So many trails so little time.

As I prepare for my upcoming hike on the Appalachian Trail and have met some wonderful tru hikers some many times. I just want to go hike. My problem I am having I want to hike them all. I know I am on the down hill side of my life . Of all the hikes which ones do I want to do. I keep going back to them all. The west pulls me everyday. And the hikes there go through places I have lived. So that would be fun to hike into Pie Town on the CDT or hike into Skykomish Washington from the PCT. But hiking the Appalachian Trail I can hike into Washington DC were I was born. I really don't need to go there through.

So where to go were to go. I m thinking I can park at one end to to the hike to the end. Get a shuttle/plane. Get in my truck drive to the next rail and do it again, Every state has trails. I think about the children and adults that never get out of their boxes and explore the Great American Trail systems that people have made for us. People have spent a lot of personal time and as you know when you are volunteering money out of your own pocket.

The first is the thought. Then contacting the government whether is city, county, state or  federal. Somebody had to go speak to the fathers that be. Then the land owners. Years it takes to make a trail. For who. US. We get to enjoy the outdoors. It is ongoing. There are Associations that still fight in city hall all the way to Washington. For US.

I have volunteered my whole life. Millions of miles on my vehicles. Millions of hours in my life. It was all very rewarding and I still keep volunteering but now its for the Trails that I love. I encourage everyone that has the same passion to Join the clubs that help keep the trails open for us.

 I want to walk them all get to know each one for their own legacy that they have. The history, wildlife, plants that I see that I don't know what they are. The challenges that are unique to each one. The remoteness, mountains, rivers, were to get water.  I want to feel it all.

The Trail Family that I have  well its hard to explain if you have never had one. People always ask why? I say because its there, because I have learned you can carry everything on your back for months. You don't have to answer to anyone but yourself. Which I always did what I wanted to do so that's not much different. But why does the Trail pull me in? Is there a big magnet that is not seen by the naked eye? Yes there is. And if you have never had that pull on you. IM sorry its your loss.

I was hoping if I wrote I would be able to decide what Trail to do now. I am packed so I could just walk out the door. Maybe I will.

Sweet Spot

Time of year

It has to be something in the Autumn air that makes me want to go out into the wilderness. Here I am again looking at trails, upgrading equipment, dehydrating food. My tent, I have either been using my sons or my friends one man tent. Unless my husband goes with me in which we take the 2 person Kelty that I love. So this year since I have decided this long distance hiking is not going away. I have bought a Tarp Tent Notch. I got the one with tall sides to help the sand and snow out when I hike the PCT and the CDT. I haven't used it yet but I have high hopes for it. The next new equipment is my backpack. I got a Hyperlite Mountain Backpack its water proof so no more rain cover to deal with.  It is very lite so this should ease up on my pain.

I am thinking about hiking this year starting Jan 1st at Key West.
I will keep you posted.

Sweet Spot