I’ve Gotten Soft!

It’s pretty crazy how one can fall back into city life once off the trail especially when you live in an area with plenty of distractions. It also means the return to that JOB thing that funds my AT adventures. Owning my own business now is a two-way trail. One, it provides me with an income but in the end, there are responsibilities that are critical to keeping the business running. Two, owning a business provides me with the flexibility to design my day, week, and months accordingly. However, there are also times that an unexpected event can derail my every plan, something that I need to figure out how to overcome.

A comfortable bed, nice sofa, tables, hot shower, all the household comforts and lots of breweries with gourmet food trucks are all distractions from trail life. Short prize hikes with views and waterfalls on easy terrain while only carrying a light day pack have become a way of life. However, in the back of my mind, I actually miss the simplicity of being dirty. I miss rehydrating my dinner, filtering water, and just being small in the universe and in tune with nature. I miss the one and only real task of the day while on the trail, hiking to the next oasis, then waking up to do it all over again and again. Sure, I’ll have another IPA! Oh, and can I get one of those awesome pretzels with beer cheese? Please and thank you! Now, what was I saying…Oh yeah, that AT dream.

The AT has called me again, it’s time to go. It’s as simple as that. The plan is basic for a short hike, one to get back into the groove and two to get back into backpacking shape for a longer section later in the month. So this short section will take me from just outside of the boundaries of the Great Smokey Mountain National Park to Hot Springs, NC. A mere 33.1 miles in three days. The stage is set, the weather is looking awesome, and the logistics are all in place. The backpack is now packed and I’m ready to go.

Basic stats: Warm weather hiking has its advantages so with 3 days of food, probably too much food, and without water, it weighs in at only 18.8 lbs. I love being light. Thankfully we’ve had lots of spring rain so the water sources should, gulp, should be flowing. My next post will be from the trail and on my trailjournals blog page. The link to that page is on the home page of this site. Or, click here.

Be_again and again ~ Purpose