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Take a little walk with me
Jan. 12th, 2009 08:22 pmOne of the books I got for Christmas was A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson. It's the story of the author's hike along the Appalachian Trail. I've been thoroughly enjoying it and finding the entire idea of such a hike fascinating.
For those who don't know the Appalachian Trail, or AT as it's commonly called by those who have hiked part or all of it, stretches from Georgia to Maine and encompasses more than 2,100 miles. The average thru-hiker (one who walks the entire trail in one long journey) tends to take about six month to do it.
It's a pretty impressive and radical (to me at least) notion. And an appealing one as well. When I was a kid, especially as a boy scout, I did a lot of hiking and camping. I've dug a snow cave and slept in it, cross-country skied for miles into the mountain to set up a tent on a frozen lake and fish, learned (and since forgotten) dozens of knots and various methods of starting fires without a match.
The last time I did any of that, however, was more than 15 years ago...in fact, closer to 20. I've camped only once since high school and on that occasion all I did was sleep on a picnic table with a blanket. Most of my longer walks have been in cities like New York and London. The last truly strenuous outdoor physical activity I did was bike 70 miles round trip when I was 17. So the notion of doing something as radical as hiking the AT is a pretty ridiculous one, particularly when I consider that the reason I haven't done any camping in so long is because it simply doesn't suit me anymore. I like hotel rooms with running water and internet access.
Still, it makes me think about the beautiful natural environment I live in these days and wonder if I shouldn't go out and take greater advantage of it. I don't have to hike 2,000 miles and camp out for 6 months. I could just try short half-day hikes -- there are plenty to choose from less than an hour away. Hell, I could probably find a piece of the AT itself within a couple of hours drive.
The more I think of it, the more the thought appeals to me. I'll wait until the weather warms up again. Once it does, maybe I'll take the initiative to get some comfortable walking shoes and go exploring a nearby trail. In the meantime I'll dream of the truly long walk with the help of Bryson's words. Of course, in my dreams, I walk 12 to 15 miles a day and then get a ride into the city to sleep in a hotel that night.
Well, I can dream, can't I?
For those who don't know the Appalachian Trail, or AT as it's commonly called by those who have hiked part or all of it, stretches from Georgia to Maine and encompasses more than 2,100 miles. The average thru-hiker (one who walks the entire trail in one long journey) tends to take about six month to do it.
It's a pretty impressive and radical (to me at least) notion. And an appealing one as well. When I was a kid, especially as a boy scout, I did a lot of hiking and camping. I've dug a snow cave and slept in it, cross-country skied for miles into the mountain to set up a tent on a frozen lake and fish, learned (and since forgotten) dozens of knots and various methods of starting fires without a match.
The last time I did any of that, however, was more than 15 years ago...in fact, closer to 20. I've camped only once since high school and on that occasion all I did was sleep on a picnic table with a blanket. Most of my longer walks have been in cities like New York and London. The last truly strenuous outdoor physical activity I did was bike 70 miles round trip when I was 17. So the notion of doing something as radical as hiking the AT is a pretty ridiculous one, particularly when I consider that the reason I haven't done any camping in so long is because it simply doesn't suit me anymore. I like hotel rooms with running water and internet access.
Still, it makes me think about the beautiful natural environment I live in these days and wonder if I shouldn't go out and take greater advantage of it. I don't have to hike 2,000 miles and camp out for 6 months. I could just try short half-day hikes -- there are plenty to choose from less than an hour away. Hell, I could probably find a piece of the AT itself within a couple of hours drive.
The more I think of it, the more the thought appeals to me. I'll wait until the weather warms up again. Once it does, maybe I'll take the initiative to get some comfortable walking shoes and go exploring a nearby trail. In the meantime I'll dream of the truly long walk with the help of Bryson's words. Of course, in my dreams, I walk 12 to 15 miles a day and then get a ride into the city to sleep in a hotel that night.
Well, I can dream, can't I?
