It Just Hit Me!

It’s real now.  Hit me this morning.  All the research, the books, the equipment, gear, and food purchased.  (To mail drop or not to mail drop?…that is the question.)  My reasons for thru hiking the Applachian Trail, the National Geographic Map of the Trail staring me in the face every day.

Despite all the time, energy, thought, and more than a few bucks spent there was this wide chasm between what I was doing and what it all meant.  Has it simply been an academic exercise?  It well could have been.  I’ve enjoyed the planning; putting the pieces together.  Made the arrangements for my brother to drive Gus and I to Amacalola and get my truck back to Wisconsin and into storage.  Registered a start date.  Decided on a trail name.  Got Far Out (or is it Gut Hook?) Pictured myself on Springer and along the trail with Gus, my semi-trained, 7 year old Labradoodle and best buddy.

But it wasn’t until this morning driving to work that it really hit me.  This all hasn’t been, in fact, any kind of an academic exercise.  This is real and Gus and I are going to do this thing.  In Theatre we call it a “Moment of Realization”.  Call it the proverbial light bulb exploding like a sun inside my brain.

It’s a little over three weeks before we head out.  Decided on an early start based on an article I read.  Having 2nd thoughts of course.  Wondering how cold it will be.  Tougher for Gus and I.  Then settled on, “It will be what it will be.”  Gonna leave it at that.

Can’t begin to describe how good it feels, after nearly 3 years of drifting through Life after the death of my dearest love, to once again be able to say, “Let’s be off then.  It’s time to see what the future holds.”

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Comments 2

  • pearwood : Jan 15th

    Sounds like a plan, Don.
    I will walk through the archway on February 1. I’ve done enough of this sort of thing to know that I really do not know what I am getting into. But it is going to happen.
    Blessings on your way,
    Steve / pearwood
    https://thetrek.co/author/steven-tryon/

    Reply
  • pearwood : Jan 15th

    Oops. Rob.

    Reply

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