is a bit like long-distance hiking. It seems daunting to start, but once you get your trail legs, it becomes a lot easier. Learning to write haiku is fairly straightforward; mastering haiku is quite another thing. But it’s about the journey, not the destination, isn’t it? And like long-distance hiking, your “why” matters. If you are writing for yourself (maybe your friends) or to tag onto something else hiking related (like a journal) there is a lot more freedom. If you want to publish haiku in a literary journal; well, that’s a whole ‘nother thru-hike! This blind squirrel found a nut the first time I tried to get a haiku published and was surprised to have one of my first selected. It’s been a bit of a long dry water carry since then!
If you are interested, let me know and I will send some resources to get you started writing haiku!
Rich. Think I will take a hard pass on that. But thanks so much for taking time to answer and to let me know
LOVE these why’s, Quiet Man! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Jess, thank you for comment!
I think you could reach your goals with just the right amount of weed from the comfort of your recliner! 😉
George, I can’t see your point through all the haze around your head!😮💨 🤣 I will leave the weed smoking to you you 🚬 You leave the thinking to me. Hike Your Own Hike. 🥾
Great “why’s”, and I love the connection of haiku and forest bathing. It sounds like you are enjoying a very rich, fulfilling experience when you’re out on the trail! Look forward to following along.