Thursday, March 27, 2008

Map of the AT

For those of you wanting to track the G-Town Colonel's progress along the AT, here is a good on-line map: http://www.nps.gov/carto/PDF/APPAmap1.pdf.

Scroll down to the bottom of the map. He left Dicks Creek Gap yesterday, March 26, morning and should have crossed into North Carolina by evening. He should have stayed overnight just north of Bly Gap. In a few days, he will be starting his treck through the Great Smoky Mountain National Park (how cool is that!). He should reach the northern end of the park by April 12.

If you have any questions or comments for the G-Town Colonel, they will get passed on via telephone. Have fun looking at the map. Hopefully soon we will have pictures to post.

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

G-Town Colonel Phones Home

Received the first phone call from the G-Town Colonel last night. He sounds very good despite getting lost the first day, being snowed on the second day, and freezing his toes off each evening. He said the first section was very physically demanding, but made his first check point goal: Hiawassee, GA by hitching a ride into town with a couple of section hikers. Cost for the ride: Dinner at Huddle House and some gas money.

The G-Town Colonel stayed in a hikers lodge last night and will get his first re-supply package at the Post Office this morning. Then, he will head north to Franklin, NC and onto Bryson City, NC which is his next scheduled re-supply stop. He has promised some journal entries soon. (We are going to be dependent on the US Mail service for news)

He met some very interesting folks along the way and saw some beautiful scenery. We will have to wait for his journal for the details.

Saturday, March 15, 2008

Why? Final Thoughts Before Setting Out on My Journey

On a long drive a few months ago my wife asked me why I was so fascinated by the notion of walking the entire Appalachian Trail. Why, indeed?

I've given a lot of thought to this over the last several months as I've made my preparations for this journey of a lifetime. There is no one simple reason why. There are in fact many reasons why. Here are as many reasons as come to mind, in no particular order -

- I go in search of answers to the Great Questions: Why are we here? What is the meaning of life? Where did we come from? Where do we go to when we die? What is my purpose on earth?

- I go in search of direction for the future: What will I do with my life when this hike is over?

- I go because every man should complete a great quest in his lifetime. This will be mine.

- I go because I seek to be special. To this day, only about 10,000 people have ever hiked the entire Appalachian Trail. If I complete my journey, I will be in a very select club.

- I go now because I am still young enough, strong enough, healthy enough, wealthy enough, and foolish enough to attempt it. And perhaps even more importantly, those who are dearest to me are likewise still healthy, wealthy, etc enough for me to leave them for 6 months straight.

But as usual my wife, aka "Squeaky", has I think the best insight of all as to why I am doing this. She studies (among many other things) the Tarot. Recently she had me read the description of the Hermit card from the Tarot deck. In this particular guide to the Tarot, the Hermit card depicts the Greek god Cronos. Cronos is an image of the last of the four Moral lessons which the Fool must learn: the lesson of time and the limitations of mortal life. The Hermit (Cronos) is an old man with a grey beard who carries a lamp of insight and who has travelled a long and lonely journey to find understanding and to ultimately accept his own mortality. "Squeaky" tells me that she thinks that I am taking my own Hermit's journey. I believe she is right.

Wish me well. I leave a week from tomorrow on Sunday, March 23, 2008. From that point on "Squeaky" and my daughter will be taking over the blog postings, though the photographs and words will be mine (I will mail them in from Post Offices along the trail).

See you on the Trail!

the G'Town Colonel