New Things / Old Things

New (ish)

New. This is new. As in new to hiking. And new to blogging. New to hiking poles. I am new to hammocking. New technology. THIS. It is all new. Let me introduce myself by saying I am not of the age where I am quite riding off into the sunset. But I do know now which way the horse is facing. I am certainly not new. I am Sixty-eight years old and this April I am on my way to Springer mountain. It has been thirty years since I went camping with my boys, summer weekends spent with the Boy Scouts and so camping is not new. Nor is carrying a backpack. But thirty years? It is all new now.

Having to set aside my external frame Kelty backpack, a neglected veteran of multiple moves and musty boxes, in favor of the light-weight internal options on the market now felt akin to taking an old faithful dog to the pound in favor of a new puppy. Not only is everything on the backpacking market new, sorting through the conflicting opinions on just about everything backpacking is a new (and confusing) experience as well.  The easy part seems to be simply putting on your boots, (that there dated me) hoisting your pack, and start walking.  Out with the old – in with the new.

Old (er)

The idea of hiking the AT thrust itself on me less than a year ago for some unknown, inexplicable reason. I thought initially I was too old for that kind of stuff.  But one thing I have been heartened to see is the amount of “Prime timers” getting out and tackling section hikes and thru – hikes. As an older hiker the idea of a thru-hike seems less and less farfetched. One thing that never gets old however, and I have been rediscovering this as I have been venturing out on the trail trying out this new thing or that, is the awesomeness of spending quality time among created things as opposed to being immersed in manufactured things.

Throttling back from hurriedness, to life at 2 miles per hour. You would think that after six decades of life there is not much left to learn. So I am thinking that maybe all that I have stored in my “knowledge tank” has only prepared me for this next chapter in my story. Which is why I have chosen to blog. Believing that a  rich life is a shared life, maybe the things I am learning will resonate with you as well. Such common ground marks all of our life stories. 

So new or not, old or not, ready or not….here we go!

 

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Comments 4

  • Professor Jellybean : Jan 28th

    James, I’m hooked. I’ll be avidly following you. As a 64-year old woman with some backpacking experience (1-2 week trips only) who is pondering a thru-hike of the PCT before I turn 70, I resonate with you completely…well, apart from the external frame backpack though my husband still owns one! Best wishes and happy hiking! 🙂

    Reply
  • yam : Jan 29th

    James, well written. 77 Orbits for me. Following vicariously! Thanks for allowing. Looking forward to your journey of adventure and discovery.

    Reply
  • Jenn D : Jan 30th

    I can totally relate to this! The difference in the backpacks since those external frame beasts is pretty amazing – I had one too. Looking forward to following along on your adventure, and hope to run into you on the trail sometime ( I’m starting my flip flop NOBO from Harper’s ferry in late Feb/ early March).

    Reply
  • Elizabeth Ross : Jan 30th

    A dream fulfilled is a tree of life. Super stoked to follow along on your most excellent journey.

    Reply

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