Trail wisdom: Lessons learned while hiking the Appalachians

[7Sisters]

A nice article about a 2009 thru hiker and some of the life lessons he's learning while being on the trail.

Trail wisdom: Lessons learned while hiking the Appalachians
By Adam Rice
Special to the Sunday Eagle-Tribune

After spending all this time in the woods and getting from it only a strange foot fungus and a rash that can best be described as uncomfortable, I sat on a moist thinking rock the other day and thought hard about what I have gained mentally from the trail thus far.

The first thing that came to mind was a strong sense of independence. It's hard not to find further independence when 80 percent of your time is spent alone with your thoughts. Sadly, this independence has turned into a certain case of hermititus, which shows upon entering trail towns and immediately becoming overwhelmed by the number of cars, people, shops, and the numerous roads I can walk upon.

Mental endurance was the next thought. The number of times I have walked by a road realizing that its flat, paved and rockless beauty would lead me to a Quality Inn, or a Subway, or anywhere but the relentless woods, and kept to the trail is an amazing feat. Except for the few gorgeous views, most mountains lead to an immediate downhill, which makes you wonder why the trail went up it in the first place. So at the foot of every mountain you must push yourself and convince yourself to get up and go. Which isn't always easy.

The third thought was that perhaps I have mentally gone a little insane. This thought occurred to me the moment I noticed I was listing the past items out loud and to myself. Looking around at other hikers, I began to realize that, in fact, yes, we have all gone a bit insane.

However, I feel we needed just to entertain ourselves during the lulls out here. The other day we held "The Great Newt Games," where each hiker found a newt and cheered it on as we placed them on a race-course. This is one of many examples of the slightly "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" games we play. One of my favorites is "Throw the Rock at the Tree," simply because I have yet to find anywhere this game is unplayable or where supplies are short.

Patience is a mental quality that everyone must pick up out here. Patience when dealing with people going out for a day hike is very important. It's hard not to blow people off, when for the 500th time in the past three months you're being asked the same questions: When did you start? How far have you gone? How do you eat? Where do you sleep? Do your parents know you're out here?

Patience is also important when walking for 10 hours a day in the rain. Which, might I add, I have had to deal with quite a bit out here. A fellow hiker told me the other day that of the 111 days I have been out here, it has rained 46. I am wondering if it always rains this much and we don't notice it because we are inside, or if for some reason my peer hikers and I are part of some sick, soggy joke.

There are certainly life lessons I have learned while hiking the Appalachian Trail. For one, always make a list before shopping. In doing this, you may avoid an uncomfortable week in which you have no toilet paper. There were a few other simple life lessons, such as don't run after drinking three blackberry milkshakes, but what I noticed was that most of the more important, and larger scale life lessons, were lessons I had already known, but had forgotten.

It may sound simple, but simplify your life every now and then is one lesson I relearned. My life has been condensed to a backpack and my feet, and even though more often than not I am wet, cold and sore, I am also happy more often than not.

Even on the trail I have learned to take the unbeaten path occasionally. You would think the trail is the unbeaten path, but there are many side trails and even roads that can be more rewarding than the Appalachian Trail. One of my favorite hikes so far has been along the Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park.

The last thing I considered was the importance of the people in our lives. After a long day of walking alone, up and down mountains in the wet and unforgiving rain, getting to a shelter and being able to laugh and talk with the people who over the past three months have become dear friends is a privilege. Sometimes just another person's presence and personality can keep you warm.

Satisfied with my list, I sat up from my thinking rock and kept moving. As I flung my pack on my back, I felt better about my hike and promised myself I would hold on to these thoughts for as long as I could. These weren't just lessons for me, but for a lot of us, for all of us who have lost something in overcrowded and overworked schedules.

It might be annoying to take a tip from a 21-year-old who four months ago put down "couch potato" as an occupation, but maybe more of us need to sit down on a thinking rock and figure out why we are doing what we are doing, what we are gaining from it, and what in our lives is most important to us.

Adam Rice, 21, is an Andover native and 2006 graduate of Andover High School. He is chronicling his adventures on the Appalachian Trail once a month for the Sunday Eagle-Tribune.

Here's a link to the original article: http://www.eagletribune.com/pulife/l...secondarystory

[Luis]

One of the difficult work to do is hiking ..
I used to do this in my student life.. And i love doing this ..