Blank stare – The journey

Yes, a blank stare, maybe a long pause before a brief «oh,» that’s what I usually get when I tell people I’m hiking the Appalachian Trail. And why wouldn’t that be the appropriate response? I live on a lake in Texas (see above). I love Hawaii (see background photo). I am a cyclist. I don’t have (until recently) a tent. I just retired. So, yeah, it sounds a little… strange. So why am I suddenly telling people that I plan to hike approximately 2,100 miles somewhere east of here?

Because?

2 logical reasons, mainly…

Remember those Franklin Planner courses us GenXers took in the ’90s? If you took the really expensive course, you learned to “sharpen your saw,” to write down your goals, your aspirations, your dreams. Then you sharpened the saw, you dug deeper into those “want tos” until a plan took shape. So, the 20-something, I wrote this…(highlight added)

So yes, I planned it. And shortly after turning 50, I crossed the United States on a bicycle. This seemed like the logical next thing to do. Makes sense, right?

I recently retired, am in good health, and have nothing urgent on my calendar. My partner and I love to travel and are actively researching future places to live. Last year we spent a week in New Hampshire; this year a week in New York. Next year, with passports ready, we plan to venture further afield. So a hike of about 6 months seemed like a great way to reflect on what next steps in our journey made the most sense. And I see white people much more closely 😉

That’s all? Why else…?

Stay tuned;)

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