My new why: travel

In 2024, my wife Meriweather and I hike the AT. This was a dream we had shared independently since our teenage years, back in the mid-to-late 20th century. I discovered my “why” was pretty easy for a dream I had had for so long. I’ve always wanted to hike the AT, I love backpacking, my kids are big and very self-sufficient, my clients are wonderful and understand the need for balance. There was really no need for a «Why?», the feeling was more like «Finally!!! We can climb the AT!!! GO!!!»

Well, not really final thoughts, but the thoughts I had when completing the AT.

My last two weeks at AT were difficult. Mentally tough. It’s not as mentally tough as New Hampshire. We did a modified Flip Flop, looked at McAfees Knob, hiked to Maine, flew to Georgia, and returned to McAfees Knob. We left Spring on July 3rd and arrived at McAfees Knob on August 6th.

As you can imagine, the Southeast US is hot in July and August. It is also humid, very humid. And every afternoon storms threaten. When we left our hotel room in Atlanta at 3:00 am on July 3, the heat and humidity made me start sweating. Profusely. My clothes were wet for the next 35 days. Not just wet, dripping. Whether it was from my sweat or the pouring rain. There’s nothing like putting on wet, smelly clothes in O’Dark Thirty every morning so you can walk around for a few hours in the temperature around 70 degrees.

In any case, during the last two weeks of this last effort to complete the AT, I decided that my dream had been fulfilled and that there was no longer a need for long-distance hiking. Weekend trips, fine. Maybe 3 week trips to the Long Trail and John Muir Trail, fine. I would never again undertake a long-distance hike of several months. I had completed one, more than most people attempt, and I was done.

It doesn’t take long for the brain to forget the discomfort. I say two weeks later, but it could have been two days after we got home from the AT. I started building my list. Long walks, short walks, walks in the US, walks abroad.

My list includes Hexa Trek (France), Wonderland Trail, Colorado Trail, Long Trail, Superior Hiking Trail, Pinhoti Trail, Benton Mackaye Trail, John Muir Trail and many others. It is worth highlighting the absence of the PCT and the CDT. I didn’t want to walk for weeks in the desert. The Hexa Trek is long, but offers plenty of culture and frequent visits to the city.

In the months since we hiked the AT, we have experienced many weekend- to week-long backpacking trips. We complete the JMT in 2025. A recently hired financial planner said we need to raise more. Meriweather decided to retire. And we postponed our “cultural” walk until the geopolitical climate calms down a bit.

I have loved all of our outdoor experiences since completing the AT.

A good “why” is an important component to completing a physically and mentally demanding search that lasts months. «It’s going to be fun» is not a good enough «why.» I’ve been thinking a lot about my “why” since our turn to the PCT.

One of my easiest “whys” is the simplicity of life while backpacking. The number of options decreases, there is little variation in the daily routine and life becomes habit.

Each day begins by putting on the clothes you took off the day before. Pack gear in the dark with no real need for a headlamp. Eat practically the same as the day before: cold-soaked oats with nuts and dried fruits and a cup of hot coffee. And leave for the next source of water or food. Daily. This is the routine. There are no options. No distractions.

Well, actually there are some distractions. Beautiful views, challenging river crossings, animal sightings, sunsets, stars, thunder, rain. These are important distractions, much more important than the ringing or vibrating of my phone indicating that there is an urgent matter that needs my attention.

I walk because it makes life easier.

Most of the news received on the trail concerns water, campgrounds, trail conditions, and all-you-can-eat restaurants in the next town. After that we want to know about the people around us, where our friends are, who we should meet, how that guy who got hurt is doing, “Oh, he’s back, great!”

“Real world” news slows down, almost becomes nonexistent, and certainly softens with time and distance. All of the distractions and choices hikers face make it impossible to check CNN or Fox every few minutes. The best we can hope for is that the van driver responding to our hitch request is listening to a 24-hour radio news station loud enough for us to hear despite the wind. Even then, more often than not it is blown away by the wind or, at worst, becomes distorted nonsense.

I have never met a hiker who was fooled by a current headline. They may be going in the wrong direction, wearing the wrong equipment, or having some bad reason for being out there, but they can’t get enough of current events in the “real world.” Note that the comments about the team and reasons in the last sentence were hyperbole, I fully subscribe to «walk your own walk.»

I walk because the news stresses me out. I actually hike because news about a hike is always helpful or welcome.

Time is a common thought as I enter my seventh decade. What time will I have to get up to go to the bathroom? Is 7:30 too early to go to bed? Is it time for dinner yet? When will my new equipment arrive? Which will expire first, my time or my money.

On the way time slows down. An hour of walking uphill seems like a lifetime. The last kilometer before the campsite is the longest. It takes forever to reduce the weight of food after a refill. The first mile, the tenth, the hundredth, the thousandth; They all take forever. I don’t remember what consumed my day before hitting the road.

When time slows down I have the opportunity to feel. I feel the pain in my shoulders and the numbness in my feet. I feel the dirt on my clothes and the stickiness of my sweaty skin. Most importantly, though, I feel awe. Amazement to be alive in such a beautiful world. Amazed when experiencing the kindness of people. Amazed at being able to walk so far. I am amazed at my wonderful life.

I walk during the in-between moments that are often lost in our fast-paced world.

I’m going to name names here. You shouldn’t offend, if so, call me and I’ll buy you a drink.

My biggest “why” is the people. They have shaped me, supported me, laughed at me and with me. My best friends are on the road and I have new ones every day. Some of the interactions are short, some long, and all meaningful.

Al Hammond led my Boy Scout troop on many 8 mile backpacking trips. It was never 8 miles. I don’t think Al knew a route less than 15 miles. We arrived at camp long after dark on every trip he led. Al taught me resilience and told me many stories to share with the Boy Scouts I later led.

Bob Bryant led my first week-long backpacking trip. It was also my first mixed backpacking trip. I was just a teenager and the rest of the youth was in high school. Bob taught me confidence. We brought 6 matches because Bob said we were going to have 10 hot meals (dinner and breakfast each day) and we might need an extra match just in case. This was when everyone cooked over an open fire. In fact, we ate 10 hot meals and got game six back intact.

Delaware Master Scout. I’m sorry to say I can’t remember his name. He took ten disadvantaged youth on a week-long backpacking trip to the local Scout reserve. They asked me to be the second adult. The guys carried heavy backpacks, wore Korean War-era gear, and really fought. This man, their leader, encouraged them when they could not continue, comforted them in unpleasant times, and encouraged them when they all achieved success. This was one of my best weeks on the trail, as I learned that the important thing is not what’s on your back, but in your heart.

Finnish from Finland. Finn was a little shy when we met. I didn’t think his English was very good. It was certainly better than my Finnish. If you spend enough time with someone, not even a language barrier can stop a friendship from growing. We experienced together the beginning of the Whites, an extraterrestrial encounter and the call of the loons. Finn is a big guy with an even bigger heart. Leaving Lehigh Gap in Pennsylvania, he stopped frequently, remembering my fear of heights, to make sure I was okay.

Saying goodbye to Finn in VT. In fact, we met him several times in NH. We should have said, «See you later!»

Ready and his booming, happy voice appeared on our fourth night at AT. We were in our tent and it probably woke us up. We also heard him the next morning shout «Good morning!» to us when we left the camp. And we met in person on the fifth night when he passed by our campsite and continued for another 4 miles or so. This was in Virginia. We didn’t see him again until New York, when we camped with him through the rest of that state and most of Vermont. Ready is the most experienced backpacker I know. Share this experience gracefully through epic stories that always impart learning in the best way. He also eats well. Spamwich raman with fresh ramps and morels.

What a wonderful morning on Mount Greylock. The beard is ready.

There’s nothing like spending some time in a little shelter on a rainy afternoon. Four Mennonite sisters crossed the stream dressed and examined us thoroughly before deciding to share the shelter with us for the night. An afternoon of 20 questions and several meetings over the next few days have given rise to a wonderful friendship between tremendously different cultures. We became pen pals shortly after returning from the AT, attended one of their weddings, and will be hosting them in our home when they reach the Virginia Triple Crown this spring.

Becca, Simone and Two Puffs, three young women we met at the JMT, gave us confidence in the next generation. We already knew that our sons and daughters-in-law were quite well together, but we had reservations about their companions. No more. These three women have the confidence, determination, drive and commitment to put the best baby boomer to shame. Not only that, everyone was very happy to entertain and be entertained by an older couple.

We had only heard of Two Puffs at this point. She would appear a few days later.

Gigi from Maine started hiking the AT the same year we did, 2024. An injury forced her off the trail and now she’s slowly but surely making her way up the East Coast as time allows. We met Gigi on a recent test hike in the Shenandoah Mountains. Our oldest son joined us for a couple of days and spent our third night with us and Gigi. Gigi, a bakery owner, really involved our son regarding kitchen preparation on the submarines. She asked probing questions and was very interested in this experience he had had. That other older adults show so much interest in my children’s experiences warms my heart.

In short, my “why” is the opportunity to move away from the distractions of civilization and move to a place of simplicity where I can develop meaningful relationships based on what really matters.

Happy paths and happy whys.