Monday, December 21, 2009

Lost in a need for peace of motion

Reading my stories from the AT and working the industry I work fuel me more and more with the desire to lace up my shoes, pack up my pack, and take a walk. About a year ago my husband asked me about he and I going to do the PCT (pacific crest trail). I was overjoyed at the idea of him wanting to join me on such an endeavor. At the same time, I knew it was not something he really wanted to do and thus it would not happen. However, it has gotten the brain juices flowing.

Throughout my life I have always looked for the challenges to power myself forward. I cannot do things simply just to simply do things. Backpacking has been in my blood since birth. I joke about being born in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and how they drained the lower peninsula blood out of me and put that outdoorsy Yooper blood in me.

Never could my family keep me indoors. I'm still that way to some degree, but I find it harder to get out these days. Also, after having hiked the Appalachian Trail, getting outside takes on a whole different meaning.

As winter comes and summer is seen past that, I begin to plan my challenges for the year. Seeing as though I have been feeling overwhelmed with clutter, I am feeling it is time to take a long walk. It is not time for the PCT although I would greatly love to do that and think it is time to start researching that excursion. To keep my sanity, I am thinking of something shorter...the Colorado Trail. We will see whether that pans out of not.

All I know is that I need to get back to the simplicity of nature and living day to day versus caught somewhere between the pain of yesterday and the depressing hope of the future. I need to refocus and recenter myself. Now, to figure out the details of a short long trail hike!